Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.Many people have reported being targeted for the 100,000 point offer for The Platinum Card from American Express through the CardMatch Tool. Be sure to check for yourself to see what offers are available to you (there is no credit check)! Offer subject at change at any time.TPG Twitter follower Wildcat1 asked:“Now that Amex Platinum gives you SPG Gold Status, do I then only need 25 nights to get to Platinum Status - or do I have to start from zero nights?“One of the perks of The Platinum Card from American Express is that it automatically gives you Starwood Gold Status, which is normally attained after 25 nights or 10 stays and gets you a 50% bonus on Starpoints (so you earn 3 points per $1 spent at Starwood properties), space-available room upgrades, 4pm late checkout and overall better customer service.While it’s a great benefit of the card, unfortunately, it isn’t a fast track to Platinum Status, as you would still have to complete all the stays and nights (meaning that same 25 stays/50 nights) required to get to Platinum just as if you were starting from scratch.Sign up for our daily newsletterEmail addressSign upI would like to subscribe to The Points Guy newsletters and special email promotions. The Points Guy will not share or sell your email. See privacy policy.The added VIP benefits of Platinum are:Earn 3 Starpoints per dollar spent (Same as Gold, but a 50% increase from the regular ratio for and 75-night Platinum guests earn 4 points per dollar)Upgrades to best available room at check-in, including Standard SuitesYour choice of a welcome gift with each stay (choose from bonus Starpoints, continental breakfast or local amenities)Club- and Executive-level privileges where availableComplimentary in-room WiFi4 p.m. late checkoutso you can sleep in, relax by the pool or see more of the local area you’re visitingGuaranteed room availability when your room is booked by 3 p.m., 72+ hours prior to arrivalSignature Platinum Concierge serviceSPG also now has even more upgrades for Platinum members who achieve 75 or 100 nights, including YOUR24 flexible check-in, suite night awards and 4 Starpoints per dollar spent. Check out the program enhancements from last year in this post.If SPG Platinum status is your goal, one alternative route is to get either (or both) the personal or business Starwood Preferred Guest American Express cards, each of which gives you 2 stays or 5 nights credit toward elite status and earns you Gold status for spending $30,000 in a calendar year. Although again, with the spending bonus option, this is just status, not night or stay credit - so for Platinum, you would still have to do 23 stays or 45 nights more to reach the required threshold if you had one of these cards.If you apply for either the business or personal SPG Amex by September 3, 2013, you can get in on the current limited-time bonus offer of 30,000 points when you spend $5,000 in 6 months. If you were to get both cards, you’d end up with not only 60,000 bonus points, but 4 stays and 10 nights worth of credit towards elite status, putting you well on your way to Gold and definitely helping along the way to Platinum.
