If your points don't post promptly, check to make sure the SPG number is correct. Log on to americanexpress.com and look at the SPG card account summary. On the right it tells you the YTD points earned and gives the last four digits of your SPG account. AMEX is known to mess up new accounts and issue a new SPG number rather than linking yours. If the account is wrong, you need to call to find out what the complete account number is and get AMEX to change it to your correct account number. Then you need to call SPG and "combine accounts" to get the points transferred to your real account.

I know -- this happened to me.....AMEX keeps telling you to wait, when the problem is that the points posted to the wrong account.

This is a good point.

Amex did assign me a new # for biz-- I worked it out with Amex and corrected that. I've been getting the points from the spend, just not the bonus. But you're right that this is a problem.

If you had AMEX correct the number after they awarded you the bonus, then the bonus went to the new (incorrect) number. My experience is that AMEX can't fix that, only SPG can. SPG will fix it by "combining accounts".

Do your statements and/or the amex web site show that the bonus points were awarded? I know their agents are trained to say "wait 8-10 weeks" and try to get you off the phone fast, but it really never takes this long. Usually just a couple of days.

Good luck.

I've had this card for over a decade, and i'm beginning to think it's hardly worth it anymore. I always go significantly past the 50K for Gold status minimum, and you can't hit platinum on spend only stays. What else is this card offering? Am I missing something? Thinking of switching to Amex Platinum which will still afford me SPG Gold, as well as other benefits.

Anything I will lose by switching?

Certainly the options to redeem all those Starpoints at your favorite SPG/Marriott hotels. Plus, you'd lose the SPG airline transfer partners (plus the +5K transfer bonus), but as you mention, you'd gain the SPG Gold status (plus the AMEX transfer partners) with the AMEX Platinum. Unless there is a specific airline transfer partner who's your go-to partner (e.g., Alaska or AA), then AMEX might be your best choice.

Thanks. This is an important point, as I do use my points for vacation/award stays. Is the AMEX transfer of points to SPG or AMEX booking with points through Amex a lower value? I see they transfer at 1000:100 which seems pretty poor.


***Rate above a typo as mia points out below. Actual rate is USA Membership Rewards transfers 1000:333 to SPG. In many other countries the rate is 1000:500.

In which country? In the USA Membership Rewards transfers 1000:333 to SPG. In many other countries the rate is 1000:500.

Apologies for the typo, so at 1000:333 is it a good deal compared to what you get with this card?

No, if you want Starpoints, use the SPG card. Membership Rewards is not a strong program for hotel redemptions.

I finally got my 25k +10k bonus, after the 8-12 weeks passed, upon escalation with [MENTION=182906]aska[/MENTION]mex. They pushed it through manually. I gave Amex the correct number before the bonus was awarded, and SPG combined accounts before the bonus was awarded. Not really sure what was holding it up.

When do the initial 5 nights/2 stays credit to your account?
 

I searched this thread but couldn't really find a definitive answer...

Here's my situation... I'm going to be a little short this year re-qualifying for Platinum, so I thought I'd finally get the SPG Amex for the 5 elite nights (and 2 stays) that you get as a benefit. Although I entered my SPG number when applying, Amex created a new SPG account for me. Once I realized that, I called Amex and had them put in the correct number. But a couple of weeks later, I haven't seen my 5 elite nights post to my account.

So my question is, when you first get the card, how long does it take for the 5 nights/2 stays to credit to your account? Based on the wording in the T&Cs, it sounds like I should get them immediately once the card account is approved/opened. Or do I not get them until my first statement?

My fear is that they were accidentally posted to the new SPG account that Amex opened for me (which I never bothered to activate).

Thanks

My apologies for the inconvenience, but this is exactly what has happened. But, it is an easy fix. Just call SPG customer service and ask them to merge the two accounts and once that is done, the 2 stays/5 nights will carry over to the account you want to keep. Note: Be absolutely clear about which account you want to keep. Once merged, they can't be undone.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts LLC

[email protected]

Thanks William! Yep, called in, bonus nights/stay were in the new account, had the rep merge that account into my existing account, easy-peasy! All set! Thanks again!

For the first time ever, I have a negative Amex balance due to a merchant return. I understand I'll loose those starpoints but my statement shows:

Points Earned for Eligible Spend -25,890
Total Bonus Points Earned -25,890
Total Starpoints® Earned -51,780
Also the YTD starpoint balance has been reduced by the 51,780. I called Amex, they transferred me to SPG, then transferred me back to Amex. The SPG agent was great both both Amex agents couldn't even understand the problem. The last one just said that the points will be posted to my account within a few days...haha. I said I had a negative balance and she just repeated that that the points would be transferred.

I have a special heart for call center agents after getting a glimpse into their world, but in this case how do I resolve this issue? It appears like a bonus is applied to my account somehow after earned the points and now they are removing 2x points.

In another topic....I'd like to know what that bonus is so I can maybe make use of it! Any advice?

You're case is unusual of having -25,890 worth of net refunds in a month. I would imagine the fraud department, the accounting department and all of them are figuring out what's going on. Don't think it is a simple rep can fix this.

AMEX can credit points to SPG and they can take points back by providing a negative credit (I have that happen in a few thousand points but not in the 25,000 area). So AMEX is indeed the ones to talk to. They probably need to do something manually after finding out whats going on.