[quote=AN]It depends on if you travel a lot or not. If you like to go on trips and like Starwood’s portfolio of hotels, I highly recommend the Amex Starwood card. With your spending, I think you might be qualified for Platinum member level (at least gold). With Platinum/Gold, you get free upgrades and with their cash&points program, I get anywhere between 4-6% equivalent “cash back.” I recently spent a week in downtown Chicago at the Westin Michigan Ave. for $60+4000 points per night. Their normal rate for basic room on the lower floor is already ~$230-240/night. I got upgraded to the top floor with lake view for free.[/quote]
That’s an awesome deal you got in Chicago, AN. No doubt your $60 fee was just for the “point conversion.” The AMEX Gold program also has the Starwood Group for a travel partner, who now own all the Sheratons nationwide, as well.
I really think that bubble_contagion’s spending should be $50K+ annually (preferably more) to take advantage of all that the AMEX Platinum program ($450 annual fee) provides. But (s)he’s borderline, in that depending on frequency of travel, if it might be worth it for him/her to convert. Remember, the AMEX Blue Cash program has NO FEES and 2.5% cash back on all purchases! Definitely, if the OP travels (preferably by air) even twice a year, upgrading to AMEX Gold ($150 yr) MAY be cost-effective for him/her, depending on preferred airline.
edit: I forgot to add that when I signed up for AMEX Gold, they were giving out two RT air tix as an initiation for signing, but not sure if this is still the case and don’t know if this incentive applies to conversions.
