Give me a simple 3-mo, ok 2-mo AMEX/spg double starpoints promo, no min threshold and no cap, and I'm set .

Unfortunately, it looks like AMEX/starwood is skipping the double starpoints promo this year. Real disappointed about this. But then AMEX was loading the promo up w/ so many gotchas it was restrictive to a fault anyway...almost embarrassing for AMEX IMO.

Separately - Got notice this week that AA/Citibank is doing a 1% cash back for 3mo starting Aug 1st (yes, got my postcard on/about 8/8 - thanks Citibank for the 8-days "tardy" advance notice) on targeted expenses (drugstores, gas, you know that drill) ON TOP OF the aadvantage miles one already earns. This is novel and a first-time I've ever seen Citibank do ANY SORT OF PROMO on the charging-side w/ their Aadvantage card...which indirectly tells me their AAdvantage program is probably on the decline. AA's milesaaver initiative has sure zapped the life out of their AAdvantage/Citibank card for me. Went from strong seven figures a year...to under five figures a year...and I believe the numbers scale downward nationwide for other Citibank/AAdvantage members if they studied the dysfunctional AAdvantage program like I finally [woke up and] did. Airline-pure cards are dead these days. I get a cynical kick out of Delta and US Air doing all their [desperate] promos...after all, who wants Delta or US Air miles ? Starwood's card gives us the ultimate flexibility to avoid having to accumulate airline-pure miles. But I digress.

Since we know AMEX "currency" is more potent than Visa/MC, I doubt we would ever see a Visa/MC/starwood card at a 1:1 ratio like we do w/ AMEX, and a 2:1 starwood/Visa (like in Canada) would be a non--starter for me anyway.

P.S. gleff and/or mileking...can either of you comment on the rumors in the Hilton thread that Hilton was awarding Diamond for "x"-level charging on the AMEX/HHonors card ? Just got a promo in to apply for this card (20K HHonors points bonus) and would otherwise not engage in HHonors after 2004's massive dilution - but to get to HHonors Diamond level....sure is tempting. Have either of you been awarded HHonors diamond due purely to AMEX/HHonors charging ?