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]
Sep 5, 2018, 1:45 pm
#3571
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 31
My card anniversary date was in July. I changed the statement close date therefore the annual fee actually got posted on Aug 2nd.
Anyone has similar experience? Did you receive the free night in your Marriott account?
I still haven't received it yet, and today is the last day I could cancel this card with annual fee refund.
Anyone has similar experience? Did you receive the free night in your Marriott account?
I still haven't received it yet, and today is the last day I could cancel this card with annual fee refund.
Sep 5, 2018, 4:20 pm
#3572
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: TUL
Programs: AA EXP 2MM; Marriott Titanium; Hilton Diamond; Hyatt Explorist; Vistana 5* Elite; Nat'l Exec Elite
Posts: 6,177
Referral Bonus
This is the T&C of the current SPG Amex referral bonus:
The Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express
You can receive 20,000 bonus points (“Referral Bonus”) for each new The Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express application you refer resulting in an approved account, up to a maximum of 55,000 bonus points per calendar year.
Doesn't it seem strange that the referral bonus would be capped at something other than a multiple of 20,000 points since each referral yields 20,000?
The Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express
You can receive 20,000 bonus points (“Referral Bonus”) for each new The Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express application you refer resulting in an approved account, up to a maximum of 55,000 bonus points per calendar year.
Doesn't it seem strange that the referral bonus would be capped at something other than a multiple of 20,000 points since each referral yields 20,000?
Sep 5, 2018, 4:32 pm
#3573
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,031
This is the T&C of the current SPG Amex referral bonus:
The Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express
You can receive 20,000 bonus points (“Referral Bonus”) for each new The Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express application you refer resulting in an approved account, up to a maximum of 55,000 bonus points per calendar year.
Doesn't it seem strange that the referral bonus would be capped at something other than a multiple of 20,000 points since each referral yields 20,000?
The Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express
You can receive 20,000 bonus points (“Referral Bonus”) for each new The Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express application you refer resulting in an approved account, up to a maximum of 55,000 bonus points per calendar year.
Doesn't it seem strange that the referral bonus would be capped at something other than a multiple of 20,000 points since each referral yields 20,000?
Sep 8, 2018, 11:53 am
#3574
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 26
I've cancelled my card since no retention offer was given and I've applied for SPG Luxury. Hope you could get a free night this year
Sep 13, 2018, 8:43 am
#3575
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: NYC
Programs: United 1P
Posts: 688
I opened an Amex SPG personal card in March 2016, and closed the account a year later. I do not have other Marriott of SPG cards. However, when I applied for Amex SPG Business, I was told that I am not eligible for the sign on bonus. Does anyone know why?
Kevin
Kevin
Sep 13, 2018, 8:59 am
#3576
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 110
At least they tell you up front that you aren't eligible so you don't waste a hard pull though.
Sep 13, 2018, 1:46 pm
#3577
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: NYC
Programs: United 1P
Posts: 688
Amex has been denying bonuses to people who they deem as churners. This is relatively new, and we don't know exactly what triggers it or how to get around it. The prevailing theory is that those who open cards, meet spend, then close them without additional spend are getting denied.
At least they tell you up front that you aren't eligible so you don't waste a hard pull though.
At least they tell you up front that you aren't eligible so you don't waste a hard pull though.
Sep 13, 2018, 2:57 pm
#3578
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 110
It's not an exact science, it looks like you need to be doing ongoing spend with Amex, but there is definitely more going on than that. It's likely going to be too complex with too few dp to find out exactly what gets you into/out of the naughty list with amex. Try to put more spend on your amex cards and try again in a month to see if they bonus denial keeps happening. You don't lose anything by trying.
Sep 13, 2018, 8:41 pm
#3579
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: NYC
Programs: United 1P
Posts: 688
It's not an exact science, it looks like you need to be doing ongoing spend with Amex, but there is definitely more going on than that. It's likely going to be too complex with too few dp to find out exactly what gets you into/out of the naughty list with amex. Try to put more spend on your amex cards and try again in a month to see if they bonus denial keeps happening. You don't lose anything by trying.
Sep 16, 2018, 9:21 am
#3580
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 4,431
Has anybody actually gotten the free night after the merger? Looks like someone above said they were told 4-6 weeks after AF paid. Does this apply if the AF posted BEFORE the merger? After all, the new cards launched weeks before this.
My AF for SPG Biz card posted 8/17, it’s $65 since I’ve had the card for a few years. I’ll pay the AF as long as I get the 35k free night, but I don’t want to find out later that my card doesn’t qualify because it’s only $65 AF.
My AF for SPG Biz card posted 8/17, it’s $65 since I’ve had the card for a few years. I’ll pay the AF as long as I get the 35k free night, but I don’t want to find out later that my card doesn’t qualify because it’s only $65 AF.
Last edited by DaveInLA; Sep 16, 2018 at 9:42 am
Sep 21, 2018, 4:55 pm
#3581
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: AA LT PLT 3 MM+, BA (very) Blue, CO nobody
Posts: 2,640
Has anybody actually gotten the free night after the merger? Looks like someone above said they were told 4-6 weeks after AF paid. Does this apply if the AF posted BEFORE the merger? After all, the new cards launched weeks before this.
My AF for SPG Biz card posted 8/17, it’s $65 since I’ve had the card for a few years. I’ll pay the AF as long as I get the 35k free night, but I don’t want to find out later that my card doesn’t qualify because it’s only $65 AF.
My AF for SPG Biz card posted 8/17, it’s $65 since I’ve had the card for a few years. I’ll pay the AF as long as I get the 35k free night, but I don’t want to find out later that my card doesn’t qualify because it’s only $65 AF.
Am I mistaken?
Sep 21, 2018, 6:52 pm
#3583
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,750
Has anybody actually gotten the free night after the merger? Looks like someone above said they were told 4-6 weeks after AF paid. Does this apply if the AF posted BEFORE the merger? After all, the new cards launched weeks before this.
My AF for SPG Biz card posted 8/17, it’s $65 since I’ve had the card for a few years. I’ll pay the AF as long as I get the 35k free night, but I don’t want to find out later that my card doesn’t qualify because it’s only $65 AF.
My AF for SPG Biz card posted 8/17, it’s $65 since I’ve had the card for a few years. I’ll pay the AF as long as I get the 35k free night, but I don’t want to find out later that my card doesn’t qualify because it’s only $65 AF.
If you go to the benefits of SPG card, you will see the Free Night benefit there. Click the Learn More box, it would then bring you to another screen to further explain it and how / when you will receive it, looks like would be in your account activity on SPG.com when it is issued.
The SPG biz card said it was 35K pts cert. I dont know about the personal card.
Sep 21, 2018, 8:10 pm
#3584
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 31
The cut off date is August 1st, and is based on Anniversary Date. If your anniversary date is July 31st or before, you would need to wait till NEXT year to get your first FN!
If you go to the benefits of SPG card, you will see the Free Night benefit there. Click the Learn More box, it would then bring you to another screen to further explain it and how / when you will receive it, looks like would be in your account activity on SPG.com when it is issued.
Where did you see your free night cert? Is it shown on the Activity screen of your SPG account or the combined account if you have done the Combine Account thing?
The SPG biz card said it was 35K pts cert. I dont know about the personal card.
If you go to the benefits of SPG card, you will see the Free Night benefit there. Click the Learn More box, it would then bring you to another screen to further explain it and how / when you will receive it, looks like would be in your account activity on SPG.com when it is issued.
Where did you see your free night cert? Is it shown on the Activity screen of your SPG account or the combined account if you have done the Combine Account thing?
The SPG biz card said it was 35K pts cert. I dont know about the personal card.
Sep 22, 2018, 11:05 am
#3585
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: AA LT PLT 3 MM+, BA (very) Blue, CO nobody
Posts: 2,640
The free night was a Marriott card whose anniversary is in Sept and was for 25K (previously was 35K).
I promptly cancelled the card before paying the annual fee and will most likely cancel the SPG card next July before the fee is due. I currently have several SPG reservations so I will keep the card till next July.
There are other programs that work for me better with these changes.
YMMV.