You Can Now Redeem Starpoints for Tickets to the 2016 US Open
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Aside from flying or staying at Starwood properties, arguably one of the best ways to use your Starpoints is with SPG Moments, a program that allows SPG members to redeem Starpoints for a variety of special culinary, cultural, musical and sports-related experiences. One of the most popular SPG Moments is a US Open package, which, as of today, SPG members can get in on, as auctions are now open.
As of this writing, you can redeem Starpoints for a spot in the SPG Suite for day or night sessions between August 30 and September 5. There are four additional options users can bid on — SPG Suite tickets for a day session on September 6, the men's semifinal and final and the women's final. However, the site's homepage states that there will soon be other experiences to bid on, such as a VIP tour or a tennis lesson from Andy Roddick, but it's not clear yet when those will become available.
The SPG Suite package includes two tickets to the chosen session or match, as well as complimentary food and beverages. The ones that are available to buy are going for 50,000 Starpoints apiece, while the bidding prices for the other sessions varies, with redemptions starting at 25,000 for the men's semifinal and women's final, 35,000 for the men's final and 5,000 for the September 6 day session.
Ultimately, if you're a big tennis fan and have some Starpoints that you're looking to use, this could be a great redemption. However, the experiences aren't cheap. Based on TPG's most recent valuations, Starpoints are worth 2.5 cents apiece, so if you're planning to buy one of the 50,000 packages outright, it's equal to about $1,250. That being said, the SPG Suite experience could definitely be worth the high price tag — especially if you're a big tennis fan.
If you want to increase your stash of Starpoints for future SPG Moments (although there's no guarantee that these US Open Moments will be available by the time you meet your minimum spend), consider signing up for the Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express. The card comes with a sign-up bonus of 25,000 points after you spend $3,000 in the first three months. You'll earn 2x points per dollar on Starwood stays and 1x points on all other purchases.
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