IMO, like it or not we are paying for the FF miles ... some discounted, some ridiculously priced. If the avg price of a coach ticket is now $200 (for example) and one gets 2000 miles for the flight (for example) then about $20 (just a guess) of that fare is 'banked' to cover the miles that are 'given' to you for flying. If the FF programs ended tomorrow, we would surely see reduced fares. Nothing is free, but take the miles and smiles, because you are paying for them regardless.