The numbers and conclusions from that article seem pretty solid, but it seems to me that a large flaw in the whole system was assuming solely US hotel stays. That is probably why even though SPG did not make the top of the cut for that American journalist, many FTers wholeheartedly believe it's the best hotel loyalty program due to its global nature. Not to mention that extra point earning promotions will vary from year to year and need to be accounted for when choosing a hotel loyalty program.