Received my SPG Suite Night Awards after my 50th Night

On Saturday, my stay at the Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel was my 50th night at SPG. Technically it was only my 40th but I have both business and personal Amex SPG cards so that helped me to 50. I’ve read that those nights from credit cards count towards the 50 nights for suite awards and one of the main reasons why I signed up for both cards.

I checked out Sunday morning and received the suite night award email Monday at noon. In my experience it takes a day or two for stays to post. Most of my stays in China took two to three days to post.

I’m pretty excited to get it as I have one stay coming up this year with my wife that I would want to confirm a suite upgrade for. I won’t know until 5 days before but at least I’ll know in advance. There are a few stays I’m planning for my wife that I’ll try to use these awards for. Again, its based on availability so not 100% sure if they’ll clear in time.

For stays by myself, I’ll just roll the dice and hope to get an upgrade based on PLT status.

Here a long FAQ regarding SNA (posted on Flyertalk about the Suite Night Awards (SNA).)

1.What is an SPG Suite Night Award?

It is a one-night confirmable upgrade to a standard suite or select premium room, depending on the hotel’s room designation and availability. Please note that hotels without Standard Suites or upgraded room types will not be available for Suite Night Awards, nor are Suite Night Awards available at vacation ownership or residential properties. Specialty Suites, including but not limited to presidential, honeymoon or multiple bedroom suites, may not be eligible for Suite Night Awards.

2.Is the existing upgrade at check-in benefit policy for all Platinum’s going away or changing due to the launch of Suite Night Awards?

There are no plans to change the current Platinum upgrade at check-in policy. The launch of Suite Night Awards for SPG members with 50 or more nights annually, are in addition to all existing Platinum benefits.

3.What types of reservations are eligible?

Members can request a Suite Night Award upgrade when they are staying on any SPG Eligible Rate or utilizing an SPG Free Night Award (including Cash & Points). Reservations booked through third parties (Expedia, Orbitz, etc.) or at Starpoints-ineligible rates are not eligible for Suite Night Award upgrades.

4.How does a member earn Suite Night Awards?

Members who stay 50 eligible nights in a calendar year receive 10 Suite Night Awards. Suite Night Awards may sometimes be offered as a reward in certain promotions.

5.Do Suite Night Awards expire?

Yes, members should check their Suite Night Awards activity page to confirm expiration dates. You will have at least a year to use your Suite Night Awards.

6.If a member completed 50 or more Eligible Nights in 2011, will they earn 10 Suite Night Awards?

Yes. SPG members who completed 50 or more eligible nights in 2011 will receive 10 Suite Night Awards in their account on March 1, 2012. Those Suite Night Awards will expire on December 31, 2013. If a SPG member has 50 or more Eligible Nights during calendar year 2012, they will earn 10 Suite Night Awards that will also expire on December 31, 2013.

7.How close to my arrival date can I make a Suite Night Award upgrade request?

Members may request an upgrade using a Suite Night Award until 2:00 p.m. local hotel time the day before arrival.

8a.When will I find out if my Suite Night Award upgrade request is confirmed?

Beginning five days before your scheduled arrival, SPG will check to see if a Suite Night Award upgrade is available. If an upgrade is available, you will receive a confirmation email at the email address on your SPG profile as soon as possible.

8b. What happens if its four days before my stay but my request hasn’t been approved or denied and the property is still showing my suite types available online?

If you find the property still showing selected suites available and you are four to five days of your stay, please send an email to spgchampion@starwoodhotels.com with your confirmation number and full details of your stay so we can look into it.

9.What if a Suite Night Award upgrade isn’t available?

If a Suite Night Award upgrade is not available five days before you arrive, SPG will email you an update and keep checking availability. If your request can’t be confirmed by 2 p.m. local hotel time the day before you arrive, SPG will notify you via email and credit the Suite Night Award(s) back to your account.

10.If a Suite Night Award upgrade is not confirmed prior to my arrival, is my Suite Night Award returned to my account?

Yes. If your Suite Night Award upgrade is not confirmed by 2 p.m. local hotel time the day before you arrive, SPG will notify you via email and return the Suite Night Award(s) to your account.

11.Can I cancel a Suite Night Award upgrade request?

Yes. You can cancel a Suite Night Award upgrade request until 2 p.m. local hotel time the day before you arrive, as long as the Suite Night Award upgrade has not already been confirmed.

12.Can I cancel a Suite Night Award upgrade after it has been confirmed?

Yes. You may cancel a confirmed Suite Night Award up until 3 p.m. local hotel time the day before you arrive only if you cancel your entire reservation. Once your Suite Night Award(s) have been confirmed, you must cancel the entire reservation to have all the Suite Night Award(s) returned to your account.

After 3 p.m. local hotel time the day before you arrive, a reservation cancellation will result in the forfeiture of all Suite Night Awards applied to the entire reservation. This is in addition to any other cancellation penalties applicable to the reservation itself.

13.What happens if I cancel my reservation after my Suite Night Award upgrade has been confirmed?

If you cancel your entire reservation prior to 3 p.m. local hotel time the day before you arrive, Starwood will credit your Suite Night Award(s) back to your account. After 3 p.m. local hotel time the day before you arrive, a reservation cancellation will result in the forfeiture of all Suite Night Award(s) applied to the entire reservation. This is in addition to any other cancellation penalties applicable to the reservation itself.

14.Can I request a Suite Night Award upgrade to any room in the hotel?

Rooms that are eligible for a Suite Night Award upgrade vary by property. In general, a Standard Suite or select premium room as designated by the hotel and shown when you request an upgrade is eligible depending on availability. Specialty suites, such as presidential, honeymoon or multiple bedroom suites, may not be eligible for Suite Night Awards. Suite Night Awards may not be redeemed at vacation ownership or residential properties.

15.What if my stay is longer than the number of Suite Night Awards I’ve earned?

The number of Suite Night Awards must match the length of your entire stay. So, if your stay is five nights long and you only have three Suite Night Awards, you can’t request a Suite Night Award upgrade for any nights during your stay.

16.What if I book a promotional rate that includes a free night?

If you book a “Buy 2 Nights, Get 1 Free” offer, for example, you would redeem three Suite Night Awards for your entire stay. The same would be the case with SPG Free Night Awards. If you redeem five nights, and get the fifth night free, you’ll need to redeem five Suite Night Awards. The number of Suite Night Awards must match the length of your entire stay even if some night(s) of your stay are free.

17.Can I buy Suite Night Awards?

No. SPG members cannot buy Suite Night Awards.

18.Can I give Suite Night Awards as a gift or transfer them to someone else?

Your Suite Night Awards are for your use only. You may not sell, gift or transfer them. However, if you’re traveling with family and require two rooms, you may request a Suite Night Award upgrade for both rooms as long as you have enough Suite Night Awards to cover all nights for each room. Please note that both rooms must be confirmed under the name of the recipient of the Suite Night Award, and the recipient must stay in one of the rooms.

19.Can I request a Suite Night Award upgrade for more than one room at a time?

Yes, if the additional rooms are part of your reservation, you can request an upgrade as long as you have enough Suite Night Awards to cover the entire length of your stay for each room. One Suite Night Award is required per room, per night.

20.Can I request a Suite Night Award upgrade for more than one room at a time online?

At this time, you cannot request a Suite Night Award upgrade for multiple-room reservations online. However, you can do so by calling SPG customer support.

21.What is the complete Suite Night Award cancellation policy for both Suite Night Award requests and Suite Night Awards that have been confirmed?

Suite Night Award(s) upgrade requests may be canceled until 2 p.m. local hotel time the day before you arrive, as long as the Suite Night Award(s) have not already been confirmed for use on a reservation. Once your Suite Night Award(s) have been confirmed, you must cancel the entire reservation no later than 3 p.m. local hotel time the day before arrival to have all of the Suite Night Award(s) returned to your account. If you cancel a reservation and Suite Night Award confirmation after 3 p.m. local hotel time the day before you arrive, a cancellation will result in the forfeiture of all Suite Night Awards applied to the entire reservation. This is in addition to any other cancellation penalties applicable to the reservation itself.

Here was the email: