Most miles earned by one traveler this year 9,310,632
Jan 19, 2017, 9:40 am
#16
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Seattle, Wa
Programs: AS 75K & BR Member- HHonors Diamond - Hertz PC - Marriott Titanium - IHG Ambassador
Posts: 2,379
Oh, Really ? ....
of course they do. But an individual with a 10,000 limit can actually process a 12,000 charge if BofA believes and the cardholder has shown that they have the ability and track record of repaying. Some entities have considerably higher soft "limits" which the bank undoubtedly allows flexibility with.
of course they do. But an individual with a 10,000 limit can actually process a 12,000 charge if BofA believes and the cardholder has shown that they have the ability and track record of repaying. Some entities have considerably higher soft "limits" which the bank undoubtedly allows flexibility with.
Jan 19, 2017, 10:33 am
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Pacific Northwest
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, AS 75k, AA Plat, Bonvoyed Gold, Honors Dia, Hyatt Explorer, IHG Plat, ...
Posts: 16,850
If I had that much funny money (miles) coming in, I would be tempted to buy awards no matter what price level they are offered at (what's the difference between 5k and 10k if you have 10m in the MP bank). Which means I would probably not earn as much as a straight 2% cashback card would offer me.
Jan 19, 2017, 7:06 pm
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS/ORH
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 18,323
No where close but this week I've been able to put $3K in charges through on a $1000 credit limit on my SPG AMEX. However this had to be a hell of a lot of charge and pay going on to get that many miles so far this month.
Probably a churner who got 20 (or 200) BofA cards and maxed out the limits and made payments right away.
Probably a churner who got 20 (or 200) BofA cards and maxed out the limits and made payments right away.
Jan 19, 2017, 7:22 pm
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2015
Location: BOS, YVR, ZRH
Programs: *G
Posts: 17,399
No where close but this week I've been able to put $3K in charges through on a $1000 credit limit on my SPG AMEX. However this had to be a hell of a lot of charge and pay going on to get that many miles so far this month.
Probably a churner who got 20 (or 200) BofA cards and maxed out the limits and made payments right away.
Probably a churner who got 20 (or 200) BofA cards and maxed out the limits and made payments right away.
E.g. a 5000 limit credit card, if you go from 0 and pay 2000 dollars you can use 7000 dollars of it. Might be a similar deal if you pre-pay and use company expenses?
Jan 19, 2017, 8:50 pm
#20
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: IAH / HOU
Programs: UA GS, DL-Plat, Hilton Gold, IHG Platinum, Hyatt Somethingist, Marriott Titanium Lifetime
Posts: 2,853
Just received one fun email from Alaska and it claims 9,310,632 is Most miles earned by one traveler this year. I am curious if this champion is in this forum... And how the heck did this happen?!
Assume you are a MVP75K:
0) 50K bonus from MVP 75K refresh;
1) You buy 180K miles a year;
2) You use credit card 30K each month, and all used to buy AS tickets. You get 30K*3*12=1080K;
3) You stay in hotels 366 days, and on average each day will gain you 1K miles, you get 366K;
4) You rent cars 366 days, you earn 500 each day, you can 366 *500=183K.
5) I don't think transferring from other accounts to AS worths the money. So I don't count.
It still leaves 9,310,632-50K-180K-1080K-366K-183K=7451632 miles.
You earn %225, so the miles you need to fly (regardless the 500 minimum bonus) is 3311836.
Longest AS route is Anchorage to Kailua-Kona: 2,881 miles. You do a round trip each day, it is still just 2,881*2*266=2108892 miles, barely 2/3 of 3311836.
So, who can tell me how this can happen?
Assume you are a MVP75K:
0) 50K bonus from MVP 75K refresh;
1) You buy 180K miles a year;
2) You use credit card 30K each month, and all used to buy AS tickets. You get 30K*3*12=1080K;
3) You stay in hotels 366 days, and on average each day will gain you 1K miles, you get 366K;
4) You rent cars 366 days, you earn 500 each day, you can 366 *500=183K.
5) I don't think transferring from other accounts to AS worths the money. So I don't count.
It still leaves 9,310,632-50K-180K-1080K-366K-183K=7451632 miles.
You earn %225, so the miles you need to fly (regardless the 500 minimum bonus) is 3311836.
Longest AS route is Anchorage to Kailua-Kona: 2,881 miles. You do a round trip each day, it is still just 2,881*2*266=2108892 miles, barely 2/3 of 3311836.
So, who can tell me how this can happen?
Jan 19, 2017, 11:01 pm
#21
Join Date: May 2006
Location: TUS/PDX
Programs: WN CP/A-List, AS MVPG75K
Posts: 5,798
I've drained both a $50k Chase limit with one charge for a trade show and they let me keep charging away. Kind of scary when you think about it actually.
Jan 20, 2017, 9:23 pm
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Pacific Northwest
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, AS 75k, AA Plat, Bonvoyed Gold, Honors Dia, Hyatt Explorer, IHG Plat, ...
Posts: 16,850
Jan 20, 2017, 11:21 pm
#24
Join Date: Jan 2014
Programs: Amtrak Guest Rewards (SE), Virgin America Elevate, Hyatt Gold Passport (Platinum), VIA Preference
Posts: 3,134
Sounds like a business owner to me as well. Possibly one with a lot of business travel for the company going on the card, too. If it's a business doing lots of business with Alaska (cargo shipping, tickets, etc.) that would make piling up a few million miles easier.
Jan 21, 2017, 5:36 am
#25
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EP/4MM, DL GM/1MM, HH ♦, Bonvoy LT PLT, Hyatt Globalist, AMEX Bus Plt
Posts: 620
I'm a small business owner and earned 225K in transfers from Starwood last year. Came to a screeching halt when EK awards were raised though.
Jan 21, 2017, 10:39 am
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,933
But that 90.5k credit card is due to 3 signup bonuses mostly. And most people outside of FT wouldn't be applying for this card multiple times a year.
So the vast majority of MileagePlan members presumably only have a handful of flights (enough to qualify only for the lowest elite level or even not that), and if they have a credit card they hold on to it year after year so only their normal spend (not signup bonuses) are there on any given year. And they have no business so only put personal spend on it. So with that sort of mild flying and mild credit card use, they make up the "lower 90%" easily.
Jan 21, 2017, 11:49 pm
#28
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: LAX, BUR
Programs: MVP, Hertz Gold, IHG Gold Elite
Posts: 13
I'm a business owner and there have been months where I've had $50,000 or more in purchases on my Alaska Business card. Even when the limit on the card was down at $18,000, I'd just run the charge, pay it off, and then run it up again. It was all about intentionally running things through the card to get the mileage. Now I split things across the Alaska Card, a Chase Ink Business, and a Banner Bank commercial card that give me credit on their TruRewards program.