cmh flyer

Every time I get ready to pay for something, I'm wondering if it would now be better to use my Starwood AMEX, or my Marriott VISA. In the past, I'd lean more towards using my SPG AMEX, especially because it's been so flexible if one needs to transfer points to another partner. But now.......I'm not sure which card should be my card of choice between the two of them. If my SPG points will be greatly devalued with the merger, should I stop using the SPG AMEX and as my go-to card?

What do others suggest? I know that some have suggested using up Starwood points asap. Are you no longer using your SPG AMEX at all?

joshua362

I have both and essentially moved all spend to a 2% back card as I have too many Starwoods points and little time to travel in the near future.

I'd only use Marriott for double categories like dining out and Marriott stays.

I continue to believe that the SPG card is the best value for CC spend if you can use them up in 2016, after that, who knows.

My 2 cents...

HookEm

It might be better to put regular spend on the SPG card if you are willing to gamble that Marriott will transfer SPG points at a 2/1or 3/1 ratio. It's a gamble but it doesn't seem credible that they would wipe our your SPG account with no conversion.

joshua362

I'd bet the farm on a 2:1 ratio.

It's horribly inadequate but acknowledges there is a value discrepancy at the least possible cost to Marriott. But again, I am a overall corporate pessimist...

dgreen12

I think there will be plenty of time to use SPG points for airline transfers if the conversion ratio isn't "good."

And if it is "good" -- I'm hoping that the converted points will count towards lifetime status.

So, if you need MR elite nights --- continue to use your MR credit card and get 1 point per dollar spent as well as 1 elite night for every $3k spent. Or book some "meetings."

If you need MR points --- think about using your SPG Amex credit card and get 1 SPG point per dollar spent, which may convert at a 2:1 ratio or a 3:1 ratio into MR points. And if it doesn't convert using a "good" ratio, then transfer them into airline programs or do quickie SPG points reservations.

I've got both program's cards, both in personal and business form. I'm continuing to use both cards. And I'm hoping that my SPG points will convert into MR points (that will count for lifetime status) at a "good" ratio.

bosman

I used similar logic and landed in the same place as you. One more data point to consider is the annual free nights that come with these cards: Marriott Visa is 15 nights (on card renewal) while SPG Amex is 5 nights (Jan each year, I believe). So if you need nights for LT, may make sense to carry both as long as each are giving free nights. In terms of usage, I think dgreen12's advice above is solid.

ijgordon

Bumping this thread, as it seems the only thread title that reflects a "SPG Amex vs. Marriott Visa" discussion.

I'm at my wits end with the SPG Amex. Long story short, account number stolen, fraudulent charges, and they keep letting new fraudulent charges through on the OLD account numbers, despite re-issuing the card several times. They keep telling me the old numbers are deactivated, but they keep letting charges through anyway and I've spent half my life over the past two months on the phone with Amex reporting them. So on the verge of canceling the card.

I see the 80k+7.5k offer. Obviously we now know the MR:SPG exchange. So it really seems like the earning potential on this card is meaningfully inferior to SPG.

• 1 pt per $ on regular spend = 0.33 SPG points per $ while SPG Amex gets you 1.
• 2 pts per $ on restaurants and airfare (?) = 0.67 SPG points per $ while SPG Amex gets you 1.
• 5 pts per $ on hotel charges = 1.67 SPG points per $, while SPG Amex gets you 2.

Do I have this right?
What is the offset?

I assume there will be an all new card program once Marriott decides what bank to go with for the future, but for the time being, maybe the bonus points are worth the inferior earning potential?

Kacee

Yes, the spend earn is inferior, though it's in the ballpark on Marriott/SPG stays.

The offset is the 15 nights stay credit, plus the annual free night certificate, plus better insurance coverage, plus a slightly better up front bonus.

hhoope01

And every $3K spent gets you an extra night toward elite and lifetime status.

t1c

And the Visa card is metal and heavy!..haha

joshua362

Probably worth having both if you can use the Cat 1-5 cert.

Ironically, I've had both business and personal versions of the Chase Marriott for 15+ years if not more and they are constantly compromised, lots of different numbers over the years. Reported one once on a business trip and they cutoff me off immediately (despite the promise to wait a few days), I couldn't pay my hotel bill!

CCIE_Flyer

Sorry, but am I the only one who thinks it reckless to travel with just the one card - not even a backup Visa debit card to go along with the preferred points card? I recently traveled with a colleague whose travel expenses I had to float all throughout a multi-destination trip because of this issue. I lost a lot of respect for him along the way.

controller1

Sorry, but am I the only one who thinks it reckless to expect a credit card company to not cancel the card when it is reported compromised by the cardholder?

joshua362

Of course I had more than 1 card, likely 7+ others in my backpack to use as points & miles circumstances dictate.

I wanted to settle my MARRIOTT bill with a MARRIOTT card for maximum pointage.

Luckily I knew the GM well, who agreed to float me until I returned in a week or two but it was annoying since Chase said they would hold it open until I checked out but did not!

PS - I've floated colleagues too, you do worry about their credit affairs but the extra point earnings on a trip is too good to pass up!

joshua362

In this case it was a small monthly repeated charge of say $9.95 I had just saw catching up on finances while away. They could have certainly just blocked the merchant or amount for 3 days while I got home to retrieve a new card and did indeed promise. Stupid me for believing or even reporting while on the road...