Originally Posted by biggestbopper
You make a good point, but I just have so much energy and time for this game and I found that chasing the bonuses was starting to distort my (usually) rational purchasing behavior. Its kind of like double coupons at the grocery which we have in my area. Its nice to get two bucks off, but how many poptarts do I really need?
And, at least with poptarts, I can always eat 'em. With miles, who knows when a vast devaluation might come along. Or the miles might just disappear (unlike my uneaten cherry poptarts) So far, miles have come through the bankruptcy courts okay, but it doesn't have to always be that way.
This conversation is taking place on the MilesBuzz forum, where "information related to the latest frequent flyer program buzz" gets posted and discussed by those interested in "a miles or points offer." Someone may participate in FT because they are after low fares or other travel-related information that can be gained through FT, but if they are little interested in miles or points, then on this particular forum they will be like a vegan listening to non-vegans sharing recipes for meat, poutry, or fish. (I have never eaten a poptart or looked at the package labeling, so I don't know whether they are made with dairy products that a strict vegan would abjure.)
FTers differ as to the value of miles/points. I myself would not rush to buy airline miles at 2 cents per mile, because that is too expensive a plug-in when all is taken into account for me. (The Citibank Aadvantage MasterCard reduced "convenience" fee of 1.99% on federal tax payments appears to yield AA miles at approximately 2 cpm, which is 60% more expensive than what one can get UA miles for with the UA VISA card offer, and perhaps still more unfavorable in comparison to the SPG AmEx deal, since SPG points transfer more favorably than 1:1 into airline miles other than UA ones.) But when UA miles are there for purchase at 1.25 cpm, or maybe less on other carriers through SPG, and there are additional benefits to use of the charge card, then I am interested, notwithstanding threats of airline bankruptcies, limits on award seat availability, etc. And a deal like this one can yield me a great deal more than can double coupon savings on poptarts, even if I did eat them.