Starwood AMEX Master Thread

[etech0]

Amex.

cool

[TimT]

But you SPEND less to get them. For someone who is not in MS, that's a bonus.

For people that wouldn't be swiping that extra $2k anyways or don't MS, then you're right, it's a good promotion.

[AJK]

For people that wouldn't be swiping that extra $2k anyways or don't MS, then you're right, it's a good promotion.

You're still not getting it, papi.

We've already established that MS has associated costs/expenses (yet for some reason you seem to be refusing to acknowledge that fact).

And with respect to people that would "be swiping that extra $2k anyways," the fact that it no longer needs to be swiped on *this* card avoids the opportunity cost of utilizing that spend elsewhere, i.e. 2.2% on Barclay Arrival+ ($44) or ~14% or more hitting threshold on another card.

[TimT]

Oh, I get it. The $20 savings is better than nothing but not near the extra 5k SPG they've been offering in the summertime. And it's only being offered for the personal which is a 1 time bonus.

[mb1]

Has anyone wondered if this IS the summer deal?

It could be but it doesn't seem like AMEX is promoting it as a limited time deal.

[AJK]

Oh, I get it. The $20 savings is better than nothing but not near the extra 5k SPG they've been offering in the summertime. And it's only being offered for the personal which is a 1 time bonus.

Maybe AMEX knows something you don't? Like perhaps the majority of their potential cardholders would prefer a $3k threshold and 25K SPG vs. $5K threshold and 30K SPG?

Or perhaps this not in lieu of the 30K summer promo?

Or, perhaps you're simply incorrect that this lower threshold is objectively "not near an extra 5k SPG?"

What you want to spend $2k on, i.e. an extra 5K SPG, could be put towards 55K UA for the same money.

Personally, I'd take 25K SPG + 55K UA over 30K SPG, but "to each their own."

[TimT]

Or perhaps this not in lieu of the 30K summer promo?

Thats what I'm hoping.

What you want to spend $2k on, i.e. an extra 5K SPG, could be put towards 55K UA for the same money.

If I had to choose only 1, of course 55k UA.
Hence

For people that wouldn't be swiping that extra $2k anyways or don't MS, then you're right, it's a good promotion.

[AJK]

Finally.

[coralsnake]

Maybe AMEX knows something you don't? Like perhaps the majority of their potential cardholders would prefer a $3k threshold and 25K SPG vs. $5K threshold and 30K SPG?

Or perhaps what they know is that by cutting the amount of time for the threshold in half and the spending requirement by only 2/5ths they will actually have more people *not* meet the threshold.

[maxie m]

Or perhaps what they know is that by cutting the amount of time for the threshold in half and the spending requirement by only 2/5ths they will actually have more people *not* meet the threshold.

+1 it's proportionately more spend

[AJK]

Or perhaps what they know is that by cutting the amount of time for the threshold in half and the spending requirement by only 2/5ths they will actually have more people *not* meet the threshold.

Despite what you imply, credit card companies don't offer bonuses to people because they hope they don't mean the thresholds...

[coralsnake]

Despite what you imply, credit card companies don't offer bonuses to people because they hope they don't mean the thresholds...

But they do tinker with offers to see what is more profitable.

[AJK]

But they do tinker with offers to see what is more profitable.

Happy customers = profitable customers.

Offering a bonus to customers in the hope they don't meet it ain't going to engender happiness.

[Hellokitty64]

Sorry to interrupt this conversation. But does Amex Accelerate pending Spg spend points like they do for MR?

[coralsnake]

Sorry to interrupt this conversation. But does Amex Accelerate pending Spg spend points like they do for MR?

SPG points hit when the statement closes. MR pend when the statement closes. So, to answer your intended question- No. You cannot get the points before the statement closes.

[Zzzzx]

Happy customers = profitable customers.

Offering a bonus to customers in the hope they don't meet it ain't going to engender happiness.

But offering the "idea" of an obtainable goal may increase indebtedness and create a much more profitable consumer. Amex doesn't care about happy, only profit and getting more people to use their rails.

[AJK]

But offering the "idea" of an obtainable goal may increase indebtedness and create a much more profitable consumer. Amex doesn't care about happy, only profit and getting more people to use their rails.

Whatever good will is engendered by offering a more obtainable goal would be greatly outweighed by the bad will that would undoubtedly result from a person being denied the sign up bonus.

[Zzzzx]

Whatever good will is engendered by offering a more obtainable goal would be greatly outweighed by the bad will that would undoubtedly result from a person being denied the sign up bonus.

The average consumer will blame themselves for missing the mark. People in this forum are not that consumer. Let's hope there is something new coming in the next couple of months. I'd be happy with a much higher spend for say, 50,000 points. Probably not gonna happen though.

[AJK]

The average consumer will blame themselves for missing the mark. People in this forum are not that consumer. Let's hope there is something new coming in the next couple of months. I'd be happy with a much higher spend for say, 50,000 points. Probably not gonna happen though.

The average consumer "will blame themselves for missing the mark?"

I think our notions of the "average consumer" differ greatly.

[clear thinker]

The last few years the 30k offer has come around between June & September.

Does it usually also go up for the business version?