Originally Posted by
Corrry
Starwood Preferred Guest:
25,000 Bonus SPG Points
4x Points at Starwood Hotels (up to 5x if you are a Gold or Platinum)
Third Night Free at Sheraton
$65 Annual Fee
it seems the main problem with the SPG card is that... You have to stay at SPG hotels.
Anyone else have any insight?
SPG is definitely the better of the two. Starpoints don't have to be used at very expensive SPG hotels–you can transfer them to a myriad of different FF programs, often with a 1.5x multiplier if you transfer 20,000 or more. If you collect substantial amounts in another program, check to see if they're an SPG partner.
In Canada, Amex charges almost twice as much as in the US - $120 vs $65 - and it's still considered a card of choice by many frequent travelers.