Does anyone remember the days when you could only earn miles by flying? I joined my first FF program in 1981, and for years there were few if any alternatives for earning miles other than flying. If they charge you 3 times as many miles as they used to but you can earn the miles 10 times easier than you could before, that's called just called inflation.

As long as earning ability keeps up with or exceeds spending requirements, I see no problem. I think what happened is that the two sides of the coin did not expand simultaneously. New earnings opportunities opened up first and then the increased spending requirements have come along later. So many FFers who did not experience the "old" days feel as if the sky is falling.

I know it will never happen, but if we went back to the days where there were no partners and you just earned miles based on flying one airline, people would be a lot less happy with the programs than they are now, even with all of the mileage "devaluation".