You disagree with what? You can't just say you disagree, you have to take my arguments that I wrote above and say why they're wrong.
Aye aye sir!!
1- For those on this site who are already matmid members, there is no membership fee at this point.
2- People on this site have internet access, so you don't have to call the callcenter and pay $10
3- Fuel surcharge is $295, not $344, when I checked yesterday. You can also take off up to $150, by adding 300 matmid points.
4- For almost a half year, every year during the winter almost till Pesach, you can get a bonus ticket for 1050 points, which is
42,000 HAS points, instead of 56,000.
5- You get a easy 2,000 points for being referred by someone for this card, plus another 2,000 points for anyone that is referred by you, even if they only get a collage card.
6- I disagree that you it is only good for Israel. You get the best value to Israel via Elal, than with any other card, but you can also redeem it for the standard 25,000 points for domestic USA, or 50,000 to Europe. Btw, the OP asked for a ticket to Israel.
http://www.hasadvantage.com/rewards_travel.asp 7- You never need to cancel the card, as it has no annual fee.
8- If eligible, you get a Visa Signiture Card for all that it may be worth, with regard to buyer protection,ect..
9- Elal's availability became very good over the last 2 years even close to the date of departure, since they stopped people from holding multiple reservations. The same cannot be said about the other airlines that fly DIRECT to Israel. (You are lucky to find one day a month on the cheapest fare, a few months in advance.) I am referring to Economy class here. I can't afford points for business class like you.
10- You earn double points in many Jewish stores especially in New York.
I agree that the starwood card is great, but for someone that is looking to only fly Economy nonstop to Israel or only Elal, it is quite a good other card to have to spend money on. A tiny amount of money also goes to Tzedakah, like 'A time' or 'Vaad Harabonim" for example.
What may also be good for many people out there, is that some people may have flown Elal in the last couple of years, and I have often heard people say that they have 600 matmid points in their account, or 400 points, looking what do do with it. Well for example for someone with 600 points, all he is missing is 800 matmid points, or only 550 points in the winter when you only need 1050, so he can reach those 550 matmid points by earning 22,000 HAS points. So basically he gets a ticket for 22,000/32,000 HAS points, since he already has 600 Matmid points that he has no use for, in his account. Plus he can get 20,000 free Has points for being referred by a cardmember, and then referring another 9 family members or friends that get approved, or more.
Also you can book ONEWAY Elal tickets for 700 matmid points, so for someone that has already 500 matmid points previously, all you need to do is to be referred by someone, and then spend $6,000 dollars, or refer 3 people, and you got yourself 700 matmid points.
THIS WAS VERY TIME COMSUMING!!!
