If he is anything like the other "gurus" we have that use affiliate links, I think I'll pass on his advice.

Lol!!!

If anyone is only now getting the memo that frequent-flier miles are an inadvisable store of value, you're a few years late to the party.

I think Greenberg was referring to what became a big story on the blogs about some companies like Delta indicating they will be switching the redemption scenarios from points from area to area to points per dollar cost of the desired ticket. For many people, that would effectively mean the end of traveling in the front of the plane.

The good news is I have loads of miles. The bad news is the addiction of accumulation has outpaced my ability to redeem them so I'm pretty much stuck at the mercy of the airlines. Still, as others have said, between FT, MP and the bloggers, I'm sure they won't go to waste.

So wait... I can't use all my miles and points towards retirement?? Crap... :P

This one? http://www.petergreenberg.com/2012/1...orning-report/

All he said was use your miles for more unusual destinations because they have less competition than on the popular routes. I was amused that he mentioned the Cook Islands (which I did a series about in my blog last week). It's harder for an American to get there than to Tahiti because NZ doesn't give up many seats on that LAX-RAR segment. At least from AKL or SYD you can get Y with advance booking or maybe J if they release some closer in. Tahiti has more options like AF, HA, TN.

That sounds like a rumor

The biggest rumor is the delta skymiles devaluation to a revenue based program. None want that to happen, skymiles is (and has been) horribly devalued already with one of the worst booking sites in the industry - and we dont want other airlines following suit. OP you can likely go to the Delta threads to look into more. Otherwise, earn and burn as always, miles have never been any value if they are not put to use.

Some people make and post videos of their intimate encounters to stay in the public eye; and others do it by making some meaningless statements to the media. Self promotion is the ultimate motive.

^

I'm strickly AA but I would think Citi would have something to say about the whole subject.

Yes and no, Chase probably didn't have much of a say when SWA switched over to RR 2.0. Sign up point bonuses will just be adjusted accordingly. I really don't think we have to worry about AA and especially United for at least the next few years.

*shrug* 2013 is the first year I've ever gotten five seats together for peak summer TATL travel and at 50% lower mileage requirements than my traditional U.S. carrier mileage levels. (Thank you, Avios and Aer Lingus.)

Some things get tighter, some get looser. AA is tighter vs. most past years. UA seems a bit looser in some cases. This fall we did a last-minute North Asia J open-jaw award using US miles. No problems getting seats on our dates, albeit with a bit of a quirky routing.

Hotels ebb and flow too. Somebody devalues their points, somebody else rolls out an especially-good promotion or a new award type that is legitimately useful. Hilton's new C&P awards have increased their value to me in 2012 and 2013 by making short stays more compatible with points. (Can't say the same - yet - for Marriott's.)

It's not a new year without some travel "journalist" writing a story about the death of frequent flier miles.

Some things become impossible. Like US now officially stating LH F is not bookable. Had been that way for some time, outside of the difficult to obtain long sell. But now it's in print. Jerks.

Yeah - this coupled with the lack of US GS mean no more wasting time on US miles for me.