AMEX - SPG Transfer option after August 2018

[tizey]

I pushed hard for a retention bonus on the basis of the new rate seriously disadvantaging us maybe two weeks ago (one last hurrah to reduce the spg needed to be purchased for specific redemptions), and at that time got told the new rate was yet to be determined by agents and supervisors.

I do feel like the rug has been pulled under your feet with immediate loss of spg transfere, but given it normally takes a day or two, and until a couple of days ago it was assumed a 1 August kickoff, and the advance notice of amex MR award outages... Unless you came into a windfsll recently (ala referral bonus above), it's your own fault for leaving it so late.

 

[ozguytim]

I'm very peeved that I was not notified of the transfer cut off deadline. I have been flat out all month and set aside time today to do the transfer (120k AMEX points) only to rudely find out it wasn't possible.
There goes my dream of 5 nights at St Regis Maldives....
I rang customer service who 'escalated' my issue... Guess I'll wait to see what they come back with.

 

[kkl]

I just had 60k MR clear over night and was surprised to see it has been pulled a few days earlier. Will be calling amex tomorrow

 

[tizey]

From the very bottom of my explorer statement received today:

Important update when transferring points to Starwood Preferred Guest
From August 1 2018, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG ), The Marriott Rewards and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards will come together as one program. If you choose to combine all three accounts, you will be able to transfer your Membership Rewards points to your new combined account. If you do not combine your accounts, you will still be able to transfer points to the rewards account corresponding to your SPG membership number. Your new transfer rate will be 3 Membership Rewards points = 2 points at Marriott Rewards , The Ritz-Carlton Rewards and SPG . For more information, please visit Marriott Members.

The option to transfer to SPG still shows 1000 MR = 500 SPG, and is currently unavailable.... but I guess thats written confirmation from Amex what they are planning on doing?

Opportunity could be knocking if SPG opens back up, and between 1 August and 17 August, the option of going 3 Amex MR : 2 SPG is live?? Wow, I'd be jealous beyond belief of that!!

 

[rock86]

From the very bottom of my explorer statement received today:

Important update when transferring points to Starwood Preferred Guest
From August 1 2018, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG ), The Marriott Rewards and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards will come together as one program. If you choose to combine all three accounts, you will be able to transfer your Membership Rewards points to your new combined account. If you do not combine your accounts, you will still be able to transfer points to the rewards account corresponding to your SPG membership number. Your new transfer rate will be 3 Membership Rewards points = 2 points at Marriott Rewards , The Ritz-Carlton Rewards and SPG . For more information, please visit Marriott Members.

The option to transfer to SPG still shows 1000 MR = 500 SPG, and is currently unavailable.... but I guess thats written confirmation from Amex what they are planning on doing?

Opportunity could be knocking if SPG opens back up, and between 1 August and 17 August, the option of going 3 Amex MR : 2 SPG is live?? Wow, I'd be jealous beyond belief of that!!

So the customer reps were effectively lying on the phone that the transfer rate hadn't actually been confirmed, nice one getting some of our hopes up!

 

[blacksultan]

Ah well, one less hotel night is a first world problem. Which doesn't diminish my annoyance at the lack of notice. I'd have signed up for the QFF version if I'd thought I would miss the SPG deadline...or if I'd known that deadline was July 27.

You can still switch.

 

[HTG2016]

From the very bottom of my explorer statement received today:

Opportunity could be knocking if SPG opens back up, and between 1 August and 17 August, the option of going 3 Amex MR : 2 SPG is live?? Wow, I'd be jealous beyond belief of that!!

From my last phone call with Amex agent advised me that SPG Marriot transfer will resume on 28 August which obviously after the merge on 17th

 

[kkl]

Anyone managed to escalate the transfer issue? And got an outcome?

 

[Isochronous]

Very bad form by Amex on this.

 

[rock86]

Very bad form by Amex on this.

And they're trying to lay the blame solely with SPG/Marriott too.

 

[tizey]

From my last phone call with Amex agent advised me that SPG Marriot transfer will resume on 28 August which obviously after the merge on 17th

Dang, that really sucks. I wonder if anyone will be successful with agents involvement. Is International Amex (eg. US Based Cards) still offering SPG option?

 

[BriarFlyer]

You can still switch.

Yes, and I will once I decide the best use of the 30K bonus which I'd intended to shift to SPG to Marriott. My understanding is that switching to QFF now I would lose that 30K+. Did I misread that in T&Cs?

 

[adamonline]

I lodged a complaint on Saturday for the lack of notice about the arbitrary July 27 cut off date and was promised a call back. I followed up today to find that the complaint had been helpfully closed. I lodged another complaint and noted the dim view the ACCC took of Nab when they tried to devalue a points transfer rate. Obviously this situation is a little different but advanced notice could have been easily provided. Even the ausbt article states the new rate kicks in from August, nothing about transfers stopping before then.

 

[Formal Hall]

Dang, that really sucks. I wonder if anyone will be successful with agents involvement. Is International Amex (eg. US Based Cards) still offering SPG option?

UK Amex has suspended transfers until the 8th August, thus giving a window to transfer before SPG disappears - pretty poor that we don't have the same option here and means it isn't a worldwide IT issue like the phone agent tried to tell me...

 

[Cryptarcadian]

Also disingenuous how Amex are trying to blame this on SPG/Marriott:

We are currently unable to transfer points to Starwood Preferred Guest until 21 August 2018 due to a Starwood and Marriot rewards program merger. For any inquiries, please refer to members.marriott.com.During this time, transfers and servicing are not available via Live Chat or Phone.​

To do that with no notice is just outrageous. I actually tried to transfer my points last week but had to do a new account link, which just got stuck at in progress. And by the time I checked back...

 

[kkl]

The best possible outcome from these complaints could be a 100% transfer bonus?

3 AMEX to 4MR. which is negligible difference at the old transfer rate

Wishful thinking?

 

[blacksultan]

Yes, and I will once I decide the best use of the 30K bonus which I'd intended to shift to SPG to Marriott. My understanding is that switching to QFF now I would lose that 30K+. Did I misread that in T&Cs?

Won`t the bonus be available for conversion to QFF at the applicable rate?

 

[BriarFlyer]

Won`t the bonus be available for conversion to QFF at the applicable rate?

From the Reward Points Terms and Conditions:

5.4. Membership Rewards points are not convertible to Qantas Points. If you choose to change your reward option from the Membership Rewards program to the Qantas Frequent Flyer program you cannot convert your existing Membership Reward points to Qantas Points and you must redeem your Membership Reward points within 30 days of notification of the change or otherwise they will be forfeited.

 

[potm]

Only ascent premium on the charge card can convert MR points to QFF points. You wouldn’t want to anyway. Krisflyer or Asia miles are worth much more than the same amount of QFF points.

 

[blacksultan]

From the Reward Points Terms and Conditions:

5.4. Membership Rewards points are not convertible to Qantas Points. If you choose to change your reward option from the Membership Rewards program to the Qantas Frequent Flyer program you cannot convert your existing Membership Reward points to Qantas Points and you must redeem your Membership Reward points within 30 days of notification of the change or otherwise they will be forfeited.

Wasn’t aware .thanks