Wow! You guys have been great! I can't tell you how awesome it was to get the quick responses. I have spent a vast majority (probably too much time) here, reading thread after thread, and trying to get the basics down.

So currently I am living in St. Louis but will be moving to Kansas City this summer, and living there for the next 4 plus years. I mainly fly out of Lambert and sometimes KCI, and have always just done the whatever is cheapest route. I have a Southwest (HN?) rapid rewards card, and a continental one pass, but they are old and I only have them because my parents signed me and my siblings up. From a lot of the reading that I've done on FT, I am definitely leaning towards a AmEx SPG card, but I wondered if you guys had personal experiences with this, and could advise me.

Secondly, I have read a little about the Amtrak Mastercard, and I am thinking this could be a good investment for me. I can take the Amtrak a lot of places b/w STL and KC as well as Chicago, and I think that you can transfer miles into Delta (?). I also know this is a fee-free card, and this is something I am looking into because being a med-student for the next 4 years will keep me with some spending limits. Yet, I have heard mixed reviews on the Amtrak card, and again was interested in ya'll's thoughts.

Finally, I just have a few other questions maybe you could address?

-Flying out of STL/KCI do you have an recommendations for airlines, or alliances to become a FFP of? (or can i find a thread on here specific to location)
-Any other advice on a fee-free credit card, that i can start accumulating miles on?
-Is the Amtrak Mastercard still a good buy?

Thanks everyone for being so patient, as I am new to this, but doing my best to learn. I've been doing a lot of glossary studying too! I'm just trying to find a good way to become loyal to a hotel chain/airline alliance, in a way that will benefit me for the future?

Thanks so much!

-BW