Given the number of airline and hotel partners with the SPG card, SPG has become accepted as the best day-to-day card for spending. On the other hand, the MR program has had spectacular transfer bonuses over the last six months that make those points valuable as well. For instance, I can earn 1.25 miles per dollar spent with my BA/Chase card while under the current BA transfer bonus promo, I can make 1.5 BA miles per dollar spent on my Amex Plat. Delta has had similar promos. There's no easy answer.

And that doesn't count the usefulness of SPG points for hotel stays. I think many folks lose sight of the need for points in a hotel program or two to offset accommodation spending at the ultimate destination. Cool if you've got a friend or girlfriend at the other end of the trip who'll put you up, but, if not, hotel costs can easily exceed flight costs for any trip lasting more than four days.