Eligibility Rules for New Marriott & SPG Cards Hit Aug 26

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Despite the fact that Marriott and the Starwood Preferred Guest programs are merging into one unified loyalty program on August 18, both Marriott and SPG credit cards will continue to be issued for the time being, by Chase and Amex respectively. Both banks have published new terms for all current (and future) Marriott-family credit cards that define who is and isn’t eligible for sign up bonuses, as of August 26.

Why These New Rules are Different

Sign up bonus rules are not new to the miles and points community. Half the battle these days is making sure you are eligible for a card before applying for it…it’s one reason why I offer Free Credit Card Consultations, so you don’t have to keep up with these constantly evolving restrictions.

What’s unique about the latest rules is that their enforcement requires the sharing of information between two separate issuing banks: Amex and Chase. I’ve never seen that happen. They apparently won’t be directly sharing data with each other to determine who’s eligible–Marriott is supposed to bridge that gap–but the result is the same.

While the future of Marriott is a bit unique for a loyalty program as it will have two banks issuing its co-branded credit cards, it won’t be the only time we’ve seen that happen. Barclays and Citi both issue American Airlines AAdvantage cards, and the rules regarding eligibility for those cards’ sign up bonuses are bank-specific (i.e. getting a Barclaycard AAdvantage Aviator has no effect on your eligibility for a Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select MasterCard nor vice versa).

I’ll review all the available/soon-to-be available Marriott-family cards, then cover the impending eligibility stipulations for each.

The Cards

The chart below details the cards offered by Marriott and Starwood Preferred Guest right now and their current sign up bonuses.

*name changing to Chase Marriott Rewards Premier Plus Business card August 26

Remember that the transfer rate between points in the merged program to airline loyalty program partners will remain the same: 3 points (1 SPG point) to 1 airline mile with a 15k mile bonus for every increment of 60k points transferred. 

Later in the month–likely right around August 26 when these new rules take effect–Amex will introduce the Starwood Preferred Guest Luxury Card. Rumor is that the sign up bonus for the premium $450 a year credit card will be 125,00 bonus points for spending $5,000 within three months. Both the $95 a year SPG cards are also rumored to be coming out with matching increased sign up bonuses: 75,000 bonus points for spending $3,000 in three months. All of those bonuses are lucrative and appealing, but before jumping on applications, read the new rules below to avoid the sad fate of spending for a bonus you’re not going to earn.

New Sign Up Bonus Rules Effective 8/26

Be sure to consider the following new eligibility rules before applying for any of these cards on or after August 26. Otherwise, apply before August 26 if you want one you won’t be eligible for as of that date.

Chase Marriott Rewards Premier Plus 

If you have or have had the SPG card (consumer version) in the last 30 days, you are  ineligible for the bonus on the Marriott Rewards Premier Plus.

If you have opened, gotten a welcome offer, or gotten an upgrade bonus in the last 90 days for any of the cards listed below, you are also ineligible for the Marriott Rewards Premier Plus.

• Starwood Preferred Guest Amex Luxury Card
• Starwood Preferred Guest Business Credit Card from Amex

Existing Bonus Eligibility Rules

• If you have opened 5+ credit card accounts with any bank (not counting business cards except for those issued by Capital One) in the last 24 months, you will be denied for this card (5/24 rule does apply).
• You can only get the bonus on the same Chase card once every 24 months. This 24 month clock starts when you got the last bonus (which may be several months after you got the card).

Chase Marriott Rewards Premier Plus Business 

If you have or have had the SPG card (consumer version) in the last 30 days, you aren’t eligible for the bonus on the Marriott Rewards Premier Plus.

If you have opened, gotten a welcome offer, or gotten an upgrade bonus in the last 90 days for any of the cards listed below, you are also not eligible for the Marriott Rewards Premier Plus Business.

• Starwood Preferred Guest Amex Luxury Card
• Starwood Preferred Guest Business Credit Card from Amex

Existing Bonus Eligibility Rules

• 5/24 rule does not currently apply.
• You can only get the bonus on the same Chase card once every 24 months. This 24 month clock starts when you got the last bonus.

Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express

If you have or have had any of the cards listed below in the last 30 days, you are not eligible for the SPG card bonus.

• Chase Marriott Rewards Premier Plus
• Chase Marriott Rewards Premier (the old $85/year version of the Premier Plus)
• Chase Marriott Rewards (the old $45/year card)
• Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card (the old $450/year card)

Existing Bonus Eligibility Rules

• Once-in-a-(seven year)lifetime bonus rule applies as this is an already existing product. If you haven’t had the SPG consumer Amex card in the last seven years, then you can probably get the bonus again.
• You are limited to holding four to five American Express credit cards. Both personal and business count toward this limit. This card is a credit card, not a charge card (you are also limited to how many charge cards you hold, but separately from credit cards).

Starwood Preferred Guest Business Credit Card from American Express

If you have or have had any of the cards listed below in the last 30 days, you are not eligible for the SPG Business card bonus.

• Chase Marriott Rewards Premier Business
• Chase Marriott Rewards Business (the old $45/year card)

If you opened any of the following cards in the last 90 days, you are not eligible for the SPG business card’s bonus.

• Chase Marriott Rewards Premier Plus
• Chase Marriott Rewards Premier (the old $85/year version of the Premier Plus)

If you have gotten a welcome offer from either of those cards listed above in the last 24 months, you are also not eligible for the SPG business card bonus.

Existing Bonus Eligibility Rules

Once-in-a-(seven year)lifetime bonus rule applies as this is an already existing product. If you haven’t had the SPG consumer Amex card in the last seven years, then you can probably get the bonus again.

You are limited to holding four to five American Express credit cards. Both personal and business count toward this limit. This card is a credit card, not a charge card (you are also limited to how many charge cards you hold, but separately from credit cards).

Starwood Preferred Guest American Express Luxury Card

If you have or have had a Ritz-Carlton Rewards Card in the last 30 days, you are not eligible for the SPG Luxury card bonus.

If you opened any of the following cards in the last 90 days, you are not eligible for the SPG Luxury Card’s bonus.

• Chase Marriott Rewards Premier Plus
• Chase Marriott Rewards Premier (the old $85/year version of the Premier Plus)
• Chase Marriott Rewards Premier Business

If you have gotten a welcome or upgrade offer on any of those cards listed above in the last 24 months, you are also not eligible for the SPG Luxury Card bonus.

Existing Bonus Eligibility Rules

Since this card will be a brand new product as of ~August 26, the once-in-a-lifetime bonus rule will not apply to any applicants.

You are limited to holding four to five American Express credit cards. Both personal and business count toward this limit. This card will be a credit card, not a charge card (you are also limited on how many charge cards you hold, but separately from credit cards).

Would it be wise to apply for any of these cards before August 26?

The answer to this questions is very much going to depend on your specific circumstance and what you would like to be eligible for in the future.

A generality that will apply to many though is the appeal of the SPG Luxury Card’s big 125k bonus (which is not 100% confirmed but likely). If you can justify the $450 annual fee easily (e.g. if you know you will spend $300 at an SPG or Marriott property anyways, as a $300 statement credit will be a benefit), then don’t open the Chase Marriott Rewards Premier Plus nor the Chase Marriott Rewards Premier Business if you are otherwise eligible for the Luxury Card. The bonus for the Luxury Card will likely be much better than the $95 a year SPG cards’ future bonuses.

Bottom Line

The merger of SPG and Marriott will bring exciting new sign up bonuses. Unfortunately it will also link communication between American Express and Chase via Marriott, who will both be issuing Marriott-family credit cards, for the purpose of determining eligibility for  those Marriott-family credit card sign up bonuses.

Be careful which Marriott and SPG credit cards you apply for in the near future. Get a Free Credit Card Consultation if you’re not quite sure of your best move.

Thoughts? Plans?

Hat tip View from the Wing