Note that VX and B6 went with points (and eventually WN decided to go there too). Something where you are effectively getting a modest rebate on travel is nowhere near as sexy as Krug and caviar in lie-flat showers but having a system where it's easy to get SOMETHING without having to visit Walmart with $10k in gift cards every week has benefits too. "Oooh, I got a free $100 one way ticket to Vegas!" Small incentives for occasional fliers is pretty smart (and DL is actually on to something with that aspect of SkyMiles).