Hotel Loyalty 2013-Q1 promotions Starwood Hotels Starwood Preferred Guest

SPG Power Up: Earn 4K every 4 nights Jan 15-April 15

Starwood Preferred Guest Power Up promotion begins today for hotel stays through April 15, 2013. The bonus points offer is 2,000 points every 4 nights, up to 8,000 points for 16 nights during the promotion period. Stay 20 nights and the final bonus is 10,000 points for reaching the 20 night threshold.

SPG Promotion registration is required by February 28, 2013. Eligible stays completed prior to registration will receive bonus points credit retroactively.

  • 4 nights = 2,000 bonus points
  • 8 nights – 2,000 bonus points (4,000 total)
  • 12 nights = 2,000 bonus points (6,000 total)
  • 16 nights = 2,000 bonus points (8,000 total)
  • 20 nights = 10,000 bonus points (18,000 total)

The SPG Power Up promotion offers a decent stay bonus for members with stays of 2-nights or more. 2,000 bonus points on a 4-night stay is the equivalent of earning double points on a $1,000 stay or triple points on a $500 stay. Double and triple points were 2012 SPG promotions. The Power Up bonus is not so good if you are spending $300 per night on an extended stay. And the bonus of 500 points per night on average is not that appealing for guests with one-night stays.

Staying 20 nights in three months is a high hurdle and places members on the 75+ nights track for the year. I am sure that is the travel pattern SPG would like to see from its members, however, that hurdle will knock out 99% of SPG members from getting any more than 2,000 bonus points per 4 nights.

A promotion for 500 bonus points per night is not much incentive for the casual traveler staying with Starwood Hotels this quarter. Unless you are truly dedicated to the Starwood brand you might consider more lucrative offers like HHonors double points or double miles (Jan 7-March 31), Club Carlson triple points (Jan 8-March 15) and Marriott Rewards MegaBonus for a free category 1-4 hotel certificate for every 2 stays (Feb 1-April 30).

I can’t help but think that Starwood Preferred Guest and Hyatt Gold Passport are banking their year on upper upscale market frequent guest business travelers and scaling back on points opportunities for the budget-minded leisure travelers and infrequent guests. Perhaps Hyatt will launch a new promotion soon to change my mind.

The best aspect of the SPG Power Up promotion is there is no list of nonparticipating hotel properties. All Starwood Hotels that normally participate in SPG appear to be eligible for this bonus points offer.

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SPG Power Up promotion Jan 15-April 15, 2013.

 

Ric Garrido, writer and owner of Loyalty Traveler, shares news and views on hotels, hotel loyalty programs and vacation destinations for frequent guests. You can follow Loyalty Traveler on Twitter and Facebook and RSS feed.

1 Comment

  • David January 15, 2013

    If I could find a decent BRG within driving distance, this would be nice to combine with my gf’s Bonus Beginnings offer (3 stays, 12K SPG pts).

    For 4 $80 stays.
    Gold + SPG AX earn: 80*5*4=1600
    Bonus Beginnings: 12000
    Power Up: 2000
    BRG: 8000
    Total: 23600, maybe a little more w/ Gold amenity.

    Now, to find a decent BRG, the usual Sunnyvale/Pleasanton suspects appear to be fairly low on spg.com.

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