indeed, and I have a real problem shelling out double miles for something I know is less.

Now, I will agree that something should be done to "award" the savvy planner who thinks ahead for travel needs, and this person, whether intending to do it or not, is helping all of us by planning well in advance. But to make us pay say, 100,000 miles to fly on a trip that should be 50k is NOT good. All it's done is up the ante and now, like gas prices, we suddenly are sometimes "okay" with the increased cost and we find ourselves justifying it even as we complain about it.

Are you certain? I wonder if they just marketed to people who looked like travelers--business or not. I was a traveler in those days and also got the CCs to charge things and get more miles. But I was no business traveler when I was first heavily marketed to in those days and they had to know this. I did have all the cards and had joined all the programs, but I knew only pure flying would ever get me anywhere and for that, I'd have to chose one airline to concentrate on and gain my awards faster. When you finally did attain the award level, it was easy to get a free flight.

Sure it's never 100% "free" but it's all psychology marketing and it works.

In my opinion--and I think only starwood still does this--I think paying for the flight with a bunch of cash or a bunch of miles should be the same thing. With limited exceptions, you can call the hotel chain and book a room with either means.

This is how it should still be...Kind of like when you go to CVS stores and use cash or cash plus some coupons they gave you last time you shopped there. In fact, I have even used a combination of several coupons there and ended up being owed a buck or two!

How would the airlines accomplish this? Well, what we need is another marketing genius to surface that alters policy for the next 25 years!