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American Express suspends Membership Rewards transfers to Starwood Preferred Guest

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American Express Membership Rewards has suspended transfers into Starwood Preferred Guest until 8th August.

This is inconvenient if you were hoping to pick up a Marriott Travel Package before they shoot up in price on 18th August, or indeed book a redemption at a property which is going up in cost on the same date.

8th August is an odd choice of date.  I would have expected transfers to be suspended until 18th August, to ensure that there is no confusion over the ratio.

I am expecting the transfer rate to move from 2:1 to 2:3 on 18th August in line with the 1:3 alignment of Starwood Preferred Guest with ‘new Marriott’ although this has not been confirmed.

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You can see our full directory of all UK cards which earn airline or hotel points here. Here are the best of the other deals currently available.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold

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British Airways American Express Premium Plus

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Earning miles and points from small business cards

If you are a sole trader or run a small company, you may also want to check out these offers:

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Capital on Tap Business Rewards Visa

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British Airways American Express Accelerating Business

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For a non-American Express option, we also recommend the Barclaycard Select Cashback card for sole traders and small businesses. It is FREE and you receive 1% cashback on your spending.

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Category

American Express Membership Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy

Comments (96)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • Tim says:
    30 Jul30 July 09:14

    Nice one, thanks Nick!

  • @mkcol says:
    30 Jul30 July 09:52

    +1

  • PAL says:
    30 Jul30 July 10:08

    Rob, you mention at the very least 90,000 can convert to £500 hotel. Is this just spanish branded hotels couldn’t seem to find the link to book in say New York.

    • PAL says:
      30 Jul30 July 10:09

      90,000 Iberia plus miles*

      • Genghis says:
        30 Jul30 July 10:24

        There have been some reports of hotels booking link not working. I booked a hotel in Japan using the avios a few weeks ago.

  • RussellH says:
    30 Jul30 July 10:40

    I just found that you cannot link an SPG a/c to a new Amex Mem Rew a/c either at present

    • Davef says:
      30 Jul30 July 13:02

      try adding four zeros in front of your acc number

      • RussellH says:
        30 Jul30 July 16:15

        No, not that, which I did know. You cannot currently access the page to enter SPG details. Click on the link and you end up on the same page.

        • Davef says:
          30 Jul30 July 17:32

          I’ve just looked and I’d set mine on the 26th, made a 400 point transfer which is showing as pending but my acc number has been removed from the initial page and it’s telling me to add an account number.

  • Tracy says:
    30 Jul30 July 11:18

    My SPG to SPG transfer posted today. First requested 21st July. Redid it on 26th July, don’t know which request worked though……

  • Nick says:
    30 Jul30 July 12:14

    Ot: when do amex apply their annual fees? I upgraded my gold to plat a while ago but have had no 450 fee. If ive gotten away with it i will keep the card but if not i will cancel

    • Guesswho2000 says:
      30 Jul30 July 12:34

      From experience, on the original card’s anniversary date.

      However you’re technically liable for it straight away, so they’re within their rights to take it as soon as you upgrade. You would still be able to get a pro-rata refund though.

    • Doug M says:
      30 Jul30 July 12:35

      Had mine best part of a year and never paid. But this is like Fight Club, no one talks about it 🙂

    • Davef says:
      30 Jul30 July 13:24

      You’re lucky Mine was charged at the end of the 1st Plat statement month and the gold refunded pro-rata.

  • Doug M says:
    30 Jul30 July 12:33

    Hilton. Had a 6 night redemption, but prices dropped and felt it was bad value versus cash. In the end remembered a spend £500 get £100 back offer from Amex, and decided to use cash and keep points for time being. So even allowing for 3% forex on the BAPP Amex I think I’ve done the right thing. But noticed the Amex offer which is for pay on leave USA only, requires spend in GBP, is that something they don’t enforce, seems almost impossible to achieve, I never accept the offer to have the billing in GBP as it’s always a horrible rate compared to regular credit card forex rate. Sorry if this has been mentioned before, but seems to me unlike Amex to offer something so seemingly impossible.

    • Mark2 says:
      30 Jul30 July 13:23

      Why is it impossible?
      You say yourself that you refuse the offer to pay in GBP, so it must be possible. Amex can see whether you have paid in GBP or not.

    • Guesswho2000 says:
      30 Jul30 July 13:57

      If it’s with Amex, there’ll be no offer to pay in GBP, as Amex don’t allow DCC.

    • Rob says:
      30 Jul30 July 14:18

      Seems like a typo, this same rule is in all of the other hotel offers too.

  • David says:
    30 Jul30 July 13:58

    @Rob Off topic but why would a BA Avios redemption for a flight on Cathay/Qantas be double the price of the same journey on just Qantas? I’m still puzzling over the changes to Cathay Asia Miles!

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

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