Originally Posted by
grahampros
FF programs are not really "loyalty" programs anymore. They are programs that reward those that spend a lot of money on the airline. They may just eliminate segment qualification all together in the future. It's not really about how many times you have boarded one of their planes, its about how much cash you've given them.
Sure they are. Just look at this thread and you will see just how far people will go for a free plastic cup of cheap booze, possibly with a lime. Threads like this support DL (as well as AA and UA) marketing philosophy that you can get people to spend money with you even when it makes more sense to spend it elsewhere.
While it theoretically makes more sense to look at every trip and determine the best way to travel, people are hooked on simple and cost-free things such as priority boarding (what does DL care who boards first vs. last?).