You left out one other major benefit with staying at Best Westerns
You get to argue with them that the stay doesn't qualify after check out because of the rate plan
So no points and miles at all

I agree with 777 there. I have the card and NEVER got any points. Come to hink of it, i filled an application, sent it in and NEVER got the card. I just checked my Frequent Leather Keeper (where I keep all my affinity program credentials). I quit staying at BW's mostly because there are very few in my destinations and frankly they're too cheap for my taste.

In the realm of worthless programs, my vote goes to CHOICE PRIVILEGES, from the folks at Choice Hotels International.

I signed up for their program on the Internet when I realized I was going to spend a LOT of time at a Quality resort in Brazil, during an installation of the equipment I sell. I spent over a month at the place. With subsequent 3 and 3 day stays over a 2 month period afterward. In fact, I am going there tomorrow (7/20).

I faxed all of the receipts to them when I was back in the U.S. in Aprl. To this day, NO POINTS. Then I read you only accrue points for stays in the U.S. but can use them for stays OUTSIDE the U.S. as well as in. How stupid is this? Then the card is made out of paper. Give me a break.

It's going in the fireplace.

The thing about BW that has always prevented me from staying there is that I don't really know what to expect of it. It's a very veeerrrryyy loose affiliation of properties without any strong brand. I've seen small towns where the BW appears to be a beautiful hotel with character and charm unmatched by any of the Hamptons and Fairfields of the world. But I've seen many more towns where the BW looks like it's falling apart and there's a nice, new Hampton next door where I know exactly what I will get.

Therefore, I'm never going to book a BW ahead. If I pull up late at night and the building has curb appeal, I might walk inside and ask for a room.

It doesn't surprise me that their frequent-guest program is less than stellar. It probably stems from the fact that their affiliates are so loosely organized with the corporate entity. It's not like a Hampton franchisee that has to "play ball" with Hilton in order to fly the Hampton flag.

Lots of CO bashing here but back when I was a frequent business traveler and had their elite status, I was getting upgraded almost every flight. No upgrade coupons, no limits on number of upgrades, etc. That ranked them pretty high for me.

As far as using points go, I'd still vote for Alaska as the easiest to use points since there are so many options.

Perhaps you should know that CO (at least at one point) would target promos at elites to get people to vote for them on the freddies - onepass miles etc were all part of that -

I don't use Continental so I dont have a dog in this fight but I have been able to score European Business First seats (via AMEX and my Delta Medallion account) anytime I have needed them

how about milesource.
in jan. 2004, they got rid of referral pts for all pts earning opportunities except for purchases.
They raised the redemptions for a $50 gc from 5500 to 21000.
Now, if you just click and do the trivia for free pts, you have to do it solid for 23 months everyday just to succeed. Oh, if you miss days, your pts start expiring in the 24th month.

I haven't been involved with a ton of loyalty programs but so far the only one that ticks me off is Idine, not because of their policies or rules but because of my piss poor hometown. There's plenty of potential with the program and getting points but the number of eateries are sooo limited.

Have written this before, it all depends on when and where you want to travel. I have had zero luck with Delta and have 240,000 points I have to use soon before they expire. On the other hand, my wife and I travelled to Norway via Amsterdam in June/July on Continental and KLM in Business First on standard awards, we have tickets for the same on December 19/21 returning January 1 and I have Thursday morning November 24 IAH to PHL returning Sunday afternoon in First on standard awards.

So anyone know why CO miles-in-seat only earn half MQM's on Delta's program, even in full Y?

My vote goes to Fiesta Rewards. This is the "rewards" program for the Fiesta Americana Hotel chain. They're primarily located in latin america. I guess shoddy ripoff service is tolerated there.

However, their program is absolutely horrible. My mom has been trying to get 30k points posted from last summer. She faxed receipts, sent emails, called their "customer support" line, and still nothing.

This year when in CUN we had the hotel staff working on the problem. They did a lot of faxing and photocopying. The final result was still zero points posted.

Hopefully my mom's experience will serve as a warning to anyone thinking of joining this worthless program. Their hotels are great, but the rewards program is just plain bad.

Memolink has to be the worst point-based redemption program out there because it can take you years before you can earn enough of their points to redeem them for anything worthwhile and i've heard that they take their good 'ol time sending you your reward once you have redeemed it.

Also, about OnePass, I feel that it depends on which route you want to take your award on. I redeemed my Worldperks miles on Continental Micronesia a few years ago for a MNL-YAP hop and had no problems.

I was a avid MyPoints user when the earning potential was still good with frequent special offers (many of them found with the help of FT ). These days there is limited earning potential and although its free I don't like all the small amount offers they send out lately. I stopped using them.

Another program that has lost almost all of its appeal is OpinionPlace. Earning opportunities were OK but when they lowered the miles per survey they became unattractive to me especially condidering the small amount of surveys I would qualify for. Only good thing they have going is that you earn the miles unconditionally (unlike ERewards AA miles)

mypoints ALWAYS fails to post any offer I do that is greater than a 20point yeild. I have to fax or email them every single time and so I keep things printed out for that reason alone. It eventually posts but that sort of stinks. I find this problem to exist in some degree or another in pretty much every single affinity anything there is out there! Why is that?

MM