MilesBuzz! - Air Miles (UK)

Air Miles (UK)

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Not sure where to post this , having searched for Air Miles and come up with nothing.
I think I am being conned...can anybody give me any good reasons why I am a collector, (not avid) of Air Miles here in the UK ? Looking at their latest offers sent to me today, their holidays seem to be the same price as I can get elsewhere, and as for their air fare offers only....why would I want to 'spend' 700 miles, (which 'cost ' me £20 per mile,) + £199 and taxes to get to Tampa from London .... when I can get there for the same price over the Net ? Or how about this one , London/Auckland 2140 miles + £650...I can definately get that cheaper.
Anybody care to throw any light on the pro' and con's ?

I don't have any answers, but I have similar sentiments about Air Miles, too. Although I've been collecting them (fairly passively, mainly by credit card) for many years, they do look like a "bad deal" compared to most other frequent flyer programmes.

Having said that, the last time I redeemed an Air Miles ticket (some years ago!) I was able to redeem Air Miles for a one-way ticket (I think this may have changed since then) - something I don't think was readily available with other FF programmes.

One (relative) advantage is that Air Miles can now be used on a range of airlines (and not just on BA as was originally the case). Other original advantages - such as being able to check on-line availability of reward seats - are now found on most main FF programme websites.

I guess I'll keep (passively) collecting them "just in case", but will concentrate on other FF programmes. But I'd be interested to hear of others' experiences and views.

I think I am being conned...can anybody give me any good reasons why I am a collector, (not avid) of Air Miles here in the UK ?I have been frequently asking myself this question. I've collected an extraordinary number of Air Miles (close to 5 figures) mostly using my credit card. I have come to the conclusion that I should treat the Air Miles as one of those possibly-in-the-future contingent benefits, as they are so useless, and regard myself as insisting on using a credit card that does not earn miles simply because of the service benefits I get from that card.

But it still pains me every time I see an ad, or an FT thread, discussing some other UK-based mileage-earning credit card that I could use.

I agree that Air Miles is c**p nowadays.

The best thing they did was when BA Miles started you could transfer Air Miles at 1 to 14 BA Miles and 1 to 10 after a certain date.

It was a big disappointment when they stopped this feature.

Cheers

Alan

(Down to about 4500 Air Miles and hoping to get it to 0!!)

(I have also noticed a big trade in paper Air Miles on E Bay UK.)