Best miles credit card: Starwood American Express 
Free $200+ hotel night with your first purchase and points transferable to most airline programs

Why this may be the best miles credit card for many people
The best miles credit card for many people is the Starwood American Express (Click here to apply at American Express). Starwood is the brand that represents the hotel chains Sheraton, Westin, W, Four Points, St. Regis, and Le Meridien. They are great hotels, but the points card is even better because you have three great options to use your points:

1- Convert them to miles in over 30 top airline programs (see below graphic) with a generous 5,000 point bonus for every 20,000 point conversion. So 20,000 points = 25,000 miles, giving you a discount on every ticket.

2- Use them for free nights at Sheraton, Westin, W, St. Regis, Four Points, and Le Meridien hotels -- with no restricitons. If a standard room is available for sale, you can book it with points for free.

3- Convert them to gift cards for your favorite stores at $1 per 100 points. Not a efficient a use of your points as hotels or otherwise expensive flights, but nice added flexibility.

The Starwood Amex is one miles credit card that lets you have it all, and make decisions when you're ready to plan travel without being stuck in one airline program.






It offers a generous 10,000 bonus points with your first purchase  that can be either transfered to your favorite airline or used for free nights at Westin, Sheraton, W, and other hotels.10,000 points is enough for a night at the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco, or the Walt Disney World Dolphin resort, among others, or 3 nights at lower-point hotels like the Sheraton Orlando. You also earn 1 point for every dollar you spend on the card. (Click here to apply  at American Express).

How it works
Don’t worry about whether you want to use points for airlines or hotels. Decide when you plan your trip. You earn 1 Starwood point for every dollar spent...and can transfer those points online to your account with 30 major airlines ...most 1 for 1...(Continental and United require 2 Starwood points per mile) with quick turnaround. Moreover, you get a bonus for transfering points to airline miles, effecitvely earning 1.25 miles per dollars spent. Or, simply use your points for nights at any of the Starwood hotels . The Starwood American Express credit card combines amazing flexibility with very generous point earning power. There is no annual fee the first year, $45 a year afterward.

(Click here to apply  at American Express).





Points are also good at all Sheraton, Westin, W, Sheraton, St. Regis, Le Meridien, and Four Points hotels with no capacity controls. If there's a standard room available to buy, you can book it with points for free. For many travelers, hotel stays are a better use of points than domestic airline tickets in any program. It's much easier to book one or two hotel rooms for your family of four than it is to book four airline tickets on the same flights.

(Click here to apply  at American Express).


 
Frequently asked questions

Q: Do I have to stay at a Starwood hotel to join the point program?
A: No. Just by having the credit card you are automatically enrolled in the point program. You're welcome to use your points by staying at their hotels, but don't have to pay for hotel rooms to earn points. You can use your points just for airline miles if you'd like.

Q: Where can I use the points I earn?
A: You can use them for free nights at Starwood hotels (Sheraton, Westin, St. Regis, W, Four Points, Le Meridien), or you can transfer them to miles in your favorite airline program. Most airlines participate, and transfer the points one for one in most cases. There is also a nice 5000 mile bonus when you transfer 20000 points at a time.

Q: How do I transfer points to my airline account?
A: Just log on to spg.com (Starwood Preferred Guest) and you will find a Transfer option to your favorite airilne. Transfers generally take a few weeks and are done electronically.

Q: What is the fee for the card?
A: There is no annual fee the first year. The fee is $45 per year afterward.

Q: What is Starwood?
A: Starwood is the points program affiliated with the Shearton, Westin, W, Le Meridien, Four Points, and St. Regis hotel chains.

Q: How hard is it to find free hotel rooms?
A: It is very easy. Starwood is a unique program because there are no blackouts on free rooms. If a standard room is available for sale at a Starwood hotel, you can use your points to book it for free. No worries about special inventory.

(Click here to apply  at American Express).




Testimonials
"I had a business trip to Cancun that I wanted to extend with points. I just went online, logged into my account at spg.com, and was able to get a beautiful room at the Westin Cancun. It's nice not to worry about whether special inventory will be available" - Nick C.

"My family doesn't always know what airline it will fly on for vacation. We like the card because we can choose what airline we want to use our points on when we're ready to plan our travel. That way our travel planning revolves around our plans, not around our points." - Judy K.

"I like to use miles for upgrades on airlines. This makes it easy, since I can move my points to my favorite airline's program." - Justin K.

"I loved the first purchase bonus. It was enough to get a free night at the nicest hotel at Disney World!" - Jerry R.

(Click here to apply  at American Express).

 


About Us | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions

Site Content Copyright 2006-2007 MileCards.com