Originally Posted by
waylook
Thanks for the really great analysis. Pantanal, I had wanted to know if there was anything superior to the United Club, and now I know that there isn't. We have just started and don't have enough miles for such premium travel yet, but are looking forward to it. We definitely don't charge as much as you do. Centrifuge41, I am not familiar with Club Carson, and will definitely check it out. I've been an SPG for a long time b/c of the easy value of the lower tier hotels. Since business spending isn't on AmEx so much, I'm looking at Hyatt (and now Club Carson) more closely.
Waylook...just one other pointer to give you a different point of view
Some cards will give you elite status based on just spending so if that is important to you you may want to look at the delta reserve card that not only gives you elite status but give you bonus points/threshold bonus
Also you may want to look at the citibank hilton card and charge exactly 40k on it
Here is what that 40k will get you
1) 2 free nights on any Hilton (including waldorf property) as a sign on bonus
2) Diamond status on hilton for almost two years. Believe me diamond status is hard to get from stays but this 40k spend is the easiest way to get it. This is Hilton's top status. No other program gives you this kind of status from a spend
3) By spending 10k you will also get an additional night on any Hilton/waldorf property. So now you have 3 free nights on any property..even ones that will charge 100k points a night after the devaluation.
4) Finally the 40k spend will get you 120k Hlton points that you can redeem for several lower/medium tier nights.
5) You would also have access to the Hilton discounted Glon awards assuming Hilton does not kill them.
I did put the 40 k spend on this card personally for the diamond status