There had been rumors that a new SPG offer would be out about now and many thought it would be the usual second-half-of-the-year 30K offer. Some hoped for the all-time high of the 35K offer we saw earlier this year. But, both hopes/assumptions were wrong as a new SPG Amex offer rolled out – a very different offer of 2 free nights.
New SPG Amex Offer for 2 Free Nights
New SPG Amex Offer Details
This is a pretty straightforward offer and everything is the same as you would normally expect from the SPG Amex card, except for the free nights instead of points!
Personal Card
- Receive 2 free nights after spending $3,000 in 3 months
- 2 free nights good at participating Category 1 – 5 properties
- Some properties may require an additional fee
- Annual fee $0 for the first year, $95 each year after
- Link for the SPG Amex Personal card
- Offer ends 10/19/2016
- Offer not valid if you have had this card before
Business Card
- Receive 2 free nights after spending $5,000 in 3 months
- 2 free nights good at participating Category 1 – 5 properties
- Some properties may require an additional fee
- Annual fee $0 for the first year, $95 each year after
- Link for the SPG Amex Business card
- Offer ends 10/19/2016
- Offer not valid if you have had this card before
The Bad News
Let’s get the bad news out of the way right now. This is not 2 free nights at any category SPG property (like the Hyatt card, the Fairmont card, the Ritz-Carlton card, and the Hilton Reserve card) but 2 free nights at Category 1 – 5 hotels. This leaves out the high-end Category 6 and 7 properties.
You can only redeem the free nights up to Category 5!
Category 5 hotels cost between 12,000 – 16,000 points per night meaning it would require you to stay during the high point time to even realize a 32,000 point bonus. If you redeemed the free nights at Category 1 (don’t even think about it!!!!), this would be only 6,000 points on the weekdays.
But, that’s not all! This offer also does not allow you to get points that you will be able to transfer over to airlines at 1:1.25 (in blocks of 20,000) which is what many people do with their points. It is also bad if you like to redeem for the excellent Nights & Flights packages as they also require points. Finally, it is also bad if you like to redeem points for the SPG Moments packages.
All in all, unless you were dying to stay at a Category 5 that costs 16,000 points per night, I would completely pass on this and hope the regular points offer comes out again when this one expires October 19. Remember, you can only get 1 bonus per lifetime per card so this is one I would completely pass on.
The Good News
…I can’t really think of any! This offer is even worse than the normal 25,000 point offer since it really strips away from the value of the Starpoints program as a whole. Hopefully, this is not something that is showing what is to come with the new Marriott/SPG company that begins tomorrow.
Tell me if you think I am wrong and that this is a great offer! 🙂
Completely agree. It seems like their simply trying to make the sign-up offer look better while passing on an inferior bonus. If category 6-7 were included then it at least would appeal to some people.
It leaves me in wonder as too what the intent will be going forward. I don’t see this this as a moving in apositive direction