Nov 12, 2013, 11:05 am
Last edit by: Oxon Flyer
UPDATE AS OF 28 NOVEMBER 2017 :
For our members with SPG Lifetime™ status: We’ll always recognize your lifetime achievement. And starting now, your Starpoints will never expire.
When do my SPG points expire?
Per the SPG T&C,
What activity counts towards keeping an account active to prevent points from expiring?
"Any account activity resets the clock. Earning, burning, transferring, buying...anything that creates activity." (from Starwood Lurker, post #78)
This means your options for resetting the clock are
What happens if I am a SPG Lifetime Platinum or Lifetime Gold?
According to the T&C, your lifetime status will be lost and your points forfeited after the period of inactivity.
Starpoints never expire for Lifetime Platinum members.
For our members with SPG Lifetime™ status: We’ll always recognize your lifetime achievement. And starting now, your Starpoints will never expire.
When do my SPG points expire?
Per the SPG T&C,
Forfeiting Starpoints. Except for SVO Owners to whom the obligations in Section 9 apply, Starpoints earned or otherwise obtained by an SPG Member will forfeit without notice if the SPG Member becomes Inactive, even if the SPG Member has achieved SPG Lifetime Gold or SPG Lifetime Platinum status. An SPG Member is considered "Inactive" if during a 12 month period: (a) the SPG Member has not had an Eligible Stay at an SPG Participating Hotel; (b) the SPG Member has not earned or redeemed any Starpoints, or (c) the SPG Member's account has been cancelled.
"Any account activity resets the clock. Earning, burning, transferring, buying...anything that creates activity." (from Starwood Lurker, post #78)
This means your options for resetting the clock are
- Earning points via a paid (cash) hotel stay
- Earning points via an SPG Amex card
- Earning points from food/beverages >$10 purchased at a Starwood property
- Make sure that server understands that SPG # must be added to system
- This option does not apply to alcohol purchases in CA, OR, HI, or MA
- Earning points in any other legal manner.
- Redeeming points for an award (such as a hotel stay, SPG Moments, etc.)
- This includes booking and then canceling an award; see post #155
- Purchasing SPG points (you can purchase 500 points for $17.50; takes 24-hours to hit your account) https://storefront.points.com/spg/en-US/buy
- Transfering SPG points to/from the SPG account of another member of your household (note: now requires transfers in 1,000-point increments)
- Transfering SPG points to or from your linked Marriott Rewards account (FYI, the reverse does not count as qualifying activity for your Marriott Rewards account)
- Transfering SPG points to an airline or other travel partner
- Transfering Amex Membership Rewards Points into your SPG account
Starpoints never expire for Lifetime Platinum members.
How to keep SPG points from expiring after 12 months of account inactivity
May 7, 2012, 7:17 pm
#61
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR/SPG LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus
Posts: 31,008
I don't believe it is. Service like AwardWallet will calculate it for you, but it would be nice to have it on-line. Hopefully they send an advance email, but I've never been close enough to find out.
I also agree with the above - the wording should be updated to reflect the intent. As written, you are inactive if a or b or c. This means if just one of the three is true, being inactive is true.
So, if I buy points (b), but don't have an active stay (a), then (a) is true, the clause is true, and I'm Inactive. Thus, just redeeming point does not keep me from becoming Inactive.
I don't think that's the intent.
I also agree with the above - the wording should be updated to reflect the intent. As written, you are inactive if a or b or c. This means if just one of the three is true, being inactive is true.
So, if I buy points (b), but don't have an active stay (a), then (a) is true, the clause is true, and I'm Inactive. Thus, just redeeming point does not keep me from becoming Inactive.
I don't think that's the intent.
Jun 12, 2012, 9:37 pm
#63
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP
Posts: 11,329
SPG has chosen to not provide that data item online at this time.
Jun 13, 2012, 4:18 am
#64
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 470
4.2 Forfeiting Starpoints. Except for SVO Owners to whom the obligations in Section 9 apply, Starpoints earned or otherwise obtained by an SPG Member will forfeit without notice if the SPG Member becomes Inactive, even if the SPG Member has achieved SPG Lifetime Gold or SPG Lifetime Platinum status. An SPG Member is considered "Inactive" if during a 12 month period: (a) the SPG Member has not had an Eligible Stay at an SPG Participating Hotel; (b) the SPG Member has not earned or redeemed any Starpoints, or (c) the SPG Member's account has been cancelled.
You forfeit your Starpoints if you become inactive by not earning or redeeming any Starpoints in a 12 month period. When you play Audience Rewards trivia you earn Starpoints. Therefore, having earned Starpoints through Audience Rewards, your account does not go inactive. And this information confirmed by Starwood Lurker in this thread.
You forfeit your Starpoints if you become inactive by not earning or redeeming any Starpoints in a 12 month period. When you play Audience Rewards trivia you earn Starpoints. Therefore, having earned Starpoints through Audience Rewards, your account does not go inactive. And this information confirmed by Starwood Lurker in this thread.
My question from the above T&Cs is what is the meaning of "earn"? They go to the trouble in the first part to say if you are declared inactive you will lose points both earned "and otherwise obtained." So there apparently are ways to have points added to your account that Starwood does not consider to be earned. Presumably, in those instances your account life would not be extended by that kind of activity. So what kind of points are "unearned"? I can guess at a couple of them, but the T&Cs don't say.
Jul 6, 2012, 10:39 am
#65
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 118
can someone post a link to any site that will give me points to extend my account?
Jul 6, 2012, 11:46 am
#66
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Canadia
Programs: A loyal Amerisuites customer... oh wait
Posts: 2,033
Jul 6, 2012, 1:18 pm
#67
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: On strike
Posts: 8,135
Jul 7, 2012, 7:08 pm
#68
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 118
Audience Rewards partner trivia: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/18812738-post469.html + https://www.audiencerewards.com/SPGo...way/trivia.cfm
Jul 8, 2012, 7:34 am
#69
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,990
I've made inquiries into all of these questions; however, an answer has not come. We might have to consider that perhaps there won't be one. After all, SPG is a frequent stay program, not a bank for affinity points. They would certainly rather you have one eligible stay per year or use one of the co-branded credit cards or actually earn or redeem Starpoints over that same time frame.
So, my best advice is to not be a minimalist. Go by what we know is in the Terms and Conditions of membership and what I have been able to clarify to date or take your chances with the possible outcome.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
So, my best advice is to not be a minimalist. Go by what we know is in the Terms and Conditions of membership and what I have been able to clarify to date or take your chances with the possible outcome.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Cheers,
Jul 13, 2012, 9:18 pm
#70
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 118
so if i get a Starwood credit card (waiting on 30k offer) and charge to it and earn points, does that extend the life of my points?
Jul 13, 2012, 9:45 pm
#71
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: USA
Programs: All major programs
Posts: 1,403
Yes, it does. As for the 30 K offer, I am not sure when it might come. However if u are ever interested in the 25 K offer, pls PM me. I will be glad to refer u. Thanks.
Jun 19, 2013, 12:22 pm
#72
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 633
On call with SPG. They say my account expires on 9/13. But I redeemed points for a stay on 3/24/13.
Edit:
After CSR went back and forth checking with someone else. She said that the computer will sweep through in September, see that I had a reward stay in March and will change the expiration date at that time. I guess I just need to rely that it will change come expiration date. SPG has always had great service for me, so I will rely on the change, particularly considering the T&C.
Edit:
After CSR went back and forth checking with someone else. She said that the computer will sweep through in September, see that I had a reward stay in March and will change the expiration date at that time. I guess I just need to rely that it will change come expiration date. SPG has always had great service for me, so I will rely on the change, particularly considering the T&C.
Last edited by FlyingBoat; Jun 19, 2013 at 12:35 pm
Sep 12, 2013, 9:37 pm
#73
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 143
Does booking a room for points, having the points removed from your account, and then cancelling the reservation and having the points redeposited count as activity? I just got off the line with customer service, and they said "yes". In my account activity, the cancelation shows up as an "earn", and even when I told her that it was just a cancelation, she said that my account is active until 1 year from that date.
Can anyone else confirm or deny this?
Thanks
Can anyone else confirm or deny this?
Thanks
Sep 13, 2013, 2:29 am
#74
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Guangzhou
Programs: SPG
Posts: 1,021
Does booking a room for points, having the points removed from your account, and then cancelling the reservation and having the points redeposited count as activity? I just got off the line with customer service, and they said "yes". In my account activity, the cancelation shows up as an "earn", and even when I told her that it was just a cancelation, she said that my account is active until 1 year from that date.
Can anyone else confirm or deny this?
Thanks
Can anyone else confirm or deny this?
Thanks
Best Regards,
Christina Zhou
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Last edited by Starwood Lurker III; Aug 27, 2015 at 1:32 am Reason: update info
Nov 11, 2013, 6:59 pm
#75
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Potomac Falls, VA
Programs: AA Plat 2MM, MR Gold, Avis Pref
Posts: 41,109
Will buying 500 points thru spg extend the life of my account by 12 Months? the only post I saw addressing this was where one of the lurkers stated that they have raised the question but no answer had been sent back and may not be
So I'll ask again, if I buy 500 points.. will that grant me another 12 months?
If it does count as activity to extend the life of an account: How long does that take to post?
So I'll ask again, if I buy 500 points.. will that grant me another 12 months?
If it does count as activity to extend the life of an account: How long does that take to post?