<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by gogoflyer:
1st question: How do I contact Starwood? Can't seem to find them with a search.
2nd question: I will want to be able to fly to all locations on the globe so I need to rack up miles for all airlines...right. So do I want to have a visa from all airlines?
3rd question: Are there any cards that require you to pay interest or can you pay in full each month and still reap the benifits of the miles.
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Welcome to FlyerTalk.
1) You can find Starwood at spg.com - if you check the Starwood board, there is a link for getting the Amex with a 4000 point upfront bonus (additional 6000 based on starwood stays).
2) The Starwood points can be converted to most airlines - but it doesn't hurt to have one or two airline cards as well. The key is figuring out which airline partnerships you want to use the most - the major US carriers are all in alliance with international carriers so you can probably get anywhere you want with one. Also, it doesn't pay to build up small balances in several airline programs, because you can't combine them.
3) They should all allow you to pay off each month without interest - if they charged interest for those people, most Flyertalkers would probably not use the cards.
4) You shouldn't need to cancel your credit cards before buying a house. Having a history of using credit wisely is a good thing for your credit score, and some experts that closing several cards may actually decrease your rating.
Extra - before you sign up for any credit card, search in that airline's board to make sure you are getting the best bonus currently available. I think there might be a 20,000 bonus for United.