Air Miles is owned by a Dutch company (Air Miles International Holdings BV). There are similar programs in the UK, Netherlands, and now Spain. There is talk that Air Miles will be introduced (re-introduced?) in the US.

I must agree with MoreMiles and maple. It's a secondary program at best. To further MoreMiles' example of a YYZ-Europe free ticket, for the amount of spending required on an Air Miles affinity credit card the equivalent amount of traditional FFP points that could be earned for that same amount of spending could either: 1) send the same person twice (60k+60k), 2) send two people to Europe (120k), or 3) send two people to Europe in J class (160k). Their airline awards chart is illogical (award levels vary greatly depending where you live) and the redemption levels keep creeping up every year.

FFSaver: since you're in NYC, flying anywhere requires you to pass through Canada and hence you'd need two award tix, further running up the cost (in Air Miles and in $ for the taxes).

I guess what we're all saying is that we don't make a big deal out of earning Air Miles ... you earn them when you earn them, because you just happen to be shopping at a sponsor. Just don't go out of the way to get them because the bang-for-the-buck value is so much lower than in "real" FFPs.

FewMiles..

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FlyerTalkers' Resources on the Web: http://home.webflyer.com/fewmiles/
Unofficial Guide to AAdvantage: http://home.webflyer.com/fewmiles/AA/
oneworld comparison chart 2001: coming soon