Earn Double Points at Starwood, Marriott and Ritz-Carlton Properties
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Since the Starwood-Marriott merger was finalized, the process of integrating the brands has been fairly swift. Almost immediately after the announcement, members (including Ritz-Carlton) could link their accounts, allowing elites to status match with the other chain, transfer points between them and, a bit later down the line, get reciprocal earning on co-branded cards. And now, we have another sign of integration, as for the first time, the three are offering the same promotion, giving members a chance to earn bonus points no matter which brand they're staying at.
With the latest promotion from the combined Marriott-SPG-Ritz-Carlton, you can earn double points for your first three stays at Starwood properties, as well as Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels. Effectively, you can earn double points on six stays — three each with Starwood and three with Marriott or Ritz. Since each brand is on its own with this promotion, you'll need to register for each separately — although keep in mind that it's technically not possible to have a Ritz-Carlton and Marriott Rewards account. In order to earn double points, you must register for the promotion(s) between December 15, 2016 and March 15, 2017 (here are the links to register for Starwood, Marriott and Ritz-Carlton promos). The earning period is for stays between January 16, 2017 and April 15, 2017.
This promotion looks to be best for stays at Marriott properties. For example, if you were to book a one-night stay at a Marriott property that cost you $215 per night, you'd earn 4,300 Marriott points with the promotion (2,150 without the promotion) at a base earning level of 10 points per dollar (before factoring in any elite bonus). Based on TPG's most recent valuations, those points are worth $39 ($19 without the promotion). If you were to stay at a Starwood property for the same rate, you'd earn 860 Starpoints with the promotion (430 without it) at a base earning level of 2 points per dollar. Based on TPG's most recent valuations, those Starpoints are worth $23 ($12 without the promotion). These values do not include elite bonuses, and since the promotion offers you the ability to earn bonus points for three stays at Starwood and Marriott/Ritz, it's best maximized by doing just that.
Keep in mind that because you can now transfer Marriott points and Starpoints between each other, this could be a great promotion to maximize by earning bonus points with Marriott and transferring them to SPG. If you stay three nights at a Marriott property and then transfer those double points to your SPG account, you could be coming out with a favorable rate. This could also work in the opposite direction, especially if you have a specific redemption in mind. Check out these links for when it makes sense to transfer Marriott points to Starwood and when it makes sense to transfer Starpoints to Marriott.
You can earn even more bonus points by using one of the hotel's co-branded credit cards. Now that you can earn reciprocal points with the co-branded cards, such as the Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express, the Marriott Rewards Premier Credit Card and the Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card, there's even more opportunity to maximize this promotion. You'll earn 2 Starpoints per dollar spent at Marriott hotels when you use your SPG Amex and 5 points per dollar when you use the Marriott Card or Ritz Card at Starwood properties.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
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