it’s not just you Airline rewards programs aren’t what they used to be not too long ago Airline loyalty programs relied on a simple model the more you flew the more points you earned but today much of that has changed now customers earn points based on how much they spend rather than how much they fly Bloomberg searched more than 6,000 flights across 22 domestic and international routes analyzing the cost for each in dollars versus points the data shows that the value of an airline Point can fluctuate flight tolight even dayto Day based on real-time demand and availability rewards prices have started to more closely match dollar prices of flights meaning the programs look more like basic cash back programs but without the flexibility to use your money however you want and some customers say it’s harder almost impossible to treasure hunt and find amazing deals but Airlines argue it’s a better system there are fewer blackout dates it’s easier to earn points from every 3 days spending Beyond just travel and some reward flights have gotten cheaper the transportation department announced in September that it was probing the loyalty programs of the four largest Airlines but whether that work continues will depend on the incoming Trump Administration and its choice for transportation secretary so if you’re an occasional flyer the data suggests that you’re probably better off shopping around than remaining loyal to one Airline something to keep in mind when considering Future travel