Finance
American Express and Marriott Unveil New and Refreshed Starwood Preferred Guest Co-Branded Credit Cards
Coming August 2018: New value-rich Starwood Preferred Guest® Luxury Credit Card and More Benefits Added to the Starwood Preferred Guest Consumer and Business Credit Cards
American Express (NYSE: AXP) and Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) announced the details of the new value-rich Starwood Preferred Guest® American Express Luxury Card and the refreshed Starwood Preferred Guest® Consumer and Business Credit Cards. Debuting in August 2018 alongside Marriott International’s newly unified loyalty programs, which will offer one set of benefits for all members, the Cards will offer travelers and businesses more travel benefits and ways to earn points that can be used across nearly 6,500 hotels in 127 countries and territories, across 29 brands, as well as across the expanded Momentsplatform. Additionally, on August 1, 2018, Starpoint balances in SPG loyalty member accounts will convert to points within Marriott International’s loyalty program at a 1:3 ratio, and the loyalty program will be making corresponding changes to the number of points required for redemptions.
“Building on our successful 50 year relationship with Marriott and our new cobrand card partnership, we are excited to soon introduce an expanded suite of Card products, including updates to our industry-leading consumer and business Starwood Preferred Guest American Express Credit Cards, as well as the addition of the new Starwood Preferred Guest American Express Luxury Card,” said Courtney Kelso, Senior Vice President, U.S. Commercial Cards, American Express. “We know our Card Members love to stay at Marriott hotels when they travel the globe. With our expanded Card offerings, soon they will get access to even more benefits to enhance their hotel stays and their entire travel experience – all while giving them more ways to earn the points we know they love.”
Starwood Preferred Guest® American Express Luxury Card*
Designed for premium customers, the brand new Starwood Preferred Guest®American Express Luxury Card will have an annual fee of $450† and feature complimentary Gold Elite Status, no-fee additional Cards, and a statement credit of up to $300 for purchases on the Card at participating hotels worldwide. The full suite of benefits includes:
More opportunities to earn points
- For each dollar of eligible purchases charged to your Card, you can earn:
- 6X points at participating SPG and Marriott Rewards hotels
- 3X points at U.S. restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines
- 2X points on other eligible purchases
More value and luxury perks to enhance their stay
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- Up to $300 in statement credits each Card renewal year for purchases at participating SPG and Marriott Rewards hotels
- Annual Night Award (redemption level at or under 50,000 points) every year after your Card account anniversary*
- Automatic Gold Elite Status and the ability to earn Platinum Elite Status after spending $75,000 on the Card in a calendar year
More benefits to enhance their travel experience
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- $100 Global Entry or $85 TSA Precheck fee credit
- Priority Pass Select membership to allow Card Members to enroll and access the 1,000+ airport lounges across the globe within the Priority Pass network
- Complimentary Boingo Wi-Fi
- No foreign transaction fees
New Card Members will also get access to a rich welcome bonus (some restrictions apply), and starting today, Card Members can sign up here to be amongst the first to learn about the new Card when it launches in August.**
Award-Winning Starwood Preferred Guest® Consumer and Business Cards from American Express will Offer More Benefits*
In August 2018, the $95 Starwood Preferred Guest® Consumer Credit Card from American Express will be refreshed and the benefits will include:
- For each dollar of eligible purchases charged to your Card, you can earn:
- 6X points at participating SPG and Marriott Rewards hotels
- 2X points on other eligible purchases
- Annual Night Award (redemption level at or under 35,000 points) every year after your Card account anniversary*
- Automatic Silver Elite Status; and the ability to earn Gold Elite Status after spending $30,000 on the Card in a calendar year. Note: effective January 1, 2019, Card Members will earn Gold Elite Status after spending $35,000 on the Card in a calendar year.
- No foreign transaction fees
Also in August, the $95 Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express* will provide small business owners with even more ways to earn points when using their account to pay for common business expenses such as eligible dining, gas, wireless bills and shipping costs. To help run and grow their business, Card Members will also have access to business tools and services offered by American Express including Spend ManagerSM, Connect to Quickbooks®$0 annual fee on Employee Cards and no foreign transaction fees.
The refreshed benefits for the Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express include:
- For each dollar of eligible purchases charged to your Card, you can earn:
- 4X points on everyday business purchases at U.S. restaurants, U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. shipping purchases
- 6X points at participating SPG and Marriott Rewards hotels
- 2X points on other eligible purchases
- Annual Night Award (redemption level at or under 35,000 points) every year after your Card account anniversary*
- Automatic Silver Elite Status; and the ability to earn Gold Elite Status after $30,000 in annual spend on the Card. Note: effective January 1, 2019, Card Members will earn Gold Elite Status after spending $35,000 on the Card in a calendar year.
All three of the Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Cards from American Express are linked to Marriott’s award-winning guest-loyalty programs, Marriott Rewards®, which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards®, and Starwood Preferred Guest®, providing Card Members with the choice to redeem at a portfolio of nearly 6,500 participating hotels across 29 brands around the globe.
As an added Card Member benefit, beginning in early 2019 all Marriott loyalty program co-brand Card Members will earn 15 Elite Night Credits towards the next level of Elite status, and annually every calendar year thereafter. Limit one 15 Elite Night Credit per Marriott Loyalty Program member. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express. Terms apply.
“American Express has been a valuable Card to members of SPG for two decades and we are excited to continue to offer these Cards as a benefit of the unified loyalty program,” stated David Flueck, Senior Vice President, Global Loyalty, Marriott International. “These new and refreshed Cards will appeal to members who want to maximize their points earning potential and use them as they pursue their passions through travel.”
Existing Starwood Preferred Guest® American Express Card Members and consumers who apply for the Starwood Preferred Guest® consumer and business Credit Cards from American Express will automatically receive the refreshed benefits launching August 2018.
To learn more about the new and refreshed Cards, and applicable Terms and Conditions, visit www.spgpromos.com/amexcomingsoon.
About American Express
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