Originally Posted by
flyingcat2k
If you store these things up and never use them, the point inflation will kill you. Unlike bank accounts, these points don't have an interest rate to ease or bail out the owners from inflation's bite.
That is the problem with all points/miles programs, which is why I shake my head when I see people proudly boasting about "banking" 4 or 5 million points, etc... why save them? They are worth less and less every day.
The merchandise catalogue tied to HHonors, though, is indeed ridiculous. When you can spend 30,000 points on a NYC hotel room that retails for up to $500 or 350,000 points on a Wii that retails for $250, the valuation is beyond absurd. The merch is either for people who have so many points they don't care that they're getting screwed... or people too busy to comparison-shop.