When I started flying regularly about 10 years ago, I knew next to nothing about frequest traveler's programs. My travel agent had to talk me into joining the program for the airline I was using. Of hotels, I knew nothing. I would pick a place that was cheap and that was it.

As late as 2003, I still pooh-poohed hotel plans, and my big deal was scrounging enough miles for a trip to Europe.

And then, of course, I stumbled onto Flyertalk. The rest is history, as they say.

But now, with weekly travel, I still run into a surprisingly large number of people who travel on a fairly regular basis, and who still either have no clue or no interest in frequent traveler programs. I talk to them, and their eyes sort of glaze over.

Either that, or they have these wild expectations about buying chewing gum with a credit card and jetting off to Tahiti (in First Class, of course).

How do you handle that? Or do you just go about your business? Do you think that if we wised up everybody this would all fall apart?

Thoughts?