I think it's just the convenience in a lot of cases, by not having to look up the local florist or assuming that FTD will do a good job of knowing the right one to give the order to - what is easier to remember than 800 Flowers or ftd.com if you are on the run? As in the case I described, my mother in law wasn't even earning miles and that wasn't her concern at all, but I posted it here because a lot of people link to them via their airline site. Also, it is undeniable that the selection at FTD or 800 Flowers, because they enjoy inventory from multiple florists and vendors, is quite large. Still, it seems that this thread has helped identify some good alternatives.