Originally Posted by
mdavies
However, that is not exactly an accurate picture of how American Airlines makes money. The reason for a frequent flyer program is to reward those who help make the airline valuable. Whether it's those who spend a lot of money and help with the highly profitable seats or those who use it to cover the costs.
A more accurate characterization would be that FFP exist to influence future spending patterns and behavior rather than past loyalty.
As for the merits of the AAdvantage program, it is the largest and most successful program out there, so I think AA has figured out how to effectively run it without needing your or my input.