Owner Fees and SPG points

[mindy35]

I was on the phone with SVO, SPG & AmEX yesterday for an hour..........apparently, no one has ever asked this question before. I was quite surprised and still don't have a definitive answer!

If you pay your yearly maintenance fees with the SPG AmEx, do you get the triple (Elite) SPG points bonus as with other Starwood purchases or is it just the dollar for dollar?

They are currently trying to research how the purchase is worded on the charge....if it says "Starwood" or "Westin" they think yes.....if it's labeled another way, it would be no. They should be getting back to me today.

Anyone had any experience with this or even able look at their past statement to give us a clue?

 

[tomandrobin]

I was on the phone with SVO, SPG & AmEX yesterday for an hour..........apparently, no one has ever asked this question before. I was quite surprised and still don't have a definitive answer!

If you pay your yearly maintenance fees with the SPG AmEx, do you get the triple (Elite) SPG points bonus as with other Starwood purchases or is it just the dollar for dollar?

They are currently trying to research how the purchase is worded on the charge....if it says "Starwood" or "Westin" they think yes.....if it's labeled another way, it would be no. They should be getting back to me today.

Anyone had any experience with this or even able look at their past statement to give us a clue?

You do not get triple the points.

 

[ciscogizmo1]

I'm a gold member and I get $ for $ on points.

I've never gotten extra points for Starwood purchases. Am I suppose to?

Tina

 

[Denise L]

If you pay your MFs on your SPG Amex, you should get double Starpoints. I have no idea about Elite points since we are not Elite.

Looking at my statement, it reads:

KA'ANAPALI CONDO OPE
Arrival date
Departure date
LODGING

 

[Denise L]

I'm a gold member and I get $ for $ on points.

I've never gotten extra points for Starwood purchases. Am I suppose to?

Tina

Tina,

Do you pay your dues on your SPG AMEX? It should show up in a separate listing under "Double Starpoints Bonus."

As Gold members, we receive double points for some charges at WKORV as well.

 

[HeyRef]

I do pay my MF with my AMEX and have always gotten double points.
Dave

 

[ciscogizmo1]

Okay I looked at Spg.com a little closer. Do they put the extra points on a separate line? I was looking at my AE bill amount I paid for Feb and saw that amount of points being added but didn't notice the separate line for double points. I see it now. So, I do get double points. Thank goodness...

 

[tomandrobin]

I was correctted by the one who pays the bills, we do get double points.

 

[RLG]

I get double points as well.

 

[Pedro]

The American Express statement should have a line like this:
Activity Amount Post Date Description
Earn + 1785 12/25/2007 SPG AX - STARWOOD SPEND CNSMR

That indicates the extra points earned from spending at Starwood.

 

[mindy35]

When I read these responses, I doubted myself so I called AmEx & SPG:

For regular purchases:

It's $ for $ per point

For Starwood Property stays:

1 point for every dollar spent
+
3 bonus points from SPG for being a Gold Prefered

which actually totals 4 SPG points for every dollar spent at Starwood Properties. Yeah!
______________________________________________
The question still remains (I have yet to receive my call back), do you received those bonus points when paying your yearly maintenance fees to Starwood since it's a Starwood property payment.

The sticking point, it seems, is how the actual charge is listed (worded) on the AmEx bill (not the listing of accrued or awarded bonus points):

For ex.: if it says "Starwood fee" ...the answer would be "yes"
if it says "Annual Maintenance Fee payment"...the answer would be "no"

Can someone look over their AmEx bill from past years and recite how the payment is described on the statement??

Thanks

 

[mindy35]

"The sticking point, it seems, is how the actual charge is listed (worded) on the AmEx bill (not the listing of accrued or awarded bonus points):

For ex.: if it says "Starwood fee" ...the answer would be "yes"
if it says "Annual Maintenance Fee payment"...the answer would be "no" "
______________________________________________________________

Here's the answer to my own question:

I ultimately chose to make my payment with my TYN points card instead because I did not think I would get the bonus points on the Starwood SPG Am Ex.

The fee is listed on my bill as:

KA'ANAPALI CONDO OPERA 407-852-4670 FL

I believe I was correct in doubting I would receive the extra 3 SPG points per dollar.

 

[arlene22]

I think you only get the extra points if you use the SPG Amex.

 

[pointsjunkie]

When I read these responses, I doubted myself so I called AmEx & SPG:

For regular purchases:

It's $ for $ per point

For Starwood Property stays:

1 point for every dollar spent
+
3 bonus points from SPG for being a Gold Prefered

which actually totals 4 SPG points for every dollar spent at Starwood Properties. Yeah!
______________________________________________
The question still remains (I have yet to receive my call back), do you received those bonus points when paying your yearly maintenance fees to Starwood since it's a Starwood property payment.

The sticking point, it seems, is how the actual charge is listed (worded) on the AmEx bill (not the listing of accrued or awarded bonus points):

For ex.: if it says "Starwood fee" ...the answer would be "yes"
if it says "Annual Maintenance Fee payment"...the answer would be "no"

Can someone look over their AmEx bill from past years and recite how the payment is described on the statement??

Thanks

as a gold member you get 3 starpoints when you stay at a hotel and if you use to pay for it with your starwood amex card you will double for that, so technically you are getting 5 starpoints when you stay at a hotel paying cash.'

one other thing as a vacation owner if you eat at a hotel restaurant and even if you are not staying there you will get 3 starpoints per $ plus pay with starwood amex you will get 2 starpoints so again you will get 5 starpoints per $. but you will have to send in a copy of the restaurant receipt to starwood, because they cannot track it any other way. i have done this many times. there are a few wonderful restaurants in NYC that are attached to starwood hotels so we reap the benefit.

 

[LisaRex]

My statement reads "Kaanapali dues" or something like that. Since my billing cycle hasn't closed yet on my SPG Amex, I can't see if I've gotten the bonus points yet.

 

[pointsjunkie]

you will get the double points when the starwood amex hits your account. if not call them.

 

[hvanv0405]

I'm in the same boat. I have sent Mystarcentral a similar question via email. I am also still waiting on a response.

We paid our dues early March and i've been given 800 and some odd Starpoints. I also thought by paying it with my AMEX (which has been paid off as well) that i would receive 3 or 4 times the points.

I call Starwood preferred guest services and was told I would need to contact the Vacation ownership for this question. I emailed them yesterday via mystarcentral mailbox. . .will let you know when/if I hear anything back.

 

[pointsjunkie]

I'm in the same boat. I have sent Mystarcentral a similar question via email. I am also still waiting on a response.

We paid our dues early March and i've been given 800 and some odd Starpoints. I also thought by paying it with my AMEX (which has been paid off as well) that i would receive 3 or 4 times the points.

I call Starwood preferred guest services and was told I would need to contact the Vacation ownership for this question. I emailed them yesterday via mystarcentral mailbox. . .will let you know when/if I hear anything back.

maintenance fees paid with the starwood amex will get you double the maintenance fees and that's it. the only time you get 3x is when you stay at a hotel and pay a qualified rate. when you use cash and points you do not get 3x the starpoints for the cash portion only 2x from amex.

 

[SDKath]

How about if you buy a timeshare directly from Sarwood. Do you get 3x points for that or twice?

Also, can you transfer SPs from one account (mine) to another (DH's)? Is there a fee?

Thanks! Katherine

 

[DeniseM]

Kath - you can transfer Starpoints between two people at the same address and there is no fee.

To make the transfer call 1 888 625 4988. It cannot be done online. Make sure you have all your Acct. info. for both Accts. handy including Acct. numbers, log in names and passwords. It's also helpful if both of you are available when the call is made, in case Starwood wants to verify anything with your spouse.

 

[RLG]

How about if you buy a timeshare directly from Sarwood. Do you get 3x points for that or twice?

Only HOTEL STAYS get extra points based on your gold or platinum status.

Starwood Amex points have nothing to do with your starwood status, but everyone gets double points for purchases from starwood.

Also, can you transfer SPs from one account (mine) to another (DH's)? Is there a fee?

That's easy. Just make sure you and your husband have the same address in the system, then call Starwood and the transfer will happen instantly.

BTW, although the Starwood T&C's say this kind of transfer can only be done between spouses, they don't actually enforce that requirement.

BBTW, the T&C's also permit transfers between SVO [or SVN?] owners without any same address or family relationship requirement.

 

[RLG]

Oops.

Denise types faster than me as always.

 

[SDKath]

Ok thanks. So a TS purchase gets double points just like MF payments.

But if you stay at a hotel and pay for your room, you get 2x points for Gold and 3x for Platinum? Do I have it right?

Thanks guys! Kath

 

[pointsjunkie]

Ok thanks. So a TS purchase gets double points just like MF payments.

But if you stay at a hotel and pay for your room, you get 2x points for Gold and 3x for Platinum? Do I have it right?

Thanks guys! Kath

hi, you get 3x gold or plat and 28 whrn you pay for the hotel stay with you amex.
as a vacation owner you also get starpoints if you eat in a restaurant that is in a starwood hotel (3x + 2 for amex) but that need to be faxed in.

 

[SDKath]

Still confused.

Say I buy a $50,000 timeshare on my Am Ex card and I am not Gold or Platinum (just "preferred guest" on SPG). How many points do I get?

I buy $50,000 timeshare on Am Ex and I am gold with SPG. How many points?

Same question but I have platinum status with SPG, how many points do I get in the end?

Thanks! Katherine