Starwood Hotels up for sale

[danR]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-04-29/starwood-exploring-strategic-and-financial-alternatives-

I hope they don't combine their program with another

[Aj3042]

How many points do they cost to buy?

[yitrap]

Any MS potential here?

[moishes]

Any MS potential here?

which card would be best to use? to maximize points

[yitrap]

which card would be best to use? to maximize points

SPG gets 5 points per $ spent that would definitely be the best

[Aj3042]

Any MS potential here?

No but there's plenty of RS (real spend) potential. Buying a hotel worth a couple million dollars (at least) will bring you in a couple million points right there!

[yitrap]

No but there's plenty of RS (real spend) potential. Buying a hotel worth a couple million dollars (at least) will bring you in a couple million points right there!

There was an article a month back or so about some asian guy that bought a couple of million dollar painting on his amex, apparently he never even knew he had a rewards program 

[Aj3042]

There was an article a month back or so about some asian guy that bought a couple of million dollar painting on his amex, apparently he never even knew he had a rewards program 

Once you can afford to spend a couple million on a painting a few million points are the least of your concerns.

[Emkay]

There was an article a month back or so about some asian guy that bought a couple of million dollar painting on his amex, apparently he never even knew he had a rewards program 

Not that it makes a difference but I think it was a teacup

[Aj3042]

Not that it makes a difference but I think it was a teacup

You being serious?
And what happened with the points? Like what was newsworthy about the points he got?

[Emkay]

You being serious?
And what happened with the points? Like what was newsworthy about the points he got?

I guess earning 421,860,000 points in one transaction isn't an everyday occurrence http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-07-18/chinese-gets-422-million-amex-points-with-36-million-cup

[avrumy22]

I guess earning 421,860,000 points in one transaction isn't an everyday occurrence http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-07-18/chinese-gets-422-million-amex-points-with-36-million-cup

question is if it falls and breaks, if amex will make him return it for the refund 

[Marco Polo]

Not that it makes a difference but I think it was a teacup

Bought a teacup first and then some kind of tapestry/painting.

[Aj3042]

I guess earning 421,860,000 points in one transaction isn't an everyday occurrence http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-07-18/chinese-gets-422-million-amex-points-with-36-million-cup

Aha I thought it was a few million. 420 million is a whole different thing.
Thanks very interesting.

[Aj3042]

To quote from that Bloomberg article:
"So what can 421,860,000 AmEx points get? According to the American Express Co.’s website, they can be converted to more than 28 million frequent flyer miles or about $180,000 worth of vouchers at Hong Kong retailer ParknShop."
Transfer rate of 420 to 28. Am I missing something or is someone really not a DDF'er?

[Marco Polo]

To quote from that Bloomberg article:
"So what can 421,860,000 AmEx points get? According to the American Express Co.’s website, they can be converted to more than 28 million frequent flyer miles or about $180,000 worth of vouchers at Hong Kong retailer ParknShop."
Transfer rate of 420 to 28. Am I missing something or is someone really not a DDF'er?

Could be the Amex points the guy earned was not "regular" Amex points we get here in the states.

[@Yehuda]

Could be the Amex points the guy earned was not "regular" Amex points we get here in the states.

Most likely. He probably also didn't pay in USD.

[caliheat]

To quote from that Bloomberg article:
"So what can 421,860,000 AmEx points get? According to the American Express Co.’s website, they can be converted to more than 28 million frequent flyer miles or about $180,000 worth of vouchers at Hong Kong retailer ParknShop."
Transfer rate of 420 to 28. Am I missing something or is someone really not a DDF'er?

Obliviously the points were equivalent to the HK$281 MIL which in fact was US$36 MIL, hence the "horrible" transfer rate.

[coralsnake]

No but there's plenty of RS (real spend) potential. Buying a hotel worth a couple million dollars (at least) will bring you in a couple million points right there!

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has a market cap of 15 Billion.