Hey, I just got a new coffee maker....for $196,000.....

http://www.capresso.com/automatic-co...nters-f8.shtml

Got it by cashing in AMEX points...196,000 of them...

Now...imagine this...imagine, in order to get the AMEX points...I started buying crap I didn't need...a "point run" if you will.

Would that make sense?

Or mightI ultimately have been better off just laying out he $1,500 for the coffee maker???

Now, I have to pay for all kinds of crap in my businesses...be it airline tix, cars, hotels, dinners, etc. I can't get around it...and so having a half million AMEX points is a nice perk.

But I sure as heck wouldn't spend more money on some commodity...not buy extra of that commoddity....so I could by a new $1,500 coffee machine...

But what I'm hearing here, when it comes to air travel is people will spend their time and their company's money, to take extra segments....or flights...in order to "get status.

It would be no different then me buying and extra tank of gas for a friend, to get more AMEX points...

It's just sort of a disconnect for me...and it enables airlines to invest in the FF programs, not the product...because, "status" takes the front seat while "product quality" takes the rear seat....not to mention TIME.

I wonder, for the time and money spent, would it not be easier to just buy the damned seat? Maybe not...

But, as others have said, "to each their own."

Really interesting discussion though. Thanks to all who have participated!