Rewards work in an addictive way, to use the existing points one will have to earn more eventually ending up in spending more. This cycle never ends.
That is absolutely true in the case of air miles but not in the case of Accor
Just imagine a case, where you did one 'unwanted, unplanned or not necessary trip once in a year or two..
all the savings you made by spending all these on these lucrative cards are gone out of the window just in one shot..
You yourself said air miles are addictive.. hence these lucrative deals and that too redmption in airmiles.. they expect on an average people do unnecessary travel and hence they actually make money , not lose money by giving these many rewards...
Key here: you get this high % reward only if you redeem them in airmiles.. and there is a reason for this..
If people can control about these spends on airmiles and do only necessay travel then its fine.. but you mentioned it becomes addictive, which means we overdo it..
Just looking at the thing on a high level (ie. macro level)....
I am not having a go at you .. only presetning a different perspective ..of looking at these arimiles game..
Different people enjoy different things.. but in the middle of nowhere you come and say Magnus gives this much, Atlas gives that much..
All those calculations are correct.. but these much rewards are only relevant if that person is also in enjoying airmiles game..
that is key here...