Your decision is made more difficult by the fact that the points only have value if redeemed for a perishable commodity--an airline seat. While that seat might be valued by some at several hundred dollars, it is not the same thing as several hundred dollars.

Also, to the airline, it has an incremental cost of only a few dollars or pennies, judging by their financial disclosures to their investors. (lets talk about ethics). In fact, some people consider the FF programs an asset, although I think that is a stretch.

I believe its the huge disparity in value--the fact that the points are potentially worth hundreds to you and worth peanuts to the airline--that cause these problems and why the airlines are often careless in administering their programs. They certainly don't leave hundred dollar bills lying around.



[This message has been edited by LemonThrower (edited 11-06-2002).]