Best card for $30k charge at St Regis
Feb 14, 2014, 12:37 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 361
Best card for $30k charge at St Regis
Hi,
I have a friend who will be holding a wedding at a St. Regis. We think the bill will be ~$30,000 at the St. Regis.
Would the AMEX SPG card be the best card to get to spend the $30k or should we look at other cards? We want to stay away from cards with fees.
His main goal is to get airline miles (doesn't care which airline for now).
Thank you in advance for the advice.
I have a friend who will be holding a wedding at a St. Regis. We think the bill will be ~$30,000 at the St. Regis.
Would the AMEX SPG card be the best card to get to spend the $30k or should we look at other cards? We want to stay away from cards with fees.
His main goal is to get airline miles (doesn't care which airline for now).
Thank you in advance for the advice.
Feb 14, 2014, 12:42 pm
#2
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: UA 1K, AA EP, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Platinum, M life Noir
Posts: 1,279
AmEx SPG for sure. $30k spent at a St. Regis would net 145,000 SPG points, or 180,000 miles for most airline partners. You'd also get SPG gold status for spending the $30k. No brainer.
Feb 14, 2014, 12:48 pm
#3
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Midwest
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 401
If the spend would count as "travel" the Chase Sapphire Preferred would earn 2x points, plus the 7% bonus at year end... can transfer those to a few airlines. I *think* there is a way to book travel through the UR portal to earn another 1x point, making over 3x possible? Plus a solid sign on bonus and no fee first year...
Someone more knowledgeable than me might know if it would count as 2x/3x or not, but worth looking at if the transfer partners work for your friend.
Someone more knowledgeable than me might know if it would count as 2x/3x or not, but worth looking at if the transfer partners work for your friend.
Feb 14, 2014, 12:49 pm
#4
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: UA 1K, AA EP, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Platinum, M life Noir
Posts: 1,279
It might even be worth signing up for an AmEx Platinum first, which grants you automatic SPG Gold status (giving you another SPG point per $1 spent). Then if you spend the $31k on an SPG AmEx, you'd net 180,000 SPG points, or 225,000 airline miles.
Feb 14, 2014, 12:59 pm
#5
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: UA 1K, AA EP, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Platinum, M life Noir
Posts: 1,279
Best case scenario, the CSP would earn 155,150 UR points on $30k St. Regis spend, and most likely it would only be 104,200-119,200 UR points depending on the sign-up bonus he/she gets. 180,000 or even 145,000 SPG points are much more valuable.
Go with SPG unless the spender specifically wants United miles, Korean Air miles, or Hyatt points.
Go with SPG unless the spender specifically wants United miles, Korean Air miles, or Hyatt points.
Last edited by bribro; Feb 14, 2014 at 1:05 pm
Feb 14, 2014, 1:08 pm
#6
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 33
Hi,
I have a friend who will be holding a wedding at a St. Regis. We think the bill will be ~$30,000 at the St. Regis.
Would the AMEX SPG card be the best card to get to spend the $30k or should we look at other cards? We want to stay away from cards with fees.
His main goal is to get airline miles (doesn't care which airline for now).
Thank you in advance for the advice.
I have a friend who will be holding a wedding at a St. Regis. We think the bill will be ~$30,000 at the St. Regis.
Would the AMEX SPG card be the best card to get to spend the $30k or should we look at other cards? We want to stay away from cards with fees.
His main goal is to get airline miles (doesn't care which airline for now).
Thank you in advance for the advice.
Feb 14, 2014, 1:17 pm
#7
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: DL PM; IHG PlatAmb; Hilton Dia; Marriott Plat; Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 7,320
Best card for $30k charge at St Regis
might be a dumb question, but what's your credit limit on each card, and how much will be on it at a time
Feb 14, 2014, 1:33 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 361
Feb 14, 2014, 1:35 pm
#9
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: DCA/IAD
Posts: 135
Pardon my ignorance but how would that spend produce 145k SPG points? Thanks for elaborating.
Feb 14, 2014, 1:38 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 361
Best case scenario, the CSP would earn 155,150 UR points on $30k St. Regis spend, and most likely it would only be 104,200-119,200 UR points depending on the sign-up bonus he/she gets. 180,000 or even 145,000 SPG points are much more valuable.
Go with SPG unless the spender specifically wants United miles, Korean Air miles, or Hyatt points.
Go with SPG unless the spender specifically wants United miles, Korean Air miles, or Hyatt points.
Feb 14, 2014, 1:51 pm
#11
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Sunny AZ
Programs: HH Diamond, Sixt Platinum, IHG Spire Ambassador, Marriott/SPG Gold .....
Posts: 3,213
Best card for $30k charge at St Regis
British Airways 100k bonus + points for spend + companion pass will get 2 people in first some nice place
Or 20k on the BA and 10k on AA = 100k each plus miles for spend
Or 20k on the BA and 10k on AA = 100k each plus miles for spend
Feb 14, 2014, 2:04 pm
#13
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: UA 1K, AS MVP Gold, TK *Gold, HHonors Gold, SPG Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 570
Best card for $30k charge at St Regis
In my order of preference:
- pay cash and get a discount, as mentioned above
- somehow get SPG status (Amex plat, status match, trial status etc) and then pay with the SPG card
- if you know someone trustworthy with SPG status get them to put the spend on their card and then transfer the miles to you
IMO SPG points are much more valuable than MR/UR so I would avoid Amex or the CSP for this purchase. Enjoy the celebrations!
- pay cash and get a discount, as mentioned above
- somehow get SPG status (Amex plat, status match, trial status etc) and then pay with the SPG card
- if you know someone trustworthy with SPG status get them to put the spend on their card and then transfer the miles to you
IMO SPG points are much more valuable than MR/UR so I would avoid Amex or the CSP for this purchase. Enjoy the celebrations!
Feb 14, 2014, 2:06 pm
#14
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: UA 1K, AA EP, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Platinum, M life Noir
Posts: 1,279
Feb 14, 2014, 2:08 pm
#15
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: UA 1K, AA EP, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Platinum, M life Noir
Posts: 1,279
Correct. 2 pts per $1 spent at SPG properties from the AmEx SPG credit card. Another 2 pts per $1 spent at SPG properties for being an SPG Preferred member. If you're SPG Gold you get 3 pts per $1 spent at SPG properties (5 pts per $1 spent total), which is why signing up for an AmEx Platinum first is something to consider. You can sign up for the AmEx Mercedes Platinum and get a 50k MR sign-up bonus.