I overheard two guys talking on Heathrow Express last week - United flyers I think - one was explaining the 'miles earned' to the other. It really sounded simply like a bad Monty Python sketch - the guy was trying really hard to make it make sense, but the other guy was simply completely mystified!

I don't know if United's system is simpler than Advantage or BAEC, but ten years ago we could probably all have explained all of them to our young nephews and nieces just fine - today I'm not even going to make the attempt (and my nephews are ten years older!).