Diners+MC vs AMEX Plat Edge

[Loga2015]

Hi everyone,

I recently started working at a company where i will have to do business trips both nationally and internationally almost once every 2 months. I will be getting an AMEX corporate card, and might be flying most on Qantas flights and staying at a SPG branded hotel.

I am told that i can accrue AMEX (as long as i pay the 89$ fee) as well earn SPG points for my stays.

Now I am looking for a personal CC which will allow the following:
1. Have a rewards program, allowing me to move points to my loyalty programs which i will use the most(QFF,SPG,SQ Krisflyer)
2.Gives me Access to lounges both in Australia and internationally
3.Allows me to move points to SPG to plan for good vacation stay probably in 6 months

Now, i have been doing preliminary research, and I think I might go for one of the three cards:

1.Diners+MC - Gives access to lounges, transfer points to SPG but bad merchant acceptance, and poor customer service(not sure on annual fee, or any other good points)
2.Plat Edge - allows me to save my corp Amex points,incase i quit the company but no supporting Visa/Mastercard(not sure about lounge access,or transfer to SPG) - Cant afford the 1200$ fees for the platinum charge
3. Citi Signtature - for its 0$ initial fee, and bonus QFF points,also limited lounge access(not sure about SPG points,also not sure about Citi customer service)

Please provide tips/suggestions!

 

[andye]

If looking to accrue to SPG DC has the best earn rate at 1.5 SPG/$. The DCMC is 0.625 SPG/$. This compares very well with Plat Edge at 0.5 SPG/$ (obviously there are the bonus categories (supermarkets etc) which bump up the rate. The Edge earn rate is higher in other schemes eg 1 SQ/CX point per $

You will still need a Visa or MC if you go with the Edge

There is no doubt that Amex customer service is better, Having said that the points transfer process for DC is now smoother since a website redesign

Dc/MC combo is $349 with no sign up bonus and you need to pay extra for supplementary cards. Edge is $195, almost always with a sign-up bonus-you will also offset the fee with the regular statement credit offers

You are likely to have airline status soon so you may not value the lounge access as much. There are also no Dc affiliated lounges in Australia

Citi does not transfer to SPG but near-universal acceptance with one card and reasonable earn rates for other programmes (the Prestige offers better earn rates but is quite pricey at $700). Citi signature & prestige also offer bonuses for overseas spend (which offset exchange fees so may prove better than the no-fee cards such as 28degrees & bankwest especially if some of your spend is reimbursed)

I do have a DC/MC card and am happy with it (after some initial teething problems)-the reason for getting it was the ability to transfer into airline programmes with low taxes. I also have an Edge and am very pleased with it-I use it a lot but only at supermarkets/giftcards.

 

[Loga2015]

Thanks a lot Andye.

I spoke to both DC and AMEX over the phone to understand their products. I still wonder if the 389$ fee will compensate for the quick SPG points.
I might just get a DC+MC first and later get a AMEX plat to safeguard my points in Amex membership rewards.

How long does it take for them to process the application and send the card? I would love to have it before my trip early next month?