Got you. But nonetheless, IMO there's much more to it than a 50% drop in status bonus miles earned from 50 to 25% (just to toss in another figure, or a 100% increase in status bonus miles from Gold to Diamond, ) in the drop from Diamond to Gold.

Of course, to me, it also depends a lot on one's convergence with the presence of properties in one's preferred brands - if I traveled where another chain predominated significantly, I'd probably change my habits if the other elite program offered similar benefits. The adequacy of promos or how I was treated at one or two properties would not figure so prominently in my decision.

Obviously, the YMMV factor prevails here.