Originally Posted by
pinniped
This.
You're on the right track with your 40-ish SPG nights. Continue accruing SPG points and enjoy your Platinum status. It's a good status. Don't switch over to United miles: the reward is worth a lot more in terms of hotel stays.
Some people here like Hilton, others Marriott, and still others SPG. Some (like me) like them all for their different strengths. Only reason I'd consider a switch is if your work stays are taking your outside the Starwood footprint, but it doesn't sound like that is a problem.
Have your wife get the SPG Amex. Nice fat signup bonus, plus bonus points when you use it at the hotels. You *may* end up in a situation where all of your credit card points are landing in an SPG account in her name and your hotel stays in yours. But in the long run that doesn't matter too much: just a short-run limitation on redeeming a large award until one account has enough points. (Starwood experts: is this true?)
And yes, spend your points/miles on trips to Scotland instead of overpriced Hard Rock Hotels. @:-)
thanks for the info. Unfortunately after all that, when I went to recheck the hotels near my job site there wasn't an SPG property even nearby. That was a huge bummer since I was so close to that Platinum status
I'm currently sitting in a Hampton Suites earning HH Points. However, my company screwed up and there is no availability here for a few days so I have to check into a different hotel tomorrow. I can stay at a Hilton or a Marriot property.
Going to have to get that SPG Platinum status some other way I guess.
Also, is there a way to transfer other chain's hotel points to SPG without losing anything in translation? Even worth it?
I'm finding this stuff very fascinating, yet stressful as well. I don't want to miss an opportunity