Revised American Express points transfer rate for SPG, Marriott
By Staff Writers, July 3 2018
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The information provided on this page is purely factual and general in nature. You should seek independent advice and consider your own personal circumstances before applying for any financial product.
With the imminent merger of the Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest programs, American Express is revising the conversion rate for transferring American Express Membership Rewards credit card points into the new combined hotel loyalty scheme.
The revamped rates kick in from August, and will see 3 AMEX Membership Rewards points equate to 2 Marriott Points.
There will no longer be the option to convert American Express Membership Rewards into SPG Starpoints, as the SPG scheme will be absorbed into Marriott’s new uber-loyalty program.
However, as Australian Business Traveller has previously reported, your existing balance of Starpoints will be tripled (so that one Starpoint will become 3 Marriott Points) and the new scheme's airline frequent flyer conversion rates from Marriott Points will sit at 3:1.
Direct conversions from AMEX Membership Rewards to airline frequent flyer programs or transfers to other hotel partners such as Hilton Honors are not impacted by this change.
This applies to many popular cards like the American Express Explorer credit card, the AMEX Platinum Charge Card, the AMEX Platinum Business Card and others, which are all attached to Membership Rewards.
It also covers cardholders enrolled in the Ascent Premium, Ascent, Business Ascent, Spirit, Gateway and David Jones tiers of Membership Rewards.
American Express has confirmed to Australian Business Traveller that it has begun notifying cardholders of the change, and will update its Membership Rewards website on the day the new rate takes effect.
More AusBT coverage on the Marriott + Starwood merger:
- Marriott's new program: how many points you'll need to book a hotel stay
- Instant status match: how to link your Marriott, Starwood accounts
- Revealed: Marriott's new mega hotel loyalty program
- Marriott's new program: winners and losers from Marriott Rewards
- Five things you need to know about Marriott’s new loyalty scheme
- Marriott downgrades elite status for SPG Gold members
- Winners and losers from Starwood SPG in Marriott's new program
Disclaimer
Executive Traveller may receive a commission when you apply for these credit cards via our links.
The information provided on this page is purely factual and general in nature. You should seek independent advice and consider your own personal circumstances before applying for any financial product.
24 Jun 2015
Total posts 12
Wow that is a 125% devaluation !
13 Sep 2016
Total posts 174
That's quite a cut, if you have a lot of AMEX MR points and want to transfer them across to SPG or Marriott I would do that this month, before the August changes take effect.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
21 Jan 2017
Total posts 51
such a huge devaulue. goodbye spg!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Jun 2015
Total posts 46
so how many marriott points would you earn per dollar for the explorer credit card?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
06 Nov 2014
Total posts 358
1.33 per dollar on explorer. On the surface doesn't look too bad, but when you consider that you are earning 1.5 KF/AM per dollar it's terrible.
United Airlines - Mileage Plus
11 Feb 2018
Total posts 4
So what to do now? Transfer MR points into SPG ASAP?
31 Mar 2018
Total posts 1
Very disappointed. It was 2 amex reward points to 1 spg and equivalent to 3 Marriott points. Now we need 3 amex points to get 2 Marriott points. Massive cut down on values. So what other hotel programs we should be looking into? It would be good if amex can transfer points to intercontinental hotel group and Hyatt. We need more options.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
20 Dec 2011
Total posts 20
Hmm. So should/could we convert AMEX to SPG now? Enough time?
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
14 May 2018
Total posts 2
Does Amex Centurion member loosing out also ?
13 Feb 2017
Total posts 21
Just to reiterate, currently:
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
31 Jul 2017
Total posts 7
22 Jun 2018
Total posts 7
Has anyone received official word from Amex on this yet or do you think they will drop it on us the day after...
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 Jul 2018
Total posts 9
So I just did a transfer today from Australian AMEX Ascent Rewards points to Marriott points.
Background - I've been SPG for many years and I used to convert my Ascent into SPG every year or two, using earn on my Platinum Reserve credit card.
I was a bit worried as I have already combined my SPG and Marriot accounts (just last week) - where I got a once off three times conversion for the SPG points I had, on conversion over to Marriot, but I saw this “offer” will end on 13th Feb 2019 (with Marriott Bonvoy coming then).
So, over the weekend I tried to convert Ascent Rewards points at 3 Ascent to 2 SPG points to my old SPG number and this failed.
I added my Marriot number and after it went to Approved status, a transfer also failed.
So I tried my wifes' SPG account (same Surname so within the rules for Ascent to SPG program) - it also failed. (hoping to get the three times points when she soon merges her SPG to Marriot – and then 50,000 points limit P/A according to Marriot Rewards…)
Uh-oh, I was worried I might miss out the one time tripling of SPG points into Marriott points, once they were converted over from Ascent!
So today I called the 1300 number that popped up in a message when the transactions failed. (1300 363 276)
Interestingly on the phone they said:
1. You need to transfer a minimum of 1000 points (Ascent Australia website says 600).
2. You will get 2 Marriot points for 1 Ascent points, (this is equivalent to currently converting 3 Ascent to 2 SPG, then the one time tripling of SPG to Marriot upon account merge) - but helpdesk said “hang-on let me check that... I’ll call you back in thirty mins”
3. Upon callback - “we will convert 1 Ascent into 3 Marriot points”.
Wow, Sign me up….
Just waiting to see the points arrive in three working days in my Marriott account.
So if this is the case, that’s great, but for AMEX Ascent, but the 15th April date is looming - AMEX still say: 3 Membership Rewards to 2 Starpoints in their changes page plus there is still no Marriot mention.
All very interesting. I know it’s maybe special, but I you have Ascent Rewards and you want to convert to Marriott points, there a few days before Bonvoy and account merge deadline cutoff…. but if this is the case... great! (Except AMEX Ascent rewards earn changes)....
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 Jul 2018
Total posts 9
Ahh too good to be true.... apparently that was wrong info... trying to fix this up with AMEX but they haven't offered anything satisfactory.
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