What is SPG "Preferred Plus" Status?
 

When I signed up for the Starwood Amex Platinum card, my SPG status was changed from Preferred to Preferred Plus. I can't find anything on the SPG or Amex web sites which explains this level. Am I entitled to any additional benefits over the base level? Thanks.

(Sorry if this had been addressed before. The forum search function takes out the word "plus", even when I use quotation marks.)

From a relative newcomer to you, welcome to FT!
SPG preferred plus is about the same (read not worth much) as spg gold, except you don't get the 50% bonus in *pts and your card does not look as nice. You get the same "preferred room upgrade" (what that means varies from hotel to hotel and from time to time) and other gold benefits. Before you get the wrong impression, the "upgrade" sometimes is actually meaningful (as a gold, I've gotten decent upgrades at various properties, and ranges from corner rooms, rooms to better views, larger rooms, etc., to nothing at all).
Yes, there have been previous threads on this, but hey, it doesn't take long to type a short answer ;)

And late check out. ^

Over the past 3 years, I have only received one room upgrade at the Westin Bonaventure in LA. 90% of the time my Gold status isn't even acknowledged by the front desk person. The best Gold perk is the 4pm check-out, which I have used numerous times.

Sometimes you have to push the issue. At a recent check-in at the Westin at Our Lucaya on Grand Bahama Island, the guy behind the desk tried to deny that I was entitled to a room upgrade as a Preferred Plus member. I walked him over to the cardboard display 4 feet from him and pointed to the info on it. I promptly received an upgrade (not that it was much of an upgrade) from island view to marina view.

BTW, is it a pet peeve of anyone else's that these huge companies run these promotions and then don't educate their employees. I often have to explain promotions to the employees instead of the other way around!

Thanks for the responses everyone. I find it curious that Amex/Starwood promote this (minor) upgrade in status, then fail to explain anywhere what it entails. I'm so glad to have found these boards and discover all the useful info within them.

When I got my Preferred Plus card in the mail, there was literature explaining exactly what the benefits were.

Is there something called "Preferred Plus"?
 

I just noticed in my AAA/CAA membership booklet, it lists the many benefits of Automobile Association membership.
One benefit is listed as: "Complimentary access to the Preferred Plus tier of the Starwood Preferred Guest rewards program"

Pardon my ignorance, but is there even such a thing as a Preferred Plus tier, and is that supposed to be higher than regular membership? I'm confused.

Thanks in advance!

Preferred Plus gives you the most coveted perk of all...
 

...a free water bottle. :D

What is "Preferred Plus"?
 

I just received mail from SPG that I have been offered "Preferred Plus" status with a new card showing a letter "B" in front of my old membership number.
I could not find any reference to this category at their web site.

Is anyone familiar with this category?

Its between Preferred and Gold. If you either have an AAA membership or Starwood AMEX you're acount gets upgraded to Preferred +.

An extra bottle of water in your room. :D

Also includes AARP members.

From what I remember the only perk is the late (4pm) checkout option. It's basically the same as the corporate SPG card (if those are still around).

At the Colorado Springs Sheraton, they called me in my room to invite me to the lounge for breakfast the following morning. They said they'd noticed a Preferred Plus member that didn't have a room in the concierge level area, so they wanted to make sure I knew where it was. I thought that was nice. (We had adjoining rooms with specific bed/smoke requests, which is probably why the front desk didn't give us concierge level to begin with.)

I don't think a concierge level upgrade is to be expected with Preferred Plus by any stretch, but I thought it was nice that the hotel took notice and followed up with us about the lounge.

We have the status thanks to the SPG Amex.

The benefits of Preferred Plus membership in Starwood Preferred Guest are as follows:

- Two Starpoints per U. S. Dollar or equivalent spent on eligible charges.
- Ability to earn Starpoints on restaurant charges when not staying at a participating property. (US$10.00 Minimum)
- Personal profile information, including: floor, bedding, pillow, smoking preferences, and newspaper preferences.
- National weekday newspaper.
- Pre-blocked and pre-keyed room on day of arrival.
- Personalized, fast and efficient check-in.
- Special toll-free number for Starwood Preferred Guest related inquiries.
- Unlimited ability to transfer Starpoints between two accounts in the same household.
- Preferred Plus membership credentials.
- Guaranteed late check-out of up to 4:00 p.m., based upon availability at resort properties or conference destinations during peak season.
- Upgrade to a Preferred Room, subject to availability at time of check-in.

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

[email protected]

How do I add it to my SPG Account?
 

Thanks for you fast response.
Now that I know what it is... how do I add it to my SPG account?

Thank you very much. ;)

CAA will let us know and we will upgrade the account accordingly - provided you gave them your SPG account number when you joined. ;)

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

[email protected]

For those with this status: Does it show "Preferred Plus" under the member number after logging into SPG.com? I signed up a AAA member for SPG, through the Join Now link at http://starwood.com/aaa - but they were never asked for AAA number and the account just reflects "Preferred Guest".

Yes, it should. I'm a Preferred Plus here in Canada and when I log in at SPG.com, I go to my account in the main menu and at the upper right corner it should be there. If you do not see it call AAA and they will add it for you.

Just got it sorted over the phone and the account now shows "Preferred Business Guest". Go figure. I think this is an alternate wording of the same thing.

Preferred Plus = Gold without the 50% bonus on points earned at SPG hotels.

It's not a bad deal if you aren't a Gold or Plat already and you are a CAA/AAA member. You can get marginally better rates at properties - sometimes better than the "Best Available" rate. Additionally, technically, the card does say that you can be upgraded to a preferred room providing there is availability. Now, that can wildly vary from property to property but it has been useful many times for me. I'm currently "going for Gold" (I know the Plats are chuckling as I speak) this year only for the extra *points - not necessarily for any potential upgrades.
Welcome to the world of "Minimalist Status." :p

SPG Preferred Plus?
 

I was waiting for my SPG Platinum card, but today in the mail received a new SPG PREFERRED PLUS card. Huh? I was not even aware that there is a PREFERRED PLUS level. Is it under GOLD?

I assume it's a mistake on their part... I have emailed them asking for a replacement.

Has anyone derived any benefits from this? One of my colleagues is Preferred Plus (I think by virtue of his SPG AmEx card) and he says the only real benefit is the late check-out. Occasionally, he says he gets an "upgrade" to the Preferred Floor.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...preferred+plus

Preferred Plus is this minus "More Starpoints"

I've been a Gold member for several years now, but this year is the first that I haven't gotten a Gold card, but rather received the Preferred Plus. Didn't Gold membership used to come automatically with the Amex card? (I always assumed I was Gold for this reason)

There's a lot of confusion on this - I think that this was the case when the program was ITT Sheraton...

The SPG Amex only comes with Preferred Plus status now.

Sounds like the only difference between Gold and Preferred Plus is 3 Starpoints vs. 2 Starpoints on hotel stays.

The Golds and Plats also seem to get targeted for more promos than the Preferred Plus members also. When I was Preferred Plus, I never got a single promo offer. I've been Gold for a few weeks now, and have already gotten two promo offers from SPG.

New to SPG: unable to figure out the Preferred and Preferred Plus benefits?
 

Plus how they relate to Silver, Gold, etc. What is better becoming Preferred Plus or Gold or Platinum?

I'm not sure of this, but I think it's like Gold, minus the 50% points bonus. I believe Preferred Plus is issed on a targetted basis and through corporate progams. I stand to be corrected though. ;)

Honestly, not a whole lot of benefits at this level.

Status (by "hierarchy low-->high) is as follows:
Preferred Preferred Plus Gold Platinum VIP (by invitation only)

Starwood Preferred Plus
 

I just got a new card with Starwood Preferred Plus on it. I had signed up for the amex card with SPG but wondered what the Plus gives you? I have only seen the regular preferred card and the gold card.

That means that AMEX screwed up and didn't use your current Plat status. It happened to me to and I verified that they had the correct number - had to call amex to reset the points for transactions then SPG to get the bonus merged into the new account.

The OP has an SPG Amex Card, not the Amex Platinum Card. SPG Amex gives you Preferred Plus status, not Platinum status. So Amex did NOT screw up.

Benefits?
 

Hi,

I am Preferred Guest Plus through SPG (presumably due to AMEX). I am staying at the Singapore Sheraton next week and am wondering what benefits (if any) I can expect. I am staying on a C+P award and am interested in taking advantage of the lounge there. If I understand correctly, I should receive, assuming an SPG room is available, access complimentary? Is that correct?

The posts in this thread seem to be a bit dated, so any recent thoughts would be much appreciated.

Cheers.

I've been gold for years (always seem to miss Platinum by a few).

I just got the Amex SPG card to get mroe points. Not my SPG account says"preferred" and how Many nights to reach Gold, whereas before it said how many nights to reach platinum. i wonder if getting the card downgraded me Pref Plus or if my year is up for Gold and I'm just re-earning it again?

You will receive an upgrade if an appropriate room is available, but no guarantee you'll get on the lounge floor. Very few of my Gold upgrades have gotten us onto the lounge floor (in fact, I believe only one).