Starwood "Enhances" Cash & Points Option: Increases Price and Adds New Room Options
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View other current offers here.
This morning, Starwood announced that it will be updating – and by that, they seem to just mean upping the price, its Cash & Points redemption options starting March 5, 2013, as well as adding the ability to redeem Cash & Points for upgraded rooms and suites.
Starwood's Cash & Points redemptions have historically been some of the best hotel point redemption values around, often yielding at least 3 cents per point in value, but often much more than that.
You can find the current category breakdowns here, but for reference on them, the new redemption levels and the differences:
Category 1
Old: 1,200 Starpoints + $25 offered at Asia-Pacific, US and Canadian hotels only.
New: 1,500 Starpoints + $30
Difference: 300 points + $5
Category 2
Old: 1,600 Starpoints + $30 offered at Asia-Pacific, US and Canadian hotels only
New: 2,000 Starpoints + $35
Difference: 400 points + $5
Category 3
Old: 2,800 Starpoints + $45
New: 3,500 Starpoints + $55
Difference: 700 points + $10
Category 4
Old: 4,000 Starpoints + $60
New: 5,000 Starpoints + $75
Difference: 1,000 points + $15
Category 5
Old: 4,800 Starpoints + $90
New: 6,000 Starpoints + $110
Difference: 1,200 points + $20
Category 6
Old: 8,000 Starpoints + $150
New:10,000 Starpoints + $180
Difference: 2,000 points + $30
Category 7
Old: 15,000 Starpoints + $275 (this is a relatively new redemption level)
New: 15,000 Starpoints + $275
Difference: Same
So now not only will you be using more points (between 300-2,000 depending on the category of hotel, but you'll also be forced to shell out more cash (between $5-$30) bringing your value per point average down even further.
Not All Bad News
On the bright side, you can now make cash & points redemptions at all Category 1 and 2 hotels worldwide, not just in the US, Canada and Asia-Pacific, as is the case now.
On one hand, clearly a 20% increase is bad news – it's essentially 20% more expensive. On the other hand, Starwood hasn't changed these redemption levels for years, and I think there will still be great value to be had, so for me, this increase isn't really enough to sway me away from the Starwood Preferred Guest program. I think there are still plenty of opportunities to get great redemptions, mostly in the mid-tier properties, though Categories 6-7 are becoming too rich for my blood.
The new upgrade and suite redemption options at least give you a choice, especially if you value those bigger, more specialty rooms, although as SPG has really started quantifying these suites and upgrades over the past year and taking a less willy-nilly approach to who gets suites is a good thing overall. However, as a super Platinum, this new access to suites may cut down on the number of complimentary upgrades I get, which already isn't very high.
Example
One of my favorite Cash & Points redemptions is at the Westin Palace Madrid. I'm planning on going there for a couple days this June. Looking at rates now, I found the nightly rate is about 250 euros – about $335. This is a Category 5 hotel, so award nights go for 16,000 points a night, while the Cash & Points option is currently 4,800 + $90. That gives me a value of 5.1 cents per point.
However, come March 5, if I were to make this Cash & Points reservation, I'd be spending 6,000 Starpoints + $110, so my new point value would instead be 3.75 cents – I've lost about 27% of the value of my points.
While I still think that's a decent redemption for this hotel in peak season, I'm still not glad to see the decline in value of my Starpoints, so it's going to make some decisions as to whether to redeem Cash & Points or just pay the nightly rate more difficult in more situations in the future.
Since these changes don't go into effect until March 5, you still have time to make the most of Cash & Points redemptions for the next 6 weeks or so. I'd recommend making as many reservations as possible, because most hotels have pretty generous cancellation policies with cash & points, so better get in before the rates all go up!
[card card-name='Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express' card-id='22034416' type='javascript' bullet-id='1']
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees