Amex SPG future plans.

mec

Silver Member
(I'm not sure if this belongs in the MR forum so I posted it here.)

With the announcement that Marriott / Starwood will be debuting new cards through Chase and Amex I have begun to wonder about my plan to wait for the annual 35k SUB on the SPG personal card.

I'm not wanting to wait and risk a sudden withdrawal of the application link if that is in the works, as I'd much rather have the easy 28k points than get skunked. Of course I would prefer to wait for the higher SUB and get the 40k points instead.

Anyone have any thoughts as to whether this card will still be available into the spring. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts as I ponder my decision.
 

ramonortiz55

Level 2 Member
I was planning to start a thread on Amex SPG with further thoughts to your question.

First of all, I signed up for the personal card hours before the announcement, not knowing this was going to happen. So I was happy that I jumped on it.

Now I am debating about grabbing the business version once I meet the minimum spending on the personal card.

That being said -

The SPG personal and business will become fossils sometime in 2018. We just don't know when.

I signed up for the personal in December, which means my card will "transfer" to the new product before my annual fee hits.

My plan is to double dip on the introductory offers. I will cancel the card before the transfer or refuse the new product.

The question that begs to be asked:

Will Amex claw back the introductory offer for cancelling before the annual fee hits?

If I sign up for the business and do the same - does that mean I will lose BOTH introductory offers?

Its a gamble. We don't know.

The only way we can get a hint to what happens is find anyone that signed up for the HiltonHonors card THIS YEAR and refuses the new product transfer (ascend, or whatever it is).

Did their introductory offer get clawed back? - Remember, they didn't get the chance to pay the annual fee because they signed up for the card this year.

Probable solutions:

1. Tell Amex that I am willing to pay the annual fee at cancellation to prevent a clawback.

2. Transfer the SPG points to another account to prevent a clawback.

3. Gamble against the RAT
 

ramonortiz55

Level 2 Member
That being said.

To answer your questions, if you don't have an SPG card, get one NOW.

Once you are done with minimum spending on that one, grab the business.

Yes, come spring there could be a better intro offer, but its only a delta of 10,000 points. You willing to take the gamble for 10,000 points? I am not.

Least you can do is call Amex and ask to match the new offer to your card.

Id rather have 25,000 points guaranteed (pending my above post).

Than have NO points at all.
 

mec

Silver Member
I haven't heard of banks being able to claw back points that they have transferred to their partners. Is that a thing?

I already have SPG business at the 35k SUB from last March and intend to keep it through the anniversary. I'll be sad to see it go as it's one of the most flexible travel cards there is. Particularly now that the two programs are linked. I also have the Marriott business card... just hit the SUB on it last month. I was planning to keep both active until the word on the programs fate came down.

I can't get Marriott personal due to 5/24, but the fact that there are so many cards and so many redemptions between Starwood, Marriott and Ritz Carlton... with more to come... makes this (the time when the sun shines) the time to make hay.
 

ramonortiz55

Level 2 Member
I haven't heard of banks being able to claw back points that they have transferred to their partners. Is that a thing?

I already have SPG business at the 35k SUB from last March and intend to keep it through the anniversary. I'll be sad to see it go as it's one of the most flexible travel cards there is. Particularly now that the two programs are linked. I also have the Marriott business card... just hit the SUB on it last month. I was planning to keep both active until the word on the programs fate came down.

I can't get Marriott personal due to 5/24, but the fact that there are so many cards and so many redemptions between Starwood, Marriott and Ritz Carlton... with more to come... makes this (the time when the sun shines) the time to make hay.
Its not a common thing - its happened rarely.

Also, AMEX has update the terms and conditions on some of their cards - points post in 6 - 8 weeks after billing cycle ends.

That could be an issue also with timing as mentioned above.
 

ramonortiz55

Level 2 Member
I haven't heard of banks being able to claw back points that they have transferred to their partners. Is that a thing?

I already have SPG business at the 35k SUB from last March and intend to keep it through the anniversary. I'll be sad to see it go as it's one of the most flexible travel cards there is. Particularly now that the two programs are linked. I also have the Marriott business card... just hit the SUB on it last month. I was planning to keep both active until the word on the programs fate came down.

I can't get Marriott personal due to 5/24, but the fact that there are so many cards and so many redemptions between Starwood, Marriott and Ritz Carlton... with more to come... makes this (the time when the sun shines) the time to make hay.
is the SPG biz metal? :)
 

mec

Silver Member
Nope. Good ol plastic.

It does give access to the Sheraton clubs thought which is nice if you stay at a Sheraton.

It also has the usual business card benefit of not reporting... so you can freely let balances report without affecting utilization. But there are some advantages to showing balances too it shows the ability to change larger amounts and pay them regularly to other creditors and you don't get the utilization benefit from the unused credit line.

It also isn't a good idea to put personal spending on business cards if you don't want to risk personal assets being intermingled with business for legal protection.
 

mec

Silver Member
Well I went ahead and apped the personal. I think the argument that it's better to get the standard SUB than to risk loosing it holds for me.
 
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