Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express
This American Express has been our longstanding recommended go-to card for daily spending. While the benefits of this card have recently been challenged by the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, this card is still a strong contender for greatness and one we’re willing to pay the annual fee of 65$ to keep in our wallet (waived the first year).
We especially like the 20% bonus you get for every 20,000 points you transfer to airline miles (20,000 SPG points = 25,000 miles). Another great value of the card is for actual Starwood hotel stays using the “Cash and Points” option to make your points go further. You can also double up and earn as many as 50,000 SPG points by also applying for the Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express.
The Facts:
• Starpoints® bonus: earn up to 25,000 bonus points: 10,000 after your first purchase and another 15,000 after you spend $5,000 within the first 6 months of Cardmembership
• That’s enough for a weekend getaway to a Category 4 Hotel like the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa, or six free nights at a Category 2 Hotel
• Earn up to 5 Starpoints® for each dollar of eligible purchases at participating SPG hotels and resorts – that’s 2 Starpoints for using the Card in addition to the Starpoints you earn as an SPG member. Earn 1 Starpoint for all other purchases.
•Free Hotel Nights: redeem Starpoints at over 1,100 hotels in nearly 100 countries worldwide — with no blackout dates
•Free Flights: redeem Starpoints on over 350 airlines with SPG Flights — with no blackout dates
• Get 5,000 bonus Starpoints after you transfer 20,000 Starpoints to a frequent flyer program with more than 30 airlines
•No limits on the number of Starpoints you can earn
•$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $65
•Terms and Restrictions apply.
Verdict: This highly valuable card that could fight it out for daily use with your Chase Sapphire is a keeper.
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