Just got the SPG Amex and I got the 5 nights/2 stays credited to my acct. I do wonder though about the lifetime gold/plat. Since it added 5 nights to my lifetime stays would I in theory make lifetime gold if I hold the card for the next 50 years and within that make gold 5 years and lifetime plat within 100 years? lol. Basically the 5 nights count towards the total right? Do the years making gold need to be consecutive?

Hi HGHUA,

Years of Elite status (either Gold or Platinum) do not have to be consecutive for Lifetime status.

Best regards,
Alexandra Baker
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]
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Some recommendations for SPG AMEX
 

Having had the SPG Amex card now for 10 years, I am posting some lessons:

The GOOD:

1. It is a perfect card for accumulating double points in USA SPG properties. As a Lifetime Platinum staying over 75 nights a year, this card is a perfect complement to rack up SPG points.

2. SPG Vacation Ownership folks know that paying the annual fees using the card also helps add more SPG points.

3. I have never had a problem as in "hacking" or other compromises when using any American Express card. And that is worth a lot of satisfaction.

Recommendations:

1. As noted by others, the foreign transaction fee makes this card useless overseas when using SPG properties. It's a bit strange to use my Hyatt or Ritz Carlton cards at SPG properties overseas, but there is something very wrong about paying those fees. It's time to ditch transaction fees.

2. While I managed to use the card once for the wonderful SPG Amex Tribeca Festival event, it has become next to impossible to manage entry again or to any other special events. Unlike SPG Moments, the SPG Amex events are very hit or miss.

3. I have had some years where my annual spend on the SPG Amex card ranged between $35,000 to $60,000. Yes, it was nice to receive the double SPG points for those, yet it would also have been nice if some recognition were given for achieving specific spend levels as Gold SPG status for $30,000 is not motivation when you are Lifetime Platinum.

I really do like the SPG Amex card and would use it more with these recommendations.

If the US benefits you just described were matched in the UK too, I'd be a happy man...

I consistently have seen the 30k offer when in process of booking a hotel, it appears just before the confirm page. I went through this process last night and was approved.

I still think there's an opportunity to add a higher tier SPG card, one with an annual fee closer to $100-150-200 but with no FTF and perhaps 3X SPG points at SPG properties and 2X at something like restaurants or another popular category. Amex has 3 Delta cards and 2 Hilton cards, I think it would make sense (and give us all another sign up bonus)

So I see a lot of people complaining about the Foreign Transaction Fees, but I would still rather use this card then my Delta card at a SPG in another country. Maybe I am just off, but I do value SPG points much higher than delta points because I find hotel stays way more valuable than miles.

2.7% foreign transaction fee / 2 pts per dollar means you are buying starpoints at 1.35 cents per starpoint. It's fine because redemption have a value of 2-3 cents per point although you are getting a room they can't sell (and wouldn't discount at last minute) but the same could be said in redeeming airline miles. So I think it's still worthwhile to pay forex esp when you are trying to reach 30k mark or if you don't have other cards with better points. It's also worth whole to pay this fee and transfer to Airlines with that 5k bonus.

As for me, a United club card (1.5 miles per $1) gets my vote as possible alternate.

I realize you said "as for me". For others, a United Club card is only a good alternative if one is beholden to United Airlines. The SPG Amex has much more flexibility in the use of points than does MileagePlus miles.

YMMV quite definitely depending on where and how you spend the Miles or points. Spg and UA club is where I bank most of my sending... And using credit card to make tax payment is pretty close in acquisition cost as going overseas and charge room cost to it lol.

SPG Amex forex fees are getting me to make my first post. Like many, I want those gone.

If Starwood & Amex aren't willing to completely eliminate these fees, how about at least eliminating forex fees on all Starwood properties? That way card holders aren't disincentivized to use a Starwood card at a Starwood property.

This only works in comparison to a card that earns no nothing whatsoever.

If you compare to, say, a Chase Sapphire Preferred, the math is pretty different.

Make it simple: $1000 charge at the Westin Tokyo.

SPG: total cost is $1027 and you get 2054 SPG points.

CSP: total cost is $1000 and you get 2000 UR points.

So you are paying $27 plus 2000 UR points to get your 2054 SPG points. That's a pretty big difference - way more than $27.

Oh yes I'd definitely choose SPG/UA Club over CSP/UR points which are generally worth a bit less.... I use CSP only for bonus 5x categories such as buying airline gift cards at office supply / grocery stores but that isn't really related to this topic haha.

I don't know why you think UR worth less than UA when it can be transferred to UA with 1:1 ratio.

If you value SPG on average 2.5c/point then you earn 2054 x 0.025 - $27 = $24.35

If you value UA/UR at 1.5c/point then you earn 2000 x 0.015 = $30

And CSP doesn't have 5x categories, you are think the Ink.

My point wasn't the relative values of points, but that the idea that 2.7% = 2 SPG/$ is just incorrect. That calculation assumes the other option is no points at all, not some amount of points for the charge without the Forex fee.