The traditional view in the frequent flyer community is that US - based airline programs have some advantages over their foreign counterparts. (freequentflyerbook.com)
The general feedback in the frequent flyer community is that earning Emirates Skywards miles is expensive (you need to complete 11 trips before you can get an award ticket) and also Emirates adds fuel charges for awards. (takeoffwithmiles.com)
Every week I see a post or a picture in one of the frequent flyer communities of someone celebrating their Million Miler status with one of the legacy carriers. (rewardexpert.com)