I believe the way it works now is that for lets say the Wanna Get Away fares, WN charges 70 points per dollar value of the ticket). That means a $100 ticket will cost you 7000 points. With the new change that multiplier could / will be different depending on the flight/date/time.
Right, I get all that, but again... that's basically how they are currently set up. Search any popular destination during your area's typical spring break for...
1. A Saturday departure
2. A midweek departure
3. That same route in September (ignoring Labor Day weekend)
You will find wildly different point redemptions, because of the price. That price is determined by demand, which is all determined by destination, time of year, day of the week, etc.
Unless, as Kenny mentions, the flight that used to be 70 points/$ will now be 80 points/$? So not only are you going to have to use a lot of points because the price to travel on that high demand day, but now they're worth less too?
Route A (assuming 70 pts/$)
non-peak: $300 or 21,000 points
peak: $400 or 28,000 points.
This route, assuming a 10pt/$ "peak tax" will now be 32,000 points?
Booooooooooooooooooooooooooo hisssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss!