AMEX question

[Minnie's Mate]

I am planing to apply for an AMEX card to take advantage of the 15% discount at The World of Disney at DTD and to get the "White Glove Treatment". I noticed on the AMEX site that they have a Starwood card and a cash back card. Everything is the same except there is no annual fee for the cash back card (you get 2% back) and the Starwood card has a $30.00 annual fee and doesn't pay cash back, but does earn Starwood points (double points for stays at a Starwood Hotel).

I believe the Swan/Dolpin requires 10,000 points per night for a free room. I'm not sure if I would be able to use the card enough to even earn one night per year even with the double points for staying at a Starwood Hotel. (We go to WDW twice per year.)

My questions are, which card would be better and how could you maximize the points to get free nights at the S/D? Also, is The White Glove Treatment available at the S/D?

 

[clhcpaca]

I have a Delta Skymiles American Express card, which I use for everything, even groceries. Alot of your purchases are double points, also. I pay if off each month and have earned alot of points this way. Of course, you need to have a use for Delta tickets. I earn approximately one free ticket a year (25,000 miles). I do earn some extra miles qwith my trips to WDW, as the fare is realtively cheap from San Jose. I usually try to accumulate enough miles (40,000) to get a free first class ticket. I'm going in September, 2002 first class from California.

In regards to the White Glove treatment, I was never too impressed with the "benefits". It use to be a fanny pack and I have lots of those. Now, it's a pin and lanyeard. The discounts are rather restrictive as to restaurants and times.

Hope this helps, CINDY

 

[Tense]

I have one of these. Yes there is a fee, however the rate is reasonable and when you stay at Sheratons you get to double dip. Now I stayed at the Vistana through HOtel Kingdom and when you make ressies that way you lose your Starwoods points, BUT you can pay with your Starwoods AMEX and still get points!

 

[SINK]

I have them All. And I don't leave home without them.

Amex Platinum ($300 per year, only get if you are into spending more money on special events. Additional cardholder at $150.00 each).

Delta Gold ($30 per year if you have another eligible Amex Card. Delta Platinum, $80 per year, provides for 15,000 Delta skymiles after first use, and 10,000 skymile bonus if you have charged $25,000 during the year).

Starwood Platinum ($30 per year, my personal favorite).

Hilton Platinum ($0, but HHonors Points are hard to use).

Starwood v. Delta Skymiles from Amex:

Delta doubles miles for purchase at Supermkts and gas stations, Starwood does not.
Delta Gold gives 10,000 bonus after first use (15,000 for Platinum), Starwood does not.
However, 3000 Starwood points gives a free Weekend night stay at any Category 2's (Sheraton Safari, Studio City, and Sheraton World). Transfer 20,000 Starwood points to United, Delta, etc. to get 25,000 miles (sorry, for Starwood Gold Members Only). But it allows the point to be transferred to an airline carrier (offers the flexibility for either hotel stays or airline mile, delta skymile from Amex - Only Delta). Starwood point transfers are point for a point (unlike Hilton or Marriot, even by earning 10 points for Dollar spent, it takes a whole lot of hotel points to convert to 1,000 airline miles).

Go Amex.