The dust has settled - which hotel credit card is now king?
Feb 2, 2016, 10:01 am
#211
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,784
59K is just about enough for a night at the Paris La Defense property, which otherwise costs over $200 a night.
Our cost with the basic AMEX HH card to generate 59K points thru grocery GC MS would be $165, which is way worse. The basic AMEX HH card sign up bonus is once in a lifetime. And the Citi HH and HH Reserve card bonuses are now every 18 months, so we both have 6 more months to wait on each of those. Our Chase Marriott and IHG cards both have more than a year to go to hit that 24 month limit. Our hotels for this up coming Summer trip are already booked and "paid" for with points we got when churning was easier.
But that leaves almost nothing for 2017, other than the 2 IHG certificates we will get next fall. We just aren't the type to fly to Europe or Asia for the weekend, and we've gotten used to traveling way beyond our means.
We've both got a ton of Airline miles in multiple accounts, but we need to have a way to pay for hotels when we get somewhere with those miles. We don't have the $240K of "natural spend" it would take to pay for our hotels that way, and if we did we'd have to curtail spend from other purposes to do that anyway.
Feb 2, 2016, 11:17 am
#212
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,934
But HHonors is among the poorest valued programs today. When it was so easy to churn Citi HH cards to earn HHonors points fast, it may not have mattered, but now that they can only be earned more slowly, it's time to face that reality.
You shouldn't be focusing solely on credit cards IMHO. You should also look for great values in turning small number of paid inexpensive stays into free nights. For example, Marriott right has just started a promo where you get a 6 month cat 1-5 cert for just 2 paid (one-night or longer) stays Feb 1 - May 15. IHG Club has Accelerate 2016 going, which is highly targeted, but people who have had few paid stays at IHG Club in the past year are likely to have an offer which gives 40k or 50k or maybe even more for just one or two (one-night or longer) stays (if you figure out how to accomplish most of your tasks all with the same stay). In the Fall 2015 Accelerate promo I earned about 50k points for one paid stay. In this Spring 2016 Accelerate promo I'm earning another 40k-ish points for one paid stay plus one points+cash+stay. Then, in Choice, far easier than from a credit is earning 8000 points for 2 cheap 1-night suburban stays in the US and then often using only 8000-16000 points for nice hotels in Europe.
Furthermore, if you can't fund "fancy" properties in great locations any more, consider whether you really them to be that "fancy" or whether you can get by with a decent further out location close to public transport to where you really need to go (or, a cheaper-on-points suburban location when you've got a rental car anyway and in the suburbs the hotel parking will be free while in the downtown hotel which needs more points the hotel parking fee will be nasty). This general strategy can help in any program, including Hilton HHonors. For example, at AMS airport, you can get the Hilton walking distance to the terminal for 60000 points or maybe 24000 points + 75 Euros, or you may be able to get the Hampton a shuttle ride away for 12000 points + I think 40 Euros). You have to decide whether the fancier hotel and not having to take a shuttle is really worth burning through tens of thousands of extra points or not in any situation like this.
Feb 2, 2016, 12:18 pm
#213
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 775
I'd rather not do that either. But what do you propose as a cheaper way to get (not just HH, any type of hotel) points?
59K is just about enough for a night at the Paris La Defense property, which otherwise costs over $200 a night.
Our cost with the basic AMEX HH card to generate 59K points thru grocery GC MS would be $165, which is way worse. The basic AMEX HH card sign up bonus is once in a lifetime. And the Citi HH and HH Reserve card bonuses are now every 18 months, so we both have 6 more months to wait on each of those. Our Chase Marriott and IHG cards both have more than a year to go to hit that 24 month limit. Our hotels for this up coming Summer trip are already booked and "paid" for with points we got when churning was easier.
But that leaves almost nothing for 2017, other than the 2 IHG certificates we will get next fall. We just aren't the type to fly to Europe or Asia for the weekend, and we've gotten used to traveling way beyond our means.
We've both got a ton of Airline miles in multiple accounts, but we need to have a way to pay for hotels when we get somewhere with those miles. We don't have the $240K of "natural spend" it would take to pay for our hotels that way, and if we did we'd have to curtail spend from other purposes to do that anyway.
59K is just about enough for a night at the Paris La Defense property, which otherwise costs over $200 a night.
Our cost with the basic AMEX HH card to generate 59K points thru grocery GC MS would be $165, which is way worse. The basic AMEX HH card sign up bonus is once in a lifetime. And the Citi HH and HH Reserve card bonuses are now every 18 months, so we both have 6 more months to wait on each of those. Our Chase Marriott and IHG cards both have more than a year to go to hit that 24 month limit. Our hotels for this up coming Summer trip are already booked and "paid" for with points we got when churning was easier.
But that leaves almost nothing for 2017, other than the 2 IHG certificates we will get next fall. We just aren't the type to fly to Europe or Asia for the weekend, and we've gotten used to traveling way beyond our means.
We've both got a ton of Airline miles in multiple accounts, but we need to have a way to pay for hotels when we get somewhere with those miles. We don't have the $240K of "natural spend" it would take to pay for our hotels that way, and if we did we'd have to curtail spend from other purposes to do that anyway.
use miles to pay for rooms or Thank you points --"sometimes" it works fine --especially thank you -- many a Hilton charge outrageous amount of points that you can use T.Y. FOR WAY LESS POINTS
A 80K HILTON can cost just $200 -300 if use T.Y. about 15k-23k
Feb 2, 2016, 2:55 pm
#214
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,768
I second sdsearch's suggestions on using the hotel program promotions as much as you could fit in. Ideally would be you have natural stays that can work in the promotions. However sometimes a weekend mattress run in your locale if the pay rates can be found at cheap level, might not be a bad idea to earn a cert or points such as the IHG promotion.
For HHonors program, the best value is P+C which dont happen in cities like London, Paris and the like. However there are very nice cities in Europe you would still find some good redemption values if Europe is your destination.
Dont overlook SPG as well. As an example, as expensive as in Barcelona, there is a built for purpose really nice 4P is a Cat 2. Its location while away from the most touristy spots in Barcelona (like La Rambla where Le Meridian is), it is within 10 min walk from the train station on the direct line to/from airport, and tram car stations are 5 min walk on both direction right outside hotel entrance. A very nice 15 to 20 min stroll along a tree-lined boulevard where outdoor eateries are frequented by locals, you reach the beach. And it is only 3K on weekend or 4K on weekday. dirt cheap.
Going to Venice? Stay at Sheraton Padova an hour train ride from Venice, and it is also a cat 2 hotel.
Finally you do not need to always stay on points - think about your MS cost and efforts, sometimes with just a bit more, you could stay in independent lodging options just as good or better.
To count on stays all on points is an unrealistic expectation. To control hotel stays at between $100 to $150 a night in reasonably good properties in many places in Europe is a very achievable target.
We would be in Croatia and Slovenia for 2 weeks this May. About 12 nights are all booked thru Booking.com to stay in one bedroom apartments, average cost about $75 a night. Cannot see why one should use 60K HH pts or $300+ for a basic room at Dubrovnik when our one bedroom apartment with free garage parking is $285 for 3 nights. Then the remaining 3 nights, 2 would be spent at Ljubjana, Slovenia - a Radisson that is 28K Club Carlson pts a night. The goal is to visit Lake Bled which is 45min drive from Ljubjana - in this case, the Club Carlson pts stay would be cheaper than staying at the lakeside apartment/B&B/hotel. Our last night will be at Zagreb before we fly to Sydney via Doha. Both Sheraton and Westin are Cat 2 property at 3/4K. At Sydney, a fairly modern Radisson Suites at Darling Harbour and CBD is still a 50K property - much bigger room than the 70K Radisson Blu in a much older building in the more business district. We chose to use our Club Carlson apology certs at the Radisson Suites instead of the Radisson Blu even the latter has a higher retail rate - but what really counts is the comfort level of the rooms and the surrounding area of the hotel - in that the lower-priced Radisson Suites wins.
One more area to explore is the Best Rate Guarantee programs of each hotel chain. Not always work but worth to check the possibility on any pay stays.
One needs to look at all programs, take advantage of promotions as much as you could, and look for "gems" in redemption value. Meanwhile do not limit one's option to point stays only.
For HHonors program, the best value is P+C which dont happen in cities like London, Paris and the like. However there are very nice cities in Europe you would still find some good redemption values if Europe is your destination.
Dont overlook SPG as well. As an example, as expensive as in Barcelona, there is a built for purpose really nice 4P is a Cat 2. Its location while away from the most touristy spots in Barcelona (like La Rambla where Le Meridian is), it is within 10 min walk from the train station on the direct line to/from airport, and tram car stations are 5 min walk on both direction right outside hotel entrance. A very nice 15 to 20 min stroll along a tree-lined boulevard where outdoor eateries are frequented by locals, you reach the beach. And it is only 3K on weekend or 4K on weekday. dirt cheap.
Going to Venice? Stay at Sheraton Padova an hour train ride from Venice, and it is also a cat 2 hotel.
Finally you do not need to always stay on points - think about your MS cost and efforts, sometimes with just a bit more, you could stay in independent lodging options just as good or better.
To count on stays all on points is an unrealistic expectation. To control hotel stays at between $100 to $150 a night in reasonably good properties in many places in Europe is a very achievable target.
We would be in Croatia and Slovenia for 2 weeks this May. About 12 nights are all booked thru Booking.com to stay in one bedroom apartments, average cost about $75 a night. Cannot see why one should use 60K HH pts or $300+ for a basic room at Dubrovnik when our one bedroom apartment with free garage parking is $285 for 3 nights. Then the remaining 3 nights, 2 would be spent at Ljubjana, Slovenia - a Radisson that is 28K Club Carlson pts a night. The goal is to visit Lake Bled which is 45min drive from Ljubjana - in this case, the Club Carlson pts stay would be cheaper than staying at the lakeside apartment/B&B/hotel. Our last night will be at Zagreb before we fly to Sydney via Doha. Both Sheraton and Westin are Cat 2 property at 3/4K. At Sydney, a fairly modern Radisson Suites at Darling Harbour and CBD is still a 50K property - much bigger room than the 70K Radisson Blu in a much older building in the more business district. We chose to use our Club Carlson apology certs at the Radisson Suites instead of the Radisson Blu even the latter has a higher retail rate - but what really counts is the comfort level of the rooms and the surrounding area of the hotel - in that the lower-priced Radisson Suites wins.
One more area to explore is the Best Rate Guarantee programs of each hotel chain. Not always work but worth to check the possibility on any pay stays.
One needs to look at all programs, take advantage of promotions as much as you could, and look for "gems" in redemption value. Meanwhile do not limit one's option to point stays only.
Last edited by Happy; Feb 2, 2016 at 3:14 pm
Feb 2, 2016, 3:04 pm
#215
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,768
Here are the terms when you upgrade the NAF Hilton Amex to Surpass. There is no mention of not qualifying if you ever had the card before.
One more thing I noticed is that you don't have to wait a year after you downgrade to upgrade again but I find little value in paying a $75 AF and spending $3k for 59,000 HH points. Maybe if a person needs gold and/or points to make an AXON award it makes more sense.
One more thing I noticed is that you don't have to wait a year after you downgrade to upgrade again but I find little value in paying a $75 AF and spending $3k for 59,000 HH points. Maybe if a person needs gold and/or points to make an AXON award it makes more sense.
Feb 2, 2016, 8:03 pm
#216
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,607
I'd rather not do that either. But what do you propose as a cheaper way to get (not just HH, any type of hotel) points?
59K is just about enough for a night at the Paris La Defense property, which otherwise costs over $200 a night.
Our cost with the basic AMEX HH card to generate 59K points thru grocery GC MS would be $165, which is way worse. The basic AMEX HH card sign up bonus is once in a lifetime. And the Citi HH and HH Reserve card bonuses are now every 18 months, so we both have 6 more months to wait on each of those. Our Chase Marriott and IHG cards both have more than a year to go to hit that 24 month limit. Our hotels for this up coming Summer trip are already booked and "paid" for with points we got when churning was easier.
But that leaves almost nothing for 2017, other than the 2 IHG certificates we will get next fall. We just aren't the type to fly to Europe or Asia for the weekend, and we've gotten used to traveling way beyond our means.
We've both got a ton of Airline miles in multiple accounts, but we need to have a way to pay for hotels when we get somewhere with those miles. We don't have the $240K of "natural spend" it would take to pay for our hotels that way, and if we did we'd have to curtail spend from other purposes to do that anyway.
59K is just about enough for a night at the Paris La Defense property, which otherwise costs over $200 a night.
Our cost with the basic AMEX HH card to generate 59K points thru grocery GC MS would be $165, which is way worse. The basic AMEX HH card sign up bonus is once in a lifetime. And the Citi HH and HH Reserve card bonuses are now every 18 months, so we both have 6 more months to wait on each of those. Our Chase Marriott and IHG cards both have more than a year to go to hit that 24 month limit. Our hotels for this up coming Summer trip are already booked and "paid" for with points we got when churning was easier.
But that leaves almost nothing for 2017, other than the 2 IHG certificates we will get next fall. We just aren't the type to fly to Europe or Asia for the weekend, and we've gotten used to traveling way beyond our means.
We've both got a ton of Airline miles in multiple accounts, but we need to have a way to pay for hotels when we get somewhere with those miles. We don't have the $240K of "natural spend" it would take to pay for our hotels that way, and if we did we'd have to curtail spend from other purposes to do that anyway.
I believe that you can use Airline miles to pay for hotels. We have had SW CP since 2013 but never stopped getting AA,UA and DL miles so we are sitting on a nice stash there also.
Have you looked at Wyndham ? they have 2 cards and 15K is good for a night at any property including AI
You can also "pay" for rooms with the Arrival and cap one cards. Citi Thank You has a deal where 50k = 100k HH. Hawaiian airlines transfers to HH............these other point earning possibilities exist but are not as well known, I'm sure I am missing some.......UR for example
Feb 3, 2016, 9:32 am
#217
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,784
Dont overlook SPG as well. As an example, as expensive as in Barcelona, there is a built for purpose really nice 4P is a Cat 2. Its location while away from the most touristy spots in Barcelona (like La Rambla where Le Meridian is), it is within 10 min walk from the train station on the direct line to/from airport, and tram car stations are 5 min walk on both direction right outside hotel entrance. A very nice 15 to 20 min stroll along a tree-lined boulevard where outdoor eateries are frequented by locals, you reach the beach. And it is only 3K on weekend or 4K on weekday. dirt cheap.
Going to Venice? Stay at Sheraton Padova an hour train ride from Venice, and it is also a cat 2 hotel.
Going to Venice? Stay at Sheraton Padova an hour train ride from Venice, and it is also a cat 2 hotel.
Sheraton Padova is another matter, with 15% negative on TA, and you either need a car, or a $30 R/T cab ride to the train. Cheaper and easier to stay at the Garden Inn in Mestre. An average of 24K HH points per night on a 5th night free deal, and a very nice swimming pool for those hot and humid days when you've overdone battling the crowds in Venice. Only 3 % negative on T/A, the bus to Venice stops right outside the front door, with a less than 15 minute ride right to the Vaporetto stop. And fairly short train day trips to Padua and Verona when Venice turns out to be less fascinating than you had expected.
We didn't see the near total end of churning coming so soon, and were over concentrated on miles, and under concentrated on points. Also we stayed in Europe for a month last Summer, and have already booked another month for this Summer, all "paid for" entirely with points. So our points accounts are sitting pretty empty. For Summer 2017 I've been looking at Krakow where you can stay at the Hampton for a mere 5K HH points. 4% neg on TA, and 8.5 hours on a high speed train from Berlin. A plus is we've never been to Poland, so a totally new experience.
Is there a thread on this? Good hotels at rock bottom points and/or possibly low $ cost?
Feb 3, 2016, 12:57 pm
#218
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,934
Both SPG Amex cards, meanwhile, give you SPG Preferred Plus, which is the same as SPG Gold except for not earning the extra point on stays. But, unfortunately, SPG Gold is not that much better than HH Silver, unless you're staying at Sheraton and can combine it with the SPG Business Amex's benefit of free lounge access. (Of course, I presume you need to be staying when the lounge is open; I have not heard of a substituted benefit when the lounge is closed, if the only way you get lounge access is via the SPG Business Amex.)
Feb 3, 2016, 2:30 pm
#219
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,768
With no status with Sheraton, and no easy way to get it (ie HH Gold with multiple ccs) I had been overlooking Sheraton. The 4Pts Barcelona is brilliant. Only 2 % negative on Trip Advisor, 3000 points on weekends is only $36 if done with total MS. Ten minutes walk from the Metro. WOW !
Sheraton Padova is another matter, with 15% negative on TA, and you either need a car, or a $30 R/T cab ride to the train. Cheaper and easier to stay at the Garden Inn in Mestre. An average of 24K HH points per night on a 5th night free deal, and a very nice swimming pool for those hot and humid days when you've overdone battling the crowds in Venice. Only 3 % negative on T/A, the bus to Venice stops right outside the front door, with a less than 15 minute ride right to the Vaporetto stop. And fairly short train day trips to Padua and Verona when Venice turns out to be less fascinating than you had expected.
We didn't see the near total end of churning coming so soon, and were over concentrated on miles, and under concentrated on points. Also we stayed in Europe for a month last Summer, and have already booked another month for this Summer, all "paid for" entirely with points. So our points accounts are sitting pretty empty. For Summer 2017 I've been looking at Krakow where you can stay at the Hampton for a mere 5K HH points. 4% neg on TA, and 8.5 hours on a high speed train from Berlin. A plus is we've never been to Poland, so a totally new experience.
Is there a thread on this? Good hotels at rock bottom points and/or possibly low $ cost?
Sheraton Padova is another matter, with 15% negative on TA, and you either need a car, or a $30 R/T cab ride to the train. Cheaper and easier to stay at the Garden Inn in Mestre. An average of 24K HH points per night on a 5th night free deal, and a very nice swimming pool for those hot and humid days when you've overdone battling the crowds in Venice. Only 3 % negative on T/A, the bus to Venice stops right outside the front door, with a less than 15 minute ride right to the Vaporetto stop. And fairly short train day trips to Padua and Verona when Venice turns out to be less fascinating than you had expected.
We didn't see the near total end of churning coming so soon, and were over concentrated on miles, and under concentrated on points. Also we stayed in Europe for a month last Summer, and have already booked another month for this Summer, all "paid for" entirely with points. So our points accounts are sitting pretty empty. For Summer 2017 I've been looking at Krakow where you can stay at the Hampton for a mere 5K HH points. 4% neg on TA, and 8.5 hours on a high speed train from Berlin. A plus is we've never been to Poland, so a totally new experience.
Is there a thread on this? Good hotels at rock bottom points and/or possibly low $ cost?
Personally I can tell you Padova is a much more pleasant little town (University town) than Mestre.
Mestre is a very poor area in my opinion. If you are willing to pay $ to stay at independent hotels, look for those on Lido, the island away from Venice proper. The water bus No.1 and No.2 both have stop at Lido IIRC. Lido is a nice location - it is a bedroom community for those who work in Venice proper. It is also the Summer vacation spot for Venetians as Summer in Venice can get REALLY HOT and Lido has beaches.
No, you do NOT need a car to stay at Sheraton Padova. Hotel has complementary, regular shuttle between hotel and Padova proper. On the way out the driver is more than happy to drop you at the train station. On the way back you would definitely need to wait at the shuttle pick up spot which is a short 10 min leisurely stroll from the train station to the Cathedral square just pass the river if IIRC. We went to Venice for a day (been in Venice a few times since 2008 and really did not like how it had become in recent years.) Also went to Verona and Vicenza for day trips. Vicenza is where the Pallidian architectures started.
It is a good base to explore the Veneto region. You could even go to Lake Garda. We met a lady on the hotel shuttle bus did this. Her husband who was an engineer, was attending a huge conference held by an American company at the Sheraton. She tagged along for a pleasure trip and went everywhere by herself.
When we stayed there it was a Cat 3 and we booked the 5th night free for 28K SPG pts. Now it is a Cat 2, it is only 19K for all 5 nights. You can do the math.
Sheraton Padova is an OK hotel - it is primarily a conference hotel but its location affords you a very economic and reasonably good accommodation for visiting Venice without paying the Venice price. It is much better than those hotels in Mestre (the mainland train station closest to Venice) for example. Service is indifferent, room is outdated but clean. It serves the purpose and far better than the AC Hotel (Marriott program) in the area because Sheraton has free shuttle to town while AC you need to figure the transportation yourself if you dont want to take a taxi despite AC is closer to Padova proper than Sheraton but it is at the edge of the town.
Berlin is a cheap city for pay stay. I would check the pay rates first. Most of the Germany is on the cheap side comparing to other Western European cities.
Not sure about others idea of choosing their vacation spot - I know many only go when it is "free" trip. We go where we want to go, and find ways to minimize the costs rather than let costs to dictate where we go, as it defeats the purpose - the joy of travel. With full flexibility we tend to do long trips usually 4 to 6 weeks long usually 3 times a year. We also favor RTWs which enable us to save at least one transocean flight business class redemption. Besides, Europe to Asia or Australia is much easier to find availability then competing with thousands of US-based folks for the US-xxx-US flights, particularly to Australia.
Last edited by Happy; Feb 3, 2016 at 2:57 pm
Feb 3, 2016, 2:40 pm
#220
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,768
The SPG Business Amex (but not the SPG personal Amex) has an (apparently little-known) benefit of giving you lounge access at Sheratons (no other SPG brands, just Sheratons).
Both SPG Amex cards, meanwhile, give you SPG Preferred Plus, which is the same as SPG Gold except for not earning the extra point on stays. But, unfortunately, SPG Gold is not that much better than HH Silver, unless you're staying at Sheraton and can combine it with the SPG Business Amex's benefit of free lounge access. (Of course, I presume you need to be staying when the lounge is open; I have not heard of a substituted benefit when the lounge is closed, if the only way you get lounge access is via the SPG Business Amex.)
Both SPG Amex cards, meanwhile, give you SPG Preferred Plus, which is the same as SPG Gold except for not earning the extra point on stays. But, unfortunately, SPG Gold is not that much better than HH Silver, unless you're staying at Sheraton and can combine it with the SPG Business Amex's benefit of free lounge access. (Of course, I presume you need to be staying when the lounge is open; I have not heard of a substituted benefit when the lounge is closed, if the only way you get lounge access is via the SPG Business Amex.)
SPG Gold really is worth very little.
Feb 3, 2016, 7:53 pm
#222
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,934
I don't think the business SPG Amex ever gives true Gold Status, it just gives Preferred Plus status which is the same as Gold except (1) the name, and (2) no extra point per $ earned on paid stays. The other benefits (such as they are or aren't) are the same between Preferred Plus and Gold.
You can easily compensate for the lack of extra point per $ by using the card a bit more, so I perceive this a difference without much of a difference.
But, as noted above, Gold status at SPG is not much better than Silver status at Marriott or Hilton. It's just confusing because of the name. But it's the first level up status, not unlike the first level up in many other programs. You need the second level up, at least, in most programs to get meaningful benefits; that's called Gold at Marriott and Hilton, but called Platinum at SPG. You could thus say that SPG has had elite status "naming inflation"...
You can easily compensate for the lack of extra point per $ by using the card a bit more, so I perceive this a difference without much of a difference.
But, as noted above, Gold status at SPG is not much better than Silver status at Marriott or Hilton. It's just confusing because of the name. But it's the first level up status, not unlike the first level up in many other programs. You need the second level up, at least, in most programs to get meaningful benefits; that's called Gold at Marriott and Hilton, but called Platinum at SPG. You could thus say that SPG has had elite status "naming inflation"...
Feb 3, 2016, 10:03 pm
#223
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,768
I don't think the business SPG Amex ever gives true Gold Status, it just gives Preferred Plus status which is the same as Gold except (1) the name, and (2) no extra point per $ earned on paid stays. The other benefits (such as they are or aren't) are the same between Preferred Plus and Gold.
You can easily compensate for the lack of extra point per $ by using the card a bit more, so I perceive this a difference without much of a difference.
But, as noted above, Gold status at SPG is not much better than Silver status at Marriott or Hilton. It's just confusing because of the name. But it's the first level up status, not unlike the first level up in many other programs. You need the second level up, at least, in most programs to get meaningful benefits; that's called Gold at Marriott and Hilton, but called Platinum at SPG. You could thus say that SPG has had elite status "naming inflation"...
You can easily compensate for the lack of extra point per $ by using the card a bit more, so I perceive this a difference without much of a difference.
But, as noted above, Gold status at SPG is not much better than Silver status at Marriott or Hilton. It's just confusing because of the name. But it's the first level up status, not unlike the first level up in many other programs. You need the second level up, at least, in most programs to get meaningful benefits; that's called Gold at Marriott and Hilton, but called Platinum at SPG. You could thus say that SPG has had elite status "naming inflation"...
It is good enough to get Hilton to match us to Hilton Diamonds. Therefore we now postpone the Reserve / Surpass card till 2017.
In fact if I was not skeptical therefore did not join the rush to Hyatt match - missed the cut-off time by 2 hours - the SPG Gold would get you Hyatt Diamond in its chaotic, free for all status match during Thanksgiving time.
BTW, 10 stays (including award stays and the 2 stays from credit card) makes you "golden" using SPG jargon. Or you could spend $30K on the SPG card to earn Gold. (silly because SPG card earns at only 1:1 ratio but some would do that.)
Feb 4, 2016, 7:38 am
#224
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Earn SPG Gold status after spending $30,000 or more in eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year.‡
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Feb 4, 2016, 9:23 am
#225
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 530
What card is the easiest to earn free nights with daily expense? I know SPG hotel redemption are as low as 2-3k. On the other hand, Hilton Reserve gives 3 points on everything but their redemption is much higher (i'm gonna ignore the 10k free night bonus b/c it isn't worth for me). Oh and I already have IGH. I'm thinking about picking up marriott as well for that free annual night.