@Anonymous wrote:
@mikelo22 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@mikelo22 wrote:Amex PRG is the way to go, IMO.
With the new changes that became effective June 1st, 2015, you get:
3x MR on Flights
2x MR on Gas
2x MR on Groceries
2x MR on Restaurants
1x MR everything else.
0% FTF <- big change
While the annual fee is $175, you also get a $100 voucher each year to apply against airline fees/costs. So if you travel even somewhat regularly by plane, then Amex PRG is a very good deal. The $100 voucher essentially drops it down to $75 AF, thus beating even the CSP.
PRG definitely has a lucrative rewards structure now, especially with 2x on restaurants which I absolutely love.
The Starwood is nice because Starwood points, arguably, have the greatest value. However, it is extremely difficult to earn those points as opposed to the PRG. So unless you travel internationally and/or stay at Starwood member hotels all the time, you're going to have a hard time racking up points in the same way you can on the PRG.
So since your question is about the best amex for points earning, I think it definitely has to be the PRG.
Some of the information you provided here was incorrent and I don't want it to mislead the OP. The annual fee was increased to $195 when they added the new features. Also, you do not recieve a voucher for $100 each year, it can only be used towards 'incidental fees'.
This was pulled from their website:
"Airline tickets, upgrades, mileage points purchases, mileage points transfer fees, gift cards, duty free purchases, and award tickets are not deemed to be incidental fees".
The credits are automatically applied to the card after these extra purchases so I would only consider it useful if you want to use it towards things like baggage fees etc. It cannot be used to airline tickets but Amex have been known to credit for airline gift cards. Although it is in their terms they it doesn't qualify, so it is upto the agent if they approve it.
I would only recommend if you travel quite a bit. I regret opening my Amex Green but will be replacing it with the PRG in the next month or two when I hit both my CSP and Freedom spending requirements. I am excited to utilize the $100 airline credit as I travel back to the UK once a year and domestically every now and then too so it will handle my in flight wifi costs, in flight food and also baggage costs.
Woops, my bad. Thank you for the correction on the AF. And you're right about the $100 waiver. However, people have successfully bought $100 in gift cards, directly from the airline, and Amex has reimbursed the cost. I successfully did it for Southwest. You just gotta make sure you select your specific airline on Amex's site beforehand.
I know, as I said, it's really up to Amex so I would not count on it! Chase for their Ritz card used to be the same way, granting airline gift card credit for their $300 annual travel credit. Both companies recently I have noticed are cutting down on this as it is obviously costing them money becayse everyone is doing it now. So chances are airline gift cards will be strictly a NO soon.
It's really too bad using the credit for a gift card is so iffy, otherwise I would ditch my green card in a heart beat and app for the PRG. I don't travel often, but saving up airline gift cards for a few years for a nice trip would be sweet. However it's not worth the risk for me, since if I ordered a gift card and it *wasn't* eligible, it would then be as if I had lost $200, which would be painful.
Looks like I'll have to just stick to my Green. 
@UncleB wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@mikelo22 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@mikelo22 wrote:Amex PRG is the way to go, IMO.
With the new changes that became effective June 1st, 2015, you get:
3x MR on Flights
2x MR on Gas
2x MR on Groceries
2x MR on Restaurants
1x MR everything else.
0% FTF <- big change
While the annual fee is $175, you also get a $100 voucher each year to apply against airline fees/costs. So if you travel even somewhat regularly by plane, then Amex PRG is a very good deal. The $100 voucher essentially drops it down to $75 AF, thus beating even the CSP.
PRG definitely has a lucrative rewards structure now, especially with 2x on restaurants which I absolutely love.
The Starwood is nice because Starwood points, arguably, have the greatest value. However, it is extremely difficult to earn those points as opposed to the PRG. So unless you travel internationally and/or stay at Starwood member hotels all the time, you're going to have a hard time racking up points in the same way you can on the PRG.
So since your question is about the best amex for points earning, I think it definitely has to be the PRG.
Some of the information you provided here was incorrent and I don't want it to mislead the OP. The annual fee was increased to $195 when they added the new features. Also, you do not recieve a voucher for $100 each year, it can only be used towards 'incidental fees'.
This was pulled from their website:
"Airline tickets, upgrades, mileage points purchases, mileage points transfer fees, gift cards, duty free purchases, and award tickets are not deemed to be incidental fees".
The credits are automatically applied to the card after these extra purchases so I would only consider it useful if you want to use it towards things like baggage fees etc. It cannot be used to airline tickets but Amex have been known to credit for airline gift cards. Although it is in their terms they it doesn't qualify, so it is upto the agent if they approve it.
I would only recommend if you travel quite a bit. I regret opening my Amex Green but will be replacing it with the PRG in the next month or two when I hit both my CSP and Freedom spending requirements. I am excited to utilize the $100 airline credit as I travel back to the UK once a year and domestically every now and then too so it will handle my in flight wifi costs, in flight food and also baggage costs.
Woops, my bad. Thank you for the correction on the AF. And you're right about the $100 waiver. However, people have successfully bought $100 in gift cards, directly from the airline, and Amex has reimbursed the cost. I successfully did it for Southwest. You just gotta make sure you select your specific airline on Amex's site beforehand.
I know, as I said, it's really up to Amex so I would not count on it! Chase for their Ritz card used to be the same way, granting airline gift card credit for their $300 annual travel credit. Both companies recently I have noticed are cutting down on this as it is obviously costing them money becayse everyone is doing it now. So chances are airline gift cards will be strictly a NO soon.
It's really too bad using the credit for a gift card is so iffy, otherwise I would ditch my green card in a heart beat and app for the PRG. I don't travel often, but saving up airline gift cards for a few years for a nice trip would be sweet. However it's not worth the risk for me, since if I ordered a gift card and it *wasn't* eligible, it would then be as if I had lost $200, which would be painful.
Looks like I'll have to just stick to my Green.
To me PRG, EDP or ED is better than green card in every way . I mean ED> Green imo in almost every way. unless you really want a charge card for some reason.
