Originally Posted by JerryFF
Now, everyone thinks of saver awards as the basic award level for free tickets, which they really are not
But the minute the airline runs a promotion - for example, for a credit card - where they claim that 20k is "almost enough for a free ticket", they are conditioning the public to think that the 25,000 level is the basic award level. The even use terms like "RuleBuster" to refer to higher levels. The phrasing is such that 25k is what you should be able to get for a normal trip, and 50k is what you'd use if you want to fly to Miami for New Year's or to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. They set these expectations with their marketing. If the airlines said "Sign up for our credit card and earn 20,000 bonus miles, 40% of a FREE TICKET!!", then I'd agree with the above point.
any more than the lowest published fare on any given route is the basic fare to most places most of the time
They condition us to expect that, too. I love the Northwest ads that are frequently run in my local fishwrap (Kansas City Star). They include a picture of a 747 and copy such as "$59 each way!" with a bunch of fine print about taxes, roundtrip purchase, etc. We know from experience that there are
zero $59 seats anywhere, anytime, on any aircraft type out of Kansas City on Northwest. Yet the airline works very hard to convince us that there are.
or the once a month 50% off sale at your local department store is the basic cost of most goods.
Maybe this is way off topic, but I haven't bought anything at a department store in many years that wasn't marked at least 50% off. Usually it's more like 66%. It's the game they play... The standard going price for a pair of Ralph Lauren khakis - the ubiquitous "business casual" attire - is about $25. Maybe $30. But they are
always sold as $59.50 with 50% off. I guess it's the mentality that people expect everything to always be on sale... Even high-end gear - $2000 suits and the like - are always priced as 50% off.
Not sure if this has anything to do with airlines. I guess some of the consumer behavior concepts are similar...