I love credit cards so much!

[SouthFayetteFan]

So uhhh does anybody have a DP on the new free night with the SPG biz card?

Here's my experience and info so far:

1) My card opening date is 10/26/2017.

2) On 11/2/2018 I got the following email (truncated for time)...

You’re close to receiving a Free Night Award from SPG...Happy Card anniversary! We wanted to remind you that you will receive one annual Free Night Award from SPG® each year of Card Membership within 8-12 weeks after your Card Account anniversary date...You can redeem...at or under 35,000 points....You will receive an email from SPG to the email address listed on your loyalty member account confirming that the Free Night Award e-certificate has been deposited into your loyalty member account....To qualify...account must be open and not in default at the time of issuance...Thank you for your Card Membership...American Express Customer Care​

3) On 11/25/2018 my statement closes on the SPG Biz and my $95 annual fee is billed

4) My payment of this AF is due by 12/18/2018...

Conveniently for AMEX...8 weeks from my anniversary date is 12/21/2018. It sounds to me like I have to pay the annual fee to get this free night. Has anybody had their free night post yet from the SPG Biz (or even the SPG personal would be a meaningful DP). I was hoping this would work like the Chase Marriott card where I get my free night and then cancel...but I don't think that's going to be the case unfortunately.

@SouthFayetteFan
Here is my unhelpful experience.
Opening date 10/16/17
Got the same email on 11/2/18
AF billed/statement closed 11/9/18
Payment due 12/5
No sign of free night yet


I was really hoping it would show up and I could use it this Friday since the Courtyard we're staying at is a 35k hotel, so I could keep my actual 35k points for a future <35k hotel

So my findings are NOT good here...

https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/c...on_thread_november_27_2018/eakkm1f/?context=3

https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/9yr7ot/daily_discussion_thread_november_20_2018/ea4ukdu/

https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/9sxc7p/daily_question_thread_october_31_2018/e8sw45b/

https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/9smgqc/daily_question_thread_october_30_2018/e8pyymi/

I think AMEX has set it up such that you are forced to pay the AF to get your free night...Bummer...

 

[amalone1013]

I think AMEX has set it up such that you are forced to pay the AF to get your free night...Bummer...

I think so too. So I guess I'm keeping all of mine because I have plans for them... then will have to reevaluate based on Amex offer savings next year, unless I need to get rid of an AMEX card before then.

 

[Lain]

Thanks....reading back today I saw the higher 100k for 5k MSR....would have trouble hitting that times 2 within 3 months with both of us applying around the same time.....which it definitely makes sense to do. 6k MSR we can do.

FN certs are good for 12 months, and can often be extended as a courtesy (YMMV). So, you and P2 could stagger your apps (and anniversary dates), but then you’ll either have to wait for P2’s FN cert to post to book together or book first and hope there’s still award availability for P2 to book when his FN cert posts.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I think so too. So I guess I'm keeping all of mine because I have plans for them... then will have to reevaluate based on Amex offer savings next year, unless I need to get rid of an AMEX card before then.

Yeah...I'm not exactly in need of more Marriott points or free nights soooo looks like this is an easy cancel now.

 

[Lain]

So my findings are NOT good here...

I think AMEX has set it up such that you are forced to pay the AF to get your free night...Bummer...

Yep, that’s my conclusion as well.

 

[Lain]

I was just approved this morning for this deal as well! @Lain, you are awesome with the contacts!

Congratulations!!!

​

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Just to make this super clear then...

To anybody looking to get the AMEX SPG cards for the free night benefit (or current cardholders anticipating a free night in the future)...ALL DPs point to you having to pay the $95 annual fee at the end of year 1 (month 13) to receive your free night.

A lot of times we would factor that free night in as part of the first-year return on signing up for a card. Whether it's worth paying $95 for the free night will really depend on your personal situation. Some will say it's a no-brainer to pay it and get that value, others will say No-Way - I don't "buy" my free nights. Factors will include how many points you have in all the different programs and how you would plan to use that free night.

As a reminder, a 35k free night would NOT count towards the 5th night free with Marriott/SPG so if you were planning to use the free night in conjunction with 4 other nights, the 5th night free provides essentially the same value. (This is a super specific example though - just making sure people are aware).

Additionally - this is frustrating because of how long you have to wait to actually use the free night. With Chase and Marriott you would get that free night within a month of your anniversary typically before the AF actually posts. With AMEX you'll get your free night 2-3 months after your anniversary...

 

[hsmamato2]

ok.....can someone walk me thru this in detail please? I've never used a priority pass before (!!!) but I think I may get to in our upcoming trip. HOw does this work again? I know how to look on the pp site to find lounges etc. But what's the way to do it? I have 1 PP (CSR) and there are 4 of us traveling. I also have 10 PP single use passes from one of our hilton cards to use.
-So is my 1 PP good for 3 of us to enter a lounge, then 4th person could use a single use pp?
-What about restaurant options, do they allow you to take the food to go,using a PP as payment? And if there's 4 of us, is this the same usage- 3 meal credits on the 1 PP,then 4th uses the single use?
- If using at a restaurant, do we show the pp as we enter the place,for 4? or wait till we've ordered?
-If using at restaurant, is it charged per person, or charged by the amount allowed on PP? (I thought it was $28 pp?)
Thanks for any assistance,I'm nervous to bring this out and get shut down!

 

[amalone1013]

Yeah...I'm not exactly in need of more Marriott points or free nights soooo looks like this is an easy cancel now.

I probably would have dropped my personal since I didn't get a free night back in August, because I'd only saved $75 with AMEX offers over the year. I just made myself a spreadsheet so I could easily filter by card and year to see how much I've saved with them.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I probably would have dropped my personal since I didn't get a free night back in August, because I'd only saved $75 with AMEX offers over the year. I just made myself a spreadsheet so I could easily filter by card and year to see how much I've saved with them.

I'm slowly weeding out all AMEX cards from our portfolio. It's sad after how many cards I had with them. When all is said and done I think we'll have:

Me: Everyday and BBP
Wife: BCE (or BCP), BBP, and Hilton

Thanks for the memories AMEX...too bad your RAT doesn't like me anymore LOL!

 

[striker1064]

I wonder, does the Aspire free night work the same way? Actually 6-8 weeks after AF as well? I assume so.

I'm going to have to remember this one. We just got the LUX so no free night yet but it does look like a good way to use it! We are booked at a Hyatt about a block away (using up a ton of Hyatt points) and I'd love to hear your thoughts on this Residence Inn and also that area. I haven't stayed around there before.

I know you didn't ask and don't have the free night yet anyway, but definitely don't use it at the RI Central Park (unless you just fall in love with it). The Lux free night is up to 50k, so you have more options. If you wanted the same general area I'd probably pick the W Times Square. The RI Central Park is about 10 blocks further uptown from the W, but it's all roughly Times Square/Theater District - busy, lots of restaurants, and (biggest perk) 2 blocks to Hell's Kitchen.

We prefer not to stay right in the middle of Times Square, so I'd probably pick the Westin Grand Central with a 50k night. But frankly given the options at the 50k level I might use that in another city entirely (the NYC options at that level are not super great).

 

[palhockeymomof2]

FN certs are good for 12 months, and can often be extended as a courtesy (YMMV). So, you and P2 could stagger your apps (and anniversary dates), but then you’ll either have to wait for P2’s FN cert to post to book together or book first and hope there’s still award availability for P2 to book when his FN cert posts.

Sorry for all the questions....total newbie with this...Do the bonus sign up points post to our individual Marriott accounts....and do we have to keep the card open to keep them.....I’m thinking no but want to check

 

[speedyfishy]

Well I applied SO for the Southwest Priority today and called the automated status line and they are not seeing the card application. He got an email confirmation and everything. So weird. Anyone ever have this happen before?

 

[miztressuz]

Just to make this super clear then...

To anybody looking to get the AMEX SPG cards for the free night benefit (or current cardholders anticipating a free night in the future)...ALL DPs point to you having to pay the $95 annual fee at the end of year 1 (month 13) to receive your free night.

A lot of times we would factor that free night in as part of the first-year return on signing up for a card. Whether it's worth paying $95 for the free night will really depend on your personal situation. Some will say it's a no-brainer to pay it and get that value, others will say No-Way - I don't "buy" my free nights. Factors will include how many points you have in all the different programs and how you would plan to use that free night.

As a reminder, a 35k free night would NOT count towards the 5th night free with Marriott/SPG so if you were planning to use the free night in conjunction with 4 other nights, the 5th night free provides essentially the same value. (This is a super specific example though - just making sure people are aware).

Additionally - this is frustrating because of how long you have to wait to actually use the free night. With Chase and Marriott you would get that free night within a month of your anniversary typically before the AF actually posts. With AMEX you'll get your free night 2-3 months after your anniversary...

So, my grain of salt with this is, this is the first year for Marriott really giving out free nights on programs AFAIK (definitely for SPG) and so I would expect this gets more streamlined as it goes on - like I don't think it's meant to be intentional yet. I recall Chase not being as efficient with their process earlier on... and if I'm not mistaken the certs weren't even good for an entire year as I recall we had way less time to use the Marriott night than we did my IHG night with that combination of issuance and expiration. While I don't expect AmEx to ever drop the night in on your anniversary like Chase has been doing, I'd like to think it gets closer to 2-3 weeks versus the 2-3 months we're seeing now. If it does that you might have a shot.

But for sure for now, and maybe for a few years, don't count on a free night without paying an AF when calculating AmEx hotel cards! I totally agree.

I hope we see better DP's as we get farther away from the merger but I think this is not a quick thing and we'll see these delays for some time yet. I have resigned myself to paying for my SPG card when it comes up in Mar/Apr because I know we'll use the night every year even if I can't apply it in time for a specific trip - it's something I would have been paying cash for most likely so I'll take the discount.

 

[Lain]

Sorry for all the questions....total newbie with this...Do the bonus sign up points post to our individual Marriott accounts....and do we have to keep the card open to keep them.....I’m thinking no but want to check

The welcome bonus posts to the cardholder’s SPG or combined Marriott account. Once you hit MSR, you should see the bonus points reflected on your Amex account dashboard within 2-3 days, and the bonus points will post to your SPG/Marriott account a day or two later. Referral points also post similar to welcome bonus points; they show up on your Amex account within a few days after an approval, and post to your SPG/Marriott account a day or two later. Points from spend will post to your SPG/Marriott account within a few days following close of each monthly statement. You don’t need to keep an SPG (or Marriott) card open to keep the points alive. Once the points are in your SPG/Marriott account, they’re yours to spend. But do not close an Amex card before you’ve held it for at least one year. You’ll almost certainly end up on Amex’s naughty list.

You can’t easily combine Marriott points between P1 and P2 post-merger. Marriott caps transfers to 100k points per calendar year, and charges a $10 transfer fee unless you’re Gold or Platinum+.

Before you dip your toes into SPG cards, do you have or have you had any Chase Marriott cards or received a bonus on a Marriott card in the past, say, 24 months?

 

[miztressuz]

I wonder, does the Aspire free night work the same way? Actually 6-8 weeks after AF as well? I assume so.

Given that I think it took 8 weeks for people to get the first free night, I've been guessing that the Hilton cards would do the same around the anniversary as we've been seeing with the SPG cards. I'd be happy to be wrong for y'all

 

[havaneselover]

I will never be without a citi card. Got another price rewind refund today ($71 for my son's Xbox). Really wish Chase hadn't done away with this benefit.

 

[LilSweetPeaPhoto]

Can anyone tell me, am I grandfathered in on the HH Ascend card? I got in 10/17 when the "sign on" bonus included a free night stay annually. I got my free night this year. Since this was the promo when I signed up can I assume I will continue to get this every year? I was going to go for the HH Ascend business and cancel the personal one, but the business does NOT come with the free night (as of now). So it looks like if I want to add that to the collection it'll be a one year and done with it.

 

[Judique]

So uhhh does anybody have a DP on the new free night with the SPG biz card?

Here's my experience and info so far:

1) My card opening date is 10/26/2017.

2) On 11/2/2018 I got the following email (truncated for time)...

You’re close to receiving a Free Night Award from SPG...Happy Card anniversary! We wanted to remind you that you will receive one annual Free Night Award from SPG® each year of Card Membership within 8-12 weeks after your Card Account anniversary date...You can redeem...at or under 35,000 points....You will receive an email from SPG to the email address listed on your loyalty member account confirming that the Free Night Award e-certificate has been deposited into your loyalty member account....To qualify...account must be open and not in default at the time of issuance...Thank you for your Card Membership...American Express Customer Care​

3) On 11/25/2018 my statement closes on the SPG Biz and my $95 annual fee is billed

4) My payment of this AF is due by 12/18/2018...

Conveniently for AMEX...8 weeks from my anniversary date is 12/21/2018. It sounds to me like I have to pay the annual fee to get this free night. Has anybody had their free night post yet from the SPG Biz (or even the SPG personal would be a meaningful DP). I was hoping this would work like the Chase Marriott card where I get my free night and then cancel...but I don't think that's going to be the case unfortunately.

I posted about this a while back in relation to older daughters SPG personal and Biz free nights. Her opening date for both cards was August - years ago. I don't know the exact opening dates, but definitely August. So she qualified to get the nights this past August. They posted in October, sometime before October 9, with an expiration of October 2,2019. I know this as I still have the text she sent me with a pic of her account showing her 11 certificates - yes, 11, counting Ritz and suite awards, etc.

I say before Oct 9 because that is the date of her text - she may have gotten them on Oct 2.

So based on this, I'm thinking your night will come before your bill is due, but barely.

 

[wendow]

Just to make this super clear then...

To anybody looking to get the AMEX SPG cards for the free night benefit (or current cardholders anticipating a free night in the future)...ALL DPs point to you having to pay the $95 annual fee at the end of year 1 (month 13) to receive your free night.

A lot of times we would factor that free night in as part of the first-year return on signing up for a card. Whether it's worth paying $95 for the free night will really depend on your personal situation. Some will say it's a no-brainer to pay it and get that value, others will say No-Way - I don't "buy" my free nights. Factors will include how many points you have in all the different programs and how you would plan to use that free night.

As a reminder, a 35k free night would NOT count towards the 5th night free with Marriott/SPG so if you were planning to use the free night in conjunction with 4 other nights, the 5th night free provides essentially the same value. (This is a super specific example though - just making sure people are aware).

Additionally - this is frustrating because of how long you have to wait to actually use the free night. With Chase and Marriott you would get that free night within a month of your anniversary typically before the AF actually posts. With AMEX you'll get your free night 2-3 months after your anniversary...

Agree...very sucky!...This throws a monkey wrench in my plans. I picked up spg pers/biz for both of us and the marriott biz for me hoping to use those 5 free nights. I don't think paying $500 in AF's is the same as 5 free nights. Marriott/SPG just continue to disappoint me...first, the massive increase in points needed for Swolphin, second, how they have handled the N&F certs and lastly, having to pay the AF to get the FN (want to put "free night" in quotes like we do with "free dining" lol).