As a guide to how big MP really is, from inner back cover of Vol 4 2000 timetable (remember those?) I have here:
"In 1999 MP member used over 2.2m awards on United flights. This is 20% more than 1997 and nearly double the number in 1996.
In 1999 United issued awards as follows:
Award flights on United - 2,240,336
Upgrade awards on UA - 811,105
Partner airline awards 362,123
TOTAL Mileage Plus Awards - 3,413,564"
Looking at the strong upward annual pattern even then, plus the fact Star Alliance has expanded enormously since 1999, plus adding the hugely relevant
"burn miles in case UA goes broke" factor, I would not be surprised at all to learn in 2004 United issued pretty close to
10 million awards.
If awards issued
doubled from 1996 to 1999 this is not far fetched at all.
Glen