Plus, you learn a lot through reading for 90 days. This is a common sentiment, but I really wish I had known about Flyertalk when I was in college, just starting to take regular cross-country flights. The unnecessary delays I've suffered, the compensation I've failed to obtain, and the re-fares I've lost. <sigh> I'm sure some people are long-time lurkers, recent members, but there's no good way to check that. I don't know that I will have any use for coupon connection for some time, but having the 90 post/90 day goal was a good way to structure my time, and at this point, the rewards I've reaped have more been the knowledge than the access to CC! In terms of information, it's also arguably an efficiency concern -- one would hope that people taking advantage of CC are making the best use of the trades and know what the difference is between, for example, various upgrade instrument. Reduces the chances that someone will feel s/he is getting the short end of a stick.