Starwood Preferred Guest AmEx Review: Five-Star Perks … When It Was Available

The points are versatile

There's no shortage of redemption possibilities when cashing in points earned on the Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express.

That's thanks in part to Marriott International's acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide in 2016, which gave members of both loyalty programs access to a gargantuan portfolio of properties, starting for at as little as 6,000 points a night. And if nothing in that collection strikes your fancy, you can always transfer your points to one of several airline partners at a 3:1 ratio (3 points for 1 airline mile) or take advantage of other redemption options.

The card comes with rich rewards

The Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express comes with a welcome bonus that dazzles: Earn 75,000 Bonus Points after you use your new Card to make $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. Terms Apply. That’s worth $750 when redeemed for hotel stays, based on NerdWallet valuations — enough to squeeze several nights out of the hotel network's most affordable rooms.

The ongoing rewards are also quite generous, particularly for spending on eligible purchases at participating Marriott and Starwood hotels. You'll get points:

• From the card: 6 points per dollar spent on these qualifying purchases.

• From the loyalty program: 5 to 10 points per dollar spent at eligible properties, as well as a 10% bonus from your Silver Elite status (which comes with the card).

All told, that could add up to a gobsmacking effective rewards rate of 17% back on eligible hotel purchases.

Free night benefit is incredibly valuable

This card’s free night benefit, which is good for eligible stays that would otherwise cost up to 35,000 points, can handily make up for its annual fee of $0 for the first year, then $95.

Suppose you were to redeem that benefit for a room that would have otherwise cost you $200. By doing that alone, you’d already come out ahead of the annual fee in rewards by $105 after the first year — even before spending a penny on the card. This perk is awarded every year after your card account anniversary.

» MORE: SPG card vs. Marriott Rewards Premier Plus: How they compare

Silver Elite status is a nice plus

This card comes with automatic Silver Elite status, which unlocks some useful benefits. Among them:

• Priority late checkout.

• 10% bonus on Marriott Rewards points.

• Free Wi-Fi.

• Compensation for a hotel stay if Marriott can’t honor your reservation.

• Dedicated phone lines for reservations.

More limited acceptance overseas

Thanks to the combination of the SPG and Marriott programs, the Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express and the Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Credit Card are somewhat similar cards. But a few major factors set them apart:

• Annual fee. The Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express has an annual fee of $0 for the first year, then $95, while the Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Credit Card has an annual fee of $95 (not waived the first year).

• Welcome offers: The Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express has the following welcome offer: Earn 75,000 Bonus Points after you use your new Card to make $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. Terms Apply. The Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Credit Card has a different offer: Earn 75,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

• Acceptance. The Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express is an AmEx card, while the Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Credit Card is a Visa.

For many, that first point — the waived annual fee — is what makes the Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express a more attractive choice. But because Visa is more broadly accepted than American Express, especially overseas, the Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Credit Card might be more appealing for some.

Relative inflexibility

You’d be hard-pressed to find a co-branded hotel credit card that offers more redemption options than the ones in the Marriott and SPG portfolios. But if you’re looking for another level of flexibility, consider a general travel credit card, like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers 2 miles per dollar spent on purchases, which can be redeemed for a wide array of travel purchases, such as hotels and Airbnbs, for example. The annual fee is $95, and it comes with a nice sign-up bonus: Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel. The primary downside: This card doesn’t come with perks typical on a co-branded hotel card, such as a free night benefit or automatic elite status.