50% Bonus When You Transfer American Express Membership Rewards Points to Starwood (Targeted)

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Via One Mile at a Time, you can get a 50% bonus when you transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to Starwood through November 30, 2014.  This offer appears to be targeted for Platinum and Centurion card holders.

50% Bonus on Transferred American Express Membership Rewards Points to Starwood

You get a 50% bonus when you transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to Starwood by November 30, 2014.  But only targeted Platinum and Centurion card holders can get the bonus.

You earn American Express Membership Rewards points with these cards:

Normally, American Express Membership Rewards points transfer to Starwood points at a ratio of 3:1.  But with the 50% percent bonus, you’re getting a ratio of 2:1.

So if you transfer 40,000 American Express Membership Rewards points with the 50% bonus you get 20,000 Starwood points (which gives you 25,000 airline miles when transferred to certain airlines).

While it’s a better transfer ratio than normal, it’s not that great of a deal.  That’s because you can transfer American Express Membership Rewards on a 1:1 ratio to certain airlines.  And you can earn Starwood points from the personal, Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express and business, Starwood Preferred Guest Business Credit Card from American Express

So I wouldn’t transfer American Express Membership Rewards points unless you’re short on redeeming an award.

Note:  Points transfers can NOT be reversed.

How to Use Starwood Points

Link:   Redeem Starwood Points

Link:   Starwood hotel redemptions

Link:   My series on How to Use Starwood points

You can use your Starwood points to stay at Starwood hotels:

• Aloft
• Element hotels
• Four Points by Sheraton
• Sheraton
• Le Meridien
• St. Regis
• The Luxury Collection
• W hotels

You can transfer 80,000 American Express Membership Rewards points with the 50% bonus  to get 40,000 Starwood points.

You’ll pay 40,000 Starwood points to stay 2 nights at the Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Kaanapali from March 20, 2015, to March 22, 2015.

Or you could pay ~$922.

 Airlines

Link:   The 9 Best Starwood Airline Transfer Partners

Most folks use their Starwood points for hotel stays, but you can also use your Starwood points for airline tickets.  You get a 5,000 point bonus when you transfer 20,000 Starwood points to certain airlines).

You can transfer 65,000 American Express Membership Rewards points with the 50% bonus to get 32,500 Starwood points.

With the 5,000 point bonus, you get 37, 500 American Airlines miles when transferred to American Airlines miles

You’ll pay 37,500 American Airlines miles to fly 1-way First Class from Austin to Maui.

You would pay ~$1,268 to buy a ticket.

You can transfer 40,000 American Express Membership Rewards points with the 50% bonus to get 20,000 Starwood points.  You get 25,000 American Airlines miles when transferred to American Airlines miles because of the 5,000 point bonus.

You’ll pay 22,500 American Airlines miles to fly 1-way coach from Austin to Maui.

If you bought a ticket, you’d pay ~$576.

Bottom Line

You can get a 50% bonus when you transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to Starwood by November 30, 2014.  But only targeted Platinum and Centurion card holders can get the bonus.

American Express Membership Rewards points normally transfer to Starwood points at a ratio of 3:1.  You’re getting a ratio of 2:1 with the 50% percent bonus, but it’s still not a good deal.

I don’t recommend transferring points, unless you are short on Starwood points for an award stay or if you’re planning an immediate transfer for an airline award ticket.