Hi, this is my first post on the board, but I have been 'lurking' these boards for about a year now. Thanks to everyone for the great tips and info, you have really helped me to accrue a lot of miles! I am writing because I, too, have a question about the Starwood Amex. It sounds like a great deal, but how does the 1:1 frequent flier miles thing work? Does Amex transfer the points directly into your FF acct, or do you have to accumulate a certain amount before you can transfer them? Also, is there a requirement that you have to stay at a Starwood property a certain number of times per year in order to get the miles? (I really never stay at hotels, I mostly am trying to accumulate miles to take vacations and such.) Do the miles/points have an expiration date, or can you build them up over a number of years? Thanks in advance for your help with this subject!