Has been asked numerous times and the constant answer is: "Only when He** freezes over".

Actually you can spend your way to Platinum status and you don't even need the SPG Amex. Just buy enough SVO weeks to qualify as 5-Star Elite and you'll be Platinum for life (as long as your maintenance fees are paid each year).

So He** doesn't have to freeze over, but your wallet will be much lighter.

50% off rack rate certs
 

Just wondering, I just got through my SPG AmEx card renewal period, but did not receive a 50% off rack rate cert. Did AmEx/SPG stop sending these out at the renewal?

They are still sending SPG50 out as of now.

But when I was on the phone with an Amex CSR, she said the program will be replaced by a new one in October, 2010. SPG card members won't be SPG50 cert any more after that, but will have a 3rd night free for any two nights paid with the SPG card at participating Sheraton hotels. I don't know this is an improvement or not. We shall see after more details pour in.

An Amex rep claimed to me today that the annual fee will be refunded pro rata to a cardmember who cancels in the middle of the membership year. I'm finding this hard to believe, and would appreciate any comments confirming or denying the existence of this practice.

There are peresistent rumors here on FT that some lucky SPG Amex cardholders seem to get a 15k bonus each year "in error".

There are reputed to be FT "vigilanties" who send out "impolite" PMs to anybody who mentions this, and lobby mods to get such posts censored.

I suspect that you may have read one of those posts

The rep was correct. I cancelled my US Plat charge card and received a refund that was approximately 80% of the annual fee.

If you find it hard to believe, go online and request Amex to send you a copy of your cardholder agreement. It should be spelled out clearly in it.

One would have thought so, but the first thing I did before posting was read through my printed literature. Alas, it says nothing at all about pro-rated refunds (perhaps because what I have is dated 5/07, from those halcyon days when the annual fee was $30).

Points not posting on time?
 

The SPG points from my monthly AMEX spend typically post on the 20th or 21st of each month. It's the 24th and nothing from last month has shown up in my account yet. Anyone else experiencing delays recently?

Yes -- identical issue for my wife's SPG business Amex.

No problem here. My SPG Amex statement had a closing date of Aug 6 and my SPG points posted to my account on Aug 10.

I've had the same issue. SPG biz statement closed on the 20th, got the points posted on the 22nd. Personal SPG statement closed on the 18th, no points yet.
I sent AMEX a message through their secure online messaging system. Got a reply in an hour informing me that they sent the points to Starwood on the 19th (the day after my statement closed) and that it's up to SPG to post them - they can't do anything about it. I'll wait till the end of the week and see what happens. If nothing, I'll email SPG.

Starwood points not posting from AMEX
 

Not sure what's happening but thought I would ask this crowd before calling. Always get Starwood points posted about two days after the end of the billing period. It's now a week and nothing yet.

Anyone else have this problem? Any idea what's going on?

Thanks.