Originally Posted by
JerryFF
I'm not happy when they raise the redemption rate either, but it really is no different than when a store or restaurant or hotel raises their price for something they sell. To be honest, I don't understand why people don't understand that this is to be expected and why they get so upset when it happens.
This program is a giveaway. Yes, you spend time, but the rewards are so small compared to the time you spend that you would not do it unless you had spare time to burn. It is not as if you could calculate that you are being rewarded for your time, because if you really looked at it that way, you surely would never do it.
But a $50 gift card reward today cost $50 a few years ago. So it isn't costing them more for redemption. Perhaps their revenue per point is lower today than it was a few years ago since we can earn more points by buying inflation prices? We still only get 5 points per BonusMail read.
The new United redemption prices probably won't change our pattern given how we use those points on a specific route. The miles cost us about $0.007 per mile when getting them through MyPoints and we get about $0.06 when we redeem them. It works for us given the specific itinerary we fly that we use these miles for.
That doesn't mean I am happy with the increase. But we will continue on.