When new perks were added & changes were made to the Amex SPG credit card I wondered if the $30 fee increase was worth it.
Some positive new perks were now added but I wasn’t so sure that they were things I’d actually pay for. The new benefits went live a couple of weeks back and with them came increased 30K signup offers for new members.
Besides the SPG Amex cards no longer having foreign transaction fees, a key addition was the inclusion of free Boingo internet around the world.
For those of you that currently have the SPG Amex- personal and/ or business cards, you can sign up for a free Boingo membership, good for up to four devices.
I signed up for mine just before heading off on our current trip around the Middle East. So, if you have either SPG card and would like free Boingo internet, you’ll need to add your card details to register for your account.
Here is how you register for your free Boingo membership:
The first thing you need to do is check to see if you are eligible for the Boingo American Express Preferred Plan.
Checking to see if your card is eligible will take about a minute. All you need to do is input your Amex credit card # at the link below.
When you see that your card is eligible, the page will change and show an image saying Congratulations! You’re Eligible.
Next you’ll fill in the fields asking for your information like name, e-mail, create user name and password.
When you’re all done, the last thing you should do to make Boingo easier to use is download the Boingo Wi-Finder App for your devices. If you don’t download the app you can still log-in using your username and password.
Some things to remember: (from Boingo)
- Any paid subscription plans associated with existing Boingo accounts will not be automatically canceled.
- If you already have a Boingo subscription plan, you will need to create a new account to receive your complimentary unlimited Wi-Fi access at hotspots worldwide.
- If you’d like to cancel existing paid subscription plans, call Boingo at 1-800-426-6917(US) or 0-808-189-0620(UK).
Glenn- I found some good value and use from Boingo when I had the free membership from my Amex Platinum previously. On my current trip I’ve been experiencing no luck with Boingo connecting to wifi. It is finding hotspots but is failing to connect. I need to call customer support when I get home to see what is going on.
Based on my limited time with the Boingo iOS app, I have to say I’m not sure this is worth ANYTHING. Look at the ratings on the iOS App Store. 1 star reviews as far as the eye can see. I tried it myself just now, sitting in a hotel (which should be listed) by the San Jose airport (where surely there must be something) and when I run the app I see no hotspots at all when I click on “List”. None. Login to the web site and I see a bunch of locations. But with the app, which presumably I’d have to use when traveling, I see none of those. And honestly, most of them are just McDonalds and Starbucks that you can find yourself without paying Boingo anything. Nothing at the airport? What’s the point of this thing?