that's why i started this thread, or at least asked the question, why didn't the airlines focus on revenue spent rather than actual miles flown in creating their programs. If you had a non-refundable fare, the miles would be posted; otherwise, miles would not be posted until the expiration of the ticket. Seems to me to make alot more sense than going through the exercise of making folks do mileage runs. if you spend the money for a ticket, and don't use it and it expires, for whatever reason, why should you not get the miles? it just never made any sense to me...