By the time my wife returned home last week from a trip to New York, upgraded from a discount ticket to first class on all 4 segments because I gave that airline 55,000 miles of business last year, she understood why I do a mileage run or two every year and she now encourages me in my obsession with frequent flyer programs.

She came close to that step when my FF status got us two operational upgrades on an S (i.e. absurdly cheap) fare from SFO to London. Now she, too, believes.

Frequent flyer programs: one way to a happy marriage.