Originally Posted by
NJUPINTHEAIR
Are you wonked?
The Chase IHG MC annual fee is $49.00/year and you get 1 free night at any IHG property, including ALL Intercontinental hotels!
Marriott is $85.00 and you get an annual free night up to a Category 5 where you can just about squeeze out value.
With the United Explorer you get free bags and I don't know about the others but with most of the others you mentioned, such as the HHonors Reserve, there is an incentive to put more spend on the card, as well.
This kills the personal card for me, but makes it interesting vis a visa the Business Card. As the first year will be free, I can investigate at my leisure for another year.
Finally, I can always keep my SPG account active even if I cut all my ties with SPG by dining or staying at a property, or occasionally transferring AMEX MR points from my no-fee AMEX CLEAR account, even if the point transfer value is not optimum.
I may be wonked - but not because I am OK with this change
I spend multiple thousands minimum at Starwood abroad - so this will easily save me the $30 increase plus I'll earn 2 pts per dollar at those properties. An easy win if you spend > $2,000 abroad.
I don't stay at Marriott - card is meaningless to me.
I have the IHG card but it doesn't have a chip (yet) which makes it somewhat more annoying to use abroad. I assume they'll fix at some point but for the moment it doesn't have it. Further IHG points are valued at about a penny per - whereas I value Starwood at about three cents per. So I'd rather use Starwood where I can.
I agree the United Explorer card is the best. Better than Starwood abroad (except at Starwood hotels). So I'll likely use that for all non-Starwood purchases and United Explorer for everything else.
If you don't travel at Starwoods abroad and spend a goodly sum I can see why you'd hate the increase. Otherwise it's an easy win.