I guess for me, since I have half a million + FF miles, and only 400,000 Marriott points, I can get the same 115,000 point, cat 5, 7 night e-cert either without miles, or simply add 80k, 100k, or 120k MR points to get the miles. I fly enough that miles are the least of my worries. I usually find myself needing the hotel points, which is why I switched my primary Visa from United to Marriott. I'm not sure if it's the most bang for the buck, but it seems to work for me.

For those who don't fly every week, I could easily see the travel packages as the best way to go.