Starwood points are incredibly valuable both to redeem for hotel stays and to transfer to airline miles at a terrific ratio (20,000 SPG points –> 25,000 airline miles with many programs). Now, for the month of March, Amex is offering a 35,000 point signup bonus for both their personal and business cards. This is the highest bonus I can remember seeing for these cards! Usually, these cards offer 25,000 points, and about once per year Amex has offered 30,000 points.
Unfortunately, the offers do have the dreaded once per lifetime terms: Welcome bonus offer not available to applicants who have or have had this product. If you’ve had the SPG personal card in the past 7 years or so (we don’t know exactly how long they hold onto the data) then you can’t get the personal card bonus. Same with the business card. However, if you’ve had one, but not the other, you can get the other one. For example, if you had the SPG personal card in the past, but not the business card, you can now get the business card along with the 35,000 point bonus (after meeting spend requirements).
So, if anyone out there hasn’t signed up for these cards before, click here to view to my Best Offers page for full details.
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Any idea of the odds of getting approved for both cards on the same day?
About zero. My understanding is that in the past year or so Amex has stopped approving more than 1 credit card per day (this doesn’t apply to charge cards, but SPG cards are credit cards). This doesn’t mean that the 2nd app would be rejected just that it might be approved later and therefore the hard inquiries won’t be combined.
Any data point on if the new SPG card with the 95$ annual fee is a different product?
No, it’s the same product. It just costs $95 now.
I had SPG Biz card with my SS# about couple years ago. Do you think if I apply for a Biz card now using EIN for my other business, I would be able to get the bonus?
You still need to use your SS# for a Biz CC app, so they’ll likely track it that way.
[…] As I reported earlier this morning via Frequent Miler’s Quick Deals, Amex has increased the Starwood Preferred Guest signup offer to 35,000 points through March 30th. This is the highest public offer I can remember ever seeing. You can find up to date information about this offer on my Best Offers page (click here to view to my Best Offers page for full details). […]
I got approved on 3/1/2016. Does that mean I should get the 35K miles? I will need to figure out how to get my wife one of these too. Funny, it did not ask for an EIN number like the Citi Business does.
Unfortunately no. I’d recommend calling to ask that they give you courtesy points to make up for the lost 10K points. Make sure to ask to talk to a supervisor if the first person doesn’t give you a good offer. I’d hold out for at least 5000 points.
Can you call AMEX to see if you’re eligible for the bonus before applying? It’s hard to keep track of which cards my family has had in the past 7 years. 🙂
Can’t hurt to try. I don’t know if they have that info readily available or not.
A spreadsheet is pretty much required for this game.
In regards to the once in a lifetime rule would this only apply to the Starwood card? I got the Amex Platinum 100k miles some months back so I didn’t know if this would impact the personal or business cards? Same for any partner Amex card.
It applies to all Amex cards. It only limits you from getting the bonus again for the exact same card. So, even with the Platinum card, you can still get the bonus for the Platinum Mercedes card, and the Platinum Business card, etc.
In some cases, Amex will send a targeted offer that does not have the terms limiting you from having had the card before. In those cases you can get the bonus again.
Greg, do you know of any links to refer a friend for the business card? It looks like only the personal card has a referral program right now.
Ignore my last. Found it. A simple Google search and prior links wouldn’t work or come up with the right portal, but I found it on the SPG portal.
Nice find!
For others, if you have the SPG business card and want to find the referral page, go here: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/personal-card-application/apply/jsp/includes/StarwoodMgmDualLanding35KRB.jsp?ccsgCampId=200136&openCampId=200142
If I have the business card, can I get a referral bonus for referring someone for a personal card?
Kate: no you can only refer the card you have
Two ?s
1. I’ve had business spg before. Can Separate business card name get you sign up offer??
2. Would if you created separate spg number. Is the signup bonus tied to your name or your spg number??
Thanks
Marc
1. I don’t think so
2. No, the bonus is most likely tied to your SSN.