FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Let’s talk about alternatives to the SPG Amex after the massive Marriott devaluation
Old Aug 17, 2018, 11:36 pm
  #551  
uncommonsensical
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: a hotel room, somewhere...
Posts: 962
Originally Posted by RedSun
IMO, your title is somehow misleading. All things born and die, everything changes. I do not think there is huge devaluation of the new AmEx SPG card. The new AmEx SPG does not give you 1x SPG, but it gives us the annual reward night that is worth 35,000 MRs. For most people, this is far better than the 1x SPG flat earning. I get about 7 SPG cards in my family and I use only one or two.

The AmEx SPG card change has minimal impact to me. It is a huge de-valuation with the transfer to airline, even with the 25% bonus. It is far better to transfer AmEx MR points to airline. The best way for my SPG use is to transfer to Marriott and the old transfer to Amtrak. Amtrak transfer is dead now.

For the sorely missed 1x SPG flat earning, I get the 1.5 UR Chase Freedom Unlimited. Then I get 2x MR AmEx Blue Business Plus. I do not even use my 2% Fidelity or Citi DC cards.
Your beef with the VERY CORRECT title of this thread is a failure of imagination on your part, coupled with a failure to look at the simple math...

It's a 50% devaluation. by definition this is massive- validating the thread title.
of those of us who coveted the card, i'd posit that a large number put >$50,000/year on the card. $50k= 100k MR points plus a free night that expires vs 150k MR points for you to use as you please without limitations, conditions and expiration. further, if you spend points as i do, i'm either getting outside value on Cat 1/2, or i'm doing 5 night stays to get 5th night free. ergo, the free night is worth well less than its 'face value'.

if someone sock drawer'd the card, the new structure is a win.

if you put 7 figures on the card per annum (what i meant by 'failure of imagination'), this is a crushing and massive devaluation.

ironically, it produced the same result for both groups: a sock drawer'd card and some splainin for amex to do on their quarterly conference call when their spg #'s take a tumble. meanwhile, Chase, whose previous card only had value up to a finite point for people manufacturing status, will see an uptick because their card is worth 100% more now than it was yesterday.

the big takeaway... if you have a big negotiation coming up, hire the chase negotiating team. the amex team should be drawn and quartered... by amex even more than us.
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