Updated on November 25, 2019

SPG American Express Luxury Card 100,000 bonus point offer is now live.

NOTE: This offer has expired and the card is not longer available. The new card is now the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express card.

American Express has launched their new SPG American Express Luxury card offer: 100k bonus points after spending $5k in 3 months. Rumors suggested the bonus might be 125,000 but we have a 100,000 bonus point offer. That's equivalent to 33,333 SPG points if we were to compare to the old SPG Amex bonus offers which ranged from 25k-35k SPG points. There's a large annual fee, $450, but I'll be signing up because it's worth it. And, well, I love SPG/Marriott points and I already have both the personal and business SPG Amex cards, so I'm not eligible for any bonuses from those cards anymore.

Also important is the 3 day “loophole”. Effective 8/26/18, anyone who has the Ritz-Carlton card or 1 of many Marriott cards will not eligible for this bonus. So, anyone who has these cards must sign up before 8/26/18 to qualify for the bonus. More on that below.

How To Sign Up

• Link to signup (75k Bonus for Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card)
• Link to signup (75k Bonus for Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card)
• Expires 10/31/18

Offer Details

• Annual Fee $450
• 100k bonus points after spending $5k in 3 months
• $300 SPG/Marriott Rewards Statement Credit (If you spend at least $300 at SPG Marriott hotels like me, you've got most of your annual fee covered). You'll get $300 credit to use when you open the card and every cardmember anniversary (so you can't double dip like other credits in the past)
• Free Night Award (up to 50k points) – Per the terms, you will get the free night 8-12 weeks after the anniversary of your account and the account will still need to be open at the time. That means you pay the $450 fee a 2nd time.
• Gold Elite Status – Gold status gives you 2pm late checkout + “enhanced” internet + some other small stuff
• 15 Elite Night Credit – This will be a big help to get to the 50 nights required for Platinum Status. Starting 2019, you'll get a max of 15 nights, so it won't stack with your other SPG Amex cards elite stay benefit as it did before

More perks

• Extended Warranty – they will match the existing warranty up to 2 years for purchases (this is similar to other Amex cards now, but better than many non-Amex cards)
• 6x/3x/2x points – 6x points for each dollar spent at SPG/Marriott properties, 3x for airfare, US restaurants
• American Express Presale tickets – I don't buy a lot of event tickets so I dont find this super valuable
• Fee Credit for Global Entry (worth $100) or TSA Pre✓ (worth $85)
• No foreign transaction fees
• Platinum Elite Status Upgrade – if you're a really big spender and spend $75k in any calendar year you'll get Platinum Status
• Premium Roadside Assistance – use it up to 4x per year up to 10 miles for free
• Priority Pass Select – free lounge for you + 2 guests
• Boingo American Express Preferred Plan – Unlimited Wifi at 1 million Boingo hotspots

Are you Eligible?

The 2nd bullet below is the “loophole”. If you have any of the cards mentioned, you'll need to apply BEFORE 8/26/18. After that, you are not eligible for this bonus.

• Welcome offer not available to applicants who have or have had this Card. We may also consider the number of American Express Cards you have opened and closed as well as other factors in making a decision on your welcome offer eligibility.
• Effective 8/26, welcome offer not available to applicants who (i) have or have had The Ritz-Carlton Rewards®Credit Card from JP Morgan in the last 30 days, (ii) have acquired The Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Credit Card from Chase, The Marriott Rewards® Premier Credit Card from Chase, or The Marriott Rewards®Premier Business Credit Card from Chase in the last 90 days, or (iii) received a welcome or upgrade offer for The Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Credit Card from Chase, The Marriott Rewards® Premier Credit Card from Chase, or The Marriott Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card from Chase in the last 24 months.

Should You Sign Up?

This is a large annual fee ($450) so you should make sure it makes sense. For SPG lovers like myself, this makes sense. After the $300 credit, this is like a $150 fee and am adding 100k points to my balance plus the 15 nights elite stay credit. If you have the SPG biz and personal cards this is your only option to get a lot of points. If you don't plan to use up the full $300 credit or use the 15 night elite credit, this offer loses it's appeal.

Are you going to apply?