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October 21, 2011 By 1 Comment

Chase Freedom(SM) MasterCard vs. American Express Everyday Blue Card

When it comes to rewards credit cards, many prefer a cash back rewards card over points or miles because of the simplicity. With cash, you can obviously use the rewards anyway you want to. With that in mind, we thought a comparison of two of the most popular cash back cards available was in order: the Chase Freedom(SM) MasterCard card and the American Express Everyday Blue Card. Depending on your card usage habits, you might want to consider one of these two cards as your primary rebate earnings card. If you can’t settle on just one card, you could use a combination of them both for full rebate earning potential. This article will highlight the offers of both cards and help you determine which card you should consider based on your spending habits.

Comparison Chart: Chase Freedom(SM) MasterCard vs. Amex Blue Cash Everyday

Chase Freedom(SM) MasterCardAmex Everyday Blue Cash
Top Cash Back Reward3% on categories that change throughout the year.3% at supermarkets, 2% at gas stations & department stores
Other Cash Back Reward1% on everything else1% on everything else
Annual Fee$0$0
0% Intro Rate Offers 0% intro on purchases for 6 months, and 0% intro on balance transfers for 12 months0% for 12 months on purchases
Bonus Offer$100 cash backN/A
Official WebsiteChase Freedom(SM) MasterCardAmex Everyday Blue Cash

Chase Freedom(SM) MasterCard

The Chase Freedom(SM) MasterCard offers a nice cash back bonus of $100 which makes this one of my favorite cards. Plus, with this card you can earn on every purchase. There are no spending tiers and no caps on the amount you can earn. The card offers 0% on purchases for 12 months on balance transfers. After that, your APR will be between 11.99%-22.99%*(Variable) based on your creditworthiness. This card uses rotating categories and as a result you must register each quarter for the program in order to earn the 5%. Also, remember rotating categories change each quarter which means you aren’t always earning in the same categories.

Card Details

  • 1% Cash Back: The Chase Freedom(SM) MasterCard offers you a 1% rebate for each $1 of net purchases. You will earn an additional 1% rebate for each $1 of eligible airfare net purchases made online through the program booking tool. You do not earn rebates on balance transfers, cash advances, cash-like charges such as travelers checks, foreign currency, and money orders, any checks that are used to access your account, overdraft advances, interest, unauthorized or fraudulent charges, or fees of any kind, including fees for products that protect or insure the balances of your account. There is no maximum number of rebates that you can accumulate in the program.
  • 5% Cash Back: The Chase Freedom(SM) MasterCard also offers 5% cash back offers in popular categories like gas, home improvement and department stores. You will be eligible for quarterly bonus rewards offers as long as your account is not in default under, and/or you have not violated, the terms of your Cardmember Agreement and Rewards Program Rules.
  • Bonus Points: You can earn up to 20 bonus points when you shop the Ultimate Rewards Mall. To use the Ultimate Rewards Mall, you must log into your account at chase.com. The Complete Ultimate Rewards Mall details will be provided online prior to shopping.
  • Cash Back Offer: This card gives $100 cash back after you spend $500 within the first month.

If you like this card you might also be interested in the Chase Freedom® Visa which also gives a $100 cash back bonus.

Blue Cash Everyday(SM) from American Express

I like the Blue Cash Everyday(SM) from American Express because it does not utilize rotating categories like the Chase Freedom card. Instead the categories in which you earn don’t change and that makes earning simple and straightforward. With each eligible purchase you make you will earn either 3, 2, or 1% of the purchase amount back. Here’s how it works:3% for purchases at supermarkets (excluding superstores and warehouse clubs), 2% for purchases at department stores and for gasoline purchased, and 1% for all other purchases. You can redeem reward dollars for statement credits, or, additional items like merchandise and gift cards, whenever your available reward dollar balance is 25 or more. The card offers an introductory rate of 0% for 12 on purchases. After that, your APR will be between 17.24%-22.24% Variable based on your creditworthiness. This card does not offer an introductory rate for balance transfers.

Rewards Details

  • 1% Cash Back Offer: You will earn 1% back on all your eligible purchase made to your account.
  • 2% Cash Back Offer: 2% for eligible purchases at department stores and for automobile gasoline purchased at stand-alone gas stations
  • 3% Cash Back: You will receive 3% for eligible purchases at supermarkets (excluding superstores and warehouse clubs).

Which Card Is Best For You?

To answer this question we are going to highlight some of the key differences of each card. From there you will be able to determine which card will fit your spending habits the best.

  • Cash Back Offer: The one thing that catches my eye is the cash back bonus with the Chase Freedom Card. This cash back bonus is like free money, you just have to spend $500 within the first 3 months and you get a free $100 bucks. That’s not a bad deal and it makes this card very appealing!.
  • Balance Transfer: If you could benefit from transferring a high balance on another card to a new card then you should consider the Chase Freedom (SM) card and utilize the 0% for 12 months on balance transfers.
  • Introductory Rate: Both cards offers a 0% introductory rate on purchases. Chase offers 6 months and Amex offers either 6 or 12 months, based on your creditworthiness.
  • Regular APR: One major consideration is the Regular APR. As you can see the rate for the Chase Freedom card is much lower. You can avoid interest charges all together by paying your balance off each month, but if you carry over a balance you should definitely consider the rate.
  • Rewards: Chase offers 5% in rotating categories and the categories change each quarter. One quarter you could be earning 5% on gas purchases and the next it could be 5% on home purchases. The Amex card always gives 3% on supermarket purchases and 2% on gas purchases. If you spend a great deal at the supermarket or on gasoline you might want a card that always gives back for those purchases.
Filed Under: Cash Back Credit Cards Tagged With: , , ,
January 21, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Paying your Taxes with American Express Points? Read This First!

Recently American Express announced members can now pay their taxes with the points they have earned through the Amex Membership Rewards Program. American Express offers a point-based rewards system called “Membership Rewards” to those who qualify for and use their charge card. American Express now has the option for its cardmembers to use their membership rewards points to pay their federal and even some state taxes. This concept sounds great, but is it practical? This article gives you a look at the details so you can decide its worth saving those points or paying your taxes with them instead.

There are two stipulations in order to use the Membership Rewards points to pay your taxes. First you must have already filed your taxes and second you must use chose one of the following services to pay your taxes: Pay1040.com or OfficialPayments.com. Both of these services offer an electronic payment solution to help you pay your overdue taxes once they have been filed. The sites accept payment by either check or debit/credit card. There is a convenience fee of 2.35% of the payment amount to process your federal tax payments. In addition there is a $3.95 flat fee for processing payment with debit cards.

Typically American Express gives its cardholders one rewards point for every dollar they spend on the card. Occasionally there are special opportunities which allow members to earn double or triple points. Usually the card holder has the option to cash points in for in for airline miles, dining cards or items from the online store. Now American Express is allowing members to take these points and apply it to their unpaid taxes.

If you decide to use your points to pay your taxes be sure to consider the reward exchange rate and decide if it is worth while. Paying $1 to the IRS actually requires 200 Membership Rewards Points. This isn’t the same rate cardmembers are use too and isn’t exactly a favorable exchange rate. At this rate you would need to spend a minimum of about $400,000 on your card in order to use those points to pay off a $2,000 bill from the IRS or $1 million to pay off $5,000 in taxes, not to mention the processing fee.

Most members probably do not have this many unused points so that leads us to the question: Is it even possible to get than many points? American Express doesn’t release this type of information about its card members, but Amex does claim they have card members who have millions of points. Apparently its possible, after one man reportedly racked up more than 20 million Amex points.

Filed Under: credit card rewards Tagged With:
January 20, 2010 By 2 Comments

American Express Gold Card vs. Premier Rewards Gold Card

I’ve carried the American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Card for years, which Amex recently renamed to just the American Express Gold Card. Recently, American Express launched a new version of its gold card called Premier Rewards. After studying the new card offer, I’ve switched my Preferred Rewards card over to the Premier Rewards version. The rewards offered with the new charge card are significantly better. We’ll look at how to convert from Preferred to Premier in a minute, but first let’s look at what these two cards have to offer.

Both the American Express Premier Rewards Gold Card and the American Express® Preferred Rewards Gold Card offer points rewards. There are three primary differences between the two cards, two of which favor Premier Rewards. First the negative–the annual fee for Premier is $175 versus $125 for Preferred Rewards. On the bright side, the fee is waived the first year for new accounts. The other two differences both favor Premier–initial bonus reward points and annual reward points earned. Here is a chart summarizing the differences:

At A GlanceBonus PointsAnnual Bonus Points3x Points2x Points1x Points
Amex Premier Rewards Gold Card

15,000 when you spend $1,000 in 3 months15,000 when you spend $30,000 per calendar year3X points on airfare2X points on gasoline1x on everything else
Amex Preferred Rewards Gold Card
10,000 when you spend $500 in 3 monthsN/AN/AN/A1x on everything else

Beyond the rewards, both cards are similar. Each card offers a no pre-set spending limit. This does not mean that you necessarily get unlimited spending, but instead your purchasing power gets adjusted with your use of the card. Your payment history, credit card record and other factors affect your purchasing power. All charges made on these Charge Cards are due and payable when you receive your billing statement.

Converting Your Preferred Rewards Card to a Premier Rewards Card

It was a snap to convert my card to Premier Rewards. I simply called Amex, and they approved the conversion in about a week. It is important to note, however, that if you convert an existing Preferred Rewards card, you do not receive the sign-up bonuses that the Premier Card offers. That means no bonus miles, and the annual fee is not waived the first year.

Of course, if the bonus features are important to you, you can always just apply for the card. As nice as the bonus points are, I decided to just convert my card because it was more convenient. Either way, the Premier Gold card from American Express clearly offers richer rewards.

Here is a summary of both cards:

American Express(R) Premier Rewards Gold Card
American Express(R) Premier Rewards Gold Card
Apply Now...
  • Membership Rewards(R) bonus: 15K points, redeemable for select gift cards valued at $150, when you spend $1,000 in your first three months of card membership
  • Membership Rewards(R) points multiply fast! Earn 3X points on airfare, 2X points on gas and groceries, 1X points on everything else
  • Exclusive access to Gold Card Destinations and events – Enjoy special travel packages and amenities at hotels worldwide, as well as select concerts, shows, major sporting events, and more, nationwide
  • No annual fee for your first year – a $175 savings
  • Get approved in 60-seconds.
Intro APRIntro APR
Period		Regular
APR		Annual
Fee		Balance
Transfer		Credit
Needed
N/AN/AN/ASee Terms*NoExcellent

American Express(R) Gold Card
American Express(R) Gold Card
Apply Now...
  • Earn 10K Membership Rewards(R) points, redeemable for select gift cards valued at $100, when you spend $500 in your first 3 months of Card membership
  • Exclusive access to Gold Card Events – select concerts, shows, major sporting events, and more.
  • Purchase Protection covers loss, theft, and damage of eligible items within 90 days of purchase
  • Redeem Membership Rewards(R) points for an exclusive array of travel, shopping, dining and entertainment rewards.
  • Get approved in 60-seconds.
Intro APRIntro APR
Period		Regular
APR		Annual
Fee		Balance
Transfer		Credit
Needed
N/AN/AN/A$125 annual feeNoExcellent
Filed Under: credit card rewards Tagged With:
January 12, 2010 By 2 Comments

Review of the American Express Membership Rewards Program

American Express Membership Rewards ® is a loyalty program that rewards you for using your American Express Card. If you are enrolled, you can earn one point for virtually every US dollar or euro spent. To earn rewards just use your Amex Card for purchases. You can redeem your points for flights, hotels, car hire, charity and merchandise rewards. You can also use your points to pay your annual Card and Membership Rewards® fee.

You can enroll in the Amex Membership Rewards Program if you have one of the following cards: Basic Personal Card, Gold Card , Platinum Card, Centurion®Card and Small Business Cardmembers (with account numbers beginning 3745 or 3743). To participate in the program there is an annual fee of $30 to $35. There is no fee for the Program for Gold, Platinum and Centurion® cards. Basic Cardmembers may enroll all their American Express Card accounts of the types listed above in the Program.

Earn Points
Once enrolled in the program, you will accrue one point in your program account for every dollar charged. Any points accrued in your program account for any given year will be carried forward on the enrollment date anniversary as long as all conditions have been met. One such condition is that you don’t earn your points until a charge is billed to your account and paid. Points are not awarded for the following transactions: dash advances services fees and Interest, express cash charges for dishonoured checks, finance charges, travellers cheques, late payment and referral charges, cash advances, foreign exchange.

Once you have earned your points, you have several options (listed below) to redeem your points. There are travel rewards, shopping rewards, and entertainment rewards you can cash your points in for. Points never expire and there is no limit to the number of points you earn.

Use Points

  • Travel Rewards: The Membership Rewards Program can work great for people who frequently travel. There are a wide variety of options for redeeming your rewards points whether it be for airline tickets or hotel stays. You also have the option of transferring your Amex reward points into a frequent flier program of your choice or redeem your reward points for an airline ticket certificate. In addition, you can also choose to redeem your points for rental cars.
  • Shopping Rewards: The program has a significant number of retail partners. This allows members to get discounts by shopping at the retailers who are affiliated with Amex. These retailers includes categories like apparel, electronics, beauty, sports and more. You can choose to redeem your reward points for gifts or gift certificates from many of the retailers. The program offers incentives for shopping with the featured retailers. From time to time, American Express will offer enrollees the opportunity to accrue extra Points for charges made at particular merchants which accept American Express Cards or during a specific period of time or in connection with offers and marketing initiatives performed with participating merchants and/or companies of the American Express Group.
  • Entertainment Rewards: The entertainment rewards the program offers are one of a kind. There are seven different categories under entertainment for American Express Membership Rewards Program. One such category is the ‘Experience Category’ which allows you the option to redeem your reward points for some of the coolest experiences. You can choose between various options including a day trip to Wonderland in Canada, or a hot air balloon trip. Even experiences as incredible as a sub-orbital space flight and a zero gravity flight are also available with your points.

How To Enroll
The Membership Rewards program is a built-in feature of most American Express® Cards — you may already be enrolled. If your Card is not enrolled, log in to your account, select the “Points Summary” link, and then the enroll button.

Filed Under: credit card rewards Tagged With: ,
January 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Review of the Mariott Rewards Credit Cards

The rewards cards offered by Mariott allow you to choose between points, air miles and rewards certificates. The program offers three levels of Elite Membership: Platinum, Gold, and Silver. This article highlights some of the benefits of each of the three cards offered by Marriott and compares the cards to other travel rewards cards such as: the Amex Starwood, Discover Miles, and Chase Sapphire. With this information you can see how they stack up against each other and hopefully make an informed decision on which card or cards will work best for you.

Marriott Rewards Credit Card

The Marriott Rewards Visa Signature Card is a rewards card that offers 22,500 bonus points after your first purchase. Once you are approved for the card you will receive a free night stay at category 1-4 hotels. Members also receive 10 nights credit towards Elite status. You can qualify for the anniversary 10 nights Elite status credit, as long as your account is open and not in default on your account anniversary date. The card offers 3 points per $1 spent at Marriott locations and 1 point per $1 spent everywhere else. The rate for purchases and balance transfer 9.99% plus the prime rate. The annual fee waived for the first year and $30 thereafter.

Marriott Rewards Premier Credit Card

The Marriott Rewards Premier Visa Signature Card offers 30,000 bonus points after your first purchase. Once approved as a member you will receive a free night at any category 1-4 hotels. You will also receive a free night stay EVERY YEAR upon account anniversary at any category 1-5hotels and 15 nights credit toward Elite status. For every $1 spent at Marriott locations you will earn 5 points, 2 points per $1 spent on airline, dining and rental car purchases and $1 spent everywhere else. The card offers a purchase and balance transfer APR of 10.99% plus the prime rate. The annual fee is waived the first year and is $30 thereafter.

Marriott Rewards Business Card

The Marriott Rewards Business Card offers 22,500 bonus points after your first purchase. Once approved for an account you will receive a free night stay at any category 1-4 hotels. Account holders also receive 10 night credit toward Elite status. You will earn 3 points per $1 spent at Marriott locations and 1 point per $1 everywhere else. You can get cards for key employees at no additional cost, consolidated monthly billing statements and quarterly management reports. The purchase and balance transfer APR is 9.99% plus the prime rate. The annual fee is waived the first year and is $30 thereafter.

How Do They Match Up

We’ve always been partial to the Starwood Preferred Guest card from American Express. It offers great bonus Starpoints, you can accumulate Starpoints quickly, and they can be used for hotel stays or flights. But each card listed below has pros and cons.

Interest RatesIntro RatesBonus OffersAnnual Fees

Mariott Rewards Visa		9.9% + prime rateN/A22,500 points & free hotel stay$30 - waived 1st year
Mariott Premier Visa10.9% + prime rateN/A30,000 points & free hotel stay$30 - waived 1st year
Mariott Rewards Business Visa9.9% + prime rateN/A22,500 points & free hotel stay$30 - waived 1st year
American Express Starwood11.99% + prime rate2.9% for 6 months25,000 points$45 - waived 1st year
Discover Miles8.74% + prime rate0% for 6 months12,000 miles$0
Chase Sapphire(SM)Prime Rate + 8.99%N/A10,000 points$0

Of the five cards listed the Discover Miles Card offers a low APR at a rate of 8.74% plus the prime rate. All three of the Mariott Rewards Cards offer low rates as well at 9.99% plus the prime rate. The Mariott Cards do not offer any special introductory rates like the Amex Starwood Card, Discover Miles Card, and the Chase Sapphire(SM). However, the bonus offers appear to be on the generous side for the Mariott Cards with all three cards offering bonus points after your first purchase and a free hotel stay once you are approved for the card. The cards also requires an annual fee of $30 that is waived the first year, as does the Amex Starwood Card with a fee of $45. The cards that offer no annual fee are the Discover Miles, and Chase Sapphire cards.

Filed Under: travel rewards Tagged With: , , , ,
January 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The Best Credit Card For a Large Purchase

Which credit card is best when making a large purchase? We believe the answer depends in part on what you are buying. For example, if it’s an expensive vacation, an airline or travel rewards card might be best because you can earn more rewards. If it’s a home renovation, a cash back card might be the best option. You also might want to consider a 0% APR card to avoid fiance charges or a card with a low interest rate. Of course, a low or no interest rate card only matters if you intend to pay off the balance over time. With that being said, here are 5 cards that might be beneficial to consider when you make a large purchase.

Credit Cards for Large Purchases

Cash BackTravel Rewards0% Intro RateLow Interest Rate
Discover More
XXX
Amex Starwood
X
Chase Freedom(SM)
XXX
Chase Slate
XX
Citi Select
XX

Here are details on each card:

Discover® More Card – $50 Cashback Bonus
Discover® More Card - $50 Cashback Bonus
Apply Now...
  • Get $50 Cashback Bonus when you make $250 in purchases within 3 months
  • 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 12 months, then the variable APR of 11.99% – 20.99%
  • 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months, then the variable APR of 11.99% – 20.99%
  • 5% Cashback Bonus® in categories that change like travel, gas, groceries, restaurants, home improvement stores and more
  • Up to 1% unlimited Cashback Bonus on all other purchases
  • No Annual Fee

Intro APRIntro APR
Period		Regular
APR		Annual
Fee		Balance
Transfer		Credit
Needed
0%*12 months*11.99% – 20.99% (Variable)*NoneYesExcellent

Starwood Preferred Guest(R) Credit Card from American Express
Starwood Preferred Guest(R) Credit Card from American Express
Apply Now...
  • Starpoints(R) BONUS: 10K with your first purchase and another 15K when you spend $15k within 6 months – enough for up to 6 free nights at a category 1 or 2 hotel.
  • Redeem Starpoints for free nights at over 1,000 hotels and resorts in nearly 100 countries and for free flights on over 350 airlines – all with no blackout dates.
  • Earn at least 4 Starpoints per eligible dollar at participating hotels & resorts
  • 2011 SmarterTravel(R) Award for “Best Travel Rewards Card”
  • Enjoy the first year with no annual fee — a savings of $65.
Intro APRIntro APR
Period		Regular
APR		Annual
Fee		Balance
Transfer		Credit
Needed
See Terms*See Terms*15.24% variableSee Terms*YesExcellent

Chase Freedom® Visa – $100 Bonus Cash Back
Chase Freedom® Visa - $100 Bonus Cash Back
Apply Now...
  • Earn $100 Bonus Cash Back after you make $800 in purchases in your first 3 months
  • 5% cash back in quarterly bonus categories like gas, home improvement and department stores, subject to quarterly enrollment and maximum.
  • Unlimited 1% Cash Back on all other purchases with no spending tiers
  • Up to an additional 10% cash back when you shop online at select merchants through Chase
  • No Annual Fee

Intro APRIntro APR
Period		Regular
APR		Annual
Fee		Balance
Transfer		Credit
Needed
N/AN/A12.99%-22.99% Variable*NoneNoExcellent

Slate® from Chase
Slate® from Chase
Apply Now...
  • 0% Intro APR for up to 15 months – a variable APR as low as 11.99% – 21.99% after your 0% ends
  • Slate with Blueprint(SM) helps you pay down your balances faster and save on interest
  • Transfer your higher rate balances
  • No Annual Fee

Intro APRIntro APR
Period		Regular
APR		Annual
Fee		Balance
Transfer		Credit
Needed
0%up to 15 months11.99%-21.99%*(Variable)NoneYesExcellent

Citi® Platinum Select® MasterCard®
Citi® Platinum Select® MasterCard®
Apply Now...
  • 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers and Purchases for 21 months. After that, the APR will be 11.99%-20.99% based upon your creditworthiness.
  • Extra Cash from Citi: enjoy discounts on gift cards, travel, merchandise and more
  • Citi® Identity Theft Solutions
  • Secure, free online account management
  • No annual fee*

Intro APRIntro APR
Period		Regular
APR		Annual
Fee		Balance
Transfer		Credit
Needed
0%21 months on Balance Transfers*11.99% – 20.99%* (Variable)NoneYesExcellent
Filed Under: Credit Card Offers Tagged With: , , , ,
January 6, 2010 By 1 Comment

How to Use Starwood Starpoints for Free Hotel Stays

The Starwood Preferred Guest Program offers multiple ways for you to redeem your Starpoints for free hotel stays. This article will review the different options for cashing in your Starpoints and it will review some of the rules and regulations of the program. As you are reviewing the information, keep in mind there are ways for you to get extra Starpoints if you need, and the American Express Starwood Preferred card is the best way to get bonus Starpoints and Starpoints for on everyday purchases.

The table below shows you the different options and the corresponding amount of Starpoints it take to participate. The numbers across the top represent the Starwood hotel categories, with category 7 representing the most exclusive Starwood hotels available.

Starpoints Requirements

1234567
Free Nights-Weekdays3,0004,,0007,00010,00012,000-16,00020,000-25,00030,000-35,000
Free Nights - Weekends2,0003,0007,00010,00012,000-16,00020,000-25,00030,000-35,000
Cash and Points1,200 +$251,600 + $302,800 + $454,000 + $604,800 + $908,000 + $150N/A
5th Night FreeN/AN/A28,00040,00048,000 - 64,00080,000 - 100,000120,000 - 140,000
Room Upgrades1,000 - 1,5001,000 - 1,5001,000 - 1,5001,000 - 1,5001,500 - 2,7501,500 - 2,7501,500 - 2,750
Suite Upgrades3,0004,0007,00010,00012,000 - 16,00020,000 - 25,00030,000 - 35,000
50% off Regular Rack Rates1,0001,0001,0001,0001,0001,0001,000
Nights and FlightsN/AN/A60,00070,000N/AN/AN/A

Free Night – Weekdays
The Starwood Preferred Guest® program allows you to redeem Starpoints® for Free Night Awards without blackout dates or extra point charges on standard rooms–regardless of your membership level. You will need 3,000 Starpoints for a free night during the week at a Category 1 hotel.

Free Night – Weekends
You can save 1,000 Starpoints per night when you redeem weekend nights at Category 1 and 2 hotels. The minimum of 2,000 Starpoints is needed to redeem for a free weekend night in a standard room at a Category 1 hotel. The number of Starpoints needed for a free night in a standard room varies by hotel category. During the peak seasons, some properties will charge higher Starpoints rates. To find the optimal time to redeem, take a look at peak season date ranges for Category 5, Category 6 and Category 7. You will need 2,000 Starpoints® for a free weekend night.

Fifth Night Free
The free night offered with any Fifth Night Free Award applies only to the fifth consecutive night within the same stay for which that award was ordered. There will be no Starpoints refund or free night credit for any unused portion of a Fifth Night Free Award. The Fifth Night Free Award is available for category 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 hotels.

Cash And Points
Starwood Preferred Guest® allows you to redeem free nights using a combination of cash and Starpoints®. The cash components of this award that are confirmed in non-USD will be adjusted, as needed, to reflect the USD equivalent of the award before being posted in local currency to the customer’s bill during the hotel stay.

Room Upgrade
With 1,000 Starpoints® you can get a room upgrade at any of the participating Starwood hotels or resorts. You can arrange for an upgrade within five days of arrival to a Specialty, Specialty Select Room, or Suite on reservations booked at RACK, COR, SET, or BAR. You may upgrade from any category of room on an eligible rate paid reservation. The upgrade Starpoint amounts noted are per room/per night. Upgrade types may include larger rooms, a Club Room, Westin Guest Office, Corporate Club Room, Smart Room, a room on a floor that may include Club Lounge Services or Concierge Services, suites, or a room based on type of view or floor within the hotel. Each type of upgrade room is not available at all properties.

50% Off Regular Rates
You can redeem 1,000 Starpoints® for a certificate offering 50% off regular rack rates for a stay of up to five nights. Unlike the Free Nights Awards, 50% Off Regular Rack Rates awards are subject to availability.

Nights and Flights
You can use your Starpoints to pay for your entire vacation which would include your hotel stay and airfare. The Nights & Flights offer allows you to redeem 60,000 Starpoints for 50,000 airline miles and five free nights at a Category 3 hotel or resort. With Nights & Flights II, you can redeem 70,000 Starpoints and receive 50,000 airline miles and five free nights at a Category 4 hotel or resort. This Award is only offered with airlines with a 1 Starpoint to 1 Airline mile transfer ratio. The maximum transfer to the airline offered in this award is 50,000 miles, so it is each member’s responsibility to verify with their desired airline the value of these miles for air travel awards. Any additional miles required are the responsibility of the member.

Filed Under: credit card rewards Tagged With: , ,
January 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment

How to Use Starwood Starpoints for Free Air Travel

Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) was the first hotel loyalty program to allow members to use points for booking an airline ticket on virtually any available flight with their SPG Flights redemption option. And SPG actually offers two different ways to use StarPoints for air travel. First, you can transfer your Starpoints to miles on just about any airline. And second, you can use Starpoints directly to purchase your flight through SPG Flights. Both of these options have pros and cons depending on your specific situation. Let’s take a look at each option.

Note: The Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express is a great way to earn Starpoints, including up to 25,000 bonus StarPoints for new card members.

Transfer Starpoints to Airline Miles Programs

You can convert Starpoints to airline miles. Starwood Preferred Guests can transfer up to 79,999 Starpoints per transaction per program to the frequent flyer programs. Plus, for every 20,000 Starpoints transferred within the same transaction, Starwood will automatically add another 5,000 Starpoints. This means that up to 94,999 Starpoints can be transferred into your frequent flyer account, with most airlines, making a free flight that much closer. In fact, for those airlines that require 25,000 miles for a ticket, the 5,000 bonus Starpoints make a ticket attainable with just 20,000 Starpoints.

Transfer maximums are based on a combination of member Starpoints and the Starwood Preferred Guest airline transfer transaction bonus. Only one airline transfer transaction per member per program per 24 hour period is allowed; multiple transfer transactions within the same 24 hour period will be rejected. Both the Starwood Preferred Guest and airline frequent flyer program accounts must have identical member names in order to complete this request.

Here is a table showing the airline miles programs you can transfer Starpoints to, along with the transfer ratio:

Frequent Flyer ProgramExchange Ratio (Starpoints : Miles)
Aeroplan/Air Canada1:1
Air Berlin1:1
Air China Companion1:1
Air New Zealand & Air Points65:1
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan1:1
Alitalia MilleMiglia1:1
All Nippon Airways (ANA) Mileage Club1:1
American Airlines AAdvantage1:1
Asia Miles1:1
Asiana Airlines1:1
British Airways Executive Club1:1
Continental Airlines(R) OnePass2:1
Delta Air Lines SkyMiles1:1
El Al Israel AirlinesNo Transfer Option
Emirates Skywards1:1
Flying Blue1:1
Hawaiian Airlines1:1
Iberia PlusNo Transfer Option
Japan Airlines (JAL) Mileage Bank1:1
LAN LANPASS1:2
Mexicana Frecuenta1:1
Miles and More1:1
Qatar Airways1:1
Saudi Arabian Airlines Alfursan1:1
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer2:1
Thai Airways International Royal Orchid Plus1:1
US Airways Dividend Miles1:1
United Mileage Plus2:1
VARIG Smiles2:1
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club1:1

Transferring Starpoints to airline miles can be really handy when you have some airline miles, but not quite enough for a free ticket. You can use Starpoints to top off your airline miles account for a free flight or upgrade.

Redeem Starpoints for Flights
With this option you redeem Starpoints directly for your airline ticket. Tickets are available for more airlines than those currently listed as Starwood Preferred Guest airline transfer partners. You still have the option to transfer Starpoints to an airline and receive miles with Starwood Preferred Guest transfer partners; however, SPG Flights allows you to skip the transfer step, expands your flight options to include more airlines, and eliminates blackout dates and other restrictions found with many airline mile redemption programs. You can redeem Starpoints in three simple steps.

  1. Go to www.spg.com/flights to search for flights
  2. Select your flight
  3. Redeem Starpoints for an airline ticket

Your Starpoints will be deducted from your account and you will receive email itinerary confirmation. The premise of SPG flights is that you can search for any flight directly from spgflights.com and book it with your Starpoints. Starwood then pays the airline for the flight and you still earn miles for the flight. See the table below to get an idea of the purchase price of the flights. If you need more information check out the SPG Flights Terms and Conditions page.

Ticket PriceStarpoints
up to $15010,000
$150-$21515,000
$215-$28020,000
$280-$34525,000
$345-$41030,000
$410-$47535,000
$475-$54040,000
$540-$60545,000
$605-$67050,000
$670-$73555,000
$735-$80060,000
$800-$86565,000
$865-$93070,000
$930-$99575,000
$995-$106080,000


Buying More Points
One nice feature is that Starwood let’s members purchase up to 20,000 additional Starpoints per calendar year as long as you have been an SPG member for at least one month. You can buy 500 Starpoints for $17.50. The Starpoint Purchase Plan is for members who need a few extra points to top off your balance so you can get your free ticket. There is no minimum Starpoint transfer requirement for Platinum members. Gold members have a minimum transfer requirement of 1,500 Starpoints, and Preferred members have a minimum transfer requirement of 2,500 Starpoints.

Which Is The Best Option
There really isn’t a right or wrong way to go about purchasing your flight. Each situation is unique, and members must consider all factors, such as: flight times and availability, booking fees, number of Starpoints or airline miles available to them, convenience, etc. to best determine whether or not it is more advantageous to redeem Starpoints than airline miles for a flight. Please note that SPG Flights is a new redemption option created to offer Starwood Preferred Guest members greater versatility for using their Starpoints. It was not created to compete with airline frequency programs, although in some situations, there may be better value redeeming Starpoints for a flight.

Filed Under: credit card rewards Tagged With: , ,
January 3, 2010 By 4 Comments

Review of the Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) Program

The Starwood Preferred Guest program, or SPG for short, is one of the most rewarding travel programs available. From free stays at 5-star hotels to free air travel on almost any airline with no black out dates, Starwood Preferred has become synonymous with first class travel. And with the Starwood Preferred Guest(R) Credit Card from American Express, it’s easy to earn Starpoints quickly.

Because of the many features that the program offers, we thought a review of the Starwood Preferred Guest program (www.starwoodhotels.com) was in order. In this review we’ll first look at how to join the program and the different levels of membership. Then we’ll cover how you can earn Starpoints. And finally, we will discuss how you can use your Starpoints.

The Starwood Preferred Guest Program

Starpoints® are designed for those who travel. The program consists of three different membership levels. Each membership tier gives you rewards, beginning with valuable Starpoints®, redeemable for Free Night Awards, award flights, room upgrades and a host of travel and entertainment privileges. At each level you’re entitled to the Free Night Awards benefit with no blackouts on standard rooms. The Gold and Platinum levels increase your Starpoints earning by 50% over the Preferred level. A generous package of member privileges earmarks each tier and increases along with your stature.

Preferred
The Preferred program is the base tier level of the program. As part of our program, you will have access to exclusive benefits and redemption opportunities. At the Preferred level, you will earn 2 Starpoints per every eligible dollar spent at over 890 of Starwood’s participating properties. You can redeem Starpoints for a host of rewards, including free nights and airline tickets. With our no blackouts policy, if there is a standard room available, or a flight available through our SPG Flights program, it’s yours. Starpoints never expire as long as you have Starpoints activity at least once every 12 months.

Gold Preferred
To be part of the Gold Preferred program you have to stay at Starwood Preferred Guest participating properties at least 10 times (or 25 nights) in a calendar year. You can earn Free Night Awards faster because your reward increases to 3 Starpoints for every eligible U.S. dollar spent. This is a 50% bonus over Preferred Guests. You are entitled to an automatic room upgrade at check-in when one is available. An enhanced room includes rooms on higher floors, corner rooms, newly renovated rooms, or rooms with preferred views. You also get a 4 p.m. late checkout, when available.

Platinum Preferred
If you stay 25 times (or 50 nights) in a calendar year and achieve Platinum Preferred Guest® status. This is the highest tier of the membership and the one that offers the most benefits. Such beneifts include, but are not limited to: An increased rewards to 3 Starpoints for every eligible U.S. dollar spent — a 50% bonus over Preferred Guests, you can expect automatic upgrades at check-in, including Select Standard Suites, receive personalized service, from making reservations, requesting upgrades, redeeming awards and booking everything from opera tickets and baby sitters to getting information on local restaurants and sights and 4 p.m. late checkout, when available.

How To Get Starpoints

There are a lot of ways to earn Starpoints. Of course, the obvious way is to stay in a Starwood hotel. But there are many other options that can help you accumulate Starpoints fast:

  • Buy Starpoints: Starwood let’s members purchase up to 20,000 additional Starpoints per calendar year if you have been an SPG member for at least one month. You can buy 500 Starpoints for $17.50. The Starpoint Purchase Plan is for members who need a few extra points to redeem a vacation or want to customize an online gift certificate for a travel gift.
  • Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express: This Credit Card from American Express is a great way to get bonus Starpoints. The card offers 10,000 Starpoints after your first purchase, enough for up to 3 free nights at a Category 1 or 2 hotel. You can also earn an additional 15,000 Starpoints when you spend $15,000 in 6 months, enough for up to 3 free nights at a Category 1 or 2 hotel.
  • Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card: American Express also offers a Starwood Business Card, which gives an additional 10,000 free Starpoints after your first purchase. If you have both the business card and the Preferred Guest card, you can get 20,000 Starwood points, which could get you 25,000 airline miles, enough for a free ticket.
  • TD AMERITRADE: When you open and fund an account you can earn up to 20,000 Starpoints, depending on your initial deposit.
  • American Express® Cardmembers: If you are enrolled in Membership Rewards® yo will earn Membership Rewards points whenever they stay at participating Starwood Preferred Guest hotels or resorts and pay with an eligible enrolled American Express Card. Membership Rewards points do not expire and there is no earning cap. You may also transfer your Membership Rewards points into StarpointsSM to redeem Starwood Preferred Guest awards.
  • Hartmann.com: Earn 1 Starpoint for every $1 spent on the luggage and personal leather goods from the Hartmann online store.
  • Earn Club Rewards® points from Diners Club® when you stay at a participating Starwood hotel or resort and pay with your Diners Club Card. Club Rewards points never expire, there is no limit to the amount you can earn, and you can transfer Club Rewards points into Starpoints.


How To Use Your Points
There are a wide variety of ways you can use your starpoints. The Starwood Preferred Guest ® program allows you to redeem Starpoints® for Free Night Awards without blackout dates or extra point charges on standard rooms–regardless of your membership level. It typically takes three stays to earn a Free Weekend Night Award. Starwood categorizes its hotels from 1 to 7, with a category 7 hotel requiring a lot more points than a category 1 hotel. To give you an idea of how it works, a minimum of 2,000 Starpoints is needed to redeem for a free weekend night at a Category 1 hotel. The number of Starpoints needed for a Free Night Award vary by hotel category.

You can also use Starpoints for flights. There are two ways to fly with Starpoints. First, you can convert Starpoints to airline miles on most airlines. When you convert 20,000 Starpoints at one time, Starwood throws in an extra 5,000 points. Second, you can use Starpoints to pay for airline travel when you book using the Starwood Amex. You can find additional details of both options here: www.starwoodhotels.com/preferredguest/account/starpoints/redeem/index.html.

You can also redeem your Starpoints for products or gift certificates/cards or you have the option of donating them to one of the SPG charity partners. The charity partners include the following: Camp Sunshine, Special Olympics, The American Red Cross, The Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, The Make-A-Wish Foundation and UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund. You can use your Starpoints to bid on events with the member exclusive online auction site, spg.com/moments. Starwood Preferred Guest also allows members to transfer Starpoints to Amtrak Guest Rewards at a 1:1 ratio. Your Starpoints can also be redeemed for in-hotel indulgences from a massage to dinner and more.

Filed Under: credit card rewards Tagged With: ,
January 2, 2010 By Leave a Comment

American Express Blue Review

Review of the American Express Blue Credit Cards–Blue, Blue Cash, and Blue Sky

While perhaps best known for its charge cards, American Express also as an award winning line of credit cards called American Express Blue. There are three cards offered: Blue, Blue Cash, and Blue Sky. Each card is designed with different rewards, depending on what you want from your credit card. Will review each, with links to the official americanexpress.com website that has more information on each card and an online application. To begin, here is a quick comparison of the cards:

Blue Sky from American ExpressSMBlue Cash® from American ExpressBlue from American Express®
SummaryEarn free travel fast with no annual fee and no blackout dates or restrictions.
More Details
Use points for flights on any airline, stays at any hotel, and car rentals with any company.		Earn up to 5% cash back with no annual fee and cash rewards.
More Details
Track your cash back and get tips for earning more with Cash Tracker tools.		Earn great rewards without an annual fee.
More Details
Transfer Membership Rewards® points to more than 20 frequent flyer and guest programs.
Good ForFree travel with zero restrictions and no annual feeUnlimited cash rewards with no annual feeRewards and no annual fee
Rewards ProgramPoints from Blue SkyCash back rewardsMembership Rewards Express® program
How You Earn Points or MilesEarn 1 point for every eligible dollar you spend.Earn up to 5% cash back at supermarkets, gas stations and drugstores, plus up to 1.25% cash back for all other eligible purchases1 point for every eligible dollar. 2X points at the American Express Travel website. 2X - 10X with select partners
Using Points or Miles for Rewards
Redeem 7,500 points for $100 off virtually any travel purchase including airlines (with no blackout dates), hotels, cruises and car rentalsReceive your annual rebate as a credit on your statement one month following your Card Anniversary dateUse points for rewards from over 500 brands

Blue from American Express®

Blue from American Express is a points card that offers 0% APR for 6 months with no annual fee. Cardholders earn points virtually every time they use the card, and 2X points when the card is used to shop online at the American Express Bonus Points Mall®. And Amex awards 3X points when you shop with select online retailers like Apple, Barnes & Noble at the Bonus Points Mail®. Once earned, points can be used to buy merchandise or to pay for travel with no blackout dates.

American Express Blue Sky

Blue Sky is a travel rewards credit card especially designed for frequent flyers. The card awards 1 point for virtually every $1 spent. The key benefit of this card, however, is in its redemption rewards. Blue Sky points are worth 33% more than many other points programs. With Blue Sky, it takes just 7,500 points to earn a $100 statement credit for any travel purchase. As with the Blue card, Blue Sky offers 0% APR for 6 months and has no annual fee.

American Express Blue Cash

Amex Blue Cash is one of the few 5% cash back cards. Here’s how it works. For each 12 billing cycle period, purchases up to a total of $6,500 earn 1.0% if they are for groceries, drug stores, or gas, and 0.5% on everything else. Once you’ve spent a total of $6,500 on the card, the cash back rewards jump to 5% for groceries, drug stores, and gas, and 1.25% on everything else. the card also offers 0% APR for 6 months with no annual fee.

Blue Cash EverydaySM from American Express
Blue Cash Everyday<sup>SM</sup> from American Express
Apply Now...
  • Earn a $100 cash back bonus after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases in the first 3 months of Cardmembership
  • 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months, flexibility to pay over time
  • Get 3% cash back at supermarkets, 2% cash back at gas stations and department stores, and 1% cash back on all other purchases
  • No spend minimum, No enrollment, and No rotating rewards categories
  • Get a $25 Referral Bonus for each friend or family member who is approved for the Card
  • No annual fee, flexibility to pay over time
Intro APRIntro APR
Period		Regular
APR		Annual
Fee		Balance
Transfer		Credit
Needed
N/A* for transfersfor 12 months17.24%-22.24% Variable$0*YesExcellent Credit*

Blue Sky from American ExpressSM
Blue Sky from American Express<sup>SM</sup>
Apply Now...
  • No annual fee
  • Travel rewards with no blackout dates or travel restrictions. Redeem with any airline, any car rental, any hotel- anytime
  • Pay your bill all at once, or over time. It's up to you.
  • Blue Savings Program®: big deals on big brands, all the time
  • Rated "Best Airline Credit Card" by Card Ratings Consumer's Choice Awards in 2010
  • Get approved in 60-seconds
Intro APRIntro APR
Period		Regular
APR		Annual
Fee		Balance
Transfer		Credit
Needed
N/A* for transfersfor 12 months17.24%-22.24% Variable$0*YesExcellent Credit*

Filed Under: Credit Card Offers Tagged With: , , ,
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