You will get 1,000 bonus starpoints for adding 1 additional cardmember, and 2,000 if you add 2. In my experience (admittedly contrary to the fine print quoted below) I have not had to actually activate and use the additional cards in order to get the bonus points, but your mileage may vary.
With the new Fico ‘08 algorithm, being an additional cardholder supposedly no longer benefits your credit score in any way. It will show up on your credit report, but it is no longer calculated in the score.
Be sure to print out a copy of this offer just in case AMEX does not credit you the bonus points automatically…
“1,000 bonus Starpoints will be awarded to your Starwood Preferred Guest Account 8-12 weeks after the first purchase on an approved Additional Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card submitted with this application. The Additional Cardmember must make their first purchase with the Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card within one year of Card approval. Bonus offer applies to first 2 Additional Card added on this application only.”
Does Starwood allow you to combine points for two people who are family members living in the same household? 10,000 bonus points are better than 1,000 anyday. I will call Starwood and let you know what they say. I just called them. They said you can transfer all of the points from one account into another given that you are all living at the same address. It doesn't seem to matter the relationship as long as you are living at the same address. Looks like my 10,000 points will be becoming 20,000 points in the near future. I will have to call Hilton, Priority Club, and Wyndham Rewards and see if they do the same. Seems to be a pretty easy and painless way to maximize your points as long as you have someone living at home who doesn't mind helping you out in that way and is creditworthy.
newlin99 said:prior discussions have shown that this opens a new credit line and a hard pull...
just fyi
Could you please link to said prior discussions. I'm not quite sure how is works out to a hard pull -- there does not seem to be an application, just the existing cardholder saying that (s)he wants another card with a different name on it (potentially sent to a different address) ... or am I misunderstanding the whole AU concept?
Edit: On a more careful reading of just the front page I cannot unambiguously conclude that this is just adding an AU to the existing card .. The speak about "Additional CardMEMBER" does smell like a hard.
Raven1 said:I have already received 4 cards for additional users (2 on mine and 2 for my wife's cards) and see no evidence of a hard pull on our credit reports.
Well, the question is not about inquiries on your or your wife's credit report, it's about inquiries on the credit reports of those additional users.
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