Originally Posted by pinniped
Why aren't more people drooling all over this card?
Forget about status matches for a moment: I'm seeing 1 to 3 free nights at Ritz-Carlton on top of the standard home-grown-points travel rewards. And I see a ton of other goodies that might or might not have value depending on my specific needs - but appear to be given to me for free nonetheless.
I currently run a ton of volume through SPG Amex. I don't run much volume through any MC/Visa, because everybody takes Amex these days. I enjoy my Starpoints and how easy it is to use them for free hotel stays. I think of Starpoints as being worth about 3 cents apiece. This card clearly yields only about 1.5 cents per dollar in up-front rewards, but the question is: how much are the auxiliary goodies worth?
Is it worth moving $20k/yr. over to this card to hit the +2 level? Or is it worth moving $50k over there? My opportunity cost is Starpoints...
The FT consensus is that SPG Amex is the mother of all rewards cards. Is this card a viable rival, or do all of those goodies have so many strings attached that they really aren't what they appear?
On the surface, their basic air-travel reward system seems more flexible than others. One of my litmus tests: long weekend in London (from MCI), $400 R/T airfare, leaving tomorrow, is allowable with this card for 30,000 points. (They have a preferred carrier system, but AA is the preferred carrier and the one that always offers the cheap weekends in London from KC, so it's a good fit for me.)
At the 50k spending level, Merrill beats SPG Amex, $1000 worth airfare + 4 nights ritz( I value it $600, but someone may value it $1400 as value SPG) + $175 sports express gift card + 20k aa mile(1.5 cents each, 300) = $2875($1875 is my personal opnion), that's 5.75 or 3.75 cents/point
For SPG, 70k points give u 5 nights level 4 + 50k miles, i would value 5 nights level4 = 4 nights ritz, so question is that does the 30k miles worth $1000 airfare + 20k SPG points + $175 gift card, if you prefer the 30k miles, choose spg, otherwise Merrill card is better at 50k spending level.
air ticket is pretty straight, u get the cheapest fare on airline website, call merrill card, tell them the fare code if they give u a higher quote. I did this with several tickets without any problem. for the ritz, the only catch is book as early as possible, no blackout but standard room only wich runs out quickly in hot place like hawaii, this is what I was told by ritz-carlton central reservation.