I suspect this offer is targeted, but worth mentioning nonetheless since many of you likely have this card. The SPG Amex recently sent me a fairly easy to attain bonus offer. Spend $3,000 by November 30th, and earn 10,000 bonus points.
I received an e-mail with this offer, but if eligible, you should see a registration button in your “Amex Offers” section. For those unfamiliar with Amex Offers, just scroll down to the bottom of your account login page to see what’s available.
While Hardly Earth Shattering, 10k Points Beats Nothing
Usually, purchases earn 6x points per dollar at Starwood or Marriott hotels, and 2x points on everything else. So, $3,000 of spend can earn up to 18,000 points if it’s entirely hotel spend. Depending on your spending mix, maximizing this promotion yields between 16,000 and 28,000 points. That’s a return of 5.33 to 9.33 points per dollar total. I value Marriott Rewards points at 0.7 cents/point, so your total earn ranges from 3.73-6.53%. Especially for non-bonused spend (3.73%), this is a fairly competitive return.
Granted, it’s not like 10,000 Marriott Rewards points will get you much. 10k points gets you a Category 1 reward on the current chart, or Category 2 off-peak on the 2019 chart. Even maxing out the promotion with hotel spend barely gets you a Category 4 award on the current chart. Where I do see value, though, is if you need to top-up your account for a higher category redemption. $3k in spend is a fairly modest target for an account top-up, especially with year-end stuff coming up.
Just be aware, the T&Cs state that bonus points will post 2-4 weeks after December 10, 2018. For that reason, I wouldn’t rely on this promotion to top up for a Category 7 redemption before Category 8 kicks on January 1. Though bonuses usually post immediately after minimum spend, I have experienced issues with SPG Amex bonuses before…
Prepare to Deal with Issues
As mentioned, Amex has had issues with SPG Amex bonuses in the past to begin with. Especially with the cluster that is the SPG-Marriott Rewards integration, it wouldn’t shock me if there are delays with bonuses posting. If you have issues, try the AskAmex tool on Twitter for a faster resolution.
Final Thoughts
I never found the SPG Amex all that great for everyday spend. The recent devaluation (from 3x Marriott points to 2x) made it even less compelling. However, maxing out this promotion provides a reasonable return for a modest amount of spend. If you have the card and received this offer, you might as well take advantage.
