SPG Luxury Card Loophole: Apply Aug 23-25 Before New Rules Hit

The Starwood Preferred Guest Luxury Card, which will be the latest addition to the Marriott family credit card portfolio, is actually scheduled to launch August 23, 2018.

Eligibility Rules for New Marriott & SPG Cards Hit Aug 26

Despite the fact that Marriott and the Starwood Preferred Guest programs are merging into one unified loyalty program on August 18, both Marriott and SPG credit cards will continue to be issued for the time being, by Chase and Amex respectively. Both banks have published new terms for all current (and future) Marriott-family credit cards that define who is and isn't eligible for sign up bonuses, as of August 26.
Why These New Rules are Different
Sign up bonus rules are not new to the miles and points community.

Official Marriott & SPG Merger August 18: How to Prepare

We have been watching the merger of Starwood Preferred Guest and Marriott, and the details of what that merger will mean for both of those loyalty programs' members, unfold for a long time now. We first thought the merger would happen August 1, and then Marriott changed the wording of all their marketing/press releases to a more ambiguous "August". But now we have a hard date.

The State of Marriott Travel Packages & Strategy Moving Forward

We have been watching the merger of Starwood Preferred Guest and Marriott unfold for a long time now.

New Marriott Award Category Assignments & Strategy Moving Forward

We have been watching the merger of Starwood Preferred Guest and Marriott unfold for a long time now.

SPG Point Sale Extended through July 20: Buy for Major Discounts in August!

SPG was running this same 35% off Starpoints sale in May, which I thought would be the last time we'd see them on sale before SPG and Marriott's reward programs merge August 1.

Book Top Tier SPG Properties Between August & December 2018

Update 7/6/18: The most expensive, off the award chart all-suite SPG properties will actually be bookable for 60k Marriott Rewards in August. Read New Marriott Award Category Assignments & Strategy Moving Forward for further info. 

In August of this year, SPG and Marriott are merging their loyalty programs.

Annual Fee Time: Retention Offers & Plan for SPG Amex Card

*I am bumping this up to the top of the blog roll as I added a section towards the bottom of this post regarding a new benefit coming August 1 that could be a largely influential factor in whether or not you keep your SPG Amex Card open. Thanks to Reader Jon for reminding me.*

I hold both the Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express and the Starwood Preferred Guest Business Credit Card from American Express.

Easy 250 SPG Points for Every Mobile Check-In

For the next six weeks you'll earn 250 SPG points each time you check in for your stay at a St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, Sheraton, Westin, Le Meridien, Tribute Portfolio, Four Points, or other participating Marriott/SPG hotel through SPG's mobile app.

There is not a cap to how many points you can earn through this promotion, but only check-ins through June 15, 2018 that you booked directly with SPG on its website or in the app will count.

What August 2018 Holds For Marriott/SPG: Part II

On Friday, I covered some of the changes that Marriott recently announced concerning the merger of Marriott, SPG, and Ritz Carlton's loyalty programs. I am only discussing Marriott and SPG since those are much more commonly used than Ritz points.

In August, the loyalty programs become one, using just one point currency, award chart, elite qualifying system, etc. They will keep their separate names until 2019 when the loyalty program will be given just one (yet to be announced) name.