I am really grateful for the starwood card. If it wasn't for flyertalk I'd still have my amex gold paying $75.00/year and $40/year for membership rewards with a selection of only a few airlines. I got my spg card last year and got out of membership rewards in December when they had a 15% promotion to transfer miles to Delta. It was all perfect timing. Then MR started charging for transfers of miles this march. I mean isn't $40.00 enough?
I am so glad to be out of that program. For me $30/year is such a great value I can't believe it. and all the choices of airlines! It is so much easier to accumulate miles on this program than on MR. I love it!