This card is from AMEX (the bank, not just the logo). So beware: AMEX remembers what cards you had forever, so it can be the most impossible of all banks to churn. And the SPG AMEX has in the past had offers where you got the full 25k bonus with much more achievable spend (than the current offer has for the 20k part of the bonus). So if I were you, unless you desperately need those 10k + 5k SPG points now, I would wait (if you don't you're very likely to meet the spend bonus) until this offer goes away very soon, to see what the next offer will be. It's not likely to be any worse (for those who can't do the full spend for the full bonus), given that the previous 25k offer also gave you 10k after just one purchase.

Regarding the Priority Club card, you left out that it has 0% forex fees. That alone could make the card worthwhile to have in your wallet, if you don't already have another 0% forex card, if you travel outside the US. (The SPG Amex is definitely not a 0% forex card!)

If you care more about the quality of the hotels than about the number of hotels in the world, you could also consider the Hyatt card if you want a non-Priority-Club hotel card for 0% forex. But Hyatt has extremely few properties compared to either SPG, or Priority Club, or Marriott, or Hilton. So if you're going to go down that path, look at the list of cities that Hyatt is in and see if it's enough for you.

Maybe in Kansas. But here in CA most of the prime-location HIX properties (i.e. San Luis Obispo) want 25k on the summer weekends. And the nice IC city hotels require 25-40k. 10k awards are more like the equivalent of a Cat 2 Marriott or Hilton and useless to those of us who mostly vacation at premium city properties or resorts.

+1 My SPG balance get cleaned out periodically thanks to SPG cash+points. By contrast I've got 100k+ in Hilton, Marriott and 50k in IC because I refuse to spend them on low value single night awards. SPG is great for infrequent travelers that don't accumulate a lot of points through expensive stays.

I don't think I've stayed in a Choice property for years. Usually the low end Marriott or Hilton is more attractive, or possibly HIX.

Personally I use Marriott Visa the most of my hotel cards, mostly for bonus categories like restaurants and Marriott stays. And looking forward to cashing in for a 5N Cat 8 award in Europe next year.

Then you may not be aware that at least some of Choice's brands are improving in steps (for example, the very recent addition of yogurts and hard-boiled -- ie, real -- eggs to Comfort's standard breakfast in the US). Plus you either are not paying on your own dime, or are not a very tight budget. In many places I stay, Choice is half or even one third the price of HHonors properties, and the same for Marriott unless you can get a great LNF rate. I may be able justify moving up to Marriott or HHonors when it's just a few bucks, but I can' justify paying double to triple, sorry.

Plus, Choice hotels in some countries overseas are way nicer than the ones here, making earning 8k points every two or three cheap suburban nights in the US have tremendous value overseas.

Finally, there are locations where there's choice and no Marriott or Hilton, but there is (only) a Choice or Best Western. In the US, often in the town nearest the entrances to major National Parks (Yosemite, Bryce Canyon, etc). Overseas, in much of Scandinavia outside the capitals. (In Choice, for US members, Scandinavia is redemption only, no earning.)

Hi Guys,

Does hilton have a points+cash like SPG? Do you think it's worth it redeeming nights with this method?

I am looking at Cat 5,6,7 hotels for Hilton.

I am looking to either accumulate points from my AMEX platinum to SPG or Hilton Honors. I am in australia where $1 = 1 MR point.

1000 MR points = 330 SPG
1000 MR points = 1000 HH points

Cheers,
K.

It's a very new feature in Hilton HHonors, and I haven't looked into it myself yet, so all I can tell you is that there's a Hilton HHonors forum on FlyerTalk where you can find out more about it, starting in this Sticky thread there:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilto...oint-cash.html

Thanks. I will check it out.