American Express Membership Rewards - Amex Skymiles vs Starwood

I just received my Starwood Amex card today and have had the Delta Skymiles card for about 5 years. What's the best strategy for these cards? Should I use the Delta card until I hit the $25,000 mark and then switch to the Starwood? It seems like Delta has had special promotions almost every month with their Amex card (double miles, extra 20.05%, etc) so is it better to use the Delta card during these months. I got the Starwood card for the signup bonus and the milage transfer bonus but might use it more often when the payout might be better. Does the Starwood Amex ever have double point bonuses, etc. like the Delta Amex does? Just looking for some recommendations from more experienced people.

Thanks,
Charles

Chakakohn, that is what I have been doing. I (and my additional card holder) use AMEX as much as possible (expecially during the promotional periods when they offer double or triple miles until we reach 25K (normally that takes about 6 months), then spend the rest in SPG Card. It has worked real well for me, get the best out of both !!!

Now I have Citi Premier Elite, so all plane tickets are charged to this new card because I get both flight points and flight miles. :D This is called get the best out of ALL 3 cards. :D Unless AMEX does something to compete with Premier Pass Card, I might have to close one of their cards soon and allocate my spending to this new card. I don't even buy Delta tickets on AMEX Delta card now because I don't get as many points as I get from Premier Pass card.

Hey can you possibly explain to me whats so great about this citi premier pass card? Is it superior to SPG?

While explaining these benefits of the Citi card, please also let us know if you've taken advantage of any of these benefits. I've switched some of my business over to the MERRILL + card, expecting to stop when I hit $50,000 (usually about5 months) to get my four free nights at any Ritz Carlton. Now I see on the Visa thread that people are having lots of trouble redeeming these vouchers. I hit the $20,000 mark already and I'm pretty much decided to return to charging only on the Starwood and Centurion AMEX card.

I've had the Starwood card long enough to know that they deliver what they promise. I'm concerned that this Citi card will, in the end, be lots of promises. I would appreciate info to the contrary. Thanks.

I find the citi prem pass to be useful when booking flight tickets. If you spend $600 to go to 10-12k miles flown you would earn 100-120 in gift cert of travel voucher, where as that same purchase on my Delta or United Card would only earn an extra 600 miles. So for me the equation is what is better $120 in gift certs or 600 miles. Personally I take the $120 in certs over 600 miles.

Ken in Phx