[EXPIRED] Targeted offers for 30K-35K Starpoints

Starpoints are an incredibly valuable currency thanks to the magic trifecta: A) SPG hotels are available at reasonable award rates, from as low as 2K per night for a weekend night at a Category 1 property; B) Starpoints transfer to airline programs 1:1, with a 5K mile bonus when you transfer 20K points; C) Starpoints transfer to Marriott Rewards at a rate of 1:3 .

For those reasons, members of Starwood Preferred Guest will be happy to know that some members report receiving emails with targeted offers for an increased bonus of 30,000 Starpoints or 35,000 Starpoints for opening the personal version of the Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express.

The Offer

• 30,000 or 35,000 bonus Starpoints (check your offer) after making $3,000 in purchases in the first 3 months
• Read more about the card here, but see your email for this targeted offer.

Key Details

• $95 annual fee is waived
• Earns 2x on SPG spend
• Earns 1x everywhere else

Quick Thoughts

This targeted offer requires $3,000 in purchases in the first 3 months of card membership in order to trigger the 30,000 or 35,000 Starpoints bonus (see your offer for details). My wife received an offer for 30K points, but some members on Reddit are reporting a 35K bonus. The annual fee is waived the first year ($95 thereafter). The email that my wife received indicated in the terms that this offer is not available to those who have or have had this product. In other words, if you’ve ever had the personal version of the SPG card, you won’t be eligible for this signup bonus.

Update: The following offer for the SPG Business credit card has expired. See our Best Offers page for current offer information.

Interestingly, my wife’s email says that the application must be received by 12/31/17 to be eligible for the 30K bonus. That’s quite a bit longer than the current 35K total bonus on the SPG Business credit card, which is only valid through 11/1/17 (though note that offer requires a lot more total spend). Opening both would yield 78K total Starpoints for my wife after required spend — which could then be converted to Marriott and become 234K Marriott Rewards points, getting her in range for a Marriott Travel Package.

Could this be a final round for the SPG credit cards? With the Marriott merger complete on the business end, all indications are that the loyalty programs will eventually merge — leaving the future of the SPG cards uncertain. However, it sounds like the merging of loyalty programs may not be right around the corner. After all, if Amex and SPG are extending this offer on applications received by 12/31/17, they surely anticipate SPG being around long enough for you to take your three months to spend at the signup bonus. I think it’s a safe bet that the SPG cards will stick around at least well into 2018.

However, the real question is whether or not we’ll see another public 35K offer on the personal card — or something better on either card. That is of course impossible to predict — will they simply cease to exist one day like the Citi Hilton cards? Or will they go down swinging like the US Airways Dividend Miles card, with progressively increased offers coming out near the end to try to grab more business?

It’s hard to say for sure, but if you have never had this card, be on the lookout for an email with the subject line “Reward Yourself with 30,000 Bonus Starpoints“.

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