The Top 25 moves story in this month's InsideFlyer is mostly common sense stuff, and mixed in there are some very dubious ones, such as:

5) Sign up with some type of mileage management service that records all your accumulated miles and points in one report, analyzes your memberships to make sure you're using your programs effectively and will also do the legwork to ensure that all your miles are properly credited. Nowadays, programs are too complex for you to waste your time staying on top of it all.

The only programs (computer or otherwise) I know of for anything like this is the MilageMiner service and AirEase. AirEase is really only much use for determining the best way to transfer miles and such, and as has been already pointed out here in another thread, the MilageMiner service leaves much to be desired. Are there any other services out there that I'm not yet aware of to make this "move" worthwhile?

10) More and more, we're discovering that programs are almost always willing to make exceptions in individual cases. If you have a problem, or some rule is causing you extreme difficulty, call up your program and politely request an exception with logical explanation of why you should be given special leeway. After all, these programs do want to earn your loyalty.

I'm not sure exactly what this means without an example, but Delta issued a new policy specifically banning any and all exceptions this year, which I think was the right thing to do in many ways!

12) Use your miles to redeem lounge access with American AAdvantage, Delta SkyMiles, Ansett Australia Global Rewards, HawaiianMiles, TWA Aviators and United Mileage Plus.

<snip>
Delta SkyMiles
30,000 miles = One year single Crown Room Club membership.
40,000 miles = One year membership with spouse.
<snip>

I don't know about the other programs listed, but for Delta I think a CRC membership is actually a *bad* use of miles considering you can buy it for $325-$375 depending on your membership level. It's just over 1 cent per mile ... there's better things to spend miles on IMHO ... but for some with large balances this may make sense I suppose ...

20) Book your flights online and capitalize on bonus miles. Many airlines offer bonus miles for flights booked online. For example, at current bonus levels, by booking one flight online per month, you can earn up to 24,000 additional miles this year.

I know of no site that offers 2,000 miles per flight booked, or am I missing something? I've seen 500 miles per flight and 1000 miles per round-trip, but not 2000 miles ...

Don't some of the airlines offer a 500 mile bonus on top of the on-line booking bonus for e-ticketing? That would give you some extra miles (not sure whether that is per segment or per ticket).

YES Beckles:

* 100% agree on mileage management (I use my spreadsheet)

* I have never experienced mileage-promotion-adaptions to my gusto (I never dared to ask for any) - but I experienced mileage-gifts (last one 5'000 miles each for gisela and me for our notorious UA/LH-mileage-credit-problems).

* I calculate for me with 3 cents per mile (at least in 98 with the two-person-first-class-awards UA-miles were more than 10 cents worth for me). And in add, on most trips (all in Europe) with my StarAlliance-Gold-card and/or with business/first-class-tickets I have lounge -access anyway; plus in october UA did send me (and Merry Flyer) a complimentary Red Carpet-membership till end of feb-99.

* I can't comment on online-booking-bonus, as I can't book UA flights online yet from Europe (I would need an AMERICAN credit card).

Rudi: A bit off topic, but you may find this useful?

American Express have recently started offering US pre-paid credit-cards in Europe.

You go into your local AMEX Bureau and purchase a US (only for use in US)AMEX card with however many dollars you wish credited on it.

I use them quite a bit for work. I am sure you can work out the advantages when paying for some flights etc. in Europe with a US coded credit card!
MF

thank you Nik.

also off topic: I was looking (and skiing) a whole week at VIRGIN (the JUNGFRAU) over the holidays.

Rudi: I envy you. I'm too old now, but I remember the Jungfrau in my youth.