I tend to hear only good things about ME's service. I guess it depends on your travel patterns and what you want out of an FF program. If you're an infrequent flyer who wants the best travel experience for the money and isn't concerned about lining up miles to get to Micronesia, the Davids may be better than the Goliaths. OTOH, if you fly lots and can play the elite game and depth of partnerships and international networks matter, it's hard for the little guys to compete. I do want the little guys to stay in business, though, since the competition matters a lot for prices.