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Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express
Editor’s Take
Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express Review
The SPG Amex is one of the most rewarding hotel credit cards on the market and the recent merger with the Marriott chain makes this card even more valuable. The offer is not without flaws, however. Here’s what you need to know if you’re thinking about submitting an application:
John Kiernan, Credit Card Editor
Sep 28, 2018
- Great Initial Bonus. The SPG Amex Card’s 75,000 initial bonus (for spending at least $3,000 within three months of account opening) is worth roughly $743 in hotel reservations, according to WalletHub calculations. This bonus is almost five times higher than the market average.
- Great ongoing rewards. You stand to earn 6 points per $1 spent with SPG and Marriott hotels and 2 points per $1 spent on everything else. Points are worth $0.0099 a piece on average, according to WalletHub research. And it means that your ongoing rewards translate to 1.98% - 5.94% cash back. All in all, the average person would earn about $1,800 in net rewards value over the first two years of SPG Card use, according to WalletHub’s calculations.
- Only annual fee-free for the first year. The SPG Credit Card’s standard $95 annual fee is waived for the first year, which obviously is good news. But considering that you’ll be paying nearly six times the market average from the second year on, you’ll need to crunch the numbers to make sure the SPG Card will be rewarding enough to keep open for more than 12 months.
- Not built for carrying a balance. The Starwood Credit Card is all about rewards, and its financing terms show it. The card lacks 0% intro rates, for one thing. And its regular APR does not compare favorably with the market averages for credit cards for people with excellent credit and good credit, respectively, according to WalletHub’s latest Credit Card Landscape Report.
- Won’t cost you extra to use abroad. Although the Starwood Amex won’t be accepted in as many foreign locations as a Visa or a Mastercard, at least it won’t penalize you for the international purchases you do manage to complete. That saves you a bit under 2% on all purchases processed outside the U.S., relative to the average credit card.
- Reserved for upper-class credit scores. The SPG American Express Credit Card demands good or excellent credit for approval, which means it’s worth checking your credit score before applying.
Sep 28, 2018
Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express' Rewards
- Earn 75,000 Bonus Points after you use your new Card to make $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months.
- Earn 6 points for each dollar of eligible purchases at participating SPG® and Marriott Rewards® hotels and 2 points on all other eligible purchases.
- Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card account anniversary. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 points) at a participating hotel. Select hotels have resort fees.
- Terms Apply.
Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express' Key APRs & Fees
Purchase Intro APR
Not Offered
Transfer Intro APR
Not Offered
Regular APR
17.74% - 26.74% (V)
Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express' Additional Info
-
MAX LATE FEE
$38
-
MAX OVERLIMIT
FEE
None
-
MAX PENALTY APR
29.99% (V)
-
GRACE PERIOD
25 days
-
ONLINE RESPONSE
Yes
-
CASH ADVANCE
APR
27.24% (V)
-
CASH ADVANCE
FEE
3% (min $5)
-
FOREIGN
TRANSACTION FEE
None
-
SMART CHIP
Yes, chip-and-PIN
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on International purchases.
- Enjoy complimentary, unlimited Boingo Wi-Fi on up to four devices at more than 1,000,000 Boingo hotspots worldwide. Enrollment required.
- $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95.
at American Express' secure site
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Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express is related to the following categories:
Customer Questions and Answers
Don't see what you're looking for? Submit your question about Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express to our community.
I rcvd a message that if a certain amount before Dec 31 I would receive bonus points. Can I find out more info as I deleted the message Reply
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Upvotes
Does the Starwood Preferred Guest credit card use TransUnion for approval? Reply 1
Benny Joseph
Sep 19, 2018 · @Benjy_1
American Express normally pulls from Experian, but in some cases they will use another bureau, depending on what state you live in.
1
Upvote
Can I get approved for this card if I'm working outside the US but travel a lot to the country? I used to live and work in the USA but was transferred to Canada. Reply 1
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Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express Reviews
Share your insights and review the Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express.
Sep 18, 2015
This is my most used card. Amex in general has awesome customer service and have been very secure by notifying me when they notice odd charges. The rewards system is great and can be redeemed at any Starwood hotel as well as for flights or even car rental vouchers. My only gripe is the annual fee.
Comment
Dec 31, 2014
This Starwood Amex card now comes default with a CHIP+Signature technology. I got mine with the CHIP. Love the points and how you can redeem them for a lot of things. Can use it internationally and simply convenient-!!. Thank you AMEX.
Jan 13, 2014
One of the best travel rewards cards out there. Excellent sign up bonus and absolutely spectacular rewards programs when redeemed for flights or Starwood hotel properties. Any purchase at a Starwood property with these card nets you nearly 10% back with the SPG & Amex rewards combined, when redeemed for high value stays. You can also transfer 20,000 starpoints for 25,000 airline miles with many airlines. The small annual fee is nothing in comparison to what you'll earn by using this at starwood resorts.… read more
Mar 14, 2013
Ever since I got this card about 10 years ago I have used it for nearly all my purchases. It has been a fantastic card with the rewards being very nice. You can use the rewards for airline tickets (transfer to airline account) or for free nights at one of the Starwood Hotels, including Westin, St. Regis and Le Meridien (there are more by I have not stayed at those hotels yet).
The card and Starwood have both been easy to use and customer service has been top notch at both. I cannot begin to tell you how fast and efficient American Express was when I lost my card! I called customer service to let them know I lost my card and all they need to know was what was my last purchase and when, next thing I know, a day later I have my new card.… read more
The card and Starwood have both been easy to use and customer service has been top notch at both. I cannot begin to tell you how fast and efficient American Express was when I lost my card! I called customer service to let them know I lost my card and all they need to know was what was my last purchase and when, next thing I know, a day later I have my new card.… read more
Dec 07, 2012
I got this credit card a few years ago when I was working very hard to get to the 2 million mile club with American Airlines to become a lifetime Platinum member. I found this card on a blog (can't remember which one) and found out that 20,000 dollars spent would be worth 25,000 miles on American Airlines. This was the highest conversion rate I could find so I went for this card. American Express is a top-notch company and I have been very pleased with their professionalism and have felt I've been treated by them very well. I have since purchased a business and routinely charge about 8 to 10 thousand a month which makes earning miles very easy. I can also use those points to stay at Sheraton hotels. I would definitely recommend this card for anyone wanting miles or hotel points.… read more
Nov 15, 2012
I recently received a Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express. I used it to replace a credit card that I already had. I am able to earn hotel stays and flight miles in a very quick and easy manner with this card. Customer service was very friendly and professional when I contacted them about an issue with my card. The application was quick and easy. It gave me an instant approval, so I did not have to wait for something to come in the mail. My interest rate is very competitive for being a rewards credit card. They gave me a large credit limit without hesitation.… read more
Oct 11, 2012
I am currently a member of the Starwood Preferred Guest "club" and I wanted my dollar to stretch a little further when I travel to my vacation destinations so I decided to get a Starwood Preferred Guest Card by American Express. So far so good with the card, I earn 1 point for every dollar I spend with the card, sometimes up to 2 points per dollar if I shop at one of their partner retail locations. It may not be my favorite card (that goes to the Costco True Earnings Card by American Express) but I still pull it out from time to time to earn some points. My fiancee and I are planning a pretty big vacation after we get married so these points will come in handy. I definitely enjoy the luxury that Starwood Hotels is known for so that is a plus in my book.… read more
Aug 22, 2012
This credit card has been great for us when traveling. I became a member in 2008 and have used the points on this card for two Disney World vacations. There are two Starwood hotels onsite at Disney, if you stay there you get most of the Disney hotel benefits (transportation to and from parks, etc.) but you can use your Starwood American Express card points to stay. Additionally, I recently lost the card and when I called to report it, the customer service representative was wonderfully helpful and knowledgeable. I received my replacement card quickly. I also like that there are so many hotel choices and few blackout dates. I also utilize their online payment and the Amex app on my phone. Using the app, you can get great deals on shows and restaurants as well as check and pay your bill.… read more
Jul 18, 2012
I love this card! I have been a member for just under a year time, and this fits my family's situation perfectly. We travel quite often as a part of work (we are coworkers too!), so while traveling to hospitals, we usually stay at Starwood hotels. We also book conferences through them and, you guessed it, we use this card to make it all happen. We have accumulated so many points combined, that whenever we go away at our own leisure, the room is totally covered. We also use this card for our regular purchases (gas, utilities, etc), so we get even more points that way. If you don't stay at least a couple of weeks at Starwood Hotels (W, St Regis, Aloft, Element), then this might not be the best card for you. The customer service is top notch as well, and we have never had any issues to report thus far.… read more
Jul 12, 2012
This is a great credit card. I first heard about it when a family member recommended it to me. I originally signed up as a favor to him (he got 5,000 Starwood Preferred Guest points to his account), but I didn’t have a strong opinion about the card at that point. To my surprise, I got 25,000 points myself for signing up! So yes, they have a GREAT referral program.
I was able to use the points in many different ways. The most common use of the points is for hotels. I have gotten hotels in Kauai, Hawaii; Malibu, California; and Brooklyn, NY. They have so many different places where they have hotels. There are different tiers of hotels ranging from good to great. You usually need anywhere from 2,000-12,000 points to get a night’s stay at a hotel. There’s also the option of using points to lower the price of a hotel; this is a mixed option, where you pay some cash and use some points. In addition, I have also used my points to book airline tickets. American Express allows you to transfer points to almost any major airline. Because I am a Delta frequent flier, I transferred 40,000 miles over to my account. The great plus to this option is that American Express will give you a bonus 5,000 miles for every 20,000 miles you transfer. Essentially, I got 50,000 miles when I only transferred 40,000 miles.
The only con to this card is the $65 annual fee, which is automatically charged to my card.… read more
I was able to use the points in many different ways. The most common use of the points is for hotels. I have gotten hotels in Kauai, Hawaii; Malibu, California; and Brooklyn, NY. They have so many different places where they have hotels. There are different tiers of hotels ranging from good to great. You usually need anywhere from 2,000-12,000 points to get a night’s stay at a hotel. There’s also the option of using points to lower the price of a hotel; this is a mixed option, where you pay some cash and use some points. In addition, I have also used my points to book airline tickets. American Express allows you to transfer points to almost any major airline. Because I am a Delta frequent flier, I transferred 40,000 miles over to my account. The great plus to this option is that American Express will give you a bonus 5,000 miles for every 20,000 miles you transfer. Essentially, I got 50,000 miles when I only transferred 40,000 miles.
The only con to this card is the $65 annual fee, which is automatically charged to my card.… read more
Apr 11, 2012
Joe, I can't shake a feeling (especially I see that you are a loan officer at Bank, but doesn't specify which one) that you work for capital one. otherwise, I don't see how u can push for those cards, and downplay amex spg.
one note of correction. you earn 2 points per dollar spent on starwood hotel stay FROM the card. u get 2 points per dollar spent on starwood hotel for staying there, (3 if you are elite), but the card only gives you 2. but you have to understand that 2 point is worth more than say, 10 points in hilton or marriott, so do take that into consideration.
If you talk to anyone who have actually USED the card (or using like me), this is my primary card to use in the States for non-dining/gas/flight/hotel (sans spg) purchases.
If I am going to earn 1 point per dollar spent, then this is the card I put it on. why? because its simply one of most flexible card out there. Yes, if you don't fly a lot, this might not be for you, but even if you take a cross continental domestic flight, this is golden.
spg has so many transfer partners, its not even funny. american? check. United? check. Non-US carriers? check check check.
if you transfer in bulk, say 20,000 spg points, then u get 25,000 miles, which is great!
you don't have to stay at sheraton 6-8 times a year to make this card awesome. even once is great. Since, starwood has awesome hotels in wonderful and exotic locations like Bali, Koa Samoi, or even one of my favorite Mystique, Santorini-Greece, using these points for that purposes is going to make your dream come true.
this card ALWAYS stays in my pocket, if I am in the states. Sadly, this card does have forex charge, so when I travel, it stays at home, sadly waiting for my return.… read more
one note of correction. you earn 2 points per dollar spent on starwood hotel stay FROM the card. u get 2 points per dollar spent on starwood hotel for staying there, (3 if you are elite), but the card only gives you 2. but you have to understand that 2 point is worth more than say, 10 points in hilton or marriott, so do take that into consideration.
If you talk to anyone who have actually USED the card (or using like me), this is my primary card to use in the States for non-dining/gas/flight/hotel (sans spg) purchases.
If I am going to earn 1 point per dollar spent, then this is the card I put it on. why? because its simply one of most flexible card out there. Yes, if you don't fly a lot, this might not be for you, but even if you take a cross continental domestic flight, this is golden.
spg has so many transfer partners, its not even funny. american? check. United? check. Non-US carriers? check check check.
if you transfer in bulk, say 20,000 spg points, then u get 25,000 miles, which is great!
you don't have to stay at sheraton 6-8 times a year to make this card awesome. even once is great. Since, starwood has awesome hotels in wonderful and exotic locations like Bali, Koa Samoi, or even one of my favorite Mystique, Santorini-Greece, using these points for that purposes is going to make your dream come true.
this card ALWAYS stays in my pocket, if I am in the states. Sadly, this card does have forex charge, so when I travel, it stays at home, sadly waiting for my return.… read more
04/16/12
Joe Weider I used to agree with you that why recommend travel cards to general public, when they probably won't fly very much? because the trend is more people are flying these days. But still that is not a conclusive evidence that everyone flies at least once in their life time,
so in that aspect, i concur with you Joe. If people don't wanna have to deal with hassle of transferring points to miles (which i don't understand it being hassle, but hey every man for his own). then just getting
"oh look! I got 1 dollar 48 cents back this month! yay!"
would probably work better for many.… read more
so in that aspect, i concur with you Joe. If people don't wanna have to deal with hassle of transferring points to miles (which i don't understand it being hassle, but hey every man for his own). then just getting
"oh look! I got 1 dollar 48 cents back this month! yay!"
would probably work better for many.… read more
04/13/12
Haha, no, I do not work for Capital One. I just call things how I see them, and if that’s resulted in me commenting positively on some Cap One cards, then I guess I like them.
As far as the Starwood Preferred Guest Card goes, I definitely agree that it is a great offer and there are a number of ways to put its rewards to use, but I tend to steer non-travelers away from travel-oriented rewards credit cards. My philosophy is that you should get a card that benefits you a lot, both in terms of overall value and frequency. People are better off with rewards cards that are simple to understand and that benefit them regularly, and simply stowing away SPG miles for use at an unknown date doesn’t allow this, especially when you consider rewards devaluation.
Therefore, I would recommend that non-travelers get cards like the Blue Cash Preferred from Amex or the Capital One Cash Card (see not only Cap One suggestions!). The Blue Cash Preferred offers a $150 initial bonus and great cash back rewards on everyday expenses like gas and groceries. The Cap One card gives 1.5% cash back across all purchases. These cards are just simple, straightforward and lucrative, which is what many people like to see.
With that being said, the SPG Credit Card is a very good option for frequent travelers both because of its valuable rewards program (especially the initial bonus) and its many rewards transfer partners. And as you’ve shown, people who use this card like it a lot.… read more
As far as the Starwood Preferred Guest Card goes, I definitely agree that it is a great offer and there are a number of ways to put its rewards to use, but I tend to steer non-travelers away from travel-oriented rewards credit cards. My philosophy is that you should get a card that benefits you a lot, both in terms of overall value and frequency. People are better off with rewards cards that are simple to understand and that benefit them regularly, and simply stowing away SPG miles for use at an unknown date doesn’t allow this, especially when you consider rewards devaluation.
Therefore, I would recommend that non-travelers get cards like the Blue Cash Preferred from Amex or the Capital One Cash Card (see not only Cap One suggestions!). The Blue Cash Preferred offers a $150 initial bonus and great cash back rewards on everyday expenses like gas and groceries. The Cap One card gives 1.5% cash back across all purchases. These cards are just simple, straightforward and lucrative, which is what many people like to see.
With that being said, the SPG Credit Card is a very good option for frequent travelers both because of its valuable rewards program (especially the initial bonus) and its many rewards transfer partners. And as you’ve shown, people who use this card like it a lot.… read more
Nov 23, 2011
If you’ve ever stayed at a Sheraton, a Westin, or higher-end hotels like The W or the St, Regis, you’ve stayed at a Starwood hotel. If you stay at any of the hotels under the Starwood umbrella (also includes Le Meridien, The Luxury Collection, Aloft, Four Points, or Element) exclusively when you travel, it might make sense to get a Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express. First of all, the American Express Starwood Credit Card offers 15,000 bonus points (10K after first purchase and 5k after spending $5,000 in first 6 months), which is redeemable for 6 free nights at the company’s Category 1 and 2 hotels (list available online). That’s a pretty darn attractive initial bonus for someone who knows their going to be staying in such hotels in the near future. You also get at least 4 points per dollar spent on Starwood Hotel stays with the Starwood Credit Card from American Express, 2 points per dollar spent at Starwood retail partners, and 1 point on everything else.
Earlier I said that the Starwood Credit Card “might make sense” because the fact that you are a loyal Starwood customer doesn’t necessarily mean the Starwood credit card will be your most rewarding choice. There are a lot of really good rewards cards out there, particularly for people with excellent credit, which is what it takes to open the Starwood Preferred Guest Amex Card, since Amex’s entire credit card business is targeted to the upper crust of consumers. So, if you don’t spend at least 20 nights in a Starwood Hotel each year, you shouldn’t consider opening this card for anything else other than its initial bonus. And if you aren’t going to need 6 free hotel nights in the next year, I’d go with a card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred that offers an initial bonus of either $625 in travel accommodations or $500 cash over the Starwood Preferred Card. If you do stay in Starwood Establishments for 20+ nights, by all means go ahead and get the Starwood Credit Card, as it will help you save on one of your biggest expenses. I’d probably also get a good everyday cash back card like the Capital One Cash card to use for all of your other purchases.… read more
Earlier I said that the Starwood Credit Card “might make sense” because the fact that you are a loyal Starwood customer doesn’t necessarily mean the Starwood credit card will be your most rewarding choice. There are a lot of really good rewards cards out there, particularly for people with excellent credit, which is what it takes to open the Starwood Preferred Guest Amex Card, since Amex’s entire credit card business is targeted to the upper crust of consumers. So, if you don’t spend at least 20 nights in a Starwood Hotel each year, you shouldn’t consider opening this card for anything else other than its initial bonus. And if you aren’t going to need 6 free hotel nights in the next year, I’d go with a card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred that offers an initial bonus of either $625 in travel accommodations or $500 cash over the Starwood Preferred Card. If you do stay in Starwood Establishments for 20+ nights, by all means go ahead and get the Starwood Credit Card, as it will help you save on one of your biggest expenses. I’d probably also get a good everyday cash back card like the Capital One Cash card to use for all of your other purchases.… read more
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Irrespective of whether an offering institution is a paid advertiser, the presence of offer information on WalletHub does not constitute a referral or endorsement of the institution by us or vice versa. Furthermore, offers have not been reviewed or approved by the offering institution. Information is displayed first and foremost to help consumers make better decisions.
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Last updated on: September 28th, 2018 at 16:01
Related Credit Cards
If you are interested in the Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express, check out the following credit cards as well:
Related Credit Card Categories
Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express is related to the following categories:
Other Starwood Hotels Cards
WalletHub is an independent comparison service.
We work hard to show you up-to-date product terms, however, this information does not originate from us and thus, we do not guarantee its accuracy. When you click "Apply Now" you will be directed to the offering institution's website. In addition, keep in mind that actual rates and other information may vary for a number of reasons including the applicant's' creditworthiness and differences between an individual's situation and the criteria/assumptions used to generate the information displayed. Before submitting an application, always verify all terms and conditions with the offering institution. Please let us know if you notice any differences.
Ad Disclosure: Offers originating from paying advertisers are noted as “Sponsored” at the top of this page. Advertising may impact how and where offers appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). At WalletHub we try to present a wide array of offers, but our offers do not represent all financial services companies or products.
Irrespective of whether an offering institution is a paid advertiser, the presence of offer information on WalletHub does not constitute a referral or endorsement of the institution by us or vice versa. Furthermore, offers have not been reviewed or approved by the offering institution. Information is displayed first and foremost to help consumers make better decisions.
Editorial and user-generated content on this page is not provided, commissioned, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the issuer. In addition, it is not issuer’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Offer last updated: Sep 28th, 2018 at 16:01 ET