Originally Posted by
land31411
Well said. Last I checked, loyalty programs are voluntary. Rules change. Notice is given. We adapt. Accumulating miles via some partner offers is no doubt foolish given the premiums sometimes paid for goods or services just to earn miles. However, miles earned on credit card charges for purchases that would have been made even without the benefit of miles remains a nice perk. I have made numerous first class trips with my wife on miles primarily earned via the AMEX Skymiles card we use for most non-payroll business expenses. Sure its not as easy as it once was to find seats on flights with the desired times, but let's not forget: IT ESSENTIALLY IS A FREE FLIGHT. Some should try keeping it in perspective.
kinda don't agree:
1) yeah we signed up so we have to play by rules, but some change in ways that are beyond the norm for pretty much every other entity out there and we all know it. I know, I know, WE signed up for the programs, but still, I have strong belief --and some actual proof based on many many past dealings--that most mileage programs are akin to the common rebate scam. They don't always follow thru with what you did in terms of activity as promised at the time of action. When you call them on it, they have few or no facilities to deal with this type of problem. Think about it: You essentially
paid them--ie, you signed up in their marketing database, which is numbers to them, and money to the investors. Your willingness to do that is a service you provided for them. In return they are supposed to give you the widget they advertised. But they failed to do for you what they promised YOU on the condition that you sign up! Why shouldnt we be upset about that when it happens? There's a COST to you if you have to go chasing them around to solve problems you did not initiate.
Sure, redeeming awards can and will change*, but in the above, I am talking about EARNING miles and that's sure part of all of this topic. And yes, using partners such as the airline malls can be 'foolish' for some, but hey, they are promoting it, right? Shouldnt they therefore run it well enough to do its job? If they fail to do this, that could be considered fraudulent!
2) All of this is a two way street. They need us too. It is not free. By using their portals and affiliated partners, cards and products, you are giving THEM effort, marketing input and a database entry per person and trasnaction. They PAY you to do for them in providing you miles for activities they drive you toward, and by promising that you can actually REDEEM these things when you want to. By making the second part an increasingly-harder-to-navigate gauntlet, they are once again bordering on fraud.
I could go on, but of course, WE signed up.
We also voted for a certain president who found no WMDs, but...
...time to vote again?