Have you ever used your miles for a flight or an incentive? I've had enough points for a BA flight and bought a miles and more discount ticket from Virgin as a friend gave me some miles. I do think some redemptions are too high and it puts the occasional traveler off and often the sale price is better value than using points for a flight as you have to pay the tax on the flights in all cases.
I've found the best use for BA points is to use them for American Airlines flights... If you use them to fly BA into the UK, the taxes are horrible! And you might want to use them soon, since I've heard that the BA program is changing and it's going to get much harder to use them...
I have points for my credit card, but not being someone with an outrageous paycheck and outrageous credit cards limits and expenses, I will usually only be able to exchange them for minor flight tickets or some products. Last couple times i've been exchanging my points for gas, and that is the best because it's the most useful thing, since I will have to buy gas anyway!
That's what happened to me. If you use American Airlines instead how do you avoid the tax as I thought it was for all flights into the UK regardless of the airline? I think the system is already hard to use and they keep encouraging you to buy points so you can go to more places, but as they tend to expire quickly I'm not sold.
