FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Benicia, California, USA
Programs: AA PLT,AS,UA PP,J6,FB,EY,LH,SQ,HH Dmd,Hyatt Glbl,Marriott Plat,IHG Plat,Accor Gold
Posts: 10,820
Definitely consider the Starwood Personal and Business Amex. 30K points each for some initial spending ($5K?). Normally the maximum is 25K points.
Also, if the deals are still available and if it would fit into your travel plans, the Chase Hyatt and Chase Fairmont cards each come with two free nights ((IIRC, after some relatively modest initial spend) at just about any property of either of those two chains, but must be redeemed within a year. They both have some superb hotels. My wife and I redeemed our combined four free Hyatt nights at the Paris Park Hyatt Vendome and the four Fairmont nights at the Fairmont Pacific Rim in Vancouver. Two of the very best urban hotels in two of the very best cities we've ever visited.