THere IS a McDonalds frequent dining program in Hawaii......just another reason to visit!!!! The program is still going strong.

http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seatt...wscolumn4.html

Though I totally agree that Starwood AMEX is best - you might also consider the Hilton Honors Amex, and maybe even get both. It has NO annual fee, and I think you get a bonus of 7500 points with first purchase. Then 3 hhonors points per $, (5 if at an hhonors hotel).

Most people on FT (me included) value 1 Starpoint as worth more than 3 Hhonors points - and if you are looking for airline miles, Starwood is much better. But I figured I'd throw this out as another option.

The advantage Diners Club has over all takers is that the points are transferrable to all the major hotel programs (something not even AMEX can claim) as well as airlines. If you're just looking for points in one chain that can be converted to different airlines, the Starwood card may be the way to go, but for the most flexible awards program, I don't think anyone can argue that Diners Club is it. Just remember, the most valuable airline miles/hotel points are the last 1,000 you need to redeem a specific award ...

Folks can argue the Diners Club card is expensive (which I personally don't believe), but to say it's expensive requires there to be a point of comparison, and no program can compare to the flexibility of the Diners Club program. So, while other cards are less expensive, they also do not offer what Diners Club offers (you can argue that the premium may not be worth it, but that's another story).

Beckles-

The problem with Diner's Club for me isn't cost, it's cceptibility. If you have a lot of business T & E in the USA, maybe it works. But out in the regular retail world, the DC takers are few and far between. And overseas, forget it, again except for the high-end hotels, airlines, etc.

Too bad-I'd prefer a card that gets miles over to UA but if I can rarely use it, it ain't much help.

Mountain ~ Don't buy too much of the hype you read here bashing the DC. You might just be surprised how many every day expenses you can put on the DC:

• many gas stations (I go to the same few here at home that I know take it)
• US Post Office
• CompUSA
• Barnes & Noble (stores and online)
• Kinkos
• Amazon.com
• UPS

Those are some examples of every day places you could go too, but I'm often surprised other places that take it, including my auto dealership (for all the repairs on my car) and my web hosting company. This doesn't include many restraunts and all major airlines, hotels, and car rental agencies that of course accept it.

As for overseas, based on my personal experience and anecdotal evidence, acceptance outside of the US is at least as good if not better overseas.

If you're only going to have one card, it's not the way to go, but if you're going to have two or three cards anyway, it's the most flexible point earning option available. Of course, if you're only concerned about UA miles, you don't need flexibility ...

I have posted about the Delta/Gold Amex before but I think its worth repeating. They offer a 10,000 mile bonus on first use and no annual fee for the first year. You get double miles for purchases at grocery stores, home centers, gas stations and the post office.
The annual fee after the first year is $85 so it might be worthwhile for only a year.

Jay

IMHO, the best thing about the Starwood card is the value of the miles. For only 2,000 miles I have been able to get weekend hotel rooms that would otherwise have cost $150+ (this is especially true outside the US). To me it's a much better deal to use the miles for hotel rooms, even with the transfer bonus.

Oh, you could say there is. A number of McDonalds are now accepting credit cards and many more accept ATM cards. With the introduction of mileage earning debit cards, one could dine, if one can call it that, at McDonalds and earn miles with either a credit card or debit card.

Should you use just 1?

For any charges at a Marriott I use my Marriot Visa - 3 points per $ charged - It was invaluable during the double points promotion.

For Travel on AA I use my AA Visa - Double miles on all AA purchases.

Everywhere else I use Amex for flexibility so I can top off a variety of other programs thru membership rewards. (DL, US, Starwood)

I've now registered all 3 at IDINE so there's 10 points per $ on any of them. If I should find a IDINE restaurant at a Marriott I'd be happy!



[This message has been edited by sdix (edited 04-02-2002).]

I just got a Delta/Gold Amex. I am getting 10,000 mile bonus on first use, 2,500 miles for requesting a card for my husband and 7,500 mile bonus if I charge $7,500 between now and 12/31. Plus I get double miles at the grocery store, gas stations, post office, etc.

There is NO annual fee the first year

How about Mobil speedpass linked to your CC and dine at the McDonald's in the chicago area?
Sorry none in Texas yet.

Lots of good info here ... hopefully I can add to it.

The problem with the Marriott card is the measly 1 Marriott Reward point per dollar earned on non-Marriott purchases. On qualifying Marriott purchases you get 3 MR points per dollar.

As an MR member, you earn 10 MR points per dollar plus elite bonuses at full-service Marriott properties, and I believe 5 per dollar spent at Residence Inn and Townplace Suites. Thus, 1 or even 3 MR points is less than what you earn per dollar at the property. Now, perhaps this makes sense when staying at a full service Marriott property, because you can easily goose your earnings to 15 points per dollar spent as a silver elite member by using the MR Visa for qualifying Marriott expenses. (10 per dollar for the stay, 2 per dollar for the 20% silver elite bonus at full service properties, and 3 per dollar from the visa card for the qualifying charge.)

Silver elite is easy to obtain using the current take 2 promotion listed at marriott.com: stay 3 times to earn silver elite and get two free weekend nights.

I carry the MR card and use it only for Marriott stays, and use the SPG Amex for almost everything else these days, except car rentals. For car rentals, I continue to use Diners because of their superior primary rental insurance.

-David


edited to correct some errors in the program and promotion descriptions.


[This message has been edited by LIH Prem (edited 04-03-2002).]

If you travel to the chicago area, you could get a speedpass, buy gift certificates at McDonalds and use them at any McDonalds across the country. You choose which credit card you want your speedpass purchases sent to.

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DtG