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SPG Amex holders...

LisaRex

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For those who are still holding onto their AMEX cards, be sure to check out your offers from time to time. (Log in and then scroll down to see Amex Offers & Benefits.) When I reviewed mine, I saw one to earn bonus points (presumably MRs?) for spending on the SPG Amex. Here is what mine was for:

You can earn 6,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 in eligible purchases and an additional 4,000 bonus points after spending an additional $1,000 in eligible purchases on your registered Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card between the time you complete registration and November 30, 2018. Registration period ends on October 31, 2018.

I know 10,000 MRs isn't much but I signed up for it. I'll probably not get it because I find Chase Sapphire points to be more valuable, but you never know.

There was also an Uber offer (Spend $15 get $10 back), which I plan to use tonight.
 

Denise L

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Has anyone gotten the free SPG night yet? I think we were promised one on this now devalued card. My anniversary was October 27, so I was expecting something to show up somewhere. I wanted to book a night at LAX for February. I don't see anything in my account, but maybe I just need to call?
 

YYJMSP

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Canadian version says allow 6-8 (i think) weeks after the anniversary date for the reward to show up.

i'm going to guess the US version is not instant.
 

DeniseM

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QUESTION: I have switched most of my spending over to an airline credit card. However, I'm debating whether to pay my Vistana MF's with my AMEX to get double points.

1) Will I get double points for maintenance fees? (6 MR's per dollar?)

2) How easy/difficult is it to transfer MR's to an airline?
 
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Moparman42

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I transferred some point to hawaiian. It took about 24 hours and was simple. I am using the AMEX for maintenance fees as well, I did get the triple points AND since I have the luxury card, it activated the 300.00 credit. mainly why I still use the AMEX, plus teh lluxusy card gets 3 points at restaraunts, so it's not as much of a downgrade from the old SPG.
 

Sea Six

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I'm still using the AMEX, but I may change to something else. In the past I would rack up points on my AMEX / SPG account, then buy miles for both my airline account and my wife's (separately). This seemed to make sense because she was racking up as many actual miles as I was in our airline accounts. BIG MISTAKE! I tried to book us a flight from Maui to Florida. She went from Maui to Portland to Dallas to Ft Myers all first class. I had to fly coach on the leg from Portland to Dallas. Airline said no more seats on that flight at the rewards level. I couldn't even sit with my wife! Now I drive all the points to my airline account, and book 2 tickets at the same time. We'll just keep rolling her miles until we can get a cheapo flight to someplace close by, like Bahamas or Cancun.
 

triangulum33

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I asked similar questions on a similar thread about the Chase Sapphire and the folks said that to book hotel or airfare, you dont transfer the points to a specific airline or hotel. You use Chase's portal that is powered by Expedia to book that way.
The Points Guy says the Chase Sapphire points are worth $.02 vs SPG/Marriott at $.009. I did my own value comparison for Marriott San Fran hotels, and it was like Chase = $.015 and Marriott = $.0085 (accounting for the extra ~33% I'm accruing with AMEX vs Chase).
 

LisaRex

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There is a rumor on FlyerTalk that there will be a new Marriott/SPG-combined loyalty card rolling out soon. A few months ago, I signed up both of us for the Marriott Chase card with its 75k sign-on bonus. They finally posted, so we have ~450k MRs now. We'll definitely be booking more hotel rooms in the mid-future as our first grandchild is due in Jan 2019 and they live out of town. So MRs will be a nice way to cut out some of that expense.

That being said, I've found it very hard to beat the Chase Sapphire perks. For instance, I just booked a rental car in Aruba for 32,000 Ultimate Reward points, which is about $18,000 in spending. The out of pocket cost would have been ~$480 for the SUV I booked. That's not a bad deal. Of course, with vendors filing suit against Visa asking for the ability to decline to accept fee-heavy premium Visa-branded cards, I imagine that gravy train will be ending soon. https://thepointsguy.com/news/retailers-want-to-reject-rewards-cards/
 
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Has anyone gotten the free SPG night yet? I think we were promised one on this now devalued card. My anniversary was October 27, so I was expecting something to show up somewhere. I wanted to book a night at LAX for February. I don't see anything in my account, but maybe I just need to call?

I got an email from Amex this week for a free night with our three cards. Said instructions would be coming from SPG in 6-8 weeks on how to redeem.
 

gritmuncher

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just received an email with a 50,000 mile offer to switch but need to spend $2,500 first 3 months and it is a $450 annual fee with these perks:

THE ANNUAL $450 FEE GETS YOU:
Additional Rates and Fees Apply
77768_spacer.gif

77768_061218_dtas_icon_01.png

MORE REWARDS FOR DINING AND TRAVEL
In addition to earning 6x points at participating SPG® and Marriott
Rewards® hotels and 2x points on all other eligible purchases, you can also earn 3x points at U.S. restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines.
$300
CREDIT AT SPG AND MARRIOT REWARDS HOTELS
Receive up to $300 in statement credits at participating SPG® and Marriott Rewards® hotels after each Card renewal year.
77768_061218_dtas_icon_02.png

ELITE STATUS
Get complimentary Gold Elite status with your Card, which includes
benefits such as earning a 25% bonus on points earned on the property. Then earn Platinum Elite status from SPG® after making $75,000 in eligible purchases on your Card within a calendar year.
77768_061218_dtas_icon_03.png

FREE NIGHT AWARD
Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card account anniversary. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at
or under 50,000 points) at participating hotels. Select hotels
have resort fees.
$100
FEE CREDIT FOR GLOBAL ENTRY
Receive either a $100 statement credit for Global Entry or an $85 credit for TSA Pre✓®. TSA Pre✓® can expedite security screening and
Global Entry can reduce wait time at U.S. Customs at select airports. If you are approved for Global Entry, you will also receive access to TSA Pre✓®. Only one credit will be given in a four-year period for whichever application fee is charged to your Card first. Additional Cards are eligible for the statement credit and must be charged using their Card
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

is it worth it?
 

CalGalTraveler

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My DH got similar offer for 100,000 pt upgrade and $5000 spend. Since Amex is once in a lifetime per card for bonuses and this card earns same 6x for SPG spend. I would wait for a better offer. This card is not that great because free room during peak is still not best hotels and we already get travel spend and protection with Chase Sapphire Reserve. IMO the only reason to upgrade is to get a large pt bonus. The business card is better for spend categories.

If free hotel room not useful to our situation we will probably downgrade or cancel after a year.
 
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PamMo

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These offers are very targeted. I've used my SPG AMEX for years, and my offer is for a 15,000 point bonus if I switch - nowhere near 50,000-100,000! The pluses are 3X points at restaurants/flights without having to register for promotions and getting Platinum Elite for $75K in purchases.

The first free night award will come from my present SPG AMEX card, next year's award will come from the new card (if I take up the offer). The redemption level for the Free Night Award benefit you receive is based on the Card product you have at the time of your renewal. If you transfer to a different Starwood Preferred Guest® American Express Card, you will still receive the Free Night Award benefit for the Card product you had as of your renewal date.

EARN 15,000 Points
Earn 15,000 points after you upgrade your current Starwood Preferred Guest® American Express Card and spend $1,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 3 months. Offer expires 1/31/2019.
 

CalGalTraveler

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I got the same 15k offer. Will wait for better or stick with current card since DH has SPG luxe and I may opt for the Hilton Aspire which has no restrictions on hotel cat.
 
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Pedro

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I got the same 15k offer. Will wait for better or stick with current card since DH has SPG luxe and I may opt for the Hilton Aspire which has no restrictions on hotel cat.
A couple of months ago, I got the 15k offer as well for upgrading the card. Instead, I cancelled the card and applied for the new one for the 100k MR points. The 100k points posted last week.
Even though the annual fee is $450, I think the card pays for itself. The $300 credit for staying at Marriott/Starwood hotels posted the same day as the charges for a stay I had in September. A free night every year (up to 50k points) is not a bad deal either. Finally, I’ve already use the priority pass benefit several times. $28 free meal at LAX, same at MIA, and $56 at PDX plus the access to several airport lounges so far.
 

duke

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A couple of months ago, I got the 15k offer as well for upgrading the card. Instead, I cancelled the card and applied for the new one for the 100k MR points. The 100k points posted last week.
Even though the annual fee is $450, I think the card pays for itself. The $300 credit for staying at Marriott/Starwood hotels posted the same day as the charges for a stay I had in September. A free night every year (up to 50k points) is not a bad deal either. Finally, I’ve already use the priority pass benefit several times. $28 free meal at LAX, same at MIA, and $56 at PDX plus the access to several airport lounges so far.

Pedro - Good use but you would do better with the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
 

blondietink

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Just got notice that our anniversary Starwood hotel is available to book, anything up to 35,000 Marriott points. We are staying over this coming weekend with our Marriott anniversary points.
 

Pedro

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Thanks Duke. I’ll check that card out.
 

Negma

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We are using our Amex less and less and went to the sapphire card. Just received a (maybe targeted) offer, spend $3000 on our card by 12-24 get an extra 10,000 points. It is maintenance fee season so I did sign up.
 

CalGalTraveler

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We are also using our SPG Amex less. However, I am finding that the SPG business card has some decent spend when there are bonuses involved i.e. 4 pts Restaurant, gas and wireless telephone. There is also a targeted spend of 3x for groceries until Nov 30 on the regular SPG which is not better than the Hilton grocery benefit. However there is a 10% off groceries AMEX offer where this can be stacked so good up to the max Amex offer.

e.g.
NOTE: CORRECTED
3 pts x .009 = $.027 per dollar spent + 10% off groceries (Amex Offer stacked)

Hilton Ascend
6x Grocery x .005 = $.030 per dollar spent

There are also some pretty amazing 10% off spend up to $1000 for Lowes, Staples and gas until Nov 30 for Amex offers on the SPG business card. The personal card now sits in the sock drawer except for AMEX offers. With exception of the grocery offer most of the personal AMEX offers have been lame lately.
 
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DanTUG

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QUESTION: I have switched most of my spending over to an airline credit card. However, I'm debating whether to pay my Vistana MF's with my AMEX to get double points.

1) Will I get double points for maintenance fees? (6 MR's per dollar?)

2) How easy/difficult is it to transfer MR's to an airline?


I'm not so sure you will get double points for Vistana MF. Can anyone confirm?
 

controller1

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I'm not so sure you will get double points for Vistana MF. Can anyone confirm?

You will get double points (6x points/dollar) for Vistana MFs with an SPG Amex.
 

Sea Six

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Saturday 11/24 is "Small Business Saturday". In years past, AMEX would give you a credit of some amount (forget how much) if you used your card to buy something at a small business. As I recall, it was something like $10 refund for a $50 purchase, or something like that. This year, I can't find anything that says if they are doing any credits, as they did in the past. Anyone know more?
 

LisaRex

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I got an email offer to upgrade my SPG AMEX too. 125k points, 450 annual fee with 300$ credit. Have to spend 5k for points. Thoughts???
 

triangulum33

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Based on our spending patterns, I figure the Luxury card would be a net gain of about 20k of extra point accrual per year to offset the $50 increase in fees.
 
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