American Express and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Enhance Cobrand Credit Card Benefits

Complimentary Boingo High-Speed Internet Access and Elimination of Foreign Transaction Fees Give Card Members More Ease and Access When Traveling

NEW YORK & STAMFORD, Conn.--()--The Starwood Preferred Guest® (SPG®) Credit Card from American Express, which earns you extra rewards on purchases, is now packed with even greater value. Today, American Express (NYSE:AXP) and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) announced new benefits to the SPG Credit Card that will deliver more ease and convenience to Card Members.

“The SPG Credit Card by American Express connects our members to a world of rich rewards, allowing Card Members to accelerate their earnings and achieve elite privileges faster,” said Mark Vondrasek, Senior Vice President, Distribution, Loyalty and Partnership Marketing for Starwood Hotels & Resorts. “We always want to give our members more for their loyalty, and with these new benefits, we're making it even easier for our most valued guests to enjoy their travels in style.”

In addition to the robust suite of existing benefits and a polished new card design, effective August 11, 2015, SPG Card Members will enjoy the following:

  • No Foreign Transaction Fees
    SPG Credit Card Members can now enjoy international travel without foreign transaction fees from American Express when using their Card on purchases abroad. (1)
  • Complimentary, Unlimited Boingo Wi-Fi
    SPG Credit Card Members will enjoy complimentary, unlimited Wi-Fi access when they enroll in the Boingo American Express Preferred Plan. Receive Wi-Fi access on up to four devices to more than 1,000,000 hotspots worldwide and pay no Wi-Fi roaming fees. (2)
  • Complimentary Premium In-Room Internet Access
    SPG Credit Card Members won’t miss a beat while away from family, friends, or the office with complimentary premium in-room internet access at SPG® Participating Hotels. (3)
  • Access to Sheraton Club Lounges for SPG American Express OPEN Card Members
    Card Members with a SPG Business Credit Card feel like VIPs with access to Sheraton Club Lounges, which includes a complimentary daily breakfast, evening selection of premium beverages and hors d’oeuvres, and space for hosting a friend or colleague.(4)

“The SPG Credit Card from American Express has always been a favorite among travel insiders, and the new benefits will deliver even greater value to the ‘always on’ traveler,” said Eva Reda, SVP, Co-brand Partnerships. “We understand what our Card Members want most, and we know the enhanced card will offer the convenience and value they seek.”

American Express and Starwood Hotels & Resorts created the SPG Credit Card to enhance the domestic and international luxury travel experience, for business and pleasure. Existing card benefits include:

  • Earn up to 5 Starpoints for each dollar of eligible purchases at SPG® Participating Hotels (5) – that’s 2 Starpoints for which Card Members may be eligible in addition to the 2 or 3 Starpoints for which they may be eligible as an SPG member. (6) Earn 1 Starpoint for all other purchases. (7)
  • Receive credit for 5 nights and 2 stays toward SPG elite status each year. (8)
  • Upgrade to SPG Gold status after spending $30,000 in eligible purchases on the Card in a calendar year.(9)

With the enhanced product benefits, the new annual fee will increase from $65 to $95 effective August 11, 2015. The first year of Card Membership is free and $95 annually thereafter.

For more information on the Starwood Preferred Guest® (SPG®) Credit Card from American Express, please visit americanexpress.com/newSPGCardbenefits.

About American Express

American Express is a global services company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success. Learn more at americanexpress.com and connect with us on facebook.com/americanexpress, foursquare.com/americanexpresslinkedin.com/company/american-express, twitter.com/americanexpress, and youtube.com/americanexpress.

Key links to products and services: charge and credit cards, business credit cards, Plenti rewards program, travel services, gift cards, prepaid cards, merchant services, corporate card and business travel.

About Starwood Preferred Guest

Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG®) is an innovative, award-winning frequent traveler program that unites each of Starwood’s 9 distinctive hotel brands and includes more luxury hotels in more destinations around the world. SPG reinvented the hospitality loyalty landscape when it launched in 1999 with its breakthrough policy of no blackout dates, and over the years has continued its tradition of innovation with enhancements such as Cash + Points, SPG MomentsSM, and most recently Your24™ and SPG Lifetime™. In addition to Free Night Awards at more than 1,200 hotels and resorts and Award Flights on over 350 major airlines without blackout dates, the Starpoints® that members earn through SPG can be redeemed for access like no other to experiences in music, sports and the arts through SPG Moments. SPG offers the opportunity for meeting and travel professionals to earn rich rewards including Starpoints and elite status through SPG Pro. SPG also has an ongoing commitment to digital innovation to meet the needs of today’s connected global traveler – from the SPG app for iPhone that utilizes state-aware technology to create a more personalized hotel stay to Starwood’s Best Rate Guarantee on SPG.com, to SPG’s integration within various social media platforms. Offerings such as these have helped SPG build a passionate member base among the world’s most frequent travelers. Learn more at spg.com, spg.com/pro and spg.com/moments and connect with us on facebook.com/spg, twitter.com/spg, foursquare.com/spg, pinterest.com/spglife, and youtube.com/spg.

 

Terms and Conditions

Foreign Transaction Fee:

(1)   American Express will not charge any foreign transaction fee on the purchases you make outside of the United States with your Card. However, there may be circumstances where ATMs or merchants charge a fee on foreign transactions.
 

Boingo:

 
(2)

Complimentary access to Boingo Wi-Fi is being provided as a benefit to Card Members with eligible Cards. In order to access the benefit, Card Members with eligible Cards must first be authenticated and create a Boingo American Express Preferred Plan (or, the “AXP Plan”) account. Internet access may be required in order to be authenticated and create an account. For questions on eligibility, call the number on the back of your Card. If you submit your American Express Card number to Boingo to verify that your Card is eligible for this benefit, Boingo will send your Card number to American Express. Upon receipt of your Card number from Boingo, American Express will provide confirmation of your Card’s eligibility for the American Express Preferred Plan to Boingo. Boingo will not store or use your Card number for any other purpose. Boingo’s use of this information is subject to its privacy policy. If you have an existing paid Boingo subscription plan, your existing plan will not be automatically cancelled when you enroll in the AXP Plan. If you would like to cancel any existing paid subscription plan, call Boingo’s dedicated AXP Plan line. The AXP Plan only provides access to land-based Wi-Fi services and does not include in-flight Wi-Fi. Available hotspots in Boingo’s network, including those managed and operated by Boingo and its partners (“Boingo’s Network”) are subject to change at any time. Visit http://Wi-Fi.boingo.com to locate hotspots. Your use of Boingo’s Wi-Fi services is subject to Boingo’s End User License Agreement and Customer Agreement and other applicable terms and conditions, including Boingo’s privacy and security policies, available at www.boingo.com. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in Boingo’s terms and conditions, American Express Card Members with eligible Cards (i) will not be charged for enrollment in the AXP Plan, and (ii) will be permitted to connect no more than four devices to Boingo’s Network per month. Simultaneous use of devices with a single account is limited to a hotspot. By subscribing for this benefit, you acknowledge that American Express is not responsible for and does not guarantee the quality, security, coverage or availability of Boingo’s Network or the free Wi-Fi hotspots accessed through the Wi-Finder App. You agree that use of Wi-Fi accessed through Boingo is at your own risk. Use of the AXP Plan is limited to authorized Card Members only. This benefit is non-transferable, it is your responsibility to ensure that no one else has access to your account details. Your account may be terminated for breach of any terms or conditions or for abuse of your AXP Plan account. From time to time, Boingo may request that you re-authenticate your Boingo American Express Preferred Plan account in order to confirm that you are still a Card Member with an eligible Card. You can receive alerts and connect seamlessly to Boingo by downloading the Wi-Finder App to your laptop, tablet and mobile devices. This benefit is subject to change or cancellation without notice.

 

Free wifi:

 
(3)

For Basic Card Members only on Starpoint Eligible Rate reservations at SPG Participating Hotels. Exclusions of Starpoint Eligible Rate reservations might include rooms booked through a group rate as part of an event and the SPG Member does not directly pay the SPG Participating Hotel for such room; through a tour operator; or through an online travel channel or third party channel (such as expedia.com, hotwire.com, priceline.com, orbitz.com, booking.com, Travelocity.com, ctrip.com, or elong.com.) A full description of Starpoint Eligible Rates and SPG Participating Hotels can be found at www.spg.com/terms. The SPG Member account number must be provided at the time of reservation and/or check-in. Premium Internet access is limited to one room per eligible Card Member per Stay regardless of how many rooms have been reserved. No incremental benefit will be provided at SPG® Participating Hotels that offer complimentary in-room Internet access to all guests. SPG Participating Hotels that have mandatory resort charges that include Internet access will provide a replacement benefit, to be determined at each SPG Participating Hotel’s discretion.

 

Sheraton Lounge:

 
(4)

Available at select Sheraton Hotels® & Resorts for the duration of a Card Member’s stay. Visit www.sheratonclubroom.com/find for a full listing of Sheraton® Club properties. This benefit is for Basic Card Members only on Starpoint Eligible Rate reservations. Exclusions of Starpoint Eligible Rate reservations might include rooms booked through a group rate as part of an event and the SPG Member does not directly pay the SPG Participating Hotel for such room; tour operator; or online travel channel or third party channel, such as expedia.com, hotwire.com, priceline.com, orbitz.com, booking.com, Travelocity.com, ctrip.com, or elong.com. A full description of Starpoint Eligible Rates can be found at www.spg.com/terms. Sheraton Club lounge access is limited to the eligible Card Member and a guest staying in the same room for the duration of the stay, regardless of how many rooms have been reserved.

 

Earn up to 5X Terms:

 
(5) Starpoints are awarded by American Express as part of the Card’s reward program and by Starwood through the Starwood Preferred Guest Program. Because the program terms differ, there may be instances where you receive Starpoints under one program but not the other.
 
(6) Starpoints awarded by American Express. You will receive two Starpoints® from American Express for each US dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express when charged directly with participating Starwood properties, standalone Starwood retail establishments, and Starwood online stores that, in each case, are wholly owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc, and its affiliates.
 

 

Star points awarded by Starwood. You will receive two Starpoints (or three Starpoints if you have Starwood Preferred Guest® elite status) from Starwood for each US dollar of eligible charges under the Starwood Preferred Guest Program. Starwood associates do not receive any additional Starpoints as a Starwood Preferred Guest member for hotel stays and purchases. For information about earning Starpoints through the Starwood Preferred Guest Program, please see the SPG Terms and Conditions at spg.com/terms.

 
(7) Eligible Purchases means purchases for goods and services minus returns and other credits. Eligible purchases do NOT include fees or interest charges, balance transfers, cash advances, purchases of travelers checks, purchases or reloading of prepaid cards, or purchases of other cash equivalents. Additional terms and restrictions apply. Starpoints received from your Card will be posted to your SPG account up to 12 weeks after the end of each month. To be eligible to receive Starpoints, Card Member’s account must not be cancelled or in default at the time of bonus fulfillment.
 

 

Merchants are assigned codes based on what they primarily sell. A purchase will not earn additional points if the merchant’s code is not eligible. Purchases made through a third-party payment account or on an online marketplace (with multiple retailers) will not earn additional points. A purchase may not earn additional points if the merchant submits the purchase using a mobile or wireless card reader or if you use a mobile or digital wallet.

 

5 Night/2 Stay Credit Terms

 
(8) Upon opening your Card Account and, by February 15th of each subsequent calendar year it is open, you will receive from Starwood credit for 2 stays and 5 nights towards your Starwood Preferred Guest elite status. This benefit is limited to one annual credit per Starwood Preferred Guest account. To receive this benefit, your Card account must be linked to a SPG Member account in your name. You will not receive additional 2 stay or 5 night Elite status credits if you have multiple personal Card Accounts or supplemental Cards. Credits and status are subject to the Terms and Conditions of the SPG program.
 

30K Gold Status Terms

 
(9) If during any calendar year, Eligible Purchases on your Card account are $30,000 or more, you (the Basic Card Member) will be enrolled for at least twelve months in the Gold Preferred level of the Starwood Preferred Guest® loyalty program (unless you are already enrolled in an equivalent or higher level). Starwood associates excluded. Please allow 12-16 weeks after your Eligible Purchases equal or exceed such amount for the applicable year for enrollment to become effective.
 
Eligible Purchases means purchases for goods and services minus returns and other credits. Eligible purchases do NOT include fees or interest charges, balance transfers, cash advances, purchases of travelers checks, purchases or reloading of prepaid cards, or purchases of other cash equivalents. Additional terms and restrictions apply.

Contacts

Amex:
William D Tsang
212.640.0933
william.d.tsang@aexp.com
or
Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Maire P. Griffin
347.931.4186
maire.griffin@starwoodhotels.com

Contacts

Amex:
William D Tsang
212.640.0933
william.d.tsang@aexp.com
or
Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Maire P. Griffin
347.931.4186
maire.griffin@starwoodhotels.com