Nov 12, 2013, 11:05 am
Last edit by: Oxon Flyer
UPDATE AS OF 28 NOVEMBER 2017 :
For our members with SPG Lifetime™ status: We’ll always recognize your lifetime achievement. And starting now, your Starpoints will never expire.
When do my SPG points expire?
Per the SPG T&C,
What activity counts towards keeping an account active to prevent points from expiring?
"Any account activity resets the clock. Earning, burning, transferring, buying...anything that creates activity." (from Starwood Lurker, post #78)
This means your options for resetting the clock are
What happens if I am a SPG Lifetime Platinum or Lifetime Gold?
According to the T&C, your lifetime status will be lost and your points forfeited after the period of inactivity.
Starpoints never expire for Lifetime Platinum members.
For our members with SPG Lifetime™ status: We’ll always recognize your lifetime achievement. And starting now, your Starpoints will never expire.
When do my SPG points expire?
Per the SPG T&C,
Forfeiting Starpoints. Except for SVO Owners to whom the obligations in Section 9 apply, Starpoints earned or otherwise obtained by an SPG Member will forfeit without notice if the SPG Member becomes Inactive, even if the SPG Member has achieved SPG Lifetime Gold or SPG Lifetime Platinum status. An SPG Member is considered "Inactive" if during a 12 month period: (a) the SPG Member has not had an Eligible Stay at an SPG Participating Hotel; (b) the SPG Member has not earned or redeemed any Starpoints, or (c) the SPG Member's account has been cancelled.
"Any account activity resets the clock. Earning, burning, transferring, buying...anything that creates activity." (from Starwood Lurker, post #78)
This means your options for resetting the clock are
- Earning points via a paid (cash) hotel stay
- Earning points via an SPG Amex card
- Earning points from food/beverages >$10 purchased at a Starwood property
- Make sure that server understands that SPG # must be added to system
- This option does not apply to alcohol purchases in CA, OR, HI, or MA
- Earning points in any other legal manner.
- Redeeming points for an award (such as a hotel stay, SPG Moments, etc.)
- This includes booking and then canceling an award; see post #155
- Purchasing SPG points (you can purchase 500 points for $17.50; takes 24-hours to hit your account) https://storefront.points.com/spg/en-US/buy
- Transfering SPG points to/from the SPG account of another member of your household (note: now requires transfers in 1,000-point increments)
- Transfering SPG points to or from your linked Marriott Rewards account (FYI, the reverse does not count as qualifying activity for your Marriott Rewards account)
- Transfering SPG points to an airline or other travel partner
- Transfering Amex Membership Rewards Points into your SPG account
Starpoints never expire for Lifetime Platinum members.
How to keep SPG points from expiring after 12 months of account inactivity
Mar 1, 2012, 12:00 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 13
How to keep SPG points from expiring after 12 months of account inactivity
I was just looking at the current SPG Terms and Conditions, and section 4.2 jumped out at me. It sounds like any points activity, earning or redeeming, will now count as activity and extend the life of your account. Am I reading that correctly?
Mar 1, 2012, 12:05 pm
#2
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: NYC/LA
Programs: DL Plat, AA Plat Pro, Marriott Titanium, IHG Diamond Amb
Posts: 7,486
This definitely looks like new language.
I've pasted the relevant section below:
4.2 Forfeiting Starpoints. Except for SVO Owners to whom the obligations in Section 9 apply, Starpoints earned or otherwise obtained by an SPG Member will forfeit without notice if the SPG Member becomes Inactive, even if the SPG Member has achieved SPG Lifetime Gold or SPG Lifetime Platinum status. An SPG Member is considered "Inactive" if during a 12 month period: (a) the SPG Member has not had an Eligible Stay at an SPG Participating Hotel; (b) the SPG Member has not earned or redeemed any Starpoints, or (c) the SPG Member's account has been cancelled.
I've pasted the relevant section below:
4.2 Forfeiting Starpoints. Except for SVO Owners to whom the obligations in Section 9 apply, Starpoints earned or otherwise obtained by an SPG Member will forfeit without notice if the SPG Member becomes Inactive, even if the SPG Member has achieved SPG Lifetime Gold or SPG Lifetime Platinum status. An SPG Member is considered "Inactive" if during a 12 month period: (a) the SPG Member has not had an Eligible Stay at an SPG Participating Hotel; (b) the SPG Member has not earned or redeemed any Starpoints, or (c) the SPG Member's account has been cancelled.
Mar 1, 2012, 12:49 pm
#3
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Live: IWI; Work: DCA/Everywhere; Play: LAS/SJU/MLE
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Ambassador/LTP, Nat'l Exec Elite, LEYE Gold
Posts: 6,670
Based on the quoted text, OP's conclusion doesn't follow.
It says a member is considered inactive if (a), (b), or (c) applies. Just reading the rule, it means that any SPG Member who has not had an eligible stay at a participating hotel "during a 12 month period" will forfeit all points without notice.
Whether this rule is enforced as written remains to be seen, but either way, that's what it means. Not a consumer-friendly or.
If SPG is listening and didn't intend the rule as written, I would suggest this modification:
It says a member is considered inactive if (a), (b), or (c) applies. Just reading the rule, it means that any SPG Member who has not had an eligible stay at a participating hotel "during a 12 month period" will forfeit all points without notice.
Whether this rule is enforced as written remains to be seen, but either way, that's what it means. Not a consumer-friendly or.
If SPG is listening and didn't intend the rule as written, I would suggest this modification:
4.2 Forfeiting Starpoints. Except for SVO Owners to whom the obligations in Section 9 apply, Starpoints earned or otherwise obtained by an SPG Member will forfeit without notice if the SPG Member becomes Inactive, even if the SPG Member has achieved SPG Lifetime Gold or SPG Lifetime Platinum status. An SPG Member is considered "Inactive" if during a 12 month period: (a) the SPG Member has not had an Eligible Stay at an SPG Participating Hotel, and the SPG Member has not earned or redeemed any Starpoints;or (b) the SPG Member's account has been cancelled.
Mar 1, 2012, 12:59 pm
#4
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
Just to clarify, it should be read as being a) or b) or c). Any Starpoints activity resulting from earning or redeeming will now count towards keeping an account active.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Mar 1, 2012, 1:02 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 13
Great news! This makes maintaining my account much simpler.
Thank you for the official word. I recognized there was some ambiguity in how it was written, which is why I posed the question.
Thank you for the official word. I recognized there was some ambiguity in how it was written, which is why I posed the question.
Mar 1, 2012, 1:09 pm
#6
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 6,359
Great news!!!! This will save me some work if family members don't end up staying within a year. Previously we would have to go to dinner at a SPG hotel, fax the receipts into SPG, etc. Now we can just burn an award night from the acct and be good to go!!! Well done to the OP for catching this change in language!!!! ^
Mar 1, 2012, 1:28 pm
#8
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
While we are clarifying this point, we might as well get to who a) applies to. It applies to members who do not have elite status such as Gold or Platinum.
As you all know, SPG soft-lands anyone who is elite, but does not retain it. So, a Platinum soft-lands to Gold and a Gold soft-lands to Preferred, Preferred Plus or Corporate, depending upon which status is most appropriate.
This means that a Platinum member could downgrade to Gold and then to Preferred, but the 12-month inactivity clock will not begin until they reach Preferred.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
As you all know, SPG soft-lands anyone who is elite, but does not retain it. So, a Platinum soft-lands to Gold and a Gold soft-lands to Preferred, Preferred Plus or Corporate, depending upon which status is most appropriate.
This means that a Platinum member could downgrade to Gold and then to Preferred, but the 12-month inactivity clock will not begin until they reach Preferred.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Mar 1, 2012, 1:36 pm
#9
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 6,359
Wow, I didn't know that. Great news. I always assumed even an SPG Plats pts were in jeopardy if they didn't have recent acct activity. The new customer friendly policy is quite nice, thanks for confirming it!!!!
Mar 1, 2012, 1:42 pm
#10
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: JFK, DCA, BUR, YVR
Programs: AC, AS, BA, DL, HH (D), MR (T/LTP), UA (*S), UScAAre (PLT/1,87MM), WN
Posts: 5,207
While we are clarifying this point, we might as well get to who a) applies to. It applies to members who do not have elite status such as Gold or Platinum.
As you all know, SPG soft-lands anyone who is elite, but does not retain it. So, a Platinum soft-lands to Gold and a Gold soft-lands to Preferred, Preferred Plus or Corporate, depending upon which status is most appropriate.
This means that a Platinum member could downgrade to Gold and then to Preferred, but the 12-month inactivity clock will not begin until they reach Preferred.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
As you all know, SPG soft-lands anyone who is elite, but does not retain it. So, a Platinum soft-lands to Gold and a Gold soft-lands to Preferred, Preferred Plus or Corporate, depending upon which status is most appropriate.
This means that a Platinum member could downgrade to Gold and then to Preferred, but the 12-month inactivity clock will not begin until they reach Preferred.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Mar 1, 2012, 2:14 pm
#11
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Last edited by Starwood Lurker; Mar 1, 2012 at 5:16 pm
Mar 1, 2012, 2:16 pm
#12
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Live: IWI; Work: DCA/Everywhere; Play: LAS/SJU/MLE
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Ambassador/LTP, Nat'l Exec Elite, LEYE Gold
Posts: 6,670
I think we are reading this to say: "You can keep your account active as long as you don't do (a) or (b) or (c)"
However, in reality it still says (and your statement confirms): "If you do (a) or (b) or (c), your account will become inactive."
That said, it sounds like it's going to be interpreted to mean the former rather than the latter.
Mar 1, 2012, 2:37 pm
#13
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: JFK, DCA, BUR, YVR
Programs: AC, AS, BA, DL, HH (D), MR (T/LTP), UA (*S), UScAAre (PLT/1,87MM), WN
Posts: 5,207
The language in the T&C's is above my pay grade. I can make suggestions to have them amended, but I can't wave a magic wand or hit a couple of clicks of a mouse and keyboard to make them happen. Based on prior input I gave them from here, this is what they came up with.
I can, however, clarify exactly what [redacted] were told when they got to meet with SPG late last month. If it sounds contradictory, I can assure you that it isn't.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
I can, however, clarify exactly what [redacted] were told when they got to meet with SPG late last month. If it sounds contradictory, I can assure you that it isn't.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
I am not looking to bust chops here. I just think the entire paragraph is poorly worded because you are telling me that this doesn't apply to elites, but this paragraph says that the policy is inclusive of persons with LT elite status. Are LT elites not full elites as well?
4.2 Forfeiting Starpoints. Except for SVO Owners to whom the obligations in Section 9 apply, Starpoints earned or otherwise obtained by an SPG Member will forfeit without notice if the SPG Member becomes Inactive, even if the SPG Member has achieved SPG Lifetime Gold or SPG Lifetime Platinum status. An SPG Member is considered "Inactive" if during a 12 month period: (a) the SPG Member has not had an Eligible Stay at an SPG Participating Hotel; (b) the SPG Member has not earned or redeemed any Starpoints, or (c) the SPG Member's account has been cancelled.
Last edited by uxb; Mar 1, 2012 at 5:47 pm
Mar 1, 2012, 2:46 pm
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 13
As for cleaning up 4.2, is there any way to have an "Eligible Stay" that does not result in (or from) "earning or redeeming Starpoints"? If there is not, that makes item A superfluous, and it could be removed.
Mar 1, 2012, 2:57 pm
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,933
Also, an award stay using a free night cert.