For those of you who heap praise on any program please remember this famous quote “those who do not learn from history are destined to repeat it”. Let me tell you what history has taught me.

Five or maybe six years ago as a loyal Marriott patron I drove sometimes as much as twenty miles out of my way in order to acquire points in the program. I was such a fan of Marriott Rewards, I even bought JW Marriott’s book “The spirit to serve”. My loyalty to them was rewarded. I saved for only one award and it was Marriott award code 713 which cost 200,000 points: this award included two airline tickets anywhere on earth, seven days of premium car rental, and seven nights in any Marriott hotel in the world. You could use the airline tickets to one location the hotel somewhere else and the car in another city if you pleased. In the beginning we were able to go to India and Africa, but by the third award those destinations were no longer available. Still we were able to go to Asia, Australia, and Europe and it was a good deal. Stayed in the County Hall in London and JW in Hong Kong and a great hotel in Rome. My fourth award no longer included the car rental, I think it was replaced by some coupons, and my fifth award I had to scramble to get enough points before the program change drastically to what it resembles today.

I remember these boards were full of accolades from people who used the 713 award and I think Marriott got the message as they devalued the award.

Angry at Marriott for taking away my beloved 713 I changed my loyalty to Hilton and with the expansion the Honors program developed a new loyalty. I discovered bonus after bonus and quickly attained in excess of two million points. Again I found an award I loved with Hilton: the GLO9 included two airline tickets and six nights hotel. Was given a couple of either 20 or 50 thousand point off coupons for VIP awards each year and I was finding it easy to attain these awards as well. Took the wife and kids to Australia and South Africa. But in December of last year with absolutely no warning Hilton discontinued these awards. Many times I spent more money than I should for Hilton stays so I could qualify for the awards only to have the carpet pulled out from under me with absolutely no warning.

The point I am trying to make and tried to make in my first post is none of these programs is any better than the other unless you can use the award immediately. What they are offering today will not be what they are offering tomorrow. If you begin praising one program over another or one sticks out as being the best be prepared for them to change.

I will finish with a cliché. “Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me…… fool me a third time.... well like the Who said “We won’t get fooled again”. or at least I won't!