Although I have the Marriott card it sits in my drawer unused at the moment as at the beginning of the year I sprung for the SPG AMEX paying the £75 fee and receiving 11,000 SPG points, which are worth 33,000 Marriott which I always manage to redeem at 1UScent per point and is therefore worth at least $330.

The AMEX pays 1SPG per £ spent which is 3 Marriott points, that's triple Creations Marriott rate. The AMEX also pays 2SPG per £ spent st SPGs and Marriott's - that's the equivalent of 6 Marriott points, again double the Creation Marriott rate.

Bearing in mind the latest High Court judgement on AMEX Co-Branded merchant rates I can't see the card lasting till renewal next year but in any event I plan to cancel it before I have to pay the fee. In the meantime I'll have the wife sign up, pay her £75, get her 11kSPG signon and I'll become her second cardholder after I cancel my card and continue earning double points till it ends. The wife's SPG points can then be transferred to her Marriott account and over to me. Simples!