Update April 9, 2019: The registration period for this offer has been extended to May 31, 2019. If you were unable to register for the promotion previously, try using this link and let us know if you continue having problems with registration.
On January 23rd, Amex published this press release: American Express and Marriott International Revamp Cobranded Consumer and Business Credit Cards with Introduction of new Marriott Bonvoy™ Travel Program. Part of the press release described a spend offer for those with the SPG consumer card which was rebranded as the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card. Here’s a direct quote from the press release:
In addition, starting February 24, 2019, Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card Members whose accounts were opened before January 23, 2019 will be eligible to earn up to 100,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points. Once registered, eligible Card Members can earn 25,000 bonus points for every $25,000 in eligible purchases on the Card, for up to 100,000 points through the end of the year. Eligible Card Members will receive more information about this offer, including the relevant terms and how to register their Card soon.
This public statement seems to indicate that the spend offer would be available to all cardholders who opened their accounts before January 23rd 2019. But many cardholders seem to have been left out.
On February 24th, the offer went live for some. We published: How To Start Earning 3x On One Type Of Marriott Bonvoy Card (Although It’s Probably Not Worth It). Some cardholders saw the offer directly in their account. Others (like me) had to click a special link to register (here’s the link to try yourself). We were the lucky ones.
Many readers have reported that they have been unable to register for this offer despite having a Bonvoy Amex card that was opened before Jan 23rd.
So, I ask you Amex… what’s the deal? We’ll publish an update once Amex answers.
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After multiple attempts I got it to work. I made sure I was NOT signed into my Amex account. I followed the link and chose the option to enter my card number and 4 digit.
I couldn’t get the link to work. It says targeted for me too (and I’m a good spender who’s had the card since 2009)
Finally the link worked for me after the offer was extended. I was told before that it was targeted and never did get an email. So it’s worth checking again if excluded before. It may not be open to everyone like the PR implied, but they did open it to more people with the extension.
Multiple calls and even a supervisor who promised that the ” problem was solved and I was going to be able to sign up for this offer”, have resulted in frustration for not being able to sign up for it since “I am not targeted”. I have explained on multiple occasions about amex own press release and the universal target of this offer, have sent supervisors links to it, have waited for calls back, etc. The consequence has been that even with multiple 5 figures expenses for business needs, the spend has gone to other cards (Chase unlimited, my best friend). When I explain this, that I simply will put the spend on another company credit card, they seem not to care and blame “the marketing department”, which I have also tried to reach in multiple occasions, but they seem to be this shady figure that can not be reached by any means. Not sure what else to do, but keep not showing amex the $$$. It hurts me. I have a 24+ year relation with Amex. I have the Original SPG card opened 12+ years a go and never closed it (before the purple color, it used to be platinum color and said platinum which confused hotels about status with spg). Some very intelligent algorithm developed by some marketing genius, is telling them that it’s better for their loyal clients to put the spent on a competing card. This algorithm is so intelligent that no human can modify it. I hope Amex is reading this. Making their loyal clients beg to put spent in their cards…
Really?
Thanks for the updated link. It worked for me today using this link.
I had tried multiple times (with I assume other links) before and it always said I was not targeted. I also never had it show up under my offers where several people said it showed up for them.
Is it a new Amex card or just the regular Platinum card?
Thanks for the feedback everyone. I reached out to the PR firm that is promoting this to ask for more info. Why are so many people told that it is targeted?
No dice for me either, again. “We’re sorry. This promotion is only open to invited Card Members.” Opened my SPG Personal card in August 2018, so well before January of 2019.
It still doesn’t work for me. It says it’s a targeted promotion. I’ve got both the Brilliant and Business cards.
I’ve had this card for 18 months, never had this under AOs nor has the registration links ever worked.
Spent 75k last year on the SPG personal and not allowed to upgrade to the Luxury. Just got the offer to upgrade to the brilliant but no point bonus. In other words nothing. Will let me apply for the Brilliant as a separate account to get the 100k bonus. Wish they would just let me upgrade for the 100K.
Since I plan on spending 75k again to get the 3X already signed up for, if I did apply for the brilliant as a second card, I would want to have that at 3X also.
Also, I think I would have to have the 75k on one card only, not total, to get the upgrade to Platinum. Very confusing.
Called AMEX and they said upgrade points not available for my account. I guess I used it too much.
Greg, thank you for responding to my previous reply about my chat experience on this and for following up. I just spent 47 minutes on the phone with AMEX and was ultimately told it was targeted. I argued for the issue to be escalated to the rewards team, and was told to call back in 6-8 weeks. This was from the second person I talked to, in tech support. The regular customer service rep I talked to first seemed to agree that I should be eligible and transferred me to tech support, as he knew of nothing he could do to help. Both reps found the press release (that I found thanks to you). Of course, 6-8 weeks is after the registration period. I was going to put $75k on this and then upgrade to the Brilliant towards the end of the year like Pam, extending my Platinum status another year. Good to know from her report that the promo would continue should I upgrade earlier. Although I don’t know that I would trust AMEX on that and it appears moot for me anyway since I can’t register.
Any news from Amex on this?…I was not targeted on either card. Multiple calls and chats with supervisors and escalated situation, but still no answer for me.
I haven’t heard anything yet from them but recently did receive an email for the offer.
I am personally feeling renewed hope & interest toward Bonvoy after their recent offers to me:
1. Upgrade personal to Brilliant for 100k MRs by 4.24 – $700 – $900 in gimme’ value & no credit pull (Check)
2. Use that $5k spend towards meeting the $25k req for a min of 3x non-bonus spend, $525 – $675 in value at .007 – .009/point. Now competitive again with CB cards & CFU for non-bonus spend (Check)
3. Repeat 2. twice more before year-end for Platinum Elite status thru Feb 2021. I cannot place a value on those props that treat their Plats well, but it is worth some spend & effort to get it! (Maybe)
4. Throw in the Biz card for addtl (& greater) non-bonus spend value, 3.5 points non-bonus spend = .0315 at .09 (Check)
These incentives seem to be AMEX’s doing rather than Chase or Marriott (since Chase Marriott cards aren’t offering these same challenges).
For 2 cards, anyways, that I was set to dump next month upon renewal, AMEX has given me pause & completely changed my non-bonus spend strategy for the remainder of the year (when my CFU 3x offer runs its course in April).
Of course the best thing they could do is go back to 3x min on all spend, but AMEX’s new offerings at least provide a competitive way to accumulate MRs with some added effort & concentrated spend. At least AMEX is trying, better than I can say for Marriott on their end!
just upgraded to Brilliant card. good news – confirmed with AMEX the $5k required spend (for the 100k bonus MRs) also applies towards the 25k x 4 bonus offer, which ALSO carries over to the new account type. my renewal date isn’t until later this month, but I still keep my free 35k night for this year even though my account type just changed.
benefits are effective immediately, so I will also receive the $300 resort credit when I check out tomorrow, before the prorated AF even hits. again…AMEX is making some attractive offers on Marriott’s behalf!
Nice!
Congrats, Pam. I just cxl’d business SPG/Bonvoy today. Getting my $95 back from recent March renewal — nothing else. Would have had to wait until March 2020 to get anniversary night, then find a cheap hotel where I could use it. Confirming my feeling that Marriott hasn’t figured out their cc program yet.
What’s the deal with raising the annual fee on the business card to $125. Given that I have lifetime status, and the personal card, this card is no longer a keeper at $125 – spend at 2 points is not interesting, so it offers little any more.
Yeah, I don’t get it either. However, if you value the annual free night certs well above $125 (I do), it may still be worth keeping.