SPG Points

jcjl1 · Dec 17, 2014

What are your thoughts on purchasing 20000 SPG points at a 25% discount (current promotion)? Are there any limitations (i.e. forfeiture after some time) that I should be aware of?

DeniseM · Dec 17, 2014

Just to be clear - these are Starwood HOTEL points, not Starwood timeshare points which are call Staroptions.

I would not buy them, unless I had a very specific purpose for the Starpoints, and I crunched the numbers to be sure that this was the cheapest way to book the trip.

In general, you probably won't get the best value out of them on a domestic trip, but you may, if you use them on a trip to Europe.

We earn our Starpoints for almost free with our Starwood AMEX card. We put every cent we spend on it, and that generates 1 point per dollar. When you transfer Starpoints to airlines in increments of 20K Starpoints - you get 1.25 airline miles per Starpoint, on most airlines.

vacationtime1 · Dec 17, 2014

If you know exactly what you will do with an extra 20000 StarPoints and have no other way to get them (i.e. Starwood AmEx sign-up bonus, etc.), go for it.

Otherwise, why pay real money for a fake currency subject to devaluation (Starwood re-adjusts the SP price of hotels annually and the adjustment is seldom downwards)?

okwiater · Dec 17, 2014

If you need the points immediately, or if you use them frequently enough that an extra 20,000 would come in handy, then 25% off (or 2.625 cents per point) is as low as I have ever seen them. Usually 20% (or 2.8 cents per point) is the sale price. That said, you should be certain you can extract maximum value from them. There are definitely cases when an $800 flight or 2 nights in a $400 room can be obtained for 20,000 SPs, but they're not super common.

Joshadelic · Dec 17, 2014

jcjl1 said:
What are your thoughts on purchasing 20000 SPG points at a 25% discount (current promotion)? Are there any limitations (i.e. forfeiture after some time) that I should be aware of?

If you do end up buying the SP's, the best way to get the most out of them is to book 5 nights. Since the 5th night is 'free', you're saving another 20%.

RALnGA · Dec 17, 2014

I think you only get the 5th night free when you stay at hotels 7,000 points per night or above..that means you have to have at least 28,000 points or more ...
Do like DeniseM said Get the card ,last year they were giving 30,000 points just for signing up...
Right now they are giving you 5,000 points to get someone else to sign up...get the card for yourself ..then you refer your wife..if you work it right you could end up with 65,000 points or more...
Then pay all your monthly bills. ..gas for cars...meals...everything on your card as the points will add up ..Quickly!

RAL :clap:

cubigbird · Dec 17, 2014

DeniseM said:
Just to be clear - these are Starwood HOTEL points, not Starwood timeshare points which are call Staroptions.

I would not buy them, unless I had a very specific purpose for the Starpoints, and I crunched the numbers to be sure that this was the cheapest way to book the trip.

In general, you probably won't get the best value out of them on a domestic trip, but you may, if you use them on a trip to Europe.

We earn our Starpoints for almost free with our Starwood AMEX card. We put every cent we spend on it, and that generates 1 point per dollar. When you transfer Starpoints to airlines in increments of 20K Starpoints - you get 1.25 airline miles per Starpoint, on most airlines.

I have received random offers to buy 105,000 SPG points for $1900 (no not the developer incentive options). If you purchase with the SPG AMEX you'll get 2X points effectivly get 1.74 cents per point - 108,000 total with the bonus. I haven't see it ever get any cheeper than that and should easily be able to redeem at a lot of category 4 Westins for 3 cents to 4 cents or more.

ValleyGirl · Dec 18, 2014

Random Offers

cubigbird said:
I have received random offers to buy 105,000 SPG points for $1900 (no not the developer incentive options). If you purchase with the SPG AMEX you'll get 2X points effectivly get 1.74 cents per point - 108,000 total with the bonus. I haven't see it ever get any cheeper than that and should easily be able to redeem at a lot of category 4 Westins for 3 cents to 4 cents or more.

From whom did you receive these random offers? :ponder:

cubigbird · Dec 18, 2014

It came from SVO not SPG. It's been a while, though and was probably targeted??? I know it was 105,000 SPG points and I acted on it once with my SPG Amex so I got a total of 108,800 after the bonus. The cheapest I have ever gotten SPG points IMO.

SPG Points

jcjl1

DeniseM

vacationtime1

TUG Review Crew: Veteran

okwiater

Joshadelic

RALnGA

cubigbird

Tug Review Crew Veteran

ValleyGirl

cubigbird

Tug Review Crew Veteran