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 20, 2006, 11:52 am
#16
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
Originally Posted by threeuncle
The SPG program should be independent to your card reward. So your SPG membership will be cancelled once the card is cancelled?
Sincerely,
William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services
[email protected]
Nov 20, 2006, 12:34 pm
#17
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,555
I know I commented about this somewhere else...I think there are a couple of "Should I haggle the $30 fee?" threads. 
My take is that negotiating the annual fee on a credit card is perfectly fair game. The fact that banks sometimes waive it when asked means that they do too. So I don't believe it's immoral or unethical to pursue the waiver. You will call and ask. They may accept, make a counteroffer, or say no and ask you whether you'd like to keep the account active. Normal business.
That said, I've never called on the SPG Amex. In the grand scheme of things - the incremental annual value I get from the card over the 2nd best credit card on the market - the $30 is a tiny fraction really not worth getting upset about. It is not worth the time and hassle of making phone calls, waiting on hold, getting transferred to the "retention department", playing the game, pretending I'm really chapped and ready to cancel, etc.
If you enjoy this kind of thing - and I know some people consider negotiating for stuff, even little stuff, a bit of a hobby - by all means go for it and don't sweat whether it's "right" or "wrong". If the banks felt it were wrong, they'd shut it down tomorrow and never waive an annual fee again.
My take is that negotiating the annual fee on a credit card is perfectly fair game. The fact that banks sometimes waive it when asked means that they do too. So I don't believe it's immoral or unethical to pursue the waiver. You will call and ask. They may accept, make a counteroffer, or say no and ask you whether you'd like to keep the account active. Normal business.
That said, I've never called on the SPG Amex. In the grand scheme of things - the incremental annual value I get from the card over the 2nd best credit card on the market - the $30 is a tiny fraction really not worth getting upset about. It is not worth the time and hassle of making phone calls, waiting on hold, getting transferred to the "retention department", playing the game, pretending I'm really chapped and ready to cancel, etc.
If you enjoy this kind of thing - and I know some people consider negotiating for stuff, even little stuff, a bit of a hobby - by all means go for it and don't sweat whether it's "right" or "wrong". If the banks felt it were wrong, they'd shut it down tomorrow and never waive an annual fee again.
Nov 20, 2006, 8:02 pm
#18
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Nashville
Programs: DL DM 3 MM AA PLAT HH Lifetime Diamond Marriott Plat AMB lifetime titanium Hertz PC
Posts: 6,187
Originally Posted by srodr
To add a more current experience:
I called and asked to have the fee removed from this month's bill and was told a definite no. I then tried to encourage a point offer by saying that "I would therefore like to cancel the card". Well, instead of a point offer, the CSR gave me the fastest and easiest credit card cancellation that the world has ever seen! No kidding, in under 30 seconds my card was cancelled and the CSR was saying "Have a nice day!"
It's just my luck, every other credit card that I have tried to cancel in my life turned into an hour long struggle of convincing a dozen people that I really didn't want the card anymore, and then the one time I don't really want to cancel is the one time that they don't give me any hassle!
Oh well, I'll wait a few months and then apply for a new one. Maybe I'll even get another sign-up bonus.
I called and asked to have the fee removed from this month's bill and was told a definite no. I then tried to encourage a point offer by saying that "I would therefore like to cancel the card". Well, instead of a point offer, the CSR gave me the fastest and easiest credit card cancellation that the world has ever seen! No kidding, in under 30 seconds my card was cancelled and the CSR was saying "Have a nice day!"
It's just my luck, every other credit card that I have tried to cancel in my life turned into an hour long struggle of convincing a dozen people that I really didn't want the card anymore, and then the one time I don't really want to cancel is the one time that they don't give me any hassle!
Oh well, I'll wait a few months and then apply for a new one. Maybe I'll even get another sign-up bonus.
Nov 20, 2006, 8:25 pm
#19
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: NJ/NYC
Programs: AA EXP/LT Plat, SPG Plat/LT Plat, HHonors Gold, Hyatt Plat, IHG Plat, MR Silver
Posts: 2,786
FWIW, I called last month and simply asked if there was anything they could do about the annual fee. The rep put me on hold for a second, came back, and offered me a $25 credit on my card. I accepted. I have to admit, I was somewhat surprised. For reference, I have a couple other AMEX cards with annual fees (personal Plat and business Gold).
Nov 21, 2006, 8:41 am
#20
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: Platinum AA, Gold Skymiles, *wood Platinum
Posts: 342
Best card I have ever had without doubt. Great service. Worth every penny.
Only glad they haven't RAISED the price.
Only glad they haven't RAISED the price.
Nov 22, 2006, 5:29 am
#21
Join Date: Mar 2006
Programs: SPG Gold, HH Gold, Choice Priveleges Gold, Club Carlson Silver, Wyndham Rewards, UMP, DL, ANA
Posts: 129
SPG Referral bonus point offer
Yesterday, I recieved a mailing from AMEX/SPG offering a 5K point bonus for each referral to the SPG Amex card, aimed at getting me to ask friends and family to sign up. Its 5K points per referral, up to a max of 20,000 points. I believe the referral period ran till the end of January '07. Anyone else get this offer?
This came just in time as my wife was going to apply for her own card anyway. ^ This just made the deal sweeter, 10K points for her and now 5K for me. Thanks AMEX/SPG.
This came just in time as my wife was going to apply for her own card anyway. ^ This just made the deal sweeter, 10K points for her and now 5K for me. Thanks AMEX/SPG.
Nov 22, 2006, 5:52 am
#22
Join Date: Mar 2006
Programs: SPG Gold, HH Gold, Choice Priveleges Gold, Club Carlson Silver, Wyndham Rewards, UMP, DL, ANA
Posts: 129
Originally Posted by phlflyer927
That's pretty sweet. I'm was going to refer some people to get the card anyway.
Any web link?
Any web link?
I don't have the mailing in front of me at the moment, but there were four detachable RSVP cards that you were to hand out, which needed to be filled out by the applicant and then mailed in. There were some specific referral and/or ID codes printed on each RSVP card. I'm not sure if you could do this online, but I'll check the mailing when I'm home later and let you know. In the mean-time, maybe somebody else got the same thing and knows for sure.
Nov 22, 2006, 9:21 am
#23
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: LAX
Programs: UA 1P MM, SPG Lifetime Gold
Posts: 654
I called about a month ago and there was no referral offer then. 
Hopefully my brother didn't apply for his already.
Hopefully my brother didn't apply for his already.
Nov 22, 2006, 12:37 pm
#24
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
Thanks for letting us know about the URL not working. American Express is addressing this issue and it should be up and running by midnight.
Sincerely,
William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services
[email protected]
Sincerely,
William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services
[email protected]
Nov 22, 2006, 9:34 pm
#25
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 130
It's actually
http://www.americanexpress.com/spgfriend
no S at the end
http://www.americanexpress.com/spgfriend
no S at the end
Originally Posted by Starwood Lurker
Thanks for letting us know about the URL not working. American Express is addressing this issue and it should be up and running by midnight.
Sincerely,
William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services
[email protected]
Sincerely,
William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services
[email protected]
Nov 22, 2006, 11:41 pm
#26
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SEA
Posts: 398
Originally Posted by Dudemon
What is the code, ref. # or phone # ?
Note, it did state on the offer that the 10,000 first use is for first-time cardmembers only, please see americanexpress.com/spgfriends for t&c.
Nov 23, 2006, 1:39 am
#27
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SEA
Posts: 398
Originally Posted by goodjls
I got one of these in the mail today. I tried to use the lind 'americanexpress.com/sgpfriends' and it didn't work. Does it work for you?
Nov 23, 2006, 5:48 am
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: BOS, MHT
Programs: AA ltg, B6, DL, UA, AS, SPG/Marriott Plt, HH, Hyatt
Posts: 10,052
Originally Posted by zlc
Looks like the Marketing Department is getting ahead of the IT.
The page cannot be found
The page you are looking for might have been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please try the following:
If you typed the page address in the Address bar, make sure that it is spelled correctly.
Open the www.americanexpress.com home page, and then look for links to the information you want.
Click the Back button to try another link.
Click Search to look for information on the Internet.
HTTP 404 - File not found
Internet Explorer
Nov 23, 2006, 5:50 am
#29
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 14
Originally Posted by goodjls
I got one of these in the mail today. I tried to use the lind 'americanexpress.com/sgpfriends' and it didn't work. Does it work for you?
Nov 23, 2006, 5:56 am
#30
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: EWR
Programs: AA PLT, CO GLD, UA 1P, Marriott SLVR, SPG GLD...
Posts: 257
Originally Posted by goodjls
I got one of these in the mail today. I tried to use the lind 'americanexpress.com/sgpfriends' and it didn't work. Does it work for you?