SPG Power Up Promotion for Q1 2013

Starwood has opened up registration for this winter’s bonus points promotion, which will run from January 15 through April 15, 2013.  You’ll earn 2,000 bonus points after every four nights, up to a maximum of 8,000 points/16 nights.  Should you happen to hit 20 nights, you’ll earn an additional 10,000 points for a total of 18,000 bonus points throughout the promotional period.

To be eligible, you’ll need to register by February 28.  Only points-earning stays will count toward each 4-night threshold (so award stays and/or non-points earnings stays such as bidding on a hotel through Priceline will not count).

As a leisure traveler, I don’t find this promotion particularly amazing.  For one thing, you won’t earn a single bonus point if you stay less than four nights, so anyone only looking for a weekend getaway may do better with a different hotel chain.  Even if you do hit four nights, you’re still only earning a 500-point bonus per night, or about $10 value per night.  While that’s obviously better than standard earnings, it’s possible that shopping around could save you more than $10/night in room rates and/or earn you a better bonus with a different chain of hotels.

This deal is stackable with a current deal for 1,000 bonus points on your first Le Meridien stay in North or Central America or French Polynesia (and 2,000 bonus points for every Le Meridien stay thereafter) which requires registration by January 15 and stays through February 28.

Even if you don’t think you’ll be taking advantage of either promotion, I still recommend registering just in case.  You don’t want to miss out on a few bonus points if your plans end up changing.