American Express Membership Rewards - AMEX Boo

I've had an AMEX Blue Cash Everyday for quite awhile now, and I'm pretty sick of it. I've been on the hunt for a good AMEX card that I could keep and I've read alot about the SPG card, but it just seems I wouldn't be able to use the spending needed to really add any value to this card (since I put everything on my Ink Bold card right now). I value UR points quite highly because of the transfer partners. The AMEX hilton would be good if all the hilton hotels that I wanted to stay at weren't 50000 points a night. That's a horrible redemption rate. Any suggestions on an AMEX card that I could use as a backup? One that I would keep and be able to take advantage of when I'm not using my Ink Bold? Thanks in advance.

There's an AMEX forum. May want to ask that question over there, though I'm sure a mod will move this soon. Most valuable is probably SPG like you mentioned.

Take a look at the benz card: 3x gas, 2x restaurants. PR gold card is 3x airfare and 2x gas and groceries for some other alternatives for points multipliers.

I've had an AMEX Blue Cash Everyday for quite awhile now, and I'm pretty sick of it. I've been on the hunt for a good AMEX card that I could keep and I've read alot about the SPG card, but it just seems I wouldn't be able to use the spending needed to really add any value to this card (since I put everything on my Ink Bold card right now). I value UR points quite highly because of the transfer partners. The AMEX hilton would be good if all the hilton hotels that I wanted to stay at weren't 50000 points a night. That's a horrible redemption rate. Any suggestions on an AMEX card that I could use as a backup? One that I would keep and be able to take advantage of when I'm not using my Ink Bold? Thanks in advance.

AMEX cards, in general, are most useful with larger spends, mostly because the majority of the cards have a $1/pt earning rate, and because of the annual fees they carry. The PRG is a good card, but with the large annual fee, I wouldn't really call it a backup. Honestly, the best one probably would be the SPG, with the lower annual fee and vast number of transfer partners.

AMEX cards, in general, are most useful with larger spends, mostly because the majority of the cards have a $1/pt earning rate, and because of the annual fees they carry.

This is why most people try and make up for this by waiting for bonus % transfers to airlines and such. Op may want to be on the look out for those, they help really max points as well, but you need to be really flexible in some cases to be able to take advantage.

I've had an AMEX Blue Cash Everyday for quite awhile now, and I'm pretty sick of it. I've been on the hunt for a good AMEX card that I could keep and I've read alot about the SPG card, but it just seems I wouldn't be able to use the spending needed to really add any value to this card (since I put everything on my Ink Bold card right now). I value UR points quite highly because of the transfer partners. The AMEX hilton would be good if all the hilton hotels that I wanted to stay at weren't 50000 points a night. That's a horrible redemption rate. Any suggestions on an AMEX card that I could use as a backup? One that I would keep and be able to take advantage of when I'm not using my Ink Bold? Thanks in advance.

Why are you sick of Amex Blue Cash Everyday? It's a cashback card.
It gives 3% cashback for grocery and 2% gas and department stores, and 1% on all others. There's *no* annual fee.
If you prefer points, then use the SPG or Gold Rewards card. But those cards come with annual fees.
But if you are willing to pay annual fees. Why not get the Blue Cash Preferred? It gives 6% cashback on grocery, and 3% on gas and dept stores.
With a little creative, use your Amex Blue Preferred card to buy gift cards in supermarkets at 6% discount. Then use those gift cards to purchase pretty much whatever you like.

I think you guys convinced me to switch over to SPG. I value UR points more then cashback because of the travel options and it seems with the cash and points option of SPG it's very valuable. Thanks everyone!

yes the nice hilton propertys are 50,000 pts per night but with the amex hilton card they drop to 36,250 per night if you book 4 nights with the axon 4 night 145,000. but even at 50k per night ther is some value if you look at the earn rate, if you get the card its fee free forever, and you earn 6 pts per dollar at gas stations, grocery stores and drugstores. so by spending 8333 at those places you would have one free night at hilton. if you spend that at spg you would only have 8333 spg points and you would have payed a 65 dollar fee each year.

So what do you guys think? This would be a card I'd want to keep as standard Amex card to use. Hilton or SPG? Thoughts?

So what do you guys think? This would be a card I'd want to keep as standard Amex card to use. Hilton or SPG? Thoughts?

I wouldn't bother with Hilton if you want only one card. I absolutely love HHonors but mostly because there are so many cards that can get you Hilton points after sign up bonus, and because it's so easy to get status with Hilton. If you want just one Amex go with SPG, because due to the lower redemption rates, 30K points (after meeting spending requirements) are really nothing to sneeze at. 50K HHonors won't take you very far.

So what do you guys think? This would be a card I'd want to keep as standard Amex card to use. Hilton or SPG? Thoughts?

Why not get them both and try them out? At least the signup bonuses will be worthwhile!

I thought about that. Is Amex stingy about signing up for 2 cards at once?

Or you could get the SPG and the new Hilton Reserve which would get you 2 free weekend nights at almost any HHonors property - worth up to (equivalent) 160,000 HHonors points if used at a W=A property. Not a bad second signup bonus...

I also use SPG as a primary spend card.

So what do you guys think? This would be a card I'd want to keep as standard Amex card to use. Hilton or SPG? Thoughts?

I have both! Gives a chance to earn at SPG and HH. They both have different kind of redemptions.

I thought about that. Is Amex stingy about signing up for 2 cards at once?

Nope, if your credit can otherwise justify it. I once did PRG and Plat within 5 minutes of each other, and got both. This was on top of having 3 AMEX credit cards already, albeit lightly used ones.

Just saw that the SPG 30000 signup is coming back tomorrow. With a 770 credit score would I be able to get the hilton and the spg both at once you think?

I've had an AMEX Blue Cash Everyday for quite awhile now, and I'm pretty sick of it. I've been on the hunt for a good AMEX card that I could keep and I've read alot about the SPG card, but it just seems I wouldn't be able to use the spending needed to really add any value to this card (since I put everything on my Ink Bold card right now).

I'm in the same position. Although getting 3% on groceries and 2% on gas is nice, the horrible redemption offers make it almost worthless. Compared to Discover and Chase with their quarterly 5% cash back offers and very good giftcard redemption rates, AMEX is below standards.
So, the question is: what to do?