The margins from credit card spend are way better than the margins involved with staffing and flying actual flights in the most cases. Plus it is easy to expand credit card spending vs expanding routes, frequency, or upgauging equipment which carries more financial risk.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/airline...rds-1535362202
I can see MQD slowly replacing the mileage qualification as it more directly reflects revenue, but the CC spend waiver should be here to stay.

As someone who is a DM and a shareholder, I have to say that everything my DM flier side wants to see changed, my shareholder side rejects. And everything I want to see as a shareholder, my DM side takes issue with, I guess that means management is doing a good job balancing the wants of both audiences.