shall I continue to use my spg credit card
 

I am wondering if I should continue to use my spg credit card on daily purchases. I have no hotel plans for the next couple months but if I charge 10,000 can I then transfer to marriott and get 30,000? If I am understanding this right there is no reason to NOT continue using spg card. Thanks you for your patience and understanding.

If your previous analysis was that using the SPG card was the best option, I don't think the translation to 3 MR points per dollar significantly changes that.

Personally, I prefer 2% cash back to 1 SPG/3MR points, but that's a personal preference.

Using it for SPG stays is a no-brainer.

It should be based on valuation.

- If your expected redemption value for SPG is > 2cpp and MR is > 0.7 cpp, then yes. This is assuming your expenditures will be high enough to overcome the $95 fee.

- If less than or equal, you're better off with a no fee 2% cashback card or indifferent, at best.

It really depends how you use and value the different options for redemptions.

If you are also a Ritz/Marriott member, then the obvious answer is yes if you use any RC/M-branded credit card to get RC/M points.

Meh, valuation is subjective and not really representative of anything tangible. Earn points based on how you'll spend them. I'm planning to turn my Starpoints into Marriott points to redeem award nights at the Ritz Tokyo in spring 2018. Could I get better "value" out of an Starwood property? Sure. Are there any affiliate brand hotels in Tokyo that appeal to me? No. It would cost me approx. $800 USD per night at the Ritz otherwise; figure we're spending two full weeks and do the math. By transferring my Starpoints at 1:3 - along with the hundreds of thousands of UR points I've earned on my Chase cards that can be deposited directly into Marriott at 1:1 - I'm going to end up spending two entire weeks at a top property in one of the most expensive cities in the world, 100% free. I did the same two years ago with the Gritti Palace in Venice and we're leaving in less than 3 weeks. Business class flights were booked on UA miles and our 10 nights at the Gritti is entirely free. I didn't even have an SPG AmEx at the time and was swapping points with other forum members (typically at a loss) from my Chase card to make it happen. How do you possibly come up with a valuation based on either scenario? Neither of my "approaches" were cost efficient in terms of the value-to-points ratio based on all the bloggers and forum commentary. Meanwhile, I'm traveling to top-tier (and top dollar!) destinations at no cost. Figure out the way you enjoy traveling and come up with a plan to earn and burn points based on your own habits. Don't follow the advice or abstract points valuations of bloggers who shill for the credit card companies. I could probably have taken 10 cost-free int'l trips at mid-level properties in the past three years had I decided to lock myself into some strict rewards-loyalty program. Instead I chose to dip my toes into various programs, sign up for offers, promotions, trade, etc. in order to facilitate the kind of travel that works for me. Bottom line: points are intangible currency and are only worth as much as they can be applied to YOUR specific travel needs. I'll continue earning with SPG and I'll eventually transfer to Marriott, despite the general consensus that it's a poor value, so that I can redeem a hotel stay at a property that I otherwise wouldn't consider spending the kind of bread that they charge nightly for our 2 week duration. To me, that's a good value. Last week I was unable to transfer my Starpoints to Marriott. Now I can multiply them by three and get closer to achieving my travel goal.

You would do better getting the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card which gives you much better benefits than SPG AmEx.

Yes, I'll stick with SPG Amex. The 3:1 rate is right at fair value in terms of my own personal uses for the points. If anything, SPG Amex just got a little more valuable (for 1 year anyway) since I now have flexibility to go additional directions with the points.

But worth nowhere near the $450 annual fee.

For anyone actually getting this card, it's clearly a $150 annual card, come on...no one's going to let the credit go unused

Is this one that kicks back a $300 credit when you use it to book a flight?

1 Sapphire point basically maxes out at 1 Hyatt point, correct?

Does Chase Sapphire come with any kind of lounge access? (Often the $450-type cards do.)

That would only apply to people with no airline status. I have never paid for bags or anything else travel-related that would qualify for this credit. Though even $150 would be steep.

The way I read the T&C, it's only for ancilliary charges, which is why I give that benefit no value.

Not to derail, but that's incorrect. $300 credit is for anything travel related. Mine got used up on Uber's and a hotel stay.

Even with the CSR, though, I used SPG for my hotel stays. Not for daily expenses, though. I will cancel my SPG card next year after the 5 night credit posts, since the $450 CSR annual fee is all I'm willing to pay.

Sounds like I misread the benefit, and that does change the equation. Thanks.

Unless you get SPG Gold through the SPG Amex

It's still one of the best cards out there. People have mentioned 2 cents per as a valuation but I find that to be quite low. I generally redeem for hotel awards that are 2.7 cents per (making it better than 2% cash back cards). Further you can also transfer to airlines if you don't want hotel awards. That nets you 1.25 cents per on redemption but if you're redeeming for business class puts you much higher than 2% cash back cards (or even hotel awards). And sometimes you can do better than 1.25 such as when airlines offer a transfer deal (like AA just did in early September).

Keep using SPG Amex as long as it lasts. I fear the party may be over in a year or two.