Top 5 Strategies for Getting the Most from the Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express
So, you want a rewards program with superior benefits, exceptional rewards, and exclusive privileges? Not a problem—you want the Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express . With an SPG Amex Card, every purchase earns you Starpoints, which can then be redeemed towards travel on over 150 airlines, at over 1,100 hotels in nearly 100 countries, plus the chance to bid on incredible experiences through SPG Moments. Sounds like a lot, right? Actually, it’s pretty simple.
Spend a dollar, get a Starpoint. I did all my Christmas shopping last year with my SPG Amex Card, I book all my travel through my Starpoints, and when I’m on business, I use my SPG Amex Card and invoice the company later. They get the bill, I get the Starpoints. It’s that simple.
Oh, but you want more? No problem—there are plenty of opportunities to earn bonus Starpoints. You get 10,000 as a welcome bonus when you spend $500 over your first three months using your SPG Amex Card. You can get 5,000 bonus Starpoints when you refer a friend—and at that rate, you just need to refer about ten people to enjoy your own awesome weekend away. Some hotels and airlines offer bonus Starpoints for booking on certain days or for certain lengths of stay, so you can even earn bonus Starpoints as you spend them.
We’ll say it again: you can use Starpoints to purchase flights on over 150 airlines. With numbers like that, you’d be pretty hard pressed to find a place you can’t get to with Starpoints. Oh, this is pretty important too: no blackout days. Ever. You can also transfer Starpoints to frequent flyer miles with nearly 30 airlines or to another person in case they want to book their own ticket as long as they are a member of the SPG program.
The number of properties where you can redeem Starpoints is truly staggering: 1,100 hotels in nearly 100 countries. How’s this possible? Nine chains offer you a chance to redeem Starpoints: including St. Regis, Luxury Collection, Le Méridien, W Hotels, Sheraton, Westin, Four Points by Sheraton, Element, and Aloft. Want a beachfront property? You can book at over 48 in the Americas. Or 61 in Africa and Asia. Or 19 in Europe. You want a spa? Use Starpoints to book at 55 in the Americas, 84 in Africa and Asia, or 28 in Europe. Sick of numbers? Here’s a cool fact for trivia night: in 1934, the St Regis Hotel in New York City created the original Bloody Mary. You can stay there with your Starpoints—or at any of the other 31 St. Regis, where they all have signature Bloody Mary cocktails.
Airfare and hotel nights are great, but you can use Starpoints on even more rewards. For extra-special rewards, check out SPG Moments, which lets you bid on once in a lifetime opportunities and experiences. Want to watch the Monaco Grand Prix from an exclusive balcony? You can bid on that right now. Better start earning Starpoints! Another great perk that comes with the SPG Amex Card is the Amex Front Of The Line program. Want tickets to concerts, sporting events, theatrical productions, and more? Well, with Front Of The Line, you can order yours before they go on sale to the general public.
This post was sponsored by Amex Bank of Canada. The views and opinions expressed in this article, however, are purely my own.
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Photo courtesy of Riza Nugraha.
