DansDeals will receive compensation if you are approved for a credit card via a link in this post. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers, visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
Update: DEAD! Don’t miss it if this becomes alive again. Sign up for deal notification alerts here!
Update: Today is the final day to register for this promotion. If this link doesn’t work you can also try looking in your AMEX Offers. If you still can’t register then you have been #Bonvoyed!
Originally posted on 2/24:
Click here to register your former Starwood Consumer AMEX to earn up to 3 points per dollar.
Note that AMEX is still in the process of enabling this link for all accounts that had this card before 1/24/19, so if the link doesn’t work for you now, you can try again later today or tomorrow.
Registration will close on 4/7/19 and spending towards a bonus will only start counting after you register.
It has been about 7 months since the Starwood AMEX turned into a pumpkin at the stroke of midnight. The longtime valuable card went from earning 3 Marriott points per dollar to 2 Marriott points per dollar, a 33% devaluation in one fell swoop.
Marriott allows you to transfer 60K points into 25K airline miles or 27.5K United miles, so that means card earnings effectively went from 1.25 airline miles per dollar (25K miles/$20,000 spending) to 0.833 airline miles per dollar (25K miles/$30,000 spending) or 0.917 United miles per dollar (27.5K miles/$30,000 spending) after the devaluation.
Marriott said they made up for that by providing a free annual 35K night, but that ignores the fact that the beauty of Starpoints was in their versatility of being used for hotels or airlines, it ignores the fact that you don’t need to spend to earn that, it ignores the fact that the annual free night has an expiration date, and it ignores the fact that the annual free night is limited to hotels costing 35K points or less and you can’t upgrade it to a higher category hotel. Effectively my card was downgraded from the front of my wallet to the back of my sock drawer.
The card is now the Marriott Bonvoy Consumer AMEX and is no longer available to new cardholders (You can still apply for the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card and the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Consumer Card). If you had the card before 1/24/19 you can register via the link above to earn 25K bonus points for spending $25K in 2019 from the time that you register for the bonus. You can also get another 25K point bonus for spending $50K, another 25K point bonus for spending $75K, and another 25K point bonus for spending $100K in 2019.
The max bonus is 100K points, so if you spend $100,000 between 2/24-12/31 on the card, you would earn 200,000 base points plus 100,000 points with this promo, for a total of 300,000 Marriott points.
With this promotion, you can go back to earning 1.25 airline miles per dollar spent (or 1.375 United miles per dollar spent), with the caveat that you’ll only be at that level if you spend exactly $25K, $50K, or $75K, or $100K from the time you register for the promo until 12/31/19.
I value Marriott points at about 0.75 cents each, so this increases the subjective rebate value per dollar spent from 1.5 cents to 2.25 cents.
Of course if you only want airline miles or non-Marriott hotel points, you can do much better that that.
For example:
- The Chase Freedom Unlimited® and the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card offer 1.5 points per dollar. Combine one of those with other cards from the Chase Quinfecta and you’ll be earning between 1.5-5 miles per dollar everywhere. Plus with the Quinfecta strategy you can transfer those points at a 1:1 ratio into valuable programs like Hyatt, United, and much more, or you can use them at a value of 1.5 cents each towards any paid travel.
- The Blue Business℠ Plus Credit Card from American Express earns 2 points per dollar everywhere on up to $50K in spending annually, and those points can be transferred into airline programs at a 1:1 ratio without needing any other cards. Best of all? No annual fee!
- Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business and the The Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card offer 50K signup points plus 2 Capital One miles per dollar. 2 Capital One miles transfer into 1.5 airline miles, so you earn 1.5 miles per dollar everywhere.
- Another big advantage that banks have over Marriott is that their mileage transfers to airlines typically happen instantly, while point transfers from Marriott may take anywhere from 2 days to 6 weeks….
Marriott continues to devalue their program and they haven’t dealt with their customers honestly as you read about here, here, here, here, and here. Hotels are also playing more games with award availability than ever. Marriott has continually eroded the goodwill from SPG loyalists that they had when the merger process started by taking the low road time and time again.
On the flip side, this offer once again offers the prized SPG versatility to choose between earning 1.25 miles per dollar spend on far more airline transfer partners than other credit cards offer, like Aegean, Alaska, American, and Lufthansa, or to use the points for Marriott hotel stays, or throwing out the first pitch of game 7 of the World Series 😉
In the end I’m torn. I certainly don’t trust Marriott like I did SPG. Is it worth investing $25K/$50K/$75K/$100K of spending with them when there are other options that now earn more miles per dollar from companies that don’t have a trust deficit? Or is the Marriott versatility that this offer brings back worth investing in anyway?
The entire question of whether this offer is worthwhile is only if you will exactly spend $25K/$50K/$75K/$100K. If you spend anything lower than or in between those thresholds, the entire proposition loses its value.
Will AMEX run this promotion again next year? That’s another open question and will likely depend on how successful it is in bringing spending back to this card, which has likely cratered since the merger.
I’m still on the fence. What will you do?
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105 Comments On "Final Day To Register Your Marriott Bonvoy/Former Starwood Consumer AMEX To Earn Up To 3 Points Per Dollar Once Again, But Should You?"
All opinions expressed below are user generated and the opinions aren’t provided, reviewed or endorsed by any advertiser or DansDeals.
While pushing this card to the of the pile is a given, why wouldn’t you utilize the 3 points per dollar? What’s the flipside?
Did you read the post? There are other cards that earn more than that.
Lost a couple of words. While it’s on the bottom of the pile of cards to use, Is there a downside to subscribing?
No reason not to register. Just a question of whether you’ll actually try to hit a $25K threshold. If you fall short, that will make the whole thing pointless.
“pointless” indeed!
Dan why hasn’t any of the CC hired you yet to run their rewards programs?
So basically the reason your on the fence is because of Trust ?
Trust is only part of it.
1.5 Chase UR points, 1.5 Cap1 points, or 2 AMEX MR points are likely more valuable than 3 Marriott points, though they are arguably less versatile than the Marriott points.
How much does the United and Barclay points worth?
Maybe I missed somethingbur what’s the option if you had an SPG business card? This appears to be valid only for consumer cards
This offer is only for the discontinued consumer card.
The business card continues to be offered and is not eligible for this offer, though it can earn up to 4 points per dollar on select categories:
https://www.dansdeals.com/credit-cards/limited-time-offer-100000-point-bonus-marriott-bonvoy-business-american-express-card-plus-can-use-anniversary-nights/
For those that Chase kicked out for good (but for no reason) and are looking for ways to earn United miles it’s a good opportunity
Nothing is ever for good, but you are correct, this is a good method to earn United miles for people that can’t currently use Chase cards.
However it’s a bad method to earn United miles for people that can use Chase cards.
I think yes for good, unfortunately I am a victim and have tried opening a card after 3 years bring shut, but after 2 months they closed it again with no given reason or notice – I didn’t violate any of the terms… Adaraba gimme some advise how can get Chase cards?
Do research on DDF.
Another huge downside to Marriott points is that transfers to airlines takes weeks!. My last transfer to United took 2 weeks to complete. Can kiss out on award availability with such a delay. I am out.
Very true. Instant bank transfers are useful!
However no bank transfers to airlines like AA, Alaska, Lufthansa, etc.
I have an opportunity to spend 100k for a business to swipe my card for the points and they will pay before the due date. I think with your link it really makes it worth it. Thank you Dan for looking out for us and helping us maximize our cc spend.
Never ever swipe for someone else unless you have the cash in hand before swiping!
Obviously I don’t have the cash, I will use the cash from points sale to build up my cash reserves and then invest in real estate
Perfect timing to bring it up.
Just ask around in shul, in the past week two scammers – wealthy businessmen, have been exposed leaving many with bills as high as 350k.
Scammers were initially going to swipe only 10k per month, but in the last month of the scheme maxed it out on all.
The damage to the community is in the millions!!
@Dan please post about this to create more awareness.
Jeff B.
I hope your comment was just to get a response from Dan. You might just have you head in the sand and not realize that many people are currently facing bankruptcy as a result of the brilliant idea you have.
“I have an opportunity to spend 100k for a business to swipe my card……….”
https://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=36812.0
Starwood points were the best for mileage flights to Israel. 45K Aegean miles to fly Staralliance Business class to Europe — only beaten by Alitalia 80K Roundtrip in BUsiness Class (but much more limited options since it has to be on AZ metal)
You can still transfer Marriott to Aegean with a 60K:25K ratio.
aegean has start closing accounts for no reason
ElAl has much better availability to TLV when using points than United does. And the premium/business rewards using Qantas is much better.
For someone who spend lots on sports tickets using the Citi premier card. Get 2 TY points per dollar.
I was a huge SPG fan. When the writing was on the wall i moved my 200000 SPG to Virgin w 10K bonus, showed my 50k virgin points to jet blue, traveled during their 75k promo for each of us and then moving the virgin points to alaska with a 30% bonus. Turned the 200k SPG points into nearly 800K points on jet blue and virgin for me and the family and have never looked back. Marriott points are awful in my opinion. Much prefer Chase and Amex. Now going to get the 300K points with capital one on last promo for $50k spend by paying for home reno and daughters bat mitzvah, etc. I will take advantage of specific hotel points promos for ihg, hilton and hyatt as i see them to supplement credit card points but i do miss the old Starwood program, it was the best.
The murder of SPG is a massive loss indeed.
But I still mourn the losses of Airtran, Continental, and Northwest.
How do you pay for home reno and bat mitzvah with points? Aren’t those industries usually cash-only?
Sorry, I mean how do you pay with CC
Heating-AC guy takes CC as does blinds and curtain vendor. home depot (i split btwn chase points 5 for 1$ at staples got home depot gift cards and capital one). Many vendors take cc. On bat mitzvah, plane tix and accommodations for 6 people. Party favors and some vendors also take cc. Just put monthly tuition payments, cell phones, cable also on cap 1. And wull also pay for kids summer camp.
Thank you. I have some of those coming up and appreciate the advice.
so how much profit did you make doing these 3 way transfer? assuming spg was worth 2 cpp then how many alaska did you wind up with becuase you transferred 200k spg and what was alaska worth then
For a family of five, the 200k starpoins turned into 250k virgin points bc of 10k bonus. With a qualifying flight on jet blue 75k per person was earned on jet blue.
Virgin 250K
Jet blue 375k
The virgin miles became approx 340k miles with a 30% bonus when Alaska bought virgin.
So 200k spg
Became
340k on alaska
375k on jet blue
If u study dan, u will see the best ways to use points on jet blue and alaska. Both are amazing airlines, they have great routes, partners, etc.
I value alaska miles bc i status matched for alaska mvp status when i used a promo from american giving me 3 mos of elite status at a time i was not elite (i also status matched for jet blue mosaic).
I still have over a million points between amex and chase plus soon on cap 1 which rounds out how i need to use points for my family.
But back to original question, no matter how u slice values, the 200k spg points into the over 700k of airlines points between jet blue and Alaska was a no brainer for me. And the final point is that the 3:1 marriot point value blows as does most of what marriott did to the best parts if spg.
thank you for the response
I’ll register but avoid putting spend on it unless I get targeted for Amex offers, spend bonuses, or authorized user bonuses. Then come Thanksgiving, I’ll re-evaluate if it’s worth pushing for $25k.
Based on past experience, opportunities abound during the holiday season so I feel no rush to shift spend to the card till then.
It just took me 6 weeks to transfer some Marriott points to an airline partner! They said that is how long you can expect with all the merges…
Crazy, which partner was that?
Had that too recently. Transferred to united and took over 5 weeks
How is the Marriot rewards program more versatile than chase UR travel redemptions with the CSR @ 1.5c/pp anywhere?
If the cash price is way more miles than redeeming for a mileage ticket.
Miles aren’t pegged to actual costs, which means you can get outsized value.
Considering the death of SPG and difficulty of attaining a heap of Marriott points. How else do you recommend getting Marriott points for future stays?
Use CSR points and don’t be brand loyal?
What happens if I register and than upgrade to the brilliant card
Good question.
Pushed from the back of the sock drawer vto the incinerator
They’ve now switched tons of category 5 hotels (35,000) to category 6, effectively defeating their own argument that they’re compensating the 33% devaluation by upping the free hotel night.
With all the sad stuff that happened to SPG I still love my Marriot points, it gives me a huge selection of high end hotels that I think no other program can offer. Other cards are better for airline travel but which card is better for hotels? Chase to Hyatt is no where near the Marriot selection.
Hilton has cards good for Hilton hotels.
But a Chase Quinfecta strategy will earn you between 2.25%-7.5% back at any hotel you want.
I guess I don’t understand. If you’re going to stay at a Marriott hotel, the Marriott card will always give you a better return than chase. Not as good as spg but better than chase.
Which Chase card are you talking about?
Any. If I’m using Marriott points at a Marriott hotel, that’s going to give me a better deal on the redemption than what I could get from Chase, using Chase points, and I have Freedom Unlimited and SR, among others.
Not necessarily. Perfect example is staying at a beach front (or any seasonal place) during off peak season. Marriott points remain the same or may go down 5,000 points from 50,000 to 45,000, while the price of the hotel is only $229 after taxes. Using your CPR, that’s only 15,333 points compared to 45,000 Marriott points. You can find similar results with many other times
how long is the transfer time between marriott and united?
5+ weeks!!!!!
So you value Marriott points at 0.75 cents each. How does that compare to other credit card/airline points? How much do you value in monetary terms Chase UR points, AMEX MR points, CapitalOne miles, United miles, etc.?
Mileage value is highly subjective, which if why I typically don’t write about it. My value won’t be your value, but you should figure out what your value is.
If I spend 100K on shipping I will be getting 5 points per dollar?
Shipping is not a bonus category on this card.
Is this per card or account ?
I was just able to successfully register my Bonvoy Brilliant card for this using the link
I’m still getting an error message that I’m not targeted for this promotion
I have the Brilliant card and the link worked for me. Will the extra points actually post on this card?
I just tried signing up for the promo but got this message “This page is temporarily unavailable.
We’re sorry. Our systems are currently unavailable and we are unable to enroll your Card at this time. Please try again later.
Thank you for your interest in this promotion and for your continued Card Membership.”
I registered for the promo, Thanks! Would spending last month count towards the 25k?
getting this message:
We’re sorry. This promotion is only open to invited Card Members.
Thank you for your interest in this promotion and for your continued Card Membership.
If you are a solicited Card Member and are responding to the offer you received by direct mail or e-mail, and are registered to manage your account online, enter your user ID and password.
I know everyone is hating on this deal but I’m not and I’ll tell you why.
1) I use this card for Bonvoy hotel spending anyway (6x) and I use Marriott hotels frequently for business travel so I’m going to put $10K-$15K on this card this year anyway (so the incremental or extra $10K-$15K to hit $25K in total is the only part of spend I might redirect to a different general spending card)
2) I appreciate Dan mentioning that United offers the 10% bonus from Bonvoy but don’t forget they also offer transfer bonuses from time to time so there was a 30% bonus in the fall. That brought down the ratio to 60,000 Bonvoy Points = 35,750 United Miles
Don’t forget that the UA bonus is always limited though.
im not sure I got u if I do have the card and use it anyway is there any reason not to register?
I have 292,500 old SPG points which they changed into 972,396. I only use mileage for economy class to Israel. What is my best deal?
I’m still getting this message: We’re sorry. This promotion is only open to invited Card Members.
Very frustrating because I’d love to sign up for when I do use this this card, which is not too often anymore but maybe I will when I need return or purchase protection which Chase doesn’t give so easily.
Was this supposed to be an universal promotion or targeted? I did not have the link in my offers, nor I can sign from your link. My understanding was that for this year everybody would have this benefit.
It doesn’t appear universal. I should qualify and didn’t get the offer either though maybe they are staggering the deployment. Honestly I’d rather get the business card offer that is floating around but didn’t get that one either. This despite very large spend on both cards up until the devaluation in earning last year. Somebody on FT said they got a CSR to add it to their account but I’d hate to spend 25k on this card only to find the CSR didn’t do it or whatever. At the end of the day I find the consumer card offer pretty borderline so if Amex doesn’t want to give me the offer I am happy to put the spend on various 1.5x or better cards I have (including another Amex I have). No harm or foul.
I’m still getting this message: We’re sorry. This promotion is only open to invited Card Members.
Very frustrating because I’d love to sign up for when I do use this this card, which is not too often anymore but maybe I will when I need return or purchase protection which Chase doesn’t give so easily.
See the post update.
From the email i got from Amex it definitely did not sound that you had to spend exactly 25,000. Rather anything over that till 50,000 etc would count. which really makes a lot more sense
You get the 25K bonus for hitting $25K, $50K, $75K, and $100K
Seems like they extended the deadline. Maybe bc it’s not allowing people to register.
“Register your Card by May 31, 2019 and earn up to 100K bonus points”
Yup, extended!
Same here, register by May 31.
Any promo like this for the business card?
https://www.dansdeals.com/credit-cards/targeted-earn-7-5k-bonus-marriott-points-per-month-spending-5k-marriott-bonvoy-business-amex/
I can fly to TLV in biz for 43k Aegean miles, or fly to HKG and then onto TLV or JNB at a later date in biz for a total of 60k Cathay miles. Even without the promotion, the return on spend on the devalued SPG card beats Chase for this kind of travel.
i am also not allowed to rgister – hope that it will be fixed
the offer on the biz card is only targeted ?
I was targeted but when I log into my account via the link, I get a blank page.
link finally worked after months of trying:
You are now registered. Use your Card now through December 31, 2019 and you can earn up to 100,000 bonus points after you spend $100,000 in eligible purchases on your registered Marriott BonvoyTM American Express® Card. Terms and Conditions apply.
If I spend on one of the authorized user cards, does it count towards the 25k bonus?
I finally got the email and worked for me.
I want to be registered just so I know I have the option to use this promo if I’d like to, however every the link in my emails don’t work. Got another one today reminding me that I only have until 5/31 and when I click on Register Now button I get this error: This page isn’t working If the problem continues, contact the site owner.
HTTP ERROR 400
I contacted Amex via chat last week and the rep said she enrolled me but I never got an email confirming I was enrolled like my husband did last month and I still keep getting reminders telling me to enroll. I obviously don’t want to put spend on this card unless I get the bonus points. This is very frustrating.
BTW, when I clicked the “Register” link in the email, I got an error message about technical issues. However, after logging in to my account, the same offer showed up at the top of my “Amex Offers & Benefits” section.
How can you transfer 60k Marriott points to 27.5k United Miles?
https://www.marriott.com/loyalty/redeem/travel/points-to-miles.mi
When I put in 60k points I get 22k united miles. Am I missing something?
As the page says, you also get 5K bonus miles for each increment of 60K Marriott points transferred.
On the SPG site it used to be included in the calculator, but the calculator has been #Bonvoyed.
Gotcha. Thanks so much!
Do I have to register each card on the same account separately, or if register my card my wife’s is good to go?
I’ve been #Bonvoyed!
I registered but how will I get 3 points per dollar? Is that only if I spend 25k ?
Yes.
Dan, What’s the best to do if i have around 60k Marriot points? Can i sell it for someone? Or the best is to redeem it by myself.
Dan, If i have around 60k Marriot points, Can i sell it to someone? Or it’s the best if I redeem it myself.
Dan, if i have around 60k Marriot points can i sell it?
Does anyone know how to confirm that you’ve registered for the promotion? I’m fairly certain that I signed up for it but want to make 100% sure before putting spending on the SPG card