Originally Posted by
margarita girl
The math changes quickly with MAGC since SPG gives 500 pts/night X 3 on a 4 night say. Also the credit card points can make a significant difference. Promotions also need to be taken into consideration. OP may need to alternate between Starwood and Marriott to go with the most lucrative promo (which may not be with SPG in Q2 based on the rumors currently floating around).
With MAGC:
Marriott:
$600/stay = 6000 base points + 3000 elite points + 500 welcome points + 1500 points for declining housekeeping = 11,000 Marriott points
SPG:
$600/stay = 1200 base points + 600 elite points + 500 welcome points + 1500 MAGC points = 3800 SPG points = 10,400 Marriott points
Marriott still comes out ahead, though not by much. Also, the credit card does not matter when determining which property you'll earn more points from. If you use the SPG Amex, you get 2 SPG points per dollar for a Marriott stay or 2 SPG points per dollar for an SPG stay. If you use the Chase Marriott card, you get 5 Marriott points per dollar at a Marriott property and 5 Marriott points per dollar at an SPG property. No difference either way.