Which Hotel Credit Cards are worth MSing?
Mar 17, 2015, 10:53 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 908
Which Hotel Credit Cards are worth MSing?
Hi, right now the only category that I do not have points in is the Hotel Category.
I already Signed up for Chase Hyatt, Citi Hilton Reserve, Chase Fairmont, to get the 2 free nights.
I want to stay at the Top Category hotels, but rate is outrageous. Hilton is like 80k a night. 80k / 3pts is about 27k worth of Msing. Cost of Msing that is about $214 + time.
I already Signed up for Chase Hyatt, Citi Hilton Reserve, Chase Fairmont, to get the 2 free nights.
I want to stay at the Top Category hotels, but rate is outrageous. Hilton is like 80k a night. 80k / 3pts is about 27k worth of Msing. Cost of Msing that is about $214 + time.
Mar 17, 2015, 10:55 am
#2
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: LAXatives
Programs: Delta Cubic Zirconia, Marriott Diplomat, Hertz Chairman's Square, Avis Preferred Plus
Posts: 390
A lot of people swear by their SPG Amex card. I'd get one if I frequented SPG properties for work but my current projects have placed me in Marriott properties so I opted for the Marriott Premier Rewards card.
SPG have good transfer bonuses to other programs hence why they're seen as so valuable.
SPG have good transfer bonuses to other programs hence why they're seen as so valuable.
Mar 17, 2015, 11:42 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 908
A lot of people swear by their SPG Amex card. I'd get one if I frequented SPG properties for work but my current projects have placed me in Marriott properties so I opted for the Marriott Premier Rewards card.
SPG have good transfer bonuses to other programs hence why they're seen as so valuable.
SPG have good transfer bonuses to other programs hence why they're seen as so valuable.
Mar 17, 2015, 11:43 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 908
And supermarket that let you buy gc with cc are hit or miss.
Mar 17, 2015, 11:57 am
#8
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: DTW
Programs: Dirt Status w/ All
Posts: 5,040
Depends on where you are going. The Club Carlson will get some light MS from me for a trip to Ireland in the fall. It was great in London last year - I managed about $0.015 on redemption for a pair of two night weekend stays in London using the last night free program. That is a 7.5% rate since it is 5X everywhere.
For Ireland I am seeing redemption rates around $0.01/point. That still makes it a good 5% card. For the record, I base the value of the room on what it would cost to book a fully refundable room on the day I make the award reservation, converted to USD. I know some will say I should use what I could get a room in the same city for on Priceline, cheaper prepaid rate, etc. but this system is simple and works for me.
Now my issue is training US Bank to let me load RC at Target. I have a hard time getting anything over $200 through.
Figure out where you want to go, where you want to stay, and how much those rooms are worth to you.
For Ireland I am seeing redemption rates around $0.01/point. That still makes it a good 5% card. For the record, I base the value of the room on what it would cost to book a fully refundable room on the day I make the award reservation, converted to USD. I know some will say I should use what I could get a room in the same city for on Priceline, cheaper prepaid rate, etc. but this system is simple and works for me.
Now my issue is training US Bank to let me load RC at Target. I have a hard time getting anything over $200 through.
Figure out where you want to go, where you want to stay, and how much those rooms are worth to you.
Mar 17, 2015, 12:10 pm
#9
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: DFW
Posts: 685
If you MS with the Surpass, it's pretty easy to obtain Diamond status as well.
Mar 17, 2015, 12:14 pm
#10
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 688
Mar 17, 2015, 12:14 pm
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 908
Depends on where you are going. The Club Carlson will get some light MS from me for a trip to Ireland in the fall. It was great in London last year - I managed about $0.015 on redemption for a pair of two night weekend stays in London using the last night free program. That is a 7.5% rate since it is 5X everywhere.
For Ireland I am seeing redemption rates around $0.01/point. That still makes it a good 5% card. For the record, I base the value of the room on what it would cost to book a fully refundable room on the day I make the award reservation, converted to USD. I know some will say I should use what I could get a room in the same city for on Priceline, cheaper prepaid rate, etc. but this system is simple and works for me.
Now my issue is training US Bank to let me load RC at Target. I have a hard time getting anything over $200 through.
Figure out where you want to go, where you want to stay, and how much those rooms are worth to you.
For Ireland I am seeing redemption rates around $0.01/point. That still makes it a good 5% card. For the record, I base the value of the room on what it would cost to book a fully refundable room on the day I make the award reservation, converted to USD. I know some will say I should use what I could get a room in the same city for on Priceline, cheaper prepaid rate, etc. but this system is simple and works for me.
Now my issue is training US Bank to let me load RC at Target. I have a hard time getting anything over $200 through.
Figure out where you want to go, where you want to stay, and how much those rooms are worth to you.
US bank already denied me once. I don't want to apply for it for awhile. They are the strict....just because I opened like 10+ cards within 1yr...
Mar 17, 2015, 12:20 pm
#13
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 503
SPG Amex all the way for me. Starwood happens to be my chain of choice but I do it for the airline transfer partners. SPG is the only points transfer partner for a few valuable airlines. You're also essentially earning 1.25 miles per dollar since you get a 25% bonus when your transfer points in 20k increments, i.e. you need 100k miles for an upcoming trip, you only have to transfer 80k since you get four 5k bonuses.
The 5th night free on award stays isn't bad either. That turns your 5 night stay at a top category hotel from a 30k Starpoints per night stay to a 24k points per night stay.
The 5th night free on award stays isn't bad either. That turns your 5 night stay at a top category hotel from a 30k Starpoints per night stay to a 24k points per night stay.
Mar 17, 2015, 1:12 pm
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 908
SPG Amex all the way for me. Starwood happens to be my chain of choice but I do it for the airline transfer partners. SPG is the only points transfer partner for a few valuable airlines. You're also essentially earning 1.25 miles per dollar since you get a 25% bonus when your transfer points in 20k increments, i.e. you need 100k miles for an upcoming trip, you only have to transfer 80k since you get four 5k bonuses.
The 5th night free on award stays isn't bad either. That turns your 5 night stay at a top category hotel from a 30k Starpoints per night stay to a 24k points per night stay.
The 5th night free on award stays isn't bad either. That turns your 5 night stay at a top category hotel from a 30k Starpoints per night stay to a 24k points per night stay.
