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Old Jun 12, 2014, 11:11 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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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:
- Earn 100,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. Offer ends 04/24/2019.

- 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.


- Earn 100,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. Offer ends 04/24/2019.

- $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

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Old Aug 2, 2018 | 1:09 am
  #3466  
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I just received the following email from SPG Amex:

How You Earn Points with Your Card
When you use your Card, you can earn
  • 6X points for each dollar of eligible purchases at participating SPG and Marriott Rewards® hotels1,2
  • 2X points on all other eligible purchases1,2
  • 4X points for each dollar of eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. gas stations, on U.S. wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers, and on U.S. purchases for shipping.2 Please note this update only applies to The Starwood Preferred Guest Business Credit Card from American Express.
Its hard to read the 4x blurb... are 4x points solely for the Business card or are they for restaurants, gas and wireless, but not shipping? Assuming the latter - this makes the card good at least for SPG hotels, gas, and wireless. Other cards beat them on restaurants... so that's still a no go category.
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Old Aug 2, 2018 | 5:52 am
  #3467  
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Originally Posted by TravelinSperry
.... 4x points solely for the Business card....
Correct.
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Old Aug 2, 2018 | 5:57 am
  #3468  
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Originally Posted by TravelinSperry
Other cards beat them on restaurants... so that's still a no go category.
Yep, the SPG cards have, for the most part, been relegated to travel-only cards.
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Old Aug 2, 2018 | 6:24 am
  #3469  
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I got the email from AMEX yesterday and was surprised at the 4x for the cell phone bills. My initial thought was that that would be the only spend I would continue to put on the card. Thankfully I saw the comments above and know that it is only for the BUSINESS card. (I only have the personal card.) I reread the email and it really was confusing and almost misleading if you didn't read the details and just skimmed the emails main points. AMEX should NOT have sent this email out to personal cardholders!

After almost wearing the numbers off the card for years it now goes to the sock drawer to join the IHG Chase card there.
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Old Aug 2, 2018 | 6:43 am
  #3470  
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Originally Posted by christianj
I got the email from AMEX yesterday and was surprised at the 4x for the cell phone bills. My initial thought was that that would be the only spend I would continue to put on the card. Thankfully I saw the comments above and know that it is only for the BUSINESS card. (I only have the personal card.) I reread the email and it really was confusing and almost misleading if you didn't read the details and just skimmed the emails main points. AMEX should NOT have sent this email out to personal cardholders!

After almost wearing the numbers off the card for years it now goes to the sock drawer to join the IHG Chase card there.
Yes, that email was most confusing indeed. I too, used the SPG Amex for virtually everything. As of 8/1/18 the card is no longer even in my wallet.
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Old Aug 2, 2018 | 10:38 am
  #3471  
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Both of my Amex SPG cards have sadly been relegated to my sock drawer. Depending on how the recent changes to Amex Offers plays out and whether I see value in the free night certs will play into my decision next year as to whether keep them or cancel them.
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Old Aug 2, 2018 | 1:11 pm
  #3472  
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Last edited by J S; Aug 2, 2018 at 1:59 pm
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Old Aug 2, 2018 | 5:11 pm
  #3473  
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So, just so I'm clear: the "SPG Personal AmEx Free Award Night" is a very recent thing, right? (I've had this card since 2007 and I'm really hoping I haven't been losing out on a decade's worth of free nights )
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Old Aug 2, 2018 | 5:24 pm
  #3474  
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Originally Posted by kennycrudup
So, just so I'm clear: the "SPG Personal AmEx Free Award Night" is a very recent thing, right? (I've had this card since 2007 and I'm really hoping I haven't been losing out on a decade's worth of free nights )
Correct. Per the email sent out yesterday by Amex:
New Benefits
  • Annual Free Night Award: Card Members whose Card account anniversary dates are on or after August 1 will be eligible to receive their annual Free Night Award (redemption level at or under 35,000 points) at a participating hotel. Select hotels have resort fees. 3,4
  • Baggage Insurance Plan.5 Please note this update only applies to The Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express.
So it started yesterday. It's the trade off for losing points earnings on the card.


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Old Aug 2, 2018 | 6:55 pm
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Does this Free Night Award count as an elite qualifying night upon redemption?
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Old Aug 2, 2018 | 6:59 pm
  #3476  
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Originally Posted by Okto
Does this Free Night Award count as an elite qualifying night upon redemption?
No reason it wouldn't
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Old Aug 6, 2018 | 9:26 am
  #3477  
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Is anyone here with a statement that closed in early August? Even if the points haven't posted to the SPG account, what does the statement say on points? The better hope, based on what's been said, is that Starpoints are being posted for July charges and Points for August. Or Points at 3x for July and 2x for August. The bad news would be 2x for everything.
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Old Aug 6, 2018 | 9:41 am
  #3478  
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Originally Posted by rove312
Is anyone here with a statement that closed in early August? Even if the points haven't posted to the SPG account, what does the statement say on points? The better hope, based on what's been said, is that Starpoints are being posted for July charges and Points for August. Or Points at 3x for July and 2x for August. The bad news would be 2x for everything.
My statement closed on 8/2. The points have not yet posted on my SPG account and I would expect them to today based on history. I just looked at my statement and all my charges prior to August 1 where converted to points as in multiplied by 3. For the two charges on 8/1 it appears that they were multiplied by 2. My quick check came with in 2 points of tying in to their calculations.
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Old Aug 6, 2018 | 9:43 am
  #3479  
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Originally Posted by rove312
Is anyone here with a statement that closed in early August? Even if the points haven't posted to the SPG account, what does the statement say on points? The better hope, based on what's been said, is that Starpoints are being posted for July charges and Points for August. Or Points at 3x for July and 2x for August. The bad news would be 2x for everything.
My closing date was Aug 02. New balance was $4810.39, of which $113.09 was at a SPG property. I didn't have any charges on this statement that posted after 7/31.

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Old Aug 6, 2018 | 10:44 am
  #3480  
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Originally Posted by abk
My statement closed on 8/2. The points have not yet posted on my SPG account and I would expect them to today based on history.
I believe it was reported somewhere that for statements that closed between Aug 1 and Aug 17, there would be a delay in posting the points until on or after Aug 18.
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