This offer has expired, view the best current credit card bonuses here.
Originally posted on 10/5/17, reposting because the offer is due to expire on 11/01/17. If you’re considering this offer, please consider using a readers referral link. The YMMV personal offer for 35,000 points does not expire until November 30th.
The Offer
- American Express is offering a sign up bonus of up to 35,000 points on the SPG business card. Bonus is broken down as follows:
- 25,000 points after $6,000 in spend within the first 3 months
- An Additional 10,000 points after an additional $4,000 in spend within the first 6 months
Card Details
- Valid until November 1st, 2017
- Welcome bonus offer not available to applicants who have or have had this product
- Annual fee of $95 is waived for the first year
- No foreign transaction fee
- Boingo internet access for up to four devices
- Premium in room internet at all SPG hotels
- Earn 2x points on all SPG purchases
- Earn 1x points on all other purchases
- Comes with Sheraton Lounge Access
- Has reciporcal earning with Marriott/Ritz-Carlton
Our Verdict
This bonus was offered last in mid February of this year, but the spending requirement as lower ($5,000 within first three and then an additional $3,000 within the first six months), the time before that it had an even lower minimum spend requirement of just $5,000 total. That being said it’s still a 35,000 point bonus on an SPG card so I do think it’s worth considering if you’re eligible as the standard bonus is 25,000 and I’m not confident we will see anything bigger than 35,000 in the near future/ever.
I find SPG points to be very valuable. They are obviously useful for redeeming for hotels (and the cost in points is much different than other chains like Hilton) and can be transferred to airline partners at a 1:1 rate and also to Marriott at a 1:3 rate. You can view the best uses of SPG points here.
If you’ve recently signed up for this card, ask to be matched with American Express. For more tips on American Express and to get any questions you might have answered please read this post. Keep in mind you’re not eligible for this bonus if you’ve received the card before. I don’t see any increased sign up bonus on the personal version of this card unfortunately. The biggest problem for most people will be hitting the minimum spend requirement, especially considering manufactured spending on American Express cards is ill-advised. If you can hit the minimum spend requirements then this is a bonus definitely worth doing if you can make use of the SPG points, because of that I’ll be adding it to the best business credit card offers.
Hat tip to reader @E__Aventura
I spent $5,500 during the first statement and my SPG acct was credited with 25,000 points (should have had to spend $6,000 to get the 25k). Doesn’t truly matter as I’ll hit the 10k spend soon but interesting.
I was a little nervous on this one since I have about $9K on BB+ for the 15 months 0 interest (no other cc debt) and had read that Amex can be touchy about that. I got approved for this with a $10K limit (95K income 800+ FICO, 1,500 “business”.
Charles,
I have a data point here.
Currently have 5 different Amex cards with 1 Charge card and 4 credit cards.
I have applied for the SPG Business card and I was approved for it automatically.
Here is what I am not sure what worked out. I have a freeze on all the bureaus and when I wanted to lift the freeze on Experian, they wanted to charge me $5 (NY residence on the app).
So instead, I used a temp access pin for the lender and thought I would say that by calling in Amex.
Somehow, no credit pull happened and the card got approved. I called in and they confirmed with a 20k credit line and AU cards are also being expedited.
I just couldn’t understand how the application got approved.
They probably have an existing credit report on file for you, happens quite often these days with American Express.
Could you put charitable giving on the card or would that be considered manufactured spending? Also if I’m under the 5/24 for Chase, does getting this card impact that?
Yes, I’d advice getting any Chase cards you need before applying to AmEx in your case. Any new personal card you get count towards 5/24.
charitable giving wouldn’t be considered MSing. Amex doesn’t report business cards: https://www.doctorofcredit.com/which-business-credit-cards-report/#Amex
Thanks William.
I applied for SPG offer using the link and got approved a week ago. Got my card and all paperwork in the mail just now but there is no Bonus points mentioned anywhere in the letter I received. Is that normal for AmEx? If there is no offer attached to the card, I might not want to “activate” the card and will simply close the account.
Did any of you got an offer spelled out with your new card?
apparently it’s normal for the offer not to be mentioned in the letter, confirmed with CSR.
“According to our records, you currently have the maximum number and type of American Express Card accounts that we allow.”
Hey, I last had this card 3 years ago. I know all of your info says “not eligible for bonus if you’ve previously had it”. Is that written in stone, or was 3 years long enough ago that you think I might get the bonus?
Thanks for the information, as always
I thought it was 7 years for AmEx, but not sure if that’s true of the co-branded cards?
I signed up for SPG Biz about a month and a half ago, I’m guessing I’m too far out to get this matched, but may try once I meet the original spend. Seems silly to sign myself up for an extra $1k spend right now if I’m not sure how close I’ll be on the original ($5k) spend. If I think I’m in the clear, I’ll give them a call just in case they’ll match the new offer. Also, not sure the additional 10k points is worth an additional $4k spend.
Be interested to know what others who have opened card in the not so distant past are doing/hearing. It looks like in the post above, even a week later isn’t getting much love from CSR, so a month and a half might be a long shot. I’m fairly new to this game, so learn a little something from each post.
Applied last week for 25K. CSR immediately transferred me to the supervisor after I mentioned my concern about the new offer for 35K. I was optimistic that she did that without asking, thinking maybe she knew that was the only way to get it done. But, then he made it clear that the only thing he could do was make a notation and put in a request. So, it sounds like I’m out of luck. I pushed a few times asking if there was anything else that can be done, any courtesy as a longtime customers, etc. Still no luck. Might try to HUCA, but I’m not too hopeful.
Never give up! Last time around I had the same thing, HUca’d till I got the extra 10k…