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SPG Luxury card

Robotpedlr

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i just got a targeted 125k point Amex SPG Lux card offer in the mail... so I applied and got instant approval. Will use the card to pay VSN maint fees for the $300 credit. So the Net of $150 for 125k points seemed like a no brainer.

Plus I got the 100k Business Amex SPG card ($95 first year waived) a couple of months ago. So that's 225k points for the 2 cards plus the points from the spend for a total Net cost of $150. NO MORE card offers please...lol
 

taterhed

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The biggest question to ask is simple:
  1. Can I use/transfer the points to the program/airline I like....
  2. Is the Centurion lounge (or priority) what I like/need?
Obviously, you need to be able to make the high annual fee convert to useful spending (TSA/Marriott/Global etc...)
 

VacationForever

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We both have a $450 per year card, me - Sapphire reserve with my husband as a supplemental card holder, and my husband has the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant. It does not make financial sense for me to upgrade to the Brilliant card just to get the 100K bonus. I intend to keep my Amex Marriott Bonvoy card for a long time and membership fee on that card is cheap.
 
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CalGalTraveler

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The more the Marriott program devalues points, the more we prefer cash back as an option. We have a lot of points from the SPG card and will burn through them. Not sure it is worth collecting more at this point. Cash is king.

Biggest question is whether you can downgrade a Brilliant card back to the mid-tier card for 35k room after the AF is due in about a year to collect the bonus. Would love to see datapoints because DH has this card.
 
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rickandcindy23

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Don't overlook that Priority Pass Lounge benefit. You probably think it's a throwaway benefit you will not use, but you might be surprised.

We use the lounges whenever they are convenient. We won't walk to another concourse, or try to enter a lounge in an international terminal at an airport with only one lounge, but we always visit a lounge that is somewhat close.

At SJC, the lounge is extremely nice and has a lot of great snacks, beverages and a full-service bar, for those of you who love your drink. Many of the snacks are perfect for grabbing to take on the plane, if you are traveling economy. We flew Southwest in/out of SJC and were able to grab some crackers and cheese packets for the flight, plus we ate some salad while there. We also filled our cups with some ice tea. The coffee with that machine was also incredible.

At the Denver airport, there is a lounge in concourse C, right at the top of the escalator, you don't have to walk far at all. So you just go to the train to concourse C, then up the stairs. Whatever concourse you are flying out of, you are less than five minutes from the restaurant. It is a restaurant. $27 per person X up to 3 people with the membership you get with the Luxury card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve. We just took Mom there on our way to Maui. So impressive. Great burgers, fries and cheesecake, all free. All we pay is tip, not even sales tax.
 

CalGalTraveler

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Agree that the Priority Pass is a great benefit. We already receive the lounge benefit from our Sapphire Reserve cards and Hilton Aspire. If this was our only card then that would be a great benefit.

The question is how many $450 cards does one need? Our CSVs are keepers for their flexibility, and the Hilton Aspire gives us outsized value with the $250 resort credit which goes against our HGVC MF, and $250 airline fee reimbursement for SWA gift cards (effectively the card is a profit maker esp when you add in the unlimited annual free night and bonus points).
 

Negma

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We did upgrade to the Amex Brilliant card. At the top you get it all back with the $300 credit (yes it worked at WKORVN), and a free room every year. The rest is all gravy. Already paid for itself. Timing was good too, we put 5k of our upcoming cruise on it and the 100k points hit two days later.
 

VacationForever

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I just don't want to give up my $65 membership fee on my Amex Bonvoy card. They did not raise my fee due to the amount I put on that card each year. If I go with the $450 card and want to drop it back down after a couple of years I doubt they will keep my old $65 per year membership fee. I don't always use the free night each year so a 50K per night vs. 35K per night does not make a difference to me.
 

triangulum33

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The more the Marriott program devalues points, the more we prefer cash back as an option. We have a lot of points from the SPG card and will burn through them. Not sure it is worth collecting more at this point. Cash is king.

I agree 100%.
Sure we get value from our AMEX card, but it looks to me like I can get about double value from the cash card I linked above.
 

bobpark56

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Don't overlook that Priority Pass Lounge benefit. You probably think it's a throwaway benefit you will not use, but you might be surprised.
<snip>
We just tried to use our Priority Pass at the lounge at gate C-19 at Logan airport, Boston on Monday. We were turned away, though I could see several vacant seats. We were told they were being saved for "preferred" members. Seems like Priority pass is a bit of a fraud...at least at some airports.
 

cubigbird

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Delete - posted in wrong topic.
 

Henry M.

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I checked on the Priority Pass club in terminal D at DFW, since the Admiral‘s Club there is undergoing renovation. It looked ok, but was extremely full. I would not enjoy being there, and would likely just sit around in the terminal if I couldn’t access the Admiral‘s Club or the current temporary setup. It is just too crowded. There was a line out the door of people waiting to be let in.

Essentially, if a luxury club stops being a luxury, it gets crowded and overrun by people. The new Bonvoy Brilliant card is essentially free if you account for the $300 credit and free night.
 

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The new Bonvoy Brilliant card is essentially free if you account for the $300 credit and free night.

That's the way I see it. After the $300 credit and free night certificate, everything else one receives in benefits is pure bonus!
 

VacationForever

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The couple of lounges that we visited using the Chase Sapphire Reserve were less than impressive. We don't even bother to look them up now.
 

controller1

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The couple of lounges that we visited using the Chase Sapphire Reserve were less than impressive. We don't even bother to look them up now.

IMO, the Priority Pass card is best used at those few airport restaurants that accept the card.

Robert
 

Kildahl

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We just tried to use our Priority Pass at the lounge at gate C-19 at Logan airport, Boston on Monday. We were turned away, though I could see several vacant seats. We were told they were being saved for "preferred" members. Seems like Priority pass is a bit of a fraud...at least at some airports.

Some members apparently have more Priority that others.o_O
I would call when you get home.
 

CalGalTraveler

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That's the way I see it. After the $300 credit and free night certificate, everything else one receives in benefits is pure bonus!

Unless you can get good value from the other benefits, (which is a wash because we already get from other credit cards) the question is whether it is worth paying $150 for a hotel room every year and can get outsized value from it. The jury is out for us. YMMV
 

luv_maui

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We just tried to use our Priority Pass at the lounge at gate C-19 at Logan airport, Boston on Monday. We were turned away, though I could see several vacant seats. We were told they were being saved for "preferred" members. Seems like Priority pass is a bit of a fraud...at least at some airports.
This is so true. At PDX, the Alaska airlines lounge is rarely available. Just too many priority pass card holders so they are excluded at PDX Alaska airlines lounge unless very very slow. Used it there once in maybe last 10 times, if that
 

frank808

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IMO, the Priority Pass card is best used at those few airport restaurants that accept the card.

Robert
At SFO I use PP at the Giant Clubhouse. You can even get your order to go. Dont forget to order a large bottled water on your bill if you are under the $28 limit.

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frank808

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This is so true. At PDX, the Alaska airlines lounge is rarely available. Just too many priority pass card holders so they are excluded at PDX Alaska airlines lounge unless very very slow. Used it there once in maybe last 10 times, if that
I hope to use PP in Anchorage when we fly from there to SFO. Hope we dont get turned away in July as our flight does not leave till 330pm. Will report back if we were turned away or not.

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frank808

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Unless you can get good value from the other benefits, (which is a wash because we already get from other credit cards) the question is whether it is worth paying $150 for a hotel room every year and can get outsized value from it. The jury is out for us. YMMV
For us it is well worth it. The $600 credit( wife and I both have card) for paying our yearly MF to MVC brings the net cost down to $150 each. At this point the luxury card is only $55 more than the standard card. We will find a local waikiki hotel to use it for a weekend.

Plus we like the priority pass benefits. Got to use PP 3 times last month on our trip to miami.



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CalGalTraveler

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For us it is well worth it. The $600 credit( wife and I both have card) for paying our yearly MF to MVC brings the net cost down to $150 each. At this point the luxury card is only $55 more than the standard card. We will find a local waikiki hotel to use it for a weekend.

Plus we like the priority pass benefits. Got to use PP 3 times last month on our trip to miami.



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The problem is many hotels that once would fit in the 50k free annual night category became ineligible for the annual free night due to the recent devaluation. In addition Marriott will be adding peak/non-peak later this year which will further devalue. I would only do if there were specific hotels in mind after the devaluation that you could not get with 35k points.

https://dealswelike.boardingarea.co...es-taking-place-tomorrow-book-your-hotel-now/

Although I will use the 35k free nights on the $95 cards to stay at mid tier hotels to visit our college kids, I dont relish the thought of staying at a Courtyard for a weekend getaway spending $150/night when I can pay for it in cash or use fewer Chase Sapphire points because of the lower rate or stay somewhere nicer.

Any recommendations for annual free night in a popular tourist location that is not a business hotel like Courtyard?
 
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rickandcindy23

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Our son and daughter-in-law have the Bonvoy Amex and love it. They are staying at a Marriott on Oahu, checking out today sometime. They stayed there on the way to Maui, and now on the way back from Maui. Amazing, according to our daughter-in-law.
 
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