In our post ‘AmEx SPG Luxury Card Upgrade Offers: Worth A Second Look‘ we talked about why upgrading might make sense. The main reason was that you receive a prorated annual fee in your first year based on your card anniversary date and the $300 credit is based on that anniversary date. This means you could pay a few months of the annual fee and still get the $300 credit and then get a new $300 credit when the next annual fee kicks in.
There were a lot of readers that were concerned that you don’t actually receive the $300 credit in that prorated card year. I was confident this wasn’t the case as the terms are clear that it would apply. Despite that front line representatives were insistent that the $300 credit wouldn’t apply. There is now a datapoint on Flyertalk of somebody receiving the full $300 credit on an upgrade offer. Hopefully this creates some peace of mind for those considering this upgrade offer angle.
I upgraded my card to SPG luxury last month. I Got $300 + $60 credit for marriott. 1) Could you please tell me when will i be eligible for the second $300 credit . Wondering how to make that double dip for $300.
2) How to check in my account that credit gets reset in calendar year?
There is no way to check how much credit you have left. Customer Service I wouldn’t trust or being able to properly check.
The anniversary date is the date when your original credit card was approved (NOT the upgrade). It is NOT when the annual fee posts.
I would think a day or two after the anniversary should be save that you can get the credit for the new year. I got/used the credit for the new year around 2.5weeks after the anniversary and before the annual fee posted.
Hey DoC,
My cardmember anniversary date is the 8th of this month… if I grab a gift card on the 5th, do you think the credit will renew still the next week, or that this is cutting it too close? I tried to get it a while back, but no Marriotts around me were selling GCs.
Thanks for all the advice!
Is there already a data point someone getting the $300 after the anniversary with the upgrade done before the anniversary and got $300 credit before the anniversary?
As long as you don’t plan on staying at SPG brand hotels (like Westin etc.), the GC is okay to buy in any case. GC is only accepted at Marriott (old) brands and I think Ritz-Carlton.
It should post to your account before the 8th so I imagine it will be OK, but it is cutting it close.
The charge will post before the 8th. The credit won’t post before the 8th, not sure if that matters.
Pretty sure it’s based on the transaction posting date, at least that’s how other credits with amex work I think
if i applied for the SPG personal card, do you think i would get an offer later on to upgrade to the SPG Luxury card? I ask because i’ve got a 7 night stay at a resort so i could actually fully use the $300 credit. Also, does the $300 credit work for resort fees?
I just got the upgrade offer today. 100k/5k, anniversary is in March (got card in ’17). However, I should be ineligible as I got the Marriott Rewards Premier Business earlier this year.
Am I supposed to know about these announcements to not apply, as they just won’t tell me I’m ineligible until after I’ve earned the 100k? Or is there a chance receiving this targeted message means I’m still eligible?
I think that ineligibility is related to new apps, not upgrades.
Hmm, really? Others mentioned needing to upgrade in the eligibility window before the new rules too effect. Perhaps I misunderstood them.
This really needs clarification, plz help doctor of credit.
yeah it doesn’t show up in the upgrade offers so should be fine.
Thanks. Going to wait until October to activate to minimize my prorated annual fee. Will report a DP either way then.
Hey I’m about to pull the trigger on my upgraded SPG Card by buying a $300 gift card at a Marriott here in CA. Any extra data points before I do it?
Thanks!
might want to vary the amount a bit…
Did you find anyone selling GC?
Has this happened to anyone else?
I submitted an online application on 8/23. Website told me the application was pending. Well, today I called to check, and AMEX could find no record of my application! Online status check likewise shows no SPG Luxury card application.
Rep told me to reapply, but if I do, I’ll be ineligble for the bonus under the terms that went into effect on 8/26.
Well I’m shocked that I was given the 100k point upgrade offer considering this would give me my 4th signup bonus with AMEX within a year and a half. I’m actually hoping to obtain my free night certificate from my SPG card first and then do the upgrade for 100k points before 10/31/18 plus get the AF prorated.
Think they’ll change the T&C to nuke this? I wouldn’t put it past them… wondering whether to do the upgrade now vs. wait until closer to anniversary date.
My AF hits on 11/16 and I have the 100K offer. Anybody think its worth doing the upgrade, paying the pro-rated AF, and then cancelling after the the full AF hits? Could get blacklisted by Amex.
Why not just downgrade back down to the $95 fee personal card when the annual fee hits? Would that be allowed?
Before any of these upgrades came along, I was planning on cancelling. But… I think downgrading is worth considering if its an option.
Fantastic, thanks! Figured you were probably right but having an AmEx rep saying the opposite is always unsettling.
Do we have an answer to if the new Chase/AmEx restrictions apply to an upgrade offer or not yet?
I’m not sure Michael, but there is a woman over at Frequent Miler that said she had a 100,000 upgrade offer over the weekend, but that offer has disappeared. I asked her if she has a Marriott or Ritz Carlton card already. Maybe this will be a data point.