AmEx Bonvoy Brilliant Luxury Card [General Discussion Thread]
Jan 9, 2019, 2:20 am
#586
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: +61
Programs: SQ*PPS, QF-WP1 & LTG, VA-Gold, Marriott*LTT, Hilton*Gold, Accor*Platinum
Posts: 5,735
Jan 9, 2019, 9:42 am
#587
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: SFO/YYZ
Programs: AC 25K, AS MVP Gold, BA Bronze, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,460
Jan 9, 2019, 10:45 am
#588
Join Date: Nov 2018
Programs: AA, Delta, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 250
I'm mulling this over too. I doubt that my wife will hit 50 nights in 2019, so for her to retain Plat this would be an alternative.
The problem is the opportunity cost. 75K spend on a 2% cashback card is $1500 in your pocket.
75K spend on the Lux card gives you 150K Marriott points (perhaps more if much of your spend is through Marriott, but that's not the case for me). I think Marriott points are worth about half a cent per point, so 150K Marriott points is equivalent to around $750 in value. That doesn't look as good as my cashback card or even my other points-earning cards.
My other question (and I can't find this answered anywhere): if you spend 75K on the Lux card and either (1) earn or (2) retain Marriott Plat, would you also then get a Marriott Choice Benefit? That would allow you to select 5 Suite Night Awards, for example. 5 SNAs has some value and levels the playing field somewhat compared to spend on my 2% cashback card, but I still don't think it entirely makes up the difference for the cash you are forgoing or the other types of points you could be earning.
So in my wife's case, she would retain Plat status with 75K Lux card spend. Does anyone know if she will earn a Choice Benefit this way?
The problem is the opportunity cost. 75K spend on a 2% cashback card is $1500 in your pocket.
75K spend on the Lux card gives you 150K Marriott points (perhaps more if much of your spend is through Marriott, but that's not the case for me). I think Marriott points are worth about half a cent per point, so 150K Marriott points is equivalent to around $750 in value. That doesn't look as good as my cashback card or even my other points-earning cards.
My other question (and I can't find this answered anywhere): if you spend 75K on the Lux card and either (1) earn or (2) retain Marriott Plat, would you also then get a Marriott Choice Benefit? That would allow you to select 5 Suite Night Awards, for example. 5 SNAs has some value and levels the playing field somewhat compared to spend on my 2% cashback card, but I still don't think it entirely makes up the difference for the cash you are forgoing or the other types of points you could be earning.
So in my wife's case, she would retain Plat status with 75K Lux card spend. Does anyone know if she will earn a Choice Benefit this way?
Second, as mentioned if you aren't able to get 35 night needed for Platinum this year, or 25 if you do the 10 EQN meeting, Its not likely breakfast and the .25 rewards benefit over Gold (which you get the card/15EQN).
Third to me at least Marriott rewards are worth well over .01/point, not .005. But I pretty much only redeem the points for the 5th night free or and more importantly for airlines miles. 60K points = 25k airlines miles (10% more with United). Pretty regularly Airlines give bonus for airline transfers, I did a the AA 30% bonus last year. 120K turned in to 66.5K AA. I just did a redemption of those AA miles as a business class Cathay Pacifc flight IAD-BKK. (I did the return separately). But 50K airlines miles with lots of airlines as options is worth a lot more than .05/marriott point.
My last two 5th night free redemptions have been well over 1 cent a point, closer to 1.5 cent/point. 50K airline for me is one transcon business ticket from my local airport which is a $1k-$1.2/ ticket.
Jan 11, 2019, 2:22 pm
#589
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 3
Do you mean buying gift cards through the Marriott website? To be on the safe side, I tried a few Marriott/SPG properties in NYC and only one had physical gift cards available. They only couldn't figure out how to get the system up and running to process the transaction...
Jan 11, 2019, 2:40 pm
#590
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: SFO/YYZ
Programs: AC 25K, AS MVP Gold, BA Bronze, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,460
Do you mean buying gift cards through the Marriott website? To be on the safe side, I tried a few Marriott/SPG properties in NYC and only one had physical gift cards available. They only couldn't figure out how to get the system up and running to process the transaction...
Jan 20, 2019, 4:31 pm
#591
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: South Korea
Posts: 100
AMEX SPG Luxury Card
Hello everyone. I took a good 15 minutes using the search feature to no avail so I apologize if this has been discussed. I have also tried calling Marriott/SPG/Bonvoy (oof) and they give me the run around with different answers each time. Marriott will say call amex and amex says call Marriott...
I got the card a few months ago and got the welcome bonus. It comes with complimentary Gold elite status. My question is IF I stay 25 nights with the program whether it be at a marriott/spg will I then get bumped to platinum status? No one at Bonvoy seems to know the answer.
Thanks for the help!
I got the card a few months ago and got the welcome bonus. It comes with complimentary Gold elite status. My question is IF I stay 25 nights with the program whether it be at a marriott/spg will I then get bumped to platinum status? No one at Bonvoy seems to know the answer.
Thanks for the help!
Jan 20, 2019, 4:33 pm
#592
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 542
Hello everyone. I took a good 15 minutes using the search feature to no avail so I apologize if this has been discussed. I have also tried calling Marriott/SPG/Bonvoy (oof) and they give me the run around with different answers each time. Marriott will say call amex and amex says call Marriott...
I got the card a few months ago and got the welcome bonus. It comes with complimentary Gold elite status. My question is IF I stay 25 nights with the program whether it be at a marriott/spg will I then get bumped to platinum status? No one at Bonvoy seems to know the answer.
Thanks for the help!
I got the card a few months ago and got the welcome bonus. It comes with complimentary Gold elite status. My question is IF I stay 25 nights with the program whether it be at a marriott/spg will I then get bumped to platinum status? No one at Bonvoy seems to know the answer.
Thanks for the help!
Jan 20, 2019, 4:48 pm
#593
Join Date: May 2002
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum, United Silver, Marriott Titanium Elite
Posts: 2,276
There are two ways to elevate your status with an SPG Luxury Amex card.
You can earn Platinum Elite "after making $75,000 in eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year."
Also, because you get 15 elite qualifying night credits per year, you only have two stay 35 nights to earn Platinum Elite. (If you have more than one Marriott/SPG credit card, you still get 15 nights total, even if one is an Amex and one is a Chase Visa.)
Jan 20, 2019, 4:56 pm
#594
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Bangkok, Thailand. No longer Palm Coast, FL though still exiled, again, from the Bay Area.
Programs: Only the good ones
Posts: 5,153
.I got the card a few months ago and got the welcome bonus. It comes with complimentary Gold elite status. My question is IF I stay 25 nights with the program whether it be at a marriott/spg will I then get bumped to platinum status? No one at Bonvoy seems to know the answer.
Thanks for the help!
Thanks for the help!
Enjoy.
Jan 21, 2019, 7:46 pm
#596
Join Date: Jan 2019
Programs: Marriott Platnium Premier, Marco Polo Silver, United Silver
Posts: 4
SPG Card (Lux or Regular) 15 night credit
Has anyone received their 15 night credit towards status in the accounts?
Last year with the SPG Regular card, I received my 5 night credit on Jan 2... this year with both cards, I have not received anything.
I tried to call SPG Luxury Card, and was told that it was Marriott's responsibility. SPG Luxury Card then transferred me to Marriott, where the Marriott representative told me it was SPG Luxury Card's responsibility to post the 15 night credit.
So apparently neither party is responsible for posting these nights.
Last year with the SPG Regular card, I received my 5 night credit on Jan 2... this year with both cards, I have not received anything.
I tried to call SPG Luxury Card, and was told that it was Marriott's responsibility. SPG Luxury Card then transferred me to Marriott, where the Marriott representative told me it was SPG Luxury Card's responsibility to post the 15 night credit.
So apparently neither party is responsible for posting these nights.
Jan 21, 2019, 8:05 pm
#597
Join Date: May 2002
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum, United Silver, Marriott Titanium Elite
Posts: 2,276
I assume the new SPG Amex cards will work the same way.
Jan 21, 2019, 8:13 pm
#598
Join Date: Jan 2019
Programs: Marriott Platnium Premier, Marco Polo Silver, United Silver
Posts: 4
Thanks Horace. I was not aware of the card renewal date clause and SPG Card/Marriott were not able to provide answers. I will have to call SPG Lux card again to confirm this.