If I had to choose one points currency to earn, it would be SPG. That’s partly due to flexibility, but also because they transfer at such a good ratio to other programs. The latest promotion allows you to buy Starwood points with a 35% discount. While SPG points are great for hotel redemptions, transferring to the 30+ airline partner programs are as good a value if not better. You should consider this not only a hotel points sale, but also a sale on buying airline miles.

The other way to earn SPG points in Canada are through the SPG American Express. This card, as well as the business version, currently has a 20,000 SPG point bonus. As well, you can transfer Membership Rewards at a 2:1 ratio into SPG. Eligible cards include the American Express Platinum Card, the Business Platinum Card, the Business Gold Card, and the Gold Rewards card. The new American Express Cobalt Card also offers this transfer opportunity.

Buy SPG Points at 35% Off

Until December 29th, 2017, you get a 35% discount off when buying 5,000 or more SPG points. You can either buy points into your account, or gift them to friends and family. The latter option may be better if you can find an account with Platinum status you can piggyback off of.

Buy SPG Points at a Discount

SPG points normally cost 3.5 cents, so this sale lets you buy them at 2.28 cents. This is an excellent price given I value SPG points at 2.2 cents.The maximum amount of points you can purchase per account is 30,000. That will cost you $682.50. Fortunately, there is no HST or GST for Canadian residents. Since this is in US Dollars, use a card with no foreign transaction fees such as the Chase Amazon or Marriott Visa, the HomeTrust Preferred Visa, or the HSBC Premier World Elite MasterCard. If you want to buy more than 30,000 points during this promotion, you can always use another SPG account and this trick to transfer an unlimited amount of points between SPG accounts.

Best SPG Redemptions

Keep in mind that SPG points transfer to over 30 airline programs at a 1:1.25 ratio with increments of 20,000. That means 20,000 SPG points could be 25,000 American miles, or Alaska miles, or Aeroplan, and so on. Transferring at this ratio makes 25,000 Airline miles only 1.82 cents each. This is also why you should look at this as an airline mile sale, as 25,000 Alaska Miles at 1.82 cents are a fantastic price – even cheaper than when Alaska runs it’s own sales.

Even if you don’t want to transfer to other airlines, there are so many good (hotel) redemptions with SPG. One that I’m particularly excited about is the Al Maha Resort and Spa, a Luxury Collection property. Thanks to the SPG 35% Resort Discount promotion, this property and some of the best resorts in the world cost only 31,200 a night including fifth night free.

SPG Hotels Resort Redemption – Al Maha

If you were to buy points at 2.28 cents apiece, this redemption is only $710, a discount of over 50% on the retail rate. I also learned recently that you could have up to three people in a room with no third person charge when redeeming points. Given that this is an all-inclusive resort, splitting the cost with two friends, brings the price down to 13,000 points a night, which is pretty astounding.

There are many other excellent redemptions that I’ve written about in the past, including the best flight redemptions with SPG, redeeming for Etihad First Class with Asiana Club and Emirates First Class with JAL Mileage Bank, transferring SPG to Marriott Hotel and Air Packages, and more. If you value high-value luxury travel, SPG points should occupy a large portion of your points portfolio.

If you already maxed your purchase limits this year, consider getting the SPG American Express or SPG Business American Express to earn another 20,000 Starwood points on each card. You can also transfer American Express Membership Rewards to SPG at a 2:1 ratio, which might be worth it depending on your circumstances.

Buy SPG Points at a 35% Discount – Ends December 29, 2017.