SPG Luxury card

[CalGalTraveler]

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.

If that is the Marriott Waikiki, that is now a category 6 which means that when peak/non peak is instituted later this year it will become ineligible for peak stays when next 50k Anniversay Night is issued. Also affects a number of HI resorts used to extend stays such as the Maui Residence Inn.

Not sure which HI resorts will be useful for 50k peak in future other than courtyards by airport. Luxury?? Hmmm....

FYI below are a few ineligible 50k anniversary resorts during peak from devaluation last week.

• Courtyard Waikiki Beach — moving from a category 5 to 6
• Sheraton Waikiki — moving from a category 6 to 7
• Sheraton Princess Kaiulani — moving from a category 5 to 6
• Residence Inn Maui Wailea — moving from a category 5 to 6
• Koloa Landing Resort at Poipu, Autograph Collection — moving from a category 6 to 7

Of course if you travel non-peak (we dont) then there is possible value. However should compare to non-peak cash rates to ensure there is > $150/night value and whether you would spend $150/night to go there if the card did not exist.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I have already been disappointed at the devaluing of our points for stays at Swan and Dolphin, Epcot. 12K points for old Starwood, 50K points for Marriott. Big difference. If you knew how many points we had left, you would be :O

 

[VacationForever]

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.

Ko Olina is our favorite resort in the Marriott system. Oops... unless they are referring to the hotel which I know nothing about.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Ko Olina is cat 6 so no peak. However I have found that MVC avail from hotel site during peak to be nonexistent.

 

[frank808]

Easy for me to use on a weekend when I check out of MKO on a Friday and do not check back in until Sunday. I can use the cert for a quick stay in waikiki. I dont think you can find any of those hotels listed in waikiki for under $150 a night at anytime of the year. Or i use the cert for a night before we check in on the mainland.

I will see how it goes with the devaluation of hotels. But cant get another card with PP access for $55 a year.

Sent from my SM-T217S using Tapatalk

 

[controller1]

Ko Olina is cat 6 so no peak. However I have found that MVC avail from hotel site during peak to be nonexistent.

I don't understand this statement. According to the Hotel Redemption Chart, all categories will soon have a Peak Redemption. Even the 35,000 point properties where you state you will use your 35K certificate will have a peak award cost 40,000.

Robert

 

[CalGalTraveler]

True. It also affects the 35k hotels. However we are more likely to use those off-peak during school year and get more than $95 value.

If we will need a 50k card to use the 35k during peak, That's a major devaluation of $95 hotel night to $150 to stay at a Courtyard. I would rather get the Hilton Aspire card where there are no limits and stay at the Waldorf down the street. Plus free breakfast, $250 resort and $250 SWA gift card. #Bonvoyed

 

[Ken555]

I’ve found that there’s not always a direct correlation between cost per night and award redemption cost. I always calculate the benefit on each specific reservation to determine if using the award, points, or cash (or another program and hotel altogether) before making a reservation. That said, I’ve found several nice properties overseas which I expect to use with my credit card awards.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[frank808]

True. It also affects the 35k hotels. However we are more likely to use those off-peak during school year and get more than $95 value.

If we will need a 50k card to use the 35k during peak, That's a major devaluation of $95 hotel night to $150 to stay at a Courtyard. I would rather get the Hilton Aspire card where there are no limits and stay at the Waldorf down the street. Plus free breakfast, $250 resort and $250 SWA gift card. #Bonvoyed

Wife and I also have the aspire card to pay our hgvc mf and get those 14 points per maintenance dollar. With the $250 for mf and $250 to use on united it is like we profit $50 for the paying the $450 annual fee . And we get a free weekend to use at grand wailea where rates are in excess of $500 a night. We get friday, Saturday and Sunday for free as we both have aspire and I also have the hilton ascend and charge exactly $15k non maintenance fee for the free weekend night. Then from the hgvc mf and ascend spend HH points, we turn it into a week at grand wailea for almost free.

We use the Marriott points for the 5 or 7 day travel certificates with United airline miles. Use luxury card to pay for our Marriott mf.

I cannot see how the chase sapphire reserve will net me more than the amex aspire and marriott luxury card for my mf and hotel payments. United card for all flights and Costco citi for the 4% gas, 3% travel and 2% at costco. I use citi rewards for the 2% on anything else we dont get bonus on.

Any one can help me get a better earning rate than I am doing with these cards? As you can tell I try to squeeze every bonus I can out of these reward cards.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[Negma]

The points guy just did an evaluation of cards and perks and is a great way to start. He says a lot of good things about the Aspire card too.
But I think you are doing it the right way. You are looking at your spend, your preferences and locations for travel, and what you see as value.
Some of this is based on how you live too. Some do not see any value in a free hotel night bacuse of the point level. Because of how we travel we can always use a free night somewhere, it is free. And we are not locked into prime travel seasons anymore.
Some do not value platinum vs gold (old school), but we have enjoyed our perks, do the dollars always match up to the perk, no, but it has been a lot of fun traveling that way. We use three cards for our spend now, and like many here, try to match the category to the card. I explain this to some friends and they think I am crazy, then they say, but how can you stay there? Or travel to there, or etc.
Ramble is over....

 

[Ken555]

FYI below are a few ineligible 50k anniversary resorts during peak from devaluation last week.

• Courtyard Waikiki Beach — moving from a category 5 to 6
• Sheraton Waikiki — moving from a category 6 to 7
• Sheraton Princess Kaiulani — moving from a category 5 to 6
• Residence Inn Maui Wailea — moving from a category 5 to 6
• Koloa Landing Resort at Poipu, Autograph Collection — moving from a category 6 to 7

Just noticed that the Westin Milan increased to cat 6 as well. I had booked a night there for later this year using one of my cc award nights, and glad I did since now it’s too expensive. Of course, this annual increase/decrease is predictable, and we have a similar discussion every year.

ETA: I had also booked five nights at the AC Hotel in Istanbul later this year for my very first category 1 redemption rate, and now it’s a cat 2 hotel.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[CalGalTraveler]

The points guy just did an evaluation of cards and perks and is a great way to start. He says a lot of good things about the Aspire card too.
But I think you are doing it the right way. You are looking at your spend, your preferences and locations for travel, and what you see as value.
Some of this is based on how you live too. Some do not see any value in a free hotel night bacuse of the point level. Because of how we travel we can always use a free night somewhere, it is free. And we are not locked into prime travel seasons anymore.

Fully agree that YMMV and there will be value for some depending on where they want to stay.

My point is that the nights are NOT free i.e. you are pre-paying AF of $95, $125 (business), or $155 (Lux/Brilliant) for a "free" room night. The key is whether you can find a hotel with outsized value every year vs. paying cash/points or forgoing the room and pocketing the money ($95/$125/$155).

One should actually think of it as an additional annual MF for one night if there is no other monetary value gained from the other benefits. A key question is whether you would have bought this room anyway and can get a margin on the AF to market price (similar to how you would evaluate a timeshare), or whether you are you going out of your way to use a room because it is "free" and you paid the AF.

Tuggers are a savvy bunch and will analyze and maximize or they will cancel. Sadly many non-Tuggers won't and will lock themselves into an AF (aka MF) for a low value room night assuming it is "Free."

P.S. used the priority pass for a restaurant in the SWA terminal at LAX this weekend with our pass from our CSV card. Great value at $56 savings but redundant with the Lux and Aspire card PP.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

One item I forgot to include in my analysis is the value of AMEX offers on the Bonvoy SPG cards. If the card (plus authorized user's) AMEX offers savings offset the $150 AF cost significantly, it can be beneficial to keep the card. AMEX offers may provide a leg up on the value of these cards over the Chase Marriott Bonvoy cards.

 

[Helios]

I have already been disappointed at the devaluing of our points for stays at Swan and Dolphin, Epcot. 12K points for old Starwood, 50K points for Marriott. Big difference. If you knew how many points we had left, you would be :O

I feel like you have to say how many now...Personally I would be surprised past 10M.

 

[frank808]

I feel like you have to say how many now...Personally I would be surprised past 10M.

I use my reward pointa as soon as I have enough for whatever I need them for. One thing for sure in the point rewards game is the DEVALUATION that will occur. So to me, it is best to spend rewards points, than try to save them and get hit by the eventual devaluation.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[CalGalTraveler]

+1 @frank808 the devaluations keep coming faster and faster. Best to spend them sooner vs. later.

 

[ciscogizmo1]

Okay I need some guidance. I have the American Express SPG card, the Marriott Bonvoy Card and the old Marriott rewards card (the free one). We will be empty nesters so now I'm thinking the luxury cards would be worth it. We used the AE SPG card to get airfare on points to Hawaii every year for 17 years for 4 people. I just used up my last batch today. We have timeshares so we normally don't need hotel stays but use them occasionally. We really prefer the airmiles the most. Based on that which card would you upgrade to. A cash card or AE Platinum card? Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card? I've had over the last 17 years had a harder time using my Marriott reward points. The best value I find are the airmiles/hotel packages (which I've used twice in Europe) which was a challenge to use but with the kids out of the house I think our lifestyle could work with this. I tried to find out information on the AE Platinum rewards like how many points you need to redeem one night but I can't find much. Any advice?

 

[VacationForever]

Okay I need some guidance. I have the American Express SPG card, the Marriott Bonvoy Card and the old Marriott rewards card (the free one). We will be empty nesters so now I'm thinking the luxury cards would be worth it. We used the AE SPG card to get airfare on points to Hawaii every year for 17 years for 4 people. I just used up my last batch today. We have timeshares so we normally don't need hotel stays but use them occasionally. We really prefer the airmiles the most. Based on that which card would you upgrade to. A cash card or AE Platinum card? Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card? I've had over the last 17 years had a harder time using my Marriott reward points. The best value I find are the airmiles/hotel packages (which I've used twice in Europe) which was a challenge to use but with the kids out of the house I think our lifestyle could work with this. I tried to find out information on the AE Platinum rewards like how many points you need to redeem one night but I can't find much. Any advice?

I am rethinking use of Marriott Bonvoy (Amex and Visa) cards for airline redemption since travel packages are no longer as valuable as before. In fact I am sitting on 2 5-night hotel certificates from prior travel package redemption which I have no plans for. Straight airline miles redemption with Marriott points is of poor value. Have you looked at Venture Capital One card? I am relooking at it. I think you get 2 miles for every dollar spent and you can redeem for airline tickets directly through them.

 

[Ken555]

Okay I need some guidance. I have the American Express SPG card, the Marriott Bonvoy Card and the old Marriott rewards card (the free one). We will be empty nesters so now I'm thinking the luxury cards would be worth it. We used the AE SPG card to get airfare on points to Hawaii every year for 17 years for 4 people. I just used up my last batch today. We have timeshares so we normally don't need hotel stays but use them occasionally. We really prefer the airmiles the most. Based on that which card would you upgrade to. A cash card or AE Platinum card? Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card? I've had over the last 17 years had a harder time using my Marriott reward points. The best value I find are the airmiles/hotel packages (which I've used twice in Europe) which was a challenge to use but with the kids out of the house I think our lifestyle could work with this. I tried to find out information on the AE Platinum rewards like how many points you need to redeem one night but I can't find much. Any advice?

Look at the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Barclaycard Arrivals Plus cards.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[KACTravels]

I change the Chase Sapphire Reserve card for most purchases for the flexibility

 

[ciscogizmo1]

Thanks everyone I’ll check out your suggestions...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[ciscogizmo1]

Look at the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Barclaycard Arrivals Plus cards.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Have you used the Chase Sapphire Reserve to redeem airfare?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[VacationForever]

Have you used the Chase Sapphire Reserve to redeem airfare?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I am not Ken but I have. American Airlines first class one way was around $600, used CSR Ultimate rewards to book and it cost 40K URs.

 

[Ken555]

Have you used the Chase Sapphire Reserve to redeem airfare?

No, since I don't yet have the card. It's next on my list, and I'd like to get it soon. From everything I've read, and based on my expected future business expenses, it and the Chase Ink are on my short list. FWIW, the Ink card offers 3x points up to $150,000 on "travel, shipping purchases, internet, cable and phone services, advertising on social media site and search engines each year". Ink only offers 1.25 redemption value on their travel site, but if you also have the Reserve card then all your points may be used at the 1.5 rate. Effectively, this means that $150,000 per year (assuming you have the requisite spend in those categories) you'd get 450,000 points which would be worth $6,750 on their travel site. My business social media advertising is growing rapidly so this combo is very appealing to me.

 

[Ken555]

I am not Ken but I have. American Airlines first class one way was around $600, used CSR Ultimate rewards to book and it cost 40K URs.

That sounds like a one-way domestic first class ticket. I would almost never buy those, and when I have they've been much less expensive (in fact, I bought AA first class LAX-ORD for a flight earlier this year and it cost $350, which at the time of purchase was a good deal compared to economy). Or was your ticket roundtrip? If so, then it was a good deal.