wsbombers

[QUOTE=cctraderx][QUOTE=pdxjayhawk]

Had we been using points for airline miles and paid for the hotel, the trip would have broken down as such:

4 domestic tickets 100,000 points (25,000 X 4) if they're available
3 nights at Disneyworld Swan Hotel $289 x 3 = $867

Instead, we purchased the airline tickets and used SPG points for the hotel.
4 domestic tickets approx. $900
3 nights in hotel 30,000 points (10,000 X 3)

QUOTE]

If you have 100K *points:
4 domestic tickets 80,000 points (20,000 X 4) (20K *pts --> 25K Airline Miles)
3 nights in hotel $289 + 20,000 Points (10,000 X 2 pay one night)

Of course, if you're staying 5 nights and your hotel participates, you can use Nights and Flights for a Category 4 hotel (usually the same 10K Pts/night) you have even better options:

70K Pts --> 50K airline miles + 5 nights

ijgordon

Actually, I think it's still a good deal, since 20,000 *points transfers into 25,000 airline miles, on a wider choice of airlines than MR points. Of course the easiest (and cheapest) way to earn airline miles is to actually fly the airline!

Jannarama

There is no fee to transfer out of Membership Rewards to any of the international airline partners or hotel partners. There is a charge of 40 cents per 1k transferred to the domestic airline partners, to a maximum of $50 per transfer. That charge is to offset the federal excise tax that American Express has to pay on point transfers.

It is true that 999 of MR points = 333 Starwood points if you are enrolled in the Membership Rewards basic or Plus levels. It's 1998 MR points = 333 Starwood points in the Options levels.

ZackVLion

one thing that the amex gold has is return protection. *wood doesnt have this as far as i know.

i actually just used it a week ago with some memory that wouldnt work in my computer and the merchant wouldnt take it back.

jmorgans

Actually, it does!