I actually like the thinner, "Flimsy" cards. I have too darn many cards in my wallet already, and carrying 3 FF cards, 5 hotel cards, and a couple auto rental cards makes my butt lopsided.

I used to put all my numbers on a small laminated card that I just carried around, but a number of airlines have started getting persnickety about it, and will only let me confirm FF#'s at the checkin counter if I have the actual card. And since my company travel agency screws up about half the time, it's a must that I confirm at the counter.

So give me those thin flimsy cards so I can shove them all in my wallet to make the check-in people happy.

I am with the previous poster. These programs should never issue a card. You should get a membership number, which you can plug into your palm pilot or write in your organizer along with every other membership number. I have about fifty or sixty plastic cards in a messy pile in the drawer. It seems awfully presumptuous of these bazillion membership programs to think they are so important to you that you'd carry around their card everywhere; they're like a pitiful high-schooler with a crush.

Remember when Southwest Airlines would refuse to give you credit for a flight segment unless you presented a physical card? Thankfully, they changed that ridiculous policy.

A nice card is part of a very cheap promo opportunity for the program - the goal being to get you to send more of your business to that program. A simple email or "print me!" webscreen may tell the prospective customer they don't really have interest in their business...

I am with you on this one. Its a fairly cheap way to give something to the customer. Granted, 50%+ of the cards are in a drawer somewher, but they often remind me of programs I am enrolled in. National Car Rental is a prime example for me. I had signed up for Emerald Aisle, but forgotten about it. I recently found the card and decided to give them a try.

Nothing like getting your new card when you hit a new Elite level!