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
Aug 21, 2014, 10:30 am
#91
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 940
But anybody could confirm it? Thanks a lot.
Sep 25, 2014, 11:04 am
#92
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Chicago
Posts: 887
Can I literally walk in to a Starwood Bar, buy a coke , give my SPG number, and that would keep my account active?
Sep 25, 2014, 11:17 am
#93
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: On strike
Posts: 8,135
Sep 25, 2014, 12:28 pm
#94
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: TUL
Programs: AA EXP 2MM; Marriott Titanium; Hilton Diamond; Hyatt Explorist; Vistana 5* Elite; Nat'l Exec Elite
Posts: 6,177
Sep 25, 2014, 12:35 pm
#96
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: TUL
Programs: AA EXP 2MM; Marriott Titanium; Hilton Diamond; Hyatt Explorist; Vistana 5* Elite; Nat'l Exec Elite
Posts: 6,177
From the current SPG T&Cs (emphasis added)
2.2.b. When an SPG Member is not staying at an SPG Participating Hotel, charges incurred by the SPG Member for food and beverage (excluding alcoholic beverage purchases where prohibited by law) at restaurants located within or adjacent to SPG Participating Hotels will be Eligible Charges if: (i) the restaurant permits guests to charge food and beverage on their folios; (ii) the charges are greater than $10 USD (excluding taxes, gratuities);(iii) the food and beverage is not in connection with a banquet, meeting or other function that is excluded from Eligible Charges as provided in Section 2.2.a; and (iv) the SPG Member provides his/her SPG Member number at the time of payment.
2.2.b. When an SPG Member is not staying at an SPG Participating Hotel, charges incurred by the SPG Member for food and beverage (excluding alcoholic beverage purchases where prohibited by law) at restaurants located within or adjacent to SPG Participating Hotels will be Eligible Charges if: (i) the restaurant permits guests to charge food and beverage on their folios; (ii) the charges are greater than $10 USD (excluding taxes, gratuities);(iii) the food and beverage is not in connection with a banquet, meeting or other function that is excluded from Eligible Charges as provided in Section 2.2.a; and (iv) the SPG Member provides his/her SPG Member number at the time of payment.
Sep 25, 2014, 3:22 pm
#97
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: BOS
Posts: 588
Probably dumb question: it looks like there is no expiration date listed on the website, but is there a warning before points expire? I just noticed my "Recent Activity" log was completely empty, and my records show that my SPG Amex was closed just over a year ago. The points are still in my account, but it looks like they may be due for expiration. It's not a ton of points, but I would be pretty mad at myself if they did expire. Hopefully I made it in time (just put in a request to transfer the points to my wife).
Sep 25, 2014, 10:55 pm
#98
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.035MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis
Posts: 52,140
Sep 26, 2014, 4:45 pm
#99
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: New York
Programs: Starwood Platinum, Delta, United, Marriott, British Airways, Virgin, American
Posts: 123
Expring points
I think the easiest and quickest thing to do is buy 500 points for $17.50.
It should post right away and save a trip to a hotel to spend $10 on food. If you had AmEx Membership rewards, you could also do a small transfer. It isn't a great rate at 1000 AmEx points to 333 SW points, but otherwise it's painless. I hope this helps.
It should post right away and save a trip to a hotel to spend $10 on food. If you had AmEx Membership rewards, you could also do a small transfer. It isn't a great rate at 1000 AmEx points to 333 SW points, but otherwise it's painless. I hope this helps.
Oct 28, 2014, 2:23 pm
#100
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: SFO
Programs: 1MM*G, 1K
Posts: 131
Having difficulties with creating "Activity"
I am hoping to get some help and many thanks in advance. My annual expiration date is Mid- Nov 2014. I have used miles to book a hotel room in Europe May 2015. Apparently just booking the room doesn't mean an "activity" has occurred per Customer Service.
So, I have bought a meal at the local "W", but the points haven't posted and they are backlogged. Should I use more points and stay at a local hotel next week. Or, just buy the 500 points?
So, I have bought a meal at the local "W", but the points haven't posted and they are backlogged. Should I use more points and stay at a local hotel next week. Or, just buy the 500 points?
Oct 28, 2014, 2:25 pm
#101
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Chicago
Posts: 887
I am hoping to get some help and many thanks in advance. My annual expiration date is Mid- Nov 2014. I have used miles to book a hotel room in Europe May 2015. Apparently just booking the room doesn't mean an "activity" has occurred per Customer Service.
So, I have bought a meal at the local "W", but the points haven't posted and they are backlogged. Should I use more points and stay at a local hotel next week. Or, just buy the 500 points?
So, I have bought a meal at the local "W", but the points haven't posted and they are backlogged. Should I use more points and stay at a local hotel next week. Or, just buy the 500 points?
Oct 28, 2014, 2:40 pm
#102
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: SFO
Programs: 1MM*G, 1K
Posts: 131
Again, Many Thanks
Oct 28, 2014, 3:11 pm
#103
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
What I think you are saying is that booking the reward activity should keep me active. Unfortunately, when I called Customer Service, I was told that simply deducting points for a future booking doesn't keep me active. I made the May 2015 booking and the points were deducted in July 2014. Am I hearing that I just got a bad Customer Service Rep? Indeed, my account does show the reward booking points deduction when listing "All Activity".
Again, Many Thanks
Again, Many Thanks
My apologies if you were informed otherwise.Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Oct 28, 2014, 4:18 pm
#104
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: SFO
Programs: 1MM*G, 1K
Posts: 131
If you look in the wiki for this thread, there's a reference to post #78. My apologies if you were informed otherwise.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
My apologies if you were informed otherwise.Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Dec 22, 2014, 11:52 am
#105
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: Most....Four elite air/ Three hotel elites - UA MillionMiler - DL RWT alum
Posts: 1,257
Audience Rewards:
I just talked to Audience Rewards. According to the agent, as of 1/1/2014 they do not transfer Trivia Question points to SPG/Starwood. He said they only transfer points to their travel partners (such as SPG) for actual theatre ticket purchases.
UPDATE: Per http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles...-s-air-63.html this says the "PointsPlay" was discontinued on Aug 10, 2013.
SPG never seemed to receive and credit those 2-pointers in 2011-2013 for me, which Audience Rewards shows "Confirmed" as transferred. Looks like a slight name discrepancy / spacing. SPG just straightened that out.
The change to discontinue PointsPlay points sent over, back in 2013, does not appear to be documented in Audience Rewards' webpages.
The SPG page does specify just for tickets purchases.
I just talked to Audience Rewards. According to the agent, as of 1/1/2014 they do not transfer Trivia Question points to SPG/Starwood. He said they only transfer points to their travel partners (such as SPG) for actual theatre ticket purchases.
UPDATE: Per http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles...-s-air-63.html this says the "PointsPlay" was discontinued on Aug 10, 2013.
SPG never seemed to receive and credit those 2-pointers in 2011-2013 for me, which Audience Rewards shows "Confirmed" as transferred. Looks like a slight name discrepancy / spacing. SPG just straightened that out.
The change to discontinue PointsPlay points sent over, back in 2013, does not appear to be documented in Audience Rewards' webpages.
The SPG page does specify just for tickets purchases.
Last edited by flyzabit; Dec 22, 2014 at 12:40 pm