Canadian SPG Amex * 10,000 pts + first year FEE-FREE

[JWL]

NEW OFFER: 10,000 bonus points + no fee for the first year. LINK
If that link doesn't work then: copy/paste the following URL and add "www." to the beginning: americanexpress.com/canada/en/spg_cons_fyf_10_en.shtml
Use Enter RSVP Code 10000. You have to spend $1000 in the first 3 months. Supplementary cards are still $50 each.

Here are the card terms and features (full terms here):

Card Benefits

• the $120 annual fee ($50 supplementary card fee)
• Earn 1 Starpoint for every $1 in purchases charged to the Card
• * Receive a Free Weekend Night Award when you reach $40,000 in purchases each year
• Earn Starwood Gold Preferred Guest status when you reach $30,000 in purchases each year
• Front Of The Line - Access tickets for some of the most popular concerts, theatres,shows and special events5
• Annual fee of $120. Supplementary Cards are $50
• You have the flexibility to pay balances in full or over time
• Annual interest rate is 19.99%.

Travel and Purchase Protection features:

• Travel Emergency Assistance: Provides out-of-town emergency medical and legal referrals by telephone, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  
• $500,000 Travel Accident Insurance: Up to $500,000 of Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance covers you, your spouse and dependent children under the age of 23 when any of you travel on a common carrier (plane, train, bus or ship) and charge your tickets to your Card. Supplementary Cardmembers, their spouses and dependent children under age 23 are also covered.
  
• Complimentary Car Rental Theft and Damage Insurance†: Save money when traveling with complimentary Car Rental Theft and Damage Insurance. Where allowed by law, you will be automatically covered for damage or theft of your rental car with an MSRP of up to $85,000. To take advantage of this protection, simply decline the decline the Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) or similar option offered by the car rental company, and fully charge your rental to your Card. There's no additional charge for this coverage, and you save yourself the daily insurance fee (usually $16 to $23 per day) charged by the car rental company.
  
• Flight Delay Insurance: Charge your airline ticket to your Card, and receive up to $500 coverage (aggregate maximum with Baggage Delay Insurance) for hotel, motel, restaurant expenses and other sundry items
  
• Baggage Delay Insurance: Book a flight with your Card and receive up to $500 coverage (aggregate maximum with Flight Delay Insurance) for reasonable and necessary emergency purchases.
  
• Lost or Stolen Baggage Insurance: When you fully charge your airline tickets to your Card, you can receive up to $500 coverage for loss or damage to your luggage or personal effects while in transit.
  
• Hotel/Motel Burglary Insurance: Automatic coverage of up to $500 against the loss of most personal items (excluding cash) if your hotel or motel room is burglarized. Coverage is in effect as long as you have fully booked and paid for your accommodations with your Card.
  
• Buyer's Assurance® Protection Plan: Automatically doubles the manufacturer's original warranty up to one additional year when you charge the full price to your Card.
  
• Purchase Protection® Plan: Automatically, without registration, insures your eligible purchases against accidental physical damage and theft.

Starwood Preferred Guest program

• Experience nine distinct brands including St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, W Hotels, Le Méridien, Westin, Sheraton, Aloft, Element, and Four Points by Sheraton
• Redeem Starpoints®* for Free Nights with no blackout dates6 at over 940 hotels of the world’s most extraordinary hotels in 93 countries
• Redeem Starpoints for flights with no blackout dates on more than 350 airlines7
• Experience once-in-a-lifetime events with SPG Moments®*
• Learn more here

To compare to other "premium" cards, check this thread out

[brunes]

Most important question - what are they serving you guys for dinner? LOL

Also JWL I would like a report back on how long najibs' tongue actually is. Bring a measuring tape.

[crimsondr]

I plan on doing a lot of travelling in the years to come. If this can beat the Amex 2%, that'll be great v

[JWL]

Most important question - what are they serving you guys for dinner? LOL

Also JWL I would like a report back on how long najibs' tongue actually is. Bring a measuring tape.

Apparently it is a special menu prepared by the executive chef.

My hope is that I never find out about your second question.

By the way, the view of Nathan Phillips Square from my suite is awesome. Complimentary cheese, crackers and wine just arrived. This is cool.

[darkness_falls]

Sounds good JWL. Thanks for this.

Didn't they already announce that the entry offer would be 10,000 SPG points if we spend $1,000 in the first 3 months?

[darkness_falls]

I.e. this: http://www.spgpromos.com/canada_creditcard/


* Receive 10,000 bonus Starpoints® — enough for up to three free nights2
* Earn 1 Starpoint for every CDN$1 in purchases charged to the Card3 — that's in addition to the Starpoints you already earn at Starwood Preferred Guest hotels as an SPG member
* Enjoy a Free Weekend Night Award after you spend CDN$40,000 on the Card annually4
* Earn Gold Preferred Guest status after you spend CDN$30,000 on the Card annually5
* CDN$120 annual fee*

[yyzvoyageur]

* CDN$120 annual fee*

Ridiculous. It should be the same as the US version.

[darkness_falls]

Ridiculous. It should be the same as the US version.

Yup awful ... and not even the 1st year free.

[cko64]

No mention that the 1st year is free. Also, $120/year fee is high as compare to the US version. Other than that, I like 1:1 spending ration, Gold status with $30,000 spending & free weekend night with $40,000 spending. Maybe that will be enough to offset the $120 annual fee.

What about renewal? Any bonus SPG points on renewal?

[JWL]

I.e. this: http://www.spgpromos.com/canada_creditcard/


* Receive 10,000 bonus Starpoints® — enough for up to three free nights2
* Earn 1 Starpoint for every CDN$1 in purchases charged to the Card3 — that's in addition to the Starpoints you already earn at Starwood Preferred Guest hotels as an SPG member
* Enjoy a Free Weekend Night Award after you spend CDN$40,000 on the Card annually4
* Earn Gold Preferred Guest status after you spend CDN$30,000 on the Card annually5
* CDN$120 annual fee*

LOL. Joykill. Just got back from the festivities.

Those are the details that we learned tonight (while treating us REALLY well).

That is what we learned tonight. An email will be coming out tomorrow with the rest of the details. [EDIT: This was a misunderstanding. The email that had the details noted above was the extent of the details that are to be disclosed at this point] So Najibs and I were shown a great time, but those were the details they disclosed to us.

The are positioning this card as a competitor to CIBC Aeroplan and Royal Bank Avion. I think it holds up for the annual fee since it essentially offers 1.25 times the benefits of those cards at a similar price.

Yup awful ... and not even the 1st year free.

These aren't all the details. I asked the AMEX rep about whether the first year was free and he was coy. We'll have to wait a bit longer for all the details before drawing conclusions.

While Amex and SPG were very kind to those in attendance, they are treating those interested in the card pretty equally by providing the same details online when we got them and providing the real details to everyone tomorrow morning.

[matdwyer]

I.e. this: http://www.spgpromos.com/canada_creditcard/


* Receive 10,000 bonus Starpoints® — enough for up to three free nights2
* Earn 1 Starpoint for every CDN$1 in purchases charged to the Card3 — that's in addition to the Starpoints you already earn at Starwood Preferred Guest hotels as an SPG member
* Enjoy a Free Weekend Night Award after you spend CDN$40,000 on the Card annually4
* Earn Gold Preferred Guest status after you spend CDN$30,000 on the Card annually5
* CDN$120 annual fee*

Innnnteresting.

Free weekend night is interesting, up to a cat. 4 it says. In canada that means:

Trillium Blue Mountain
Westin Calgary
W Montreal
Westin Montreal
Sheraton On the falls
sheraton fallsview
Westin Ottawa
Sheraton Ottawa
Le Meridien King Edward
Westin Bayshore
Westin Grand
Westin Bear Mountain
Misc others

(or cat 3)
Westin Harbour Castle, Sheraton Center, Misc others

There is some pretty good places in there, a random check of weekend pricing for the hotel @ blue gives me $209 per night - so if your going to spend 40k then it seems OK. 40k on one card would be pushing it for me I think, but we'll see how it goes.

$120 annual fee isn't optimal - I don't stay a super amount but gold status would be nice for when I do.

[darkness_falls]

The are positioning this card as a competitor to CIBC Aeroplan and Royal Bank Avion. I think it holds up for the annual fee since it essentially offers 1.25 times the benefits of those cards at a similar price.

Tough call here 1.5x on Avion with the BA Miles Transfer vs. 1.25x on a hell of a lot more airlines or the hotel rewards. Counterbalanced by the places that don't take Amex though.

While Amex and SPG were very kind to those in attendance, they are treating those interested in the card pretty equally by providing the same details online when we got them and providing the real details to everyone tomorrow morning.

Hopefully we get good news on this front

We'll see when all the details come out tomorrow morning.

Always true that it's good to wait.

[JWL]

Also JWL I would like a report back on how long najibs' tongue actually is. Bring a measuring tape.

Najibs is a very cool guy. He did his best to get answers on all the questions, but the Amex crew was pretty tight lipped, saying everyone would get the details tomorrow. His picture doesn't do him justice, but he says it is tradition since he has had it there since day 1.

Amusing point: they actually were scheduling the night around Canada's Olympic hockey games. They were providing score updates throughout the dinner! It was kinda funny.

[PwA]

If there is no first year free then I think I am going to go with the Aerogold.

I wont reach $30k in spending and I fly enough on that the extra aeroplan miles will be worth it.

Will have to do some precise calculations but that's what I figure..

[harken]

Very interesting - the free week-end stay at 40k certainly makes the high fee more digestible. If the bonuses come regularly, I think I will be inclined to suck it up, though I am sad to see my MBNA card die nonetheless.