Originally Posted by
jackal
Maybe, but why? As long as AS is making money on the deal (i.e. the flights being redeemed are costing AS less than they are selling the miles for), it seems like a win-win for AS and the customer.
I guess those of us who actually earned our miles the old-fashioned way (flying and CC spend) stand to lose if inventory is all taken up by those who buy-miles-and-fly, but honestly, the shift from programs as loyalty drivers to profit centers in their own rights is a ship that has long since sailed.
Exactly - these are huge profit centers and aren't going the way of the Blue Chip Stamp anytime soon.
Some of us would even say that CC spend isn't the old-fashioned way, if we are really old.