Here is the current situation:

- I use my AMEX Blue for my personal use, its one of my oldest CCs
- Wife and I share AMEX PR Gold card, the point get accumulated in my (Amex Blue) membership account
- We also use Marriott Rewards visa card for non-Amex and International transactions/trips

$175 for AMEX PR Gold card seems a lot and I am not sure if we are getting any benefits. We were a little shy of the annual $30K spend for 15K MR points, so probably wont get the 15K. Not counting the sign-up bonus, we earned about 25K points in a year which is more like breaking even with the $175 annual fee. Here are my options, I think...:

- Ditch the AMEX PRG card and get another card, not sure which one (any suggestions?)
- Ditch AMEX PRG card and use Marriott Premiere for everything - although I am not terribly happy with the hotel choices. Not travelling much for work these days so not a huge influx of points outside spending

(I'll keep accumulating AMEX points through my AMEX Blue till I need to use for a reward)

I am lost, makes sense to ditch one of the two joint CCs and use one but I am not sure which one. Use one of the exisiting or get a completely new one.

Spending fact: We dine out a lot and do some road trips.

Any suggestions?

What - exactly - do you want to earn your miles/points/cashback for?

Ideally, whatever has the biggest reward for my spending trend/activity. That said, I wont mind getting perks associated with the loyalty to a Hotel or Airline. I dont travel much for work so for personal travel (home: NYC) I go with the cheapest - I do have about 45K with United and about 10K with AA.

Historically, I have used AMEX Rewards for booking flights only.

Each type of miles or points has a fundamentally different "value" depending on how you use it.

Plenty of people here like to use miles for first class plane tickets they would have spent $2000 on. That's far different than a $200 domestic coach ticket.

A $600 room at a JW is different from an $80 room at a Holiday Inn Express.

Unless you can discuss your destinations, seasons, lodging choices, quality vs. quantity, etc., the only advice you'll be getting is what's the best value for everyone else.

In other words: "If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there."

The $30K spend for 15K MR goes by calendar year, not membership year.

Point taken :-)

To say that I'd like to use points towards travel, specific enough? Along with best value, if I can get the perks/loyalty benefits with the hotel or an airline, that'd be great.

I would ditch the Amex gold, but keep the blue card if its your oldest card because it is important for your credit.
I recommend getting the Citi AA 50K cards (Visa/Amex) with two browser trick.
As far as Amex the SPG card is pretty good.
Also the Chase Sapphire or United Explorer cards are good for United miles

You seem like a good chap/lass, so I'll play your game.

Here are some broad, sweeping generalizations of opinions. If you only want ONE card:

If you want international premium airfare, then use the SPG AMEX. It will earn 1.25 miles per $ in several US-based programs that have good international redemptions. (You don't need any loyalty benefits if you're traveling in a premium class already.)

If you want lots of domestic airfare, and you can fly on non-stop flights on AA or AS, get the BA Visa for 1.25 Avios per $ and the excellent short distance award values.

If you want lots of connecting domestic airfare, get a Citi Forward card for 5 Thank You Points per $ on dining. Then get a Citi Thank You Premier card and put it in a drawer. The Premier card will allow you to use the points you earn from the Forward card for airfare at a discount. Thus, 1 Thank You Point will equal 1.33 cents of airfare - turning the Forward card into a 6.7% cashback card.

With either of the domestic plans, if you choose a single airline to fly, you could also apply for that airline's credit card and get most of the elite benefits simply by holding it.

These are dramatic oversimplifications and if you're willing to sign up for cards only for the sake of the signup bonuses, there are better deals.

Thank you. This is helpful. AMEX SPG sounds like a good idea, that would easily replace my AMEX PRG.

Thinking if I should keep the joint Marriott PR card ... its Visa so we get to use at places AMEX isnt accepted AND for foreign transactions.

There's really no reason to cancel it. It has a net-zero annual fee given the Cat 1-5 night annually, plus it earns you Silver status (better than nothing).

Top two credit cards I recomment:

Chase ink plus business card, you have 50K spending on office supply, which is easily transferred to daily expending if you buy your daily spending gift cards in office supply chain. You will get at least 6-9% cash back depending how you value united miles and hyatt points.

If you have difficulty to get business card, next option is chase saphire preferred card. You will get 2 points from travel and dining.

Both cards have access to chase ultimate mall and you can earn point from your online purchase and reservation.