a friend without miles is still a friend...
Mar 12, 2004 | 7:46 am
#1
Original Poster
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: BOS, MHT
Programs: AA ltg, B6, DL, UA, AS, SPG/Marriott Plt, HH, Hyatt
Posts: 10,062
a friend without miles is still a friend...
Ahhh yes, my fellow FFF-ers,
I have a friend who admittedly cared little about his miles (Gasp) until I recently put the fire under him.
You see, he hasnt totally grasped the concept of the fact that spending a little now will get you more later. Well, that's not entirely true--for he DOES love deals and ways to save money, but he always thought of the whole miles and travel game to be way beyond his reach. We need to show him the way!
Of course, now he does have a new baby so it's hard to travel, but my whole pitch to him has been that if he spends some time now to start building the accounts he has into something bigger, then one day he and his family can take the trip most young families can hardly afford. And he WAS into travel once before in his life! That's how he got this far, miles-wise, that is, and using different airlines, as so many of us used to do...
He will wish for it (the travel bug inside us all) to return one day for sure in his life. Times and people do change...
When I last put the fire under his ars about this stuff, he learned of idine and buying things, and I got him to sign up for a few promos--if only to keep his fledging accounts going. So here they are below, and I already know what to do with some of them, but I wanna sell it to HIM--the concepts of things involving miles that we all know and love to do. Remember, we are trying to convert someone here, and turn a young father who probably has about 1 hr each late night to sit by his dialup PC at home and get back into the outside world once and a while, if only for sanity's sake...
He has:
NWA 7,066
UAL 16,963
US 8,405
AA 12,601
I am trying to get him to use his LL Bean credit card (the only one he and his wife currently believe in, in terms of cheap cards that give them points on things they actually DO do right now in their lives) to at least buy his printer ink and supplies on the NWA mall and bring that sucker up to 10k. Miles and money flights may help him one day, and if he is ready, their next Fly Free Faster promo would work for him too!
(He is gun shy from TWO different occasions in his life when he tried to earn miles for phone use and it failed. one was AT&T which we all know stinks, and the other was a rare issue where the phone was still in the name of the owner of the house he rented so HE could not get the miles and nor could his landlord, even though he signed up and MCI even thought he would at first.) I have to re-sell him on the benefits of well-working phone gigs if and when they come back up. For me, MCI and the NWA FFF promo gave my wife and I many, many NWA miles in the past 10 months!
For UAL, I will tell him to do all his idines--or at least the bigger ones--on this FFP, as it is closest to an award of 25k.
Since they are partners with US AIR, that too should be considered for growth in the bigger numbers. Again, he hardly flies these days and doesnt really do the hotel or car rental thing but maybe he should have a credit card in one of these two airlines. He thinks they all have high yearly fees or monthly interest, but he hasnt taken the time out to check out some promos we see or the ones on Gary's site. So we seek a US or UAL card that is cheaper or better. BofA debit might even work but that may take too much ramp up admin for someone who is watching both their time and funds each day.
AA: Well, we know he could and should join Hilton and either transfer them out and go have fun with his wife one day away from the family and baby, but if not, this too should be brought up to at least 25k. He has no status with any carrier but hey, didnt many of us start out where this guy is today?
We should help him. His closest home city: harrisburg, PA. His likelyhood to fly in the next 6 months: 30%. In the next 12 months: 70%. In the next 2 years: 100%
If we are successful in providing ideas which i can tell him of or help him with, he may eventually be a Forum member and that would be nice too, wouldn't it?...
thoughts?
MM
Currently, he has given me access to much of his accts and pins. I wish to help him get going and make those miles work for this old friend! We'll need your help. Thanks.
I have a friend who admittedly cared little about his miles (Gasp) until I recently put the fire under him.
You see, he hasnt totally grasped the concept of the fact that spending a little now will get you more later. Well, that's not entirely true--for he DOES love deals and ways to save money, but he always thought of the whole miles and travel game to be way beyond his reach. We need to show him the way!
Of course, now he does have a new baby so it's hard to travel, but my whole pitch to him has been that if he spends some time now to start building the accounts he has into something bigger, then one day he and his family can take the trip most young families can hardly afford. And he WAS into travel once before in his life! That's how he got this far, miles-wise, that is, and using different airlines, as so many of us used to do...
He will wish for it (the travel bug inside us all) to return one day for sure in his life. Times and people do change...
When I last put the fire under his ars about this stuff, he learned of idine and buying things, and I got him to sign up for a few promos--if only to keep his fledging accounts going. So here they are below, and I already know what to do with some of them, but I wanna sell it to HIM--the concepts of things involving miles that we all know and love to do. Remember, we are trying to convert someone here, and turn a young father who probably has about 1 hr each late night to sit by his dialup PC at home and get back into the outside world once and a while, if only for sanity's sake...
He has:
NWA 7,066
UAL 16,963
US 8,405
AA 12,601
I am trying to get him to use his LL Bean credit card (the only one he and his wife currently believe in, in terms of cheap cards that give them points on things they actually DO do right now in their lives) to at least buy his printer ink and supplies on the NWA mall and bring that sucker up to 10k. Miles and money flights may help him one day, and if he is ready, their next Fly Free Faster promo would work for him too!
(He is gun shy from TWO different occasions in his life when he tried to earn miles for phone use and it failed. one was AT&T which we all know stinks, and the other was a rare issue where the phone was still in the name of the owner of the house he rented so HE could not get the miles and nor could his landlord, even though he signed up and MCI even thought he would at first.) I have to re-sell him on the benefits of well-working phone gigs if and when they come back up. For me, MCI and the NWA FFF promo gave my wife and I many, many NWA miles in the past 10 months!
For UAL, I will tell him to do all his idines--or at least the bigger ones--on this FFP, as it is closest to an award of 25k.
Since they are partners with US AIR, that too should be considered for growth in the bigger numbers. Again, he hardly flies these days and doesnt really do the hotel or car rental thing but maybe he should have a credit card in one of these two airlines. He thinks they all have high yearly fees or monthly interest, but he hasnt taken the time out to check out some promos we see or the ones on Gary's site. So we seek a US or UAL card that is cheaper or better. BofA debit might even work but that may take too much ramp up admin for someone who is watching both their time and funds each day.
AA: Well, we know he could and should join Hilton and either transfer them out and go have fun with his wife one day away from the family and baby, but if not, this too should be brought up to at least 25k. He has no status with any carrier but hey, didnt many of us start out where this guy is today?
We should help him. His closest home city: harrisburg, PA. His likelyhood to fly in the next 6 months: 30%. In the next 12 months: 70%. In the next 2 years: 100%
If we are successful in providing ideas which i can tell him of or help him with, he may eventually be a Forum member and that would be nice too, wouldn't it?...
thoughts?
MM Currently, he has given me access to much of his accts and pins. I wish to help him get going and make those miles work for this old friend! We'll need your help. Thanks.
Mar 12, 2004 | 8:23 am
#2
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 53,011
AA and UA should be slam-dunks!
AA Mastercard: 10000 bonus miles, no fee for 6 months, and add in a little iDine to get to 25k. (There is also a 12500 bonus mile offer if he needs a FAST award, but he pays the annual fee up front on that one.) Unless he is a high-volume CC user, dump the AA card before the six months is up.
UA Visa: 20k bonus -> brings your buddy up to 36k faster than you can say HAWAII!
US Airways and NWA: given that he is not a big traveler and probably doesn't want a walletful of airline credit cards, maybe wait on these. Get him to free ticket level on UA and AA first. If he is getting hooked, have him dump the UA and AA cards and grab US Airways and NWA credit cards and add a little iDine to get to those award levels.
If he is geeked about Hawaii, there is plenty of easy partner activity to take him up to 35k on AA and he has two free tickets. (Granted they on different airlines, but this might end up being a blessing when he's searching for availability.)
AA Mastercard: 10000 bonus miles, no fee for 6 months, and add in a little iDine to get to 25k. (There is also a 12500 bonus mile offer if he needs a FAST award, but he pays the annual fee up front on that one.) Unless he is a high-volume CC user, dump the AA card before the six months is up.
UA Visa: 20k bonus -> brings your buddy up to 36k faster than you can say HAWAII!
US Airways and NWA: given that he is not a big traveler and probably doesn't want a walletful of airline credit cards, maybe wait on these. Get him to free ticket level on UA and AA first. If he is getting hooked, have him dump the UA and AA cards and grab US Airways and NWA credit cards and add a little iDine to get to those award levels.
If he is geeked about Hawaii, there is plenty of easy partner activity to take him up to 35k on AA and he has two free tickets. (Granted they on different airlines, but this might end up being a blessing when he's searching for availability.)
Mar 12, 2004 | 12:04 pm
#3
Original Poster
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: BOS, MHT
Programs: AA ltg, B6, DL, UA, AS, SPG/Marriott Plt, HH, Hyatt
Posts: 10,062
Cheers, pinniped!
great tips.
And yes, my mate IS "geeking" over Hawaii and I loved that term. He had been there once with his new wife and wishes to return, so i told him that using miles is the only decent way to do it for him!
he agreed and I sent him a copy of this thread in hopes he gets his ... to Marz...
Anyway, thanks for your advice!
and remember, NOBODY has ever penetrated the Massey Prenup!
MM
great tips.
And yes, my mate IS "geeking" over Hawaii and I loved that term. He had been there once with his new wife and wishes to return, so i told him that using miles is the only decent way to do it for him!
he agreed and I sent him a copy of this thread in hopes he gets his ... to Marz...
Anyway, thanks for your advice!
and remember, NOBODY has ever penetrated the Massey Prenup!
MM
Mar 12, 2004 | 12:21 pm
#4
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: MAN/IAD
Programs: UA MP
Posts: 132
Harrisburg is my local aiport, which I use to access the hubs, and I find that UA and AA are by far and away the most convenient, and so I would definately head in their direction.
Just as an aside, flying from MDT can be pricey, and another great alternative to use is BWI, as the fares tend to be better there!
Finally, I would veer away from US Airways, currently, and in the future, as when they join the *A your friend will have access to awrd travel on them through United anyway!
Safe travels
Just as an aside, flying from MDT can be pricey, and another great alternative to use is BWI, as the fares tend to be better there!
Finally, I would veer away from US Airways, currently, and in the future, as when they join the *A your friend will have access to awrd travel on them through United anyway!
Safe travels