<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by tom911:
I'll take the opposite view. I do mileage runs to accumulate miles, and use those miles to buy business or first class tickets on international routes (I've done 9 award tickets to Australia, with a handful to Europe and domestic U.S., in business or first). I will pay a few dollars extra, and don't mind it, seeing that I bring in over 10,000 miles on any cross country trip. Those 10,000 miles are conservatively worth $150 at 1.5 cents a mile.
Now, I can't ever recall paying more that $25-50 extra when the fares on the airline I have miles with was higher than a competitor, but I would not hesitate to pay that. Maybe you're finding a higher price spread because of your route and carriers available? I just don't see a $300 difference on routes I fly.
If the miles are worth it, it does make sense to stick with a certain carrier or alliance, even if it does mean paying slightly more. Those miles have value.
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Let's not forget the value of status. I know it varies from airline to airline and airport to airport. But there is priority boarding, priority waitlist, special lines for security if your top tier, first shot at surplus first class seats (Upgrades) and a host of other things.
Recently I was waiting on a flight that was canceled due to mechanical problems. There was only one other flight out that day and it had 6 seats on it. Two of those seats went to this flyer who fortunately had status the other 4 went to 4 other flyers with status. As the agent handed me my new passes she smiled and said and there's another time it paid to be an MVP. I value all the above almost as much as the miles. It's a hassle to fly anymore and anything that makes it easier I'm all for.
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"A day without Points/Miles is like a day without SUNSHINE"