Jun 12, 2014, 11:11 am
Last edit by: CodeAdam10
For discussion of the now expired offer for a 35K signup bonus, see Amex SPG 35,000 business and personal cards-2016 [No referral offers in this thread.]
USA-issued card benefits changed on August 11, 2015. (Announcement & extended discussion at American Express and Starwood enhance cobrand credit card benefits.) The benefits are slightly different for personal and business cards:
Public Links:
- The Annual Fee is $450.
- Earn 6x at Marriott properties; 3x on restaurants and airfare; 2x on all other purchases.
- Enjoy up to $300 in statement credits each year of Card Membership for eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
- FREE NIGHT AWARD: Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card account anniversary. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at a participating hotel.
- COMPLIMENTARY GOLD ELITE STATUS: Enjoy complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status with your Card. Earn Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status after making $75,000 in eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
- Other Highlighted Benefits: Priority Pass Select Membership, Global Entry credit, No Foreign Transaction fees.
- $125 Annual Fee (If application received before 03/28/19, $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95)
- Earn 6x at Marriott properties; 4x at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services & on U.S. purchases for shipping; 2x on all other purchases.
- Free Night Award: Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card account anniversary. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at a participating hotel.
- Complimentary Silver Elite Status
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
Other related discussion:
USA-issued card benefits changed on August 11, 2015. (Announcement & extended discussion at American Express and Starwood enhance cobrand credit card benefits.) The benefits are slightly different for personal and business cards:
Public Links:
- Personal [Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card]: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/card/marriott-bonvoy-brilliant
- The Annual Fee is $450.
- Earn 6x at Marriott properties; 3x on restaurants and airfare; 2x on all other purchases.
- Enjoy up to $300 in statement credits each year of Card Membership for eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
- FREE NIGHT AWARD: Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card account anniversary. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at a participating hotel.
- COMPLIMENTARY GOLD ELITE STATUS: Enjoy complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status with your Card. Earn Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status after making $75,000 in eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
- Other Highlighted Benefits: Priority Pass Select Membership, Global Entry credit, No Foreign Transaction fees.
- Business [Marriott Bonvoy Business Card]: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/c...s-credit-card/
- $125 Annual Fee (If application received before 03/28/19, $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95)
- Earn 6x at Marriott properties; 4x at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services & on U.S. purchases for shipping; 2x on all other purchases.
- Free Night Award: Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card account anniversary. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at a participating hotel.
- Complimentary Silver Elite Status
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- Discussion of Amex "one bonus per lifetime" policy (personal & business cards)
- Annual fee retention bonus for Starwood Amex Card
- American Express and Starwood enhance cobrand credit card benefits
- How to keep SPG points from expiring after 12 months of account inactivity
- New Card Art for the US Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express
SPG American Express [Master Thread]
Nov 16, 2015, 2:28 pm
#2731
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: SFO/DTW
Programs: DL PM 0.5MM, Hyatt Globalist, HHonors Gold, SPG Plat, Marriott Gold, Avis PC, National EE, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,988
Annual fee posted in October.
Previous 2 calls had no offers on account.
Most recent call had $25 statement credit or 500 points + 1k points after 1k spend.
Still debating whether to keep the card or not.
Previous 2 calls had no offers on account.
Most recent call had $25 statement credit or 500 points + 1k points after 1k spend.
Still debating whether to keep the card or not.
Nov 16, 2015, 5:29 pm
#2733
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,037
Whatever the conversion or situation will be, it clearly makes no sense to earn SPG points in the interim, unless you expect to use them very, very soon. Rules can always change at any time, but this announcement makes the likelihood of changes significantly higher.
Nov 16, 2015, 7:04 pm
#2734
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: YYZ, HKG, MFM
Programs: AC35K, AS MVP, WS Gold, ITA EP, Marriott Plat, Hyatt-Explorist, IHG Diamond
Posts: 2,019
I am very disappointed about this merger, I can't believe I have to burn my Starpoints this soon! I will kiss this card good bye next year... RIP Starwood 
Nov 16, 2015, 7:10 pm
#2735
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: New York, NY
Programs: Delta - Gold; Starwood - Platinum; HHonors - Diamond & Avis Preferred
Posts: 10,869
There is a lot of discussion in the merger master there, but with NOTHING approved why do you think you need to burn anything soon?
Nov 16, 2015, 7:24 pm
#2736
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: YYZ, HKG, MFM
Programs: AC35K, AS MVP, WS Gold, ITA EP, Marriott Plat, Hyatt-Explorist, IHG Diamond
Posts: 2,019
By that time I will have no choice but to burn my Starpoints. Probably transfer most of them into Alaska Airline, and the rest for hotel stays. Enjoy your Starpoints while you can....
Nov 16, 2015, 9:52 pm
#2737
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,231
So where would you earn? I still think transferring to one of a number of Airlines with the 25/20 bonus is one of the better deals out there (but I'm happy to learn about alternatives!). I agree it's prudent to assume some type of devaluation will happen, but the airline transfer is a good "out" IMO.
Nov 16, 2015, 11:08 pm
#2738
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,037
So where would you earn? I still think transferring to one of a number of Airlines with the 25/20 bonus is one of the better deals out there (but I'm happy to learn about alternatives!). I agree it's prudent to assume some type of devaluation will happen, but the airline transfer is a good "out" IMO.
Look, SPG or any of these companies could always change the rules immediately. We've always trusted that SPG would give us good notice.
We now have a situation where that's just not necessarily the case. A new owner may or may not feel the compulsion to treat us the way we've come to expect. You could finally get your 20K SPG and, boom, Alaska transfers aren't allowed anymore. Or the ratio is different. Or there's a fee. Or the 5K bonus is gone. Or your points are now Marriott points.
Cashback gives you the ultimate flexible currency.
Nov 16, 2015, 11:48 pm
#2739
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: IAH
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hyatt Globalist, DL Plat, UA Silver
Posts: 4,043
I was more happy with an Hyatt Merger instead of an Mariott merger since Hyatt has the better reward program compared to Mariott.
This is another continental/united merger almost identical.
At least if Starwood merged with Hyatt, the points would not have to be revised too much.
This is another continental/united merger almost identical.
At least if Starwood merged with Hyatt, the points would not have to be revised too much.
Nov 17, 2015, 6:39 am
#2740
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: a hotel room, somewhere...
Posts: 962
delete.
Last edited by uncommonsensical; Nov 18, 2015 at 3:33 am Reason: i misread the post i replied to, rendering my reply nonsense!
Nov 17, 2015, 8:15 am
#2741
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,037
I'm in the same >1MM category as you.
I don't see where I advised cashing these out at 1c. I don't advocate that. I re-read my post and I do not see it. I advised switching to cashback cards, which usually generate 2c/dollar of spend.
I do sometimes get more than 2c/SPG point. But I don't have plans for $20K+ worth of hotel stays before the merger. Sounds like you do.
I don't see where I advised cashing these out at 1c. I don't advocate that. I re-read my post and I do not see it. I advised switching to cashback cards, which usually generate 2c/dollar of spend.
I do sometimes get more than 2c/SPG point. But I don't have plans for $20K+ worth of hotel stays before the merger. Sounds like you do.
Nov 17, 2015, 8:36 am
#2742
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
One can also realize $0.02 per Starpoint if transferring 20,000:25,000 to an airline partner and redeeming miles at $0.016 or better. That's not a very high bar, unless only flying domestic USA economy class.
Nov 17, 2015, 8:42 am
#2743
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,037
The chance of $0.02 via airline miles isn't bad, but isn't as good as $0.02 in the bank.
Nov 18, 2015, 3:31 am
#2744
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: a hotel room, somewhere...
Posts: 962
I'm in the same >1MM category as you.
I don't see where I advised cashing these out at 1c. I don't advocate that. I re-read my post and I do not see it. I advised switching to cashback cards, which usually generate 2c/dollar of spend.
I do sometimes get more than 2c/SPG point. But I don't have plans for $20K+ worth of hotel stays before the merger. Sounds like you do.
I don't see where I advised cashing these out at 1c. I don't advocate that. I re-read my post and I do not see it. I advised switching to cashback cards, which usually generate 2c/dollar of spend.
I do sometimes get more than 2c/SPG point. But I don't have plans for $20K+ worth of hotel stays before the merger. Sounds like you do.
i completely misread your post.
apologies. my bad.
and, i agree. about 70% of my spend this year has gone towards cashback cards- partly due to huge point balances, and partly because i decided to get airline status (UA 1K, AA ExP), as i really needed it given my last minute bookings/changes and the fact that i live in hotels wherever/whenever. i viewed the MS on cb cards as if they were points paying for revenue fares: if i was going to actually pay for a flight, 1/2 the cost had to be covered was my line in the sand. worked well.
as to my burning... i'll burn more, but i think there's time, so i'm not going to just blow them- i have to get .025 or so or else i'm wasting them. i live in hotels, so it's easy to shift currencies- i don't need to conjure up trips- everything i do is a trip! i need to research how MAR does things to see what kind of lead time i will have once the announced changes are made.
cheers
Last edited by uncommonsensical; Nov 18, 2015 at 3:38 am
Dec 21, 2015, 3:51 pm
#2745
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
SPG Business Amex credit line increase--any experience?
Hi everyone,
I have an SPG Business Amex (and personal SPG Amex too) with $9K limit. It was increased from $3K to $9K about 7 months ago--and this card gets a lot of use since I stay so often at SPG hotels for work.
Does Amex make a hard pull for a credit line increase request? I am considering requesting a credit line of $20-25K, less than the common 3x increase that Amex normally permits.
Please advise with my thanks if you have experience with this!\
UPDATE: I did call Amex...and got a credit line increase to $25K with a soft pull, confirmed.
That being said, the rep with whom I got the CLI did indicate that he could not guarantee that there would not be a hard pull, and the credit management department that confirmed I only had a soft pull indicated that some CLIs to higher limits CAN include a hard pull in some circumstances. So while it seems that most of us are likely to not get a hard pull for a CLI, there are some exceptions.
I have an SPG Business Amex (and personal SPG Amex too) with $9K limit. It was increased from $3K to $9K about 7 months ago--and this card gets a lot of use since I stay so often at SPG hotels for work.
Does Amex make a hard pull for a credit line increase request? I am considering requesting a credit line of $20-25K, less than the common 3x increase that Amex normally permits.
Please advise with my thanks if you have experience with this!\
UPDATE: I did call Amex...and got a credit line increase to $25K with a soft pull, confirmed.
That being said, the rep with whom I got the CLI did indicate that he could not guarantee that there would not be a hard pull, and the credit management department that confirmed I only had a soft pull indicated that some CLIs to higher limits CAN include a hard pull in some circumstances. So while it seems that most of us are likely to not get a hard pull for a CLI, there are some exceptions.
Last edited by bhrubin; Dec 21, 2015 at 4:43 pm