Should I bother with SPG?

[calgarychris]

Hi,

I have applied for (and received) an overseas Amex cc that comes with 20K SPG (and $1:1pt earn). The annual fee is $120. I did it mostly so that someone newer to the points game could get the referral bonus. I have little use for the card in Australia, but will use it for the occasional o/s purchase where it makes sense. I'm now wondering if perhaps I should refer Mrs. Calgarychris for the same card, so hence my question - I've already spent $120 for 20K points would folks think that getting another 30K points (10 for me 20 for her) is worth another $120?

Everytime I get interested in the SPG transfer partners, what I struggle with is that while some of the charts are attractive, from the Amex plat, they need to be twice as attractive than the other plat transfer partners (not really twice as attractive, but while I might save some miles by moving to AA for example, I don't think it justifies the 2:1 transfer rate)...

Are people using SPG? If so, is it for hotel stays or airline? If airline, is it really better than QF, CX, SG etc. for whom plat transfers at 1:1?

Thanks for any and all feedback

Cheers

 

[NZflygirl]

For $120 yes I think it's worth it. Considering the last round you could pay ~ $1000 or so for 30,000 points then $120 is a bargain for 30,000. You get a transfer bonus of 5,000 for every 20,000 SPG IIRC. AA just had a deal on where you got more of a bonus, can't recall how much.

QF isn't a transfer partner though of SPG.

I've only been a member for < 1yr so still working it out. I think I'm finding it easier to accrue hotel rewards in the other programs though but I have only been staying at 4 points as gold so haven't earned much! I've stayed in a couple of their nicer properties but I really like the general character of some of their properties available. I suspect I'll end up paying to stay at their properties rather than redeeming points as it's taking me ages to rack anything worthwhile up (likely due to the fact I spread myself around the chains). So I think transferring to airlines is probably the way I'll keep going.

 

[Fifa]

Sounds like a great deal.
To give you an idea - earlier this year we stayed at the Sheraton at Iguazu Falls and used 12,000 points per night (incl breakfast). The going rate was over US$400 so a great saving.

 

[drron]

An absolute bargain.I get between 4-6 cents value out of my SPG points.You are getting 2.5 SPG points per cent.Even at my lower rate you are getting 10 cents value for each 1 cent spent.

 

[NZflygirl]

Sounds like a great deal.
To give you an idea - earlier this year we stayed at the Sheraton at Iguazu Falls and used 12,000 points per night (incl breakfast). The going rate was over US$400 so a great saving.

Well if I could find deals like THOSE then I would probably use SPG points on SPG hotels!

 

[mmchow]

SPG points are very versatile. With a wide variety of transfer partner, the 30,000 points for $120 is well worth it. Be it airline transfer, 20K Starpoints to 25K airline award points (you could get up to 30K award points depending on the promotion from time to time. There was an additional 50% Starpoint transfer promotion to AA that ends a few days ago) or hotel award stay. You could easily get 3 nights hotel stay at a Category 4 property and depending on where you're staying, a night could cost somewhere between $200-300/ night. 12 months ago, I used 40K Starpoints (redeem 5 pay 4 nights) on a 5 nights stay in Westin Fiji (Category 4) where the nightly rates was around AUD$300/ night.

 

[EestiTiger]

A timely post as I too am trying to work out if SPG is worth it I have a couple of quick questions...

How easy is it to find hotels to redeem points? Is it like airline seats where you book as rooms become available (a year out or so)?
Considering I am a brand new member to the SPG program (ie non-Gold) is it harder for newbies to find available rooms for redemption?

Cheers,
Matt

 

[mmchow]

Availability generally are good but bare in mind that the hotel do have a limit of rooms available for award booking. You do not need to book them out 365 days in advance but even if you do, you can always cancel the booking without incurring any penalties (cancellation policy is a ~24hrs prior). You can also make use of the points plus pay option if it is available.
It is always good to compare the pay rate vs point redemption as well I.e. paying $100 as oppose to 10,000 points per night.

 

[Bundy Bear]

Just to keep in mind that Marriotts takeover of SPG is due to happen this week, so anything is possible in the next few months in regards to points.

Check the article from One Mile At A Time.

 

[BAM1748]

I'm not in, for me there is no value.

Matt

 

[drron]

Just to keep in mind that Marriotts takeover of SPG is due to happen this week, so anything is possible in the next few months in regards to points.

Check the article from One Mile At A Time.

But the SPG program wont be folded into Marriott until 2018.
As well over on FT people are all doom and gloom but Marriott have made a few changes to their program this year which are basically SPG benefits so I am prepared to wait and see.

 

[vantage03]

I just booked one way NRT-SYD in JAL F for 40,000 SPG points which I thought was an amazing deal..!!

 

[Moindardt]

I just booked one way NRT-SYD in JAL F for 40,000 SPG points which I thought was an amazing deal..!!

If you had nothing else to book that trip with, it's good value. If you had AA miles or QF points, it's not. SPG are the hardest to accumulate and easily have a very high rate of return anywhere on the planet. Airline miles are far more narrow in there redemption potentials and rates of return. 40000 points can easily get you 5 nights at a 4-4.5 star anywhere on the planet. Given there is only the top end Amex and Diners that can go over to SPG, I would have done something else.

 

[calgarychris]

Thanks all for the opinions - they're much appreciated. I'll likely pick up the points. I guess I've been mostly focussed on airline hacks rather than hotels - it just seems like you get better value with airline points. In the example above, Spending 40K points to go NRT-SYD in F would "cost" a small fortune in cash that I would never pay but would love to experience, whereas spending those points on hotels might net 5 x $400 (which is a lot less than what F would cost). It's horses for courses, I'm learning the hotels thing and the penny will drop eventually.

 

[KitKat]

I just booked one way NRT-SYD in JAL F for 40,000 SPG points which I thought was an amazing deal..!!

noob question: did you transfer to AA? and booked via AA?

 

[Moindardt]

Thanks all for the opinions - they're much appreciated. I'll likely pick up the points. I guess I've been mostly focussed on airline hacks rather than hotels - it just seems like you get better value with airline points. In the example above, Spending 40K points to go NRT-SYD in F would "cost" a small fortune in cash that I would never pay but would love to experience, whereas spending those points on hotels might net 5 x $400 (which is a lot less than what F would cost). It's horses for courses, I'm learning the hotels thing and the penny will drop eventually.

From memory it is 60k AA miles which was less that A$2000 to buy in the latest sale. If you can find a seat on the flight you want, perfect, it has value. If you can't then the value is way less. It is very easy to earn miles/QF points via credit cards, flying, bonuses etc.

SPG on the other hand can be redeemed for at least A$0.05 almost anywhere in the world at almost any time. So its value is about the same but it's flexibility is far greater. SPG can only be earned via Amex and Diners or staying there. Purchasing points is limited and very expensive. SPG starpoints can also be converted into a huge variety of things eg AA miles which gives it even more flexibility.

I am not saying a JL F flight is a bad use of points, quite the opposite. I am saying that SPG points are far more valuable than airline FF points, and you should spend airline FF points before using SPG, but only if you have a use for the SPG points. If not, book that ticket and enjoy the flight.

 

[burmans]

But the SPG program wont be folded into Marriott until 2018.
As well over on FT people are all doom and gloom but Marriott have made a few changes to their program this year which are basically SPG benefits so I am prepared to wait and see.

Agree with this, there is no need to negatively speculate on whether the SPG/Marriott merger will be bad or not, when they have to give notice and we have plenty of time to use under the current SPG program.

 

[Moindardt]

I have just been through the points redemption on the Marriott tables. All of their level 9 can be had for 15k SPG with the 3:1 transfer. The points redemption overall seems a lot easier overall. My biggest issue is the fact you can earn points on up to 3 rooms but only get credit for 1 as opposed to 3 like SPG. However the multitude of incredibly cheap hotels makes a mattress run very easy. I haven't been able to find whether points stays count. I know C&P do. I wonder what Amex with do with the transfer rate to Marriott.

 

[vantage03]

5 nights in a decent (but not great) hotel is significantly cheaper than a JAL F ticket. I don't see your point here.
QF charges iirc something like 114k for one way JL F, it's just poor value. CX (again from memory) circa 60k but last time I looked you had to buy a return.
I specifically needed one-way F from Tokyo (paying less to go J doesn't interest me), so for me this is great value. Note I didn't purchase these SPG points, they're just from stays.
I haven't looked at the AA rates for JAL but to see an available seat through the native program, transferring over from SPG in 48 hours and having to pay just a couple of bucks in taxes was a no brainier for me.

Totally agree that SPG are the most valuable points out there.

 

[get me outta here]

Not sure 'we' got an answer to KiKat's question. I'd like to know as an SPC noob.

noob question: did you transfer to AA? and booked via AA?