I started earning frequent flyer miles in 1991 before a trip on American Airlines to Australia (back then they flew via Honolulu). I let those miles expire, and my current account only dates back 30 years. Once I started traveling for work after college I became much more active in miles and points. I used to read all the marketing they’d send out in the mail (!) including the fine print. After each trip on United (I was based near Washington Dulles) I used to dial their 800 number to listen to the automated system update me on my mileage balance. I loved hearing that number grow. In February 1996, Mileage Plus (there was a space between the two words back then) launched two dining programs. One was a Transmedia white label card packaged for United members, with a $9.95 annual fee. The other was for elites only, with no fee, run by Signature Group, a Montgomery Ward subsidiary (Dining a la Card). These were the precursors to modern restaurant rebate programs.…