SPG Credit Card Any time soon?

[HB7]

I was wondering, does anyone know if we (in Australia) will be getting a credit card in which you can earn direct points to your starwood preferred guest account? I know American Express offer one to American citizens, and it's really annoying that we can't get it here in Oz.

I know that with the American Express Ascent rewards program we can transfer points to our starwood account, but at a transfer rate of 1000:330, its really almost worthless, does anyone agree?

 

[Mal]

Welcome.

Probably not. Australian credit card issuers don't seem to be very creative / the larger global companies think Australia is too small a market or a combination of both.

By all means send a letter to Amex suggesting that they produce such a card here, but I presume it will go into the round filing cabinet by the door.

 

[HB7]

Hi Mal,

Thanks for the quick reply. Very much appreciated. I think I might do that, email AMEX, I guess I have nothing to lose. It would be nice to see a wider variety of airlines/hotel loyalty programs offer Australian citizens direct earn credit cards - maybe some time soon we can get this.

 

[Mal]

It would be nice to see a wider variety of airlines/hotel loyalty programs offer Australian citizens direct earn credit cards - maybe some time soon we can get this.

Indeed it would! The trend has started (eg the Westpac/Singapore Airlines card) and the Macquarie Bank/Hilton Premium Club card, but there doesn't seem to be much happening in the marketplace otherwise.

Of course next week I could be proven quite wrong when someone releases a brand new card! (not that I'm expecting them to).

Another point about the Starwood card is that it's currently only issued in the U.S and U.K I believe. There are other large markets that are missed... so I don't rate Australia getting one as a priority for them.

 

[HB7]

It's a shame that its panned out that way but I agree that we are starting to see things like the Westpac/Singapore Airlines card and the Macquarie Bank/Hilton Premium Club card, and even the Citibank emirates card which i think is fairly new as well.

I wonder if our location, with us being far away from everyone else has anything to do with it. I actually like it that we're so far from most countries, cause this just means more hours spent on the plane when flying internationally!

 

[kpc]

Maybe Starwood Lurker AP can feed this back to his superiors?:idea:

The Australian Frequent Flyer Online Community - View Profile: Starwood Lurker AP

 

[HB7]

Good idea kpc. I'll send him an email. Thanks.

 

[Alanslegal]

IMO Australia is too small of a market, though I'd be extremely tempted to get one if it was offered as I'm a SPG PLT. (And apart my annual stays required) I also wouldn't mind earning extra SPG points through CC spend.

That said, sadly not many ordinary folks in the community know what Starwood or SPG is. I asked a few colleagues, and none knew. I mentioned Sheraton and Westin's and then they nodded and had an idea.

 

[oz_mark]

Indeed it would! The trend has started (eg the Westpac/Singapore Airlines card) and the Macquarie Bank/Hilton Premium Club card, but there doesn't seem to be much happening in the marketplace otherwise.

The Macquarie Bank card would be a lot better if it had actual ties into the HHonors program, but as far as I can see it doesn't, it is simply a mechanism for enrolment into the Premium Club (and one I am leaning toward not renewing)

 

[Mal]

The Macquarie Bank card would be a lot better if it had actual ties into the HHonors program, but as far as I can see it doesn't, it is simply a mechanism for enrolment into the Premium Club (and one I am leaning toward not renewing)

Yeah it is a shame. It's pretty much a missed opportunity for Hilton in Australia, and I can't see myself signing up for the card for the benefits of HPC membership.

 

[dajop]

I too think the market is too small in Australia for companies to bother, and part of the idea behind these things is surely to not only generate revenue by points earning in the specific program (be it SPG or Hiltonhonors or whatever) but also drive loyalty in purchasing to a particular brand (starwood hotels). WIth 9 hotels in 6 locations, there are hardly enough spg hotels in Australia to worry about that either.

 

[greenfrog86]

I too think the market is too small in Australia for companies to bother, and part of the idea behind these things is surely to not only generate revenue by points earning in the specific program (be it SPG or Hiltonhonors or whatever) but also drive loyalty in purchasing to a particular brand (starwood hotels). WIth 9 hotels in 6 locations, there are hardly enough spg hotels in Australia to worry about that either.

As quoted above, the market here is too small - both the Aus CC market and especially the exposure of SPG in Aus. I would hazard a guess that most on these forums who benefit from SPG do so outside Aus...

I think the only realistic way for us to benefit in Aus is through redemptions that are part of a wider loyalty scheme. Its very costly to manage multiple schemes and as such doubt any new ones will be introduced anytime soon.

The WBC KF cards make sense in Aus as a FF alternative to QF (given that there is only one direct earn Virgin Blue card...?) KF makes sense as the program offered given that SIN is a gateway to many places australians may go.

 

[Starwood Lurker AP]

Maybe Starwood Lurker AP can feed this back to his superiors?:idea:

The Australian Frequent Flyer Online Community - View Profile: Starwood Lurker AP

I work rather closely with the colleagues at the SPG marketing department for AP so no problem about forwarding them.

[email protected]

Thyetus Lee | Online Forum Coordinator(AP)
Starwood Customer Contact Centre (AP) Pte Ltd

 

[kpc]

I work rather closely with the colleagues at the SPG marketing department for AP so no problem about forwarding them.

[email protected]

Thyetus Lee | Online Forum Coordinator(AP)
Starwood Customer Contact Centre (AP) Pte Ltd

Hi Thyetus....if there was such a card, I would get one in a flash! thanks for passing the request on.