So how would they know when to expire them?

 

Programming the database to do it automatically?

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

[email protected]

 

Which would require they keep the amounts separately - so *someone* should be able to check & see.

On the other point, can you confirm that expiring points are used first?

 

Not necessarily. If the Starpoints were entered from a particular source with a unique code, the database could be programmed to ignore everything with that source code for six years. Ergo, points from that source code would not expire until the six years did.

I suppose if you found someone with enough time and experience they could go searching through your account and find the source codes for SVO entries - provided they exhibit on the account - and then add and subtract from whatever else is there, but all you would get is a total of Starpoints earned from sources other than SVO and those earned via SVO. Then you'd have to look at the dates - provided they exhibit on the account - and count six years in the future to see when they expire.

No, I can't. I can confirm that SVO sourced Starpoints do not expire for six years, however, for those who buy and become SVO Owners.

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

[email protected]

 

I don't know if it's me or if we have all become too precise in our language as a result of "it-depends-on-what-the-meaning-of-is-is" but I am getting more confused on this issue of whether SVO bonus points are used first.

So, let me ask it in as clear a manner as I can muster:

Are the bonus/incentive points received from buying SVO membership, which have an expiration period of 6 years, used first when redeeming points for hotel award stays? I would be happy with a simple "yes" or "no" answer. Thanks!

 

Almost the same question as the previous poster, except in my scenario, one receives points for attending an SVO presentation and does not buy. Are these points, which also have an expiration period of 6 years, used first when redeeming points for hotel? I've called SPG several times and noone can answer my question.

 

Starwood Lurker, I'm still waiting for a clarification on whether bonus/incentive points are used first when redeeming an award. TIA.

 

If you did not buy, they do expire if you do not have a stay transaction within a twelve month rolling period of time. Answered that one earlier.

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

[email protected]

 

Thanks for your patience. Yes, they are.

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

[email protected]

 

William, thanks for the reply. If I understand you correctly, the incentive points I received for attending the presentation (and not purchasing a timeshare) are not subject to a 6-year expiration date. Instead, they will expire as would any other starpoints: within a 12-month rolling period, unless I have a stay or charges on my SPG Amex.

 

Yes. That would be correct.

Best regards,

William

 

To update y'alls who need an update, my calling SVO (not SPG) today about whether SVO's incentive's StarPoints to me will actually expire in 6yrs. The answer is yes, the system somehow knows which StarPoints are the SVO incentive ones and expires those out 6 years later. The rep noted that sometimes, they'll let the SVO incentive StarPoints go through the 6/31 or 12/31 following but I didn't press the matter of whether that's a built-in intent/result of the system's scheduled processing.

I also didn't ask if the expiring points are used 1st (ignore that I had no StarPoints in my SPG account before the SVO incentive landed) but I trust Starwood Lurker's answer above and thank him for his steady calm service here.

Great question, indeed.

 

Thanks for the vote of confidence, but anyone these days in danger of losing their Starpoints this way will be notified via email (provided there is a valid email address on file and you are opted in to receive emails from Starwood) when this anniversary date approaches.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]

 

Even better!

I found an old quote:and ask if this thread (the one we're in now) a year after that old quote means that quote is no longer true?

 

I think I said in the other thread that I was wrong about this and posted a retraction.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/10590118-post13.html

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]