Canadian SPG American Express
May 9, 2018, 12:17 am
#1936
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: fwp blood diamond, dykwia uranium
Posts: 7,252
yall should go with the cobalt if you do a lot of f+b and grocery purchases. 5 cobalt points per doll hair spent on f+b. 2 cobalt points gets you 1 star point. so that's 2.5 spg for every 1 doll hair. that is 7.5 marriott doll hairs.
but for all other purchases it's no bueno. another opportunity is 2 cobalt points per $1 for transportation, transportation defined as a metro pass, uber, greyhound tickets, airfare, so if you spend a lot on uber and greyhound tickets then spg is sorta redundant.
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the spg program will soon cease to exist like starwood inc. did in 2016, so the question is, will they re-label the card? do what chase did and shut it down and give everyone a free (weekend) night? do what mbna did years ago and just transfer your spg card to amex? my card is up for renewal in june and i dunno if this is a good call, particularly as they are eroding signup and referral bonuses big time ($100 for signup and $25 for referral? seriously?)
this sounds like my earlier thought but more economic and quantitative based
but for all other purchases it's no bueno. another opportunity is 2 cobalt points per $1 for transportation, transportation defined as a metro pass, uber, greyhound tickets, airfare, so if you spend a lot on uber and greyhound tickets then spg is sorta redundant.
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the spg program will soon cease to exist like starwood inc. did in 2016, so the question is, will they re-label the card? do what chase did and shut it down and give everyone a free (weekend) night? do what mbna did years ago and just transfer your spg card to amex? my card is up for renewal in june and i dunno if this is a good call, particularly as they are eroding signup and referral bonuses big time ($100 for signup and $25 for referral? seriously?)
One way of looking at it is that the Canadian Amex was $1 CAD = 1 Starpoint. This is a 22-28% advantage against the US card. Staying at a hotel, everything gets converted to US dollars then $1 USD = 1 Starpoint.
I think this was to be competitive against all other card programs like Amex Rewards, Aeroplan etc...
I think this was to be competitive against all other card programs like Amex Rewards, Aeroplan etc...
Last edited by cur; May 9, 2018 at 12:23 am
May 9, 2018, 4:35 am
#1937
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: West
Posts: 3,357
Is August 1 the changeover or sometimes in August. I have the statement date on the 8th, and therefore like to properly plan my spending to get the 3 points after conversion and not 2.
May 9, 2018, 4:21 pm
#1938
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: YVR
Posts: 1,847
All my Cobalt MRs are going over to SPG prior to Aug 1 - and I'll have around 80,000 Tier MRs in the 10 months I will have held the card (40K SPG / 120K Marriott). I have no idea what I am going to do after that...have to wait and see what the transfer ratio will be for the new program (if I can still even transfer!).
May 9, 2018, 6:01 pm
#1939
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: YVR
Posts: 625
The ONLY attraction for the Cobalt card is the SPG transfer (and then facilitate the awesome transfer to Marriott at 3x the points - or transfer to airline points, if one has no use for hotel points).
All my Cobalt MRs are going over to SPG prior to Aug 1 - and I'll have around 80,000 Tier MRs in the 10 months I will have held the card (40K SPG / 120K Marriott). I have no idea what I am going to do after that...have to wait and see what the transfer ratio will be for the new program (if I can still even transfer!).
All my Cobalt MRs are going over to SPG prior to Aug 1 - and I'll have around 80,000 Tier MRs in the 10 months I will have held the card (40K SPG / 120K Marriott). I have no idea what I am going to do after that...have to wait and see what the transfer ratio will be for the new program (if I can still even transfer!).
May 11, 2018, 1:42 pm
#1940
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: YYZ
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, AC Elite, Airmiles Gold, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards
Posts: 785
cancel my spg now and look for signup bonuses on a theoretically new amex card? that way i'm not transferred over to this theoretically new card therefore ineligible for signup bonus?
or hang on and hope for a sweet deal like the marriott visa (free remaining of year and free cat 1-5 night)
or hang on and hope for a sweet deal like the marriott visa (free remaining of year and free cat 1-5 night)
.Just missed it myself...
May 13, 2018, 2:58 pm
#1941
Join Date: May 2018
Location: YYZ
Posts: 42
Hey all - long time lurker, first time poster
Has anyone recently applied for the 20k SPG signup bonus for the SPG Amex intended for previous marriot visa holders (however it is publicly available)
Cant post the link yet but if you google "HURRY Last Chance to get the Starwood American Express Credit Card!" you'll see it on the Canadian kilometers blog, which sends you to amex official website with the offer still there.
I've never had an SPG Amex before (didn't have the marriot visa either) and i'd like to apply if I would be able to actually get the 20k points. The statement credit isn't worth it, and I already have Amex Cobalt and Biz Plat, so I'd only want this for the 20k SPG.
Has anyone recently applied for the 20k SPG signup bonus for the SPG Amex intended for previous marriot visa holders (however it is publicly available)
Cant post the link yet but if you google "HURRY Last Chance to get the Starwood American Express Credit Card!" you'll see it on the Canadian kilometers blog, which sends you to amex official website with the offer still there.
I've never had an SPG Amex before (didn't have the marriot visa either) and i'd like to apply if I would be able to actually get the 20k points. The statement credit isn't worth it, and I already have Amex Cobalt and Biz Plat, so I'd only want this for the 20k SPG.
May 18, 2018, 8:31 am
#1942
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: Aeroplan, Amex AeroPlat
Posts: 977
Hey all - long time lurker, first time poster
Has anyone recently applied for the 20k SPG signup bonus for the SPG Amex intended for previous marriot visa holders (however it is publicly available)
Cant post the link yet but if you google "HURRY Last Chance to get the Starwood American Express Credit Card!" you'll see it on the Canadian kilometers blog, which sends you to amex official website with the offer still there.
I've never had an SPG Amex before (didn't have the marriot visa either) and i'd like to apply if I would be able to actually get the 20k points. The statement credit isn't worth it, and I already have Amex Cobalt and Biz Plat, so I'd only want this for the 20k SPG.
Has anyone recently applied for the 20k SPG signup bonus for the SPG Amex intended for previous marriot visa holders (however it is publicly available)
Cant post the link yet but if you google "HURRY Last Chance to get the Starwood American Express Credit Card!" you'll see it on the Canadian kilometers blog, which sends you to amex official website with the offer still there.
I've never had an SPG Amex before (didn't have the marriot visa either) and i'd like to apply if I would be able to actually get the 20k points. The statement credit isn't worth it, and I already have Amex Cobalt and Biz Plat, so I'd only want this for the 20k SPG.
May 22, 2018, 7:35 am
#1943
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 353
When will my SPG points post this month? Last month they posted on the 17th. This month, we're the 22nd and I'm still waiting for them to post....
When do you guys think they will post?
When do you guys think they will post?
May 22, 2018, 2:02 pm
#1944
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: somewhere north of stateside...
Posts: 4,153
I have both the Canadian and US SPG Amex cards. I received a letter on the US card informing me of the changes, but nothing yet on the Canadian card. Has anyone received any actual communication from Amex Canada on this? Of course, I'm expecting changes (particularly given the CAD-USD FX rate), but just curious as to what they will be an if any elite qualifying nights will be added to the card.
May 22, 2018, 2:27 pm
#1945
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Quebec and Ontario, Canada
Programs: AC*E50, SPG/Marriott Plat
Posts: 1,917
I believe the US cards are going to 6 Marriott points/dollar, equivalent to 2 SPG/dollar. I could be wrong, but don't think that you'll be able to earn any SPG points once the programs merge anymore.
I have both the Canadian and US SPG Amex cards. I received a letter on the US card informing me of the changes, but nothing yet on the Canadian card. Has anyone received any actual communication from Amex Canada on this? Of course, I'm expecting changes (particularly given the CAD-USD FX rate), but just curious as to what they will be an if any elite qualifying nights will be added to the card.
I have both the Canadian and US SPG Amex cards. I received a letter on the US card informing me of the changes, but nothing yet on the Canadian card. Has anyone received any actual communication from Amex Canada on this? Of course, I'm expecting changes (particularly given the CAD-USD FX rate), but just curious as to what they will be an if any elite qualifying nights will be added to the card.
May 22, 2018, 2:30 pm
#1946
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: somewhere north of stateside...
Posts: 4,153
Aie my bad - of course. Stop posting when jetlagged... :S
May 22, 2018, 3:17 pm
#1948
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: YVR
Programs: AC*SE MM, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 4,604
Here's hoping we get more than one card this time for SPG / Marriott > August 2018. Either a VISA to supplement AMEX, or an AMEX SPG/Marriott Platinum finally.
Jun 18, 2018, 3:27 pm
#1949
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: YYZ
Programs: AA Advantage, spg platnum, viporter, United Silver, Delta Med
Posts: 132
Anyone have updates?
anyone heard anything on the updated cards in Canada ?
Jun 18, 2018, 10:09 pm
#1950
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: YVR
Programs: United Silver, Bonvoy Titanium, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 378
I was thinking about this too. In a little over a month the programs will merge and we have heard nothing about the Canadian SPG AmEx. Poor form. Are we still earning Starpoints on this card after that, or some multiple of Marriott points? It would be nice to know.