FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Let’s talk about alternatives to the SPG Amex after the massive Marriott devaluation
Old Apr 29, 2018, 2:31 pm
  #227  
TravelinSperry
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: UA 1MM, AA Plat, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Glob, IHG ♢ Amb, Hilton ♢, Hertz Pres
Posts: 6,018
Originally Posted by ESpen36
Okay, so now I'm thinking of doing the following:

- upgrade the SPG Amex personal to the SPG Luxury card when the upgrade becomes available - and be sure to stay at an SPG/Marriott property once a year to offset the annual fee with the $300 hotel credit, plus free night
- upgrade the MR Chase to the new MR Premier Plus (worth it for only $10 more per year)
- ditch the SPG Business before August 1 - no reason to pay annual fee after Sheraton lounge benefit goes away
- keep AMEX Plat - I love the Uber credit and Centurion/PP lounges and 5x points on airfare


SPEND:
- SPG Luxury - for SPG/Marriott stays (6x points) and Restaurants (3x points; hopefully broadly includes fast food, Starbucks, etc.)
- AMEX Plat - for airline tickets (5x points)
- MR Premier Plus Visa - for merchants that do not take AMEX

(Ironically, both the SPG Luxury and MR Premier Plus will earn the same 6x at SPG and Marriott properties, so it no longer will matter which card one uses at these properties to maximize points....correct?)

But I still have not solved the problem of....NON-bonus, NON-category spend. I'm still looking at a 33% devaluation in points regardless of which of the above I use. Everyone seems to be saying the CSR. But I'm not sure I want to have THREE high-annual fee cards...
Highest travel rewards card for non-bonus, non-category spend is the US Bank Radisson visa coming in at ~2.5 cents per (2.5%). Of course you generally want to redeem in Europe or abroad so if that isn't a possibility may not be a good option for your everyday spender.
TravelinSperry is offline