MilesBuzz! - The famous old mile question revisited hold them or burn them?

Greetings all,

This thread that I have started tonight is really an extension of a thread and topic our good friend Gleff here on FT had started some time ago and came up recently again in the New York Times business travel section.
At that time frequency programs especially airlines certainly had started to decrease the value of miles and started it's ugly path
It appears that trend has clearly taken flight one way or the other

Would like to turn to our bright community for review of this age old question.

The issue has been pressing me again as I sit on millions of miles regardless that I am way down from what I once had banked.
I certainly burned up some valuable points along the way over a number of concerns since 2001.The Lion's share I am proud to say I was able to maximize value.

I have used or given away millions of miles to friends, family and colleagues over the last past decade.It was always the most fun to give some one I knew who would least have such a golden opportunity
And now wondering the same thing again is it time to be generous to others and spoil myself again while the going and redemption is still reasonably good in NA? By May Qantas will kick in their new house of horrors.
Cross the board increases :rolleyes: :( My points are going to worth substantially less.
I haven't taken a hit like this since after 2001 with my Mutual Funds

The wake up call was the March 15th article in New York Times
"Use them or Lose Them".
By Joe Sharkey and quotes by the legendary Joe Brancatelli.Their advice is burn baby burn.

Our very own Randy P was quoted in the article as stating there are over 9 trillion miles currently stashed away.
Ten years ago it was 1.2 trillion .
Which got me thinking again (thats when the trouble starts).
Air traffic is supposed to double by 2015 if we can believe it :eek:
Holy #### is all I can say to that.Where are we going to put all the luggage ;)

International programs IMO have really been the worst offenders IMO
My fear is they will actually ruin an industry in the long run if it keeps up.
It is already a crisis.I think it is just a matter of time before it hits North America
For instance
They all seem to have copied the fee system from each other for call center booking regradless if you are able to book the award online or not.

In particular I scold British Airways and now Qantas for increasing many awards in business and first to double or in many cases 50 % or more.
And the crazy insane policy by British while I am it of no cancellation or return of the miles on partner awards like American.
Now I am not saying that no increase should have happened.
What I am seeing is greed.......
If they continue on this path (somewhat off topic from devaluation) I am convinced we will continue to see a continued ripple effect in all areas of programs.

I have done what I consider to be the best thing possible/Stop giving them my tens of thousands of dollars and take the revenue elsewhere to other programs.
Advising everyone that will listen to do the same with regard to BA and Qantas......So far I have done my 2 cents........

So forgive me for getting off topic here in places
Burn em or bank em long term ? That is the question of the day :confused: :cool: :)

I burned about 350,000 CO miles last year on BF tickets to HNL and RIO. Hadn't used any in years, but what the heck, had to spoil the wife. Had a bunch of US miles, and burned closed to 300,000 miles on AA several years ago when they were partnering. No regret there either, and they count towards my AA lifetime mileage total.

Only regret about burning the CO miles is I lost my silver status. I just fly for leisure on my nickel, but I'll be back to at least silver this year.

Interesting some folks save these miles for so long.

I burn them as soon as I can. As soon as a free ticket is available with miles, the wife and I take a vacation, even if paying for the second ticket, and even if it's just a long weekend to Vegas. I also use the miles for business promotion trips where I visit my clients to promote my business. Pretty much the same strategy for hotel points too.

For domestic air my flights are mostly WN. For my international work I'll bank the miles on CO, or SQ, and sometimes on Delta. My bins stay fairly empty.

The status stuff isn't really important to me, nor lounge memberships, though I bought the CO President membership. The clients pay for business class airfare for me, so I always get the lounge access anyways.

M8

Interesting some folks save these miles for so long.

I burn them as soon as I can. As soon as a free ticket is available with miles, the wife and I take a vacation, even if paying for the second ticket, and even if it's just a long weekend to Vegas. I also use the miles for business promotion trips where I visit my clients to promote my business. Pretty much the same strategy for hotel points too.

For domestic air my flights are mostly WN. For my international work I'll bank the miles on CO, or SQ, and sometimes on Delta. My bins stay fairly empty.

The status stuff isn't really important to me, nor lounge memberships, though I bought the CO President membership. The clients pay for business class airfare for me, so I always get the lounge access anyways.

M8
A fairly empty bin :(
I can't imagine buring all my miles.
I could see myself bringing my accounts down to under 1 million though.Using the bulk instead while the going is still reasonably good enough

A fairly empty bin :(
I can't imagine buring all my miles.
I could see myself bringing my accounts down to under 1 million though.Using the bulk instead while the going is still reasonably good enough

Okay, well I'm interested on your perspective since I am at the other extreme. Why do you bankroll these miles past the point of cashing them in [and I presume your hotel points also]?

1. Is it that you can't get away from work to take a vacation?

2. Is it a status thing? Wouldn't just flying first/business give you enough status for boarding, lounges, etc.

3. What do you feel is the purpose of miles/points, other than to use them for free trips and free hotel nights?

4. Or are you just saving them in hopes of taking one huge vacation that is all paid for by miles/points?

'Splain please.

M8

Okay, well I'm interested on your perspective since I am at the other extreme. Why do you bankroll these miles past the point of cashing them in [and I presume your hotel points also]?

1. Is it that you can't get away from work to take a vacation?

2. Is it a status thing? Wouldn't just flying first/business give you enough status for boarding, lounges, etc.

3. What do you feel is the purpose of miles/points, other than to use them for free trips and free hotel nights?

4. Or are you just saving them in hopes of taking one huge vacation that is all paid for by miles/points?

'Splain please.

M8

1.If one takes 3 to 4 vacations a year there are only so many miles one can burn/use
As fares have fallen to historic lows there are times it is silly to use miles when the value proposition is so stong on the mile earnings side.

2.Thanks to the incredible wisdom,heads up and smarts of our fellow Flyertalkers I became lifetime Platinum on AA.
So I am not inclined to worry about status thanks to the wealth of good carriers with One World.
I am thrilled to fly now whenever I want without ever having the pressure of mileage runs.
FYI Flying first and business International get you club access usually but flying domestic in the US it is rare.
Usually earn elite staus on one other airline each year as well.
Choose an airline every year to experience as many carriers and programs possible in the industry.
Though the year I picked Continental I learned to dislike Newark.
That and their award availability severed my relationship forever.

My more usual choice to earn status on is with United .
Having Star A and One World benefits are an amazing combination.
Beacuse of Uniteds tight inventory it has really helped to have AA to balance it all for award seats.

3.As many of us know miles and points are really a currency not just a means of redemption for flights and nights at a hotel.
Which of course they still mainly are for many of us.
I recently cashed in 60,000 points into miles into a program I knew little of because of a unique loophole that allowed me to get a partner award for 50,000 less roundtrip then the the original carriers program of who I am flying on.

@:-) Perhaps the future of frequent flyer programs may be where you can actually use them with some kind of meaningful value. @:-) If I ran a program you would bet I would up the ante by giving far more exciting choices than those that exist now.United used to do some brilliant things in the past.They have become quite conservative over the years but still have a great program with interesting earning opportunities.

If the statistics hold out that air traffic will double and the trillions of miles keeps increasing airlines are going to need a lot more aircraft and capacity for both revenue and award.
IMO I think programs like Milepoints may grow inreasingly more important over the years.I would like to see the trade valuation increase if a profit could still be made.I think the business might do much better.

4.I consider the points and miles to be a rainy day fund when revenue may be tight.
Or do I dare say (gulp) in the retirement years :o
At least I am counting on getting there at this point :D
It's really about knowing when to hold em and when to use em.
I just booked a trip to Africa that my carrier wanted 270,000 to 300 roundtrip on in first.
Thanks to Flyertalk and combining various strategies I was able to book the same trip broken into two awards for 125 K

I like big numbers in my mileage account...it's all the self-image!
(Until I heard of people with over 100k miles...but still, half of that is better than nothing for your ego!) :)

I like big numbers in my mileage account...it's all the self-image!
(Until I heard of people with over 100k miles...but still, half of that is better than nothing for your ego!) :)
Miles tied to Ego :p I think I'd be looking for a new hobby :D
I prefer to think of it as a game or strategy no different then Wall Street /stocks seeing where your purchase habits yield you the best results and the best value.

With 16 posts I guess we can still say welcome to Flyertalk to you !

Okay, I see where you are coming from on your philosophy...

That just won't fit with my current business mode and vacation lifestyle, but might if I went to work for a company that had me constantly on the move.

Domestic: My locus of travel from HOU is to MSY, DAL, and BUR. These are frequent short trips, so WN is the airline of choice, and Rapid Rewards gets me a free ticket RAPID-ly :p . For this I sacrifice biz or first class, and lounges. Like I said earlier, I did purchase CO President's Club, but quite frankly I do not find these lounges close to the WN terminals. So for domestic flights I am out there with all the human chattel :D

International: My locus of travel from IAH is mostly West Africa, Southeast Asia, Latin America. A lounge comes with the biz class ticket, though I tend to use the President's Club lounge at IAH instead of the associated carrier lounge when I am outbound. The points build nicely from the international flights too, but at this point I do not believe I would be getting free tickets as quickly as I do with WN. On these carriers I use the miles for either upgrades to first from biz, or for upgrades and free tickets for my wife. She has joined me at the end of several gigs for vacation, or just for outright vacation.

We try to do one international vacation per year, and two shorter domestic ones [with preference to Vegas, New Orleans, L.A., DC and NYC].

Hotel points pretty much the same strategy also, but now giving preference to HH. No banking, we burn 'em.

Just a couple of weeks ago I switched to the Rapid Rewards Visa, business card. I use this card now for all business, normal and travel expenses, which of course includes purchasing the transcontinental airfares. I am amazed at how fast the credits can build with Rapid Rewards Visa.

M8

I like big numbers in my mileage account...it's all the self-image!
(Until I heard of people with over 100k miles...but still, half of that is better than nothing for your ego!) :)

My ego is tied to my Antonio Banderas -like good looks, and from having a Faith Hill -like looking wife, and various other gorgeous mistresses around the globe :D Oh! And I drive a Testarossa too! :D

Yeah, points just won't do the ego thing for me :rolleyes:

M8

My ego is tied to my Antonio Banderas -like good looks, and from having a Faith Hill -like looking wife, and various other gorgeous mistresses around the globe :D Oh! And I drive a Testarossa too! :D

Yeah, points just won't do the ego thing for me :rolleyes:

M8
Ya better burn em on Southwest I hear they expire !
Hi to To Faith.........the look alike :D

Ya better burn em on Southwest I hear they expire !...

Haha! :D I will! And have a lot of fun in the process, while yours are sitting in the bank NOT earning interest :D

BTW, good topic ^ . Where is everyone else on this? I figured more would have joined in.

M8

BTW, good topic ^ . Where is everyone else on this? I figured more would have joined in.

M8

Alas, the weekend topics--They sit unattended until we all return to work on Monday and put off doing our real jobs until we have made it through Flyertalk.

I have turned from a die-hard hoarder into a net burner. The reason is simply the numbers:

1. As the OP pointed out, airline capacity will double over the next ten year. Is there anyone who wants to bet that the number of frequent flyer miles outstanding won't more than double?

2. The frequent flyer programs are now the only reasonably profitable parts of most North American airlines. Thus, I expect airlines to continue to sell miles at a feverish pace. More miles outstanding = fewer seats for me.

3. When was the last time an airline reduced the number of miles it took to earn a reward or made it easier to burn miles?

Having said all that, I do consider myself an "opportunistic burner." In other words, I use miles mostly for international business/first, or domestic upgrades on long flights. As one poster pointed out, if I can fly JFK-LAX for less than the cost of getting to/from the airports, I'll save the miles.

Mike

Alas, the weekend topics--They sit unattended until we all return to work on Monday and put off doing our real jobs until we have made it through Flyertalk.

3. When was the last time an airline reduced the number of miles it took to earn a reward or made it easier to burn miles?

Mike

Well, last fall UA and AA matched a reduced award for flights under 750nm to 15,000 miles. I believe they did the same this winter, but I wasn't able to take advantage of it.

1Having Star A and One World benefits are an amazing combination.
Beacuse of Uniteds tight inventory it has really helped to have AA to balance it all for award seats.


hm, how do you get to spend your united miles on AA? They don't allow that, do they?

As for the general question: My nature is more of the hoarding type... but I hoarded so much internet stocks a few years ago that I now have to keep them (because selling would be more expensive than just letting them die). So learnt my lesson and enjoy confirmed upgrades in the 50US (esp. HNL) or free flights. Free flights only for vacation, to new exotic desinations, never for business (in my case, school). It's just a psychological thing, this way it really is a "reward". And it forces me to have some fun rather than to die in my office without having seen the world. As for keeping vs. spending; much has been said. Of course you don't want to waste miles if fares are low. But then, miles are losing value and the money you spend would gain (interest). So you lose twice. There are some rules about which awards are more worth it, e.g., flying to Europe in peak time (fares >1000), flying routes that are not competitive etc. Subject to availability :)

I've been participating in frequent flyer and hotel programs since the beginning. I have always tried to burn them regularly while, at the same time, stockpiling them. As others say, miles don't do much good just sitting in one's account because they get devalued over time. But it's also important to have a nest egg for "spur of the moment" trips which can be quite costly. I also prefer using miles in the premium cabins and therefore need to have lots of miles in reserve for these trips. There is no way I would spend the big bucks needed for an International First Class Ticket.

There's one more reason I'm really glad that I stockpiled so many points and miles. My financial situation and travel budget isn't nearly as good as it once was. But thanks to my stockpiled points and miles, I still fly up front and still stay in nice hotels either for free or at a much lower price.

my method:

watch this and the other forums to see what miles and airlines are doing, stay in tuned, find out if award levels may go up or not, and then plan for trips you may need to take well in advance. Then save what you can to get to that amount. Have the award level (say, 50k to go to Europe next winter because you know you will) and then use them when you can, when you have the right amount!

I tend to try to get as close to the level as I can. Example: 50,742 in DL. Then I can start to concentrate on say, AA or UAL. Then I burn it because I know I have what I need when the time comes to throw the switch and actually redeem the things. Having 742 miles left over is nothing. Once I do this, I can forget about managing that account until one day comes along when I do something like a DASH TO THE GATE promo plus that $150 priority club promo from the summer last year on DL. There, suddenly I had llike 40k DL miles in my account again, so it gives me reason to bring that up to award level once more and do the same thing.

If I were saving for something bigger, I would apply the same mentality. But generally I fly to Europe or in the US. So I need 25k, 35k and 50k awards most of the time.

Burn Smart is the order of the day.
What do I mean?

Well I accrue on ANA and my wife on UA.

Guess which *Alliance miles we burn first?

Fortunately, top tier ANA removes the miles expiry, however, no matter how ard we try, it seems as if we always out earn the UA burn.

Regards,

Scho

hm, how do you get to spend your united miles on AA? They don't allow that, do they?

As for the general question: My nature is more of the hoarding type... but I hoarded so much internet stocks a few years ago that I now have to keep them (because selling would be more expensive than just letting them die). So learnt my lesson and enjoy confirmed upgrades in the 50US (esp. HNL) or free flights. Free flights only for vacation, to new exotic desinations, never for business (in my case, school). It's just a psychological thing, this way it really is a "reward". And it forces me to have some fun rather than to die in my office without having seen the world. As for keeping vs. spending; much has been said. Of course you don't want to waste miles if fares are low. But then, miles are losing value and the money you spend would gain (interest). So you lose twice. There are some rules about which awards are more worth it, e.g., flying to Europe in peak time (fares >1000), flying routes that are not competitive etc. Subject to availability :)
No of course not.......
Apologize for my wording
What I meant was having miles in both programs and using all their various partners gives me access to any destination in the world I generally need access too.They are seperate programs that I participate in regularly.As devaluation and awaful rules flood International programs both these programs look better to me each and every day when I go to earn and bank miles. Thanks for your post

my method:

watch this and the other forums to see what miles and airlines are doing, stay in tuned, find out if award levels may go up or not, and then plan for trips you may need to take well in advance. Then save what you can to get to that amount. Have the award level (say, 50k to go to Europe next winter because you know you will) and then use them when you can, when you have the right amount!

I tend to try to get as close to the level as I can. Example: 50,742 in DL. Then I can start to concentrate on say, AA or UAL. Then I burn it because I know I have what I need when the time comes to throw the switch and actually redeem the things. Having 742 miles left over is nothing. Once I do this, I can forget about managing that account until one day comes along when I do something like a DASH TO THE GATE promo plus that $150 priority club promo from the summer last year on DL. There, suddenly I had llike 40k DL miles in my account again, so it gives me reason to bring that up to award level once more and do the same thing.

If I were saving for something bigger, I would apply the same mentality. But generally I fly to Europe or in the US. So I need 25k, 35k and 50k awards most of the time.
Two fantastic promotions I participated in as well.Funny how we forget quickly after benefiting richly :)
I ended up staying with InterContinental Hotels and flying with Delta again.
So they can work for companies. But neither programs took me from my long time travel programs which have deeper hooks to capture the lions share of my revenue.
Once again thanks to Flyertalk (The community) and Inside Flyer email updates for keeping us all posted on all these exceptional opportunities

So far, I burn them about as fast as I get them. Having PM status on Delta for the past several year (and soon for 2006 already) I get pleanty of miles. Planning ahead, I get tickets for whole family to travel for Thanksgiving/Xmas holidays at "normal" mileage costs. Of course, this means I usually have to book my FF tickets for Holidays by early June. Platinum status helps though.

Between holiday travel and vacations, we burn about 250K miles/year. So far, I've never had to fork over "premium" miles to get tickets.

"You should never treat your miles like a bank accout"
I'm totally guilty here of that statement :(

Joe B. goes on to say
"The airlines do a terrible job being AIRLINES.
Why are you trusting them to be a bank? " :td:

If that isn't a classic award winning line I don't know what is. :D

Without reprinting the whole article he also stated
Customers should not be surprised to know they are playing in a lottery for seats.
What part of restricted did you think we were kidding about?

Joe has been saying for three years CASH OUT AND CASH OUT NOW
I'm almost starting to believe him in his words more now as programs continue to devalue and make for more imposing rules like short and no hold times to book the reservation if you can get it at all.............

Not to mention again British Airways One World Partner use it or loose it awards. With no redeposit of miles at any cost. :mad: :mad: :mad:
First time I have ever used that scowling face in my half decade on FT !!!

What do I do with miles? Hoard them. Save them for a rainy day. Something. I once turned in 20k miles for an rt upgrade WAS-MSP-MKE. One of those segments was a DC-10 and I wanted to see what up front was like. To bad it was the MSP-MKE segment! Airfares are dirt cheap, and I see no reason to redeem a 50k award for a ticket I can get for under $300. Now that I'm piling on the miles over the next couple of years, I'll probably hang on to 50,000 for that "when I have to go and can't afford the trip" but more likely cash in a bunch for an international F award next summer.

My strategy for airline miles is changing. I used to hoard US miles and then I got afraid about their longevity. So I burnt all of mine on coach tickets to Spain last summer (e.g. peak travel time). Actually even did a point exchange with some orphaned AA miles to top off my DM account. Unfortunately, my work schedule never lets me plan very far in advance. So only got coach tickets for a first class price. Still netted about 0.8 cents/mile. Not great, but sure beats zero and did save me close to $2000 in hard cash.

Next, my wife had about 70,000 US miles. Burnt over the winter for short haul domestic trips at the reduced winter redemeption level (20,000). Don't remember exactly but on average probably got a simliar 0.8 - 0.9 cents/mile yield. I.e. around $500 savings in hard cash. We still have a little less than 8000 miles in my wife's DM account.

So overall with US I saved around $2500. Again not fantastic, but a lot better than zero. Also made the difference between doing two big vacations last summer (Hawaii and Spain) and only doing one. I never regret going to Hawaii and Spain was great. Bottom line, I don't regret using my miles.

At the same time I switched both of our miles accrual over to UA MP. I'm up to about 65,000. My wife accrues very slowly and still has less than 10,000 miles. We like to go to Hawaii (been four times) and also might go back to Europe soon. As soon as I have enough for two tickets, preferably business class, we'll burn the miles. I am just not bullish on any of the airlines and their FF programs at this point.

On to hotel points. I have just shy of 250,000 Marriott points. I accrue them very rapidly (lots of business stays and Marriott Visa). I think the propsects for Marriott's long term survival are quite good. I am still some what concerned about point devaluation, but much less so than with airline miles. Marriott has some great travel package awards with airline points and hotel nights. 250,000 points will get me 7 nights in a top hotel (category 7) and 100,000 airline miles on any major carrier. I.e. essentially a free vacation other than food and entertainment. Very flexible and quite useful I imagine.

If we go to Europe soon, I'll burn the Marriott points for a travel package award. Otherwise if we do Hawaii again, I burn the UA MP miles for at least one free ticket (two if I have enough miles by then, though unlikely this year).

Going forward, I think I will continue to use a goal based redemption strategy. E.g. pick a desired trip and see which combination of points and/or miles is the most efficient way to achieve it. When either airline miles or hotel points will work equally well, in today's environment I'll burn the miles. Either way, I don't plan on just banking miles and points without a specific goal.

Even with my secondary programs (Delta/Skyteam and Priority Club), I'll burn'em as soon as I have a free ticket or hotel night (or temporarily make'em my primary program to hit a specific goal)

--Jon

Not to mention again British Airways One World Partner use it or loose it awards. With no redeposit of miles at any cost.
First time I have ever used that scowling face in my half decade on FT !!!





Air Canada Aeroplan instituted the use it or lose it for travel within 21 days of departure; if you don't use it by departure date, you haqve one year from date of issue to redeem for equivalent or lower level award; no redeposit option!

Okay, well I'm interested on your perspective since I am at the other extreme. Why do you bankroll these miles past the point of cashing them in [and I presume your hotel points also]?

1. Is it that you can't get away from work to take a vacation?

2. Is it a status thing? Wouldn't just flying first/business give you enough status for boarding, lounges, etc.

3. What do you feel is the purpose of miles/points, other than to use them for free trips and free hotel nights?

4. Or are you just saving them in hopes of taking one huge vacation that is all paid for by miles/points?

'Splain please.

M8

My mother was almost an original member of american advantage and has her 2 million mile status, gets her platinum card every year. She flew a lot for business with Abbott Laboratories way back when before she retired in 1996. She joined in the early 80's I think. She has never cashed in any of her miles and still has mostly never expire miles and every once in a while she will buy flowers or take a flight to keep the rest active.

I ask her why and her answer is always the same "I am saving them for a rainy day or when I can't afford a ticket"

She's 70

My mother was almost an original member of american advantage and has her 2 million mile status, gets her platinum card every year. She flew a lot for business with Abbott Laboratories way back when before she retired in 1996. She joined in the early 80's I think. She has never cashed in any of her miles and still has mostly never expire miles and every once in a while she will buy flowers or take a flight to keep the rest active.

I ask her why and her answer is always the same "I am saving them for a rainy day or when I can't afford a ticket"

She's 70
Nice story. Very interesting thanks for sharing!
Your mom is amazing.
May she continue to be in great health to use her hard earned miles
I think she made a wise investment.
American with all their bashing continues to lead the way IMO of all the majors with respectable availability, many partners , ways to redeem and earn.
Cheers

My mother was almost an original member of american advantage and has her 2 million mile status, gets her platinum card every year. She flew a lot for business with Abbott Laboratories way back when before she retired in 1996. She joined in the early 80's I think. She has never cashed in any of her miles and still has mostly never expire miles and every once in a while she will buy flowers or take a flight to keep the rest active.

I ask her why and her answer is always the same "I am saving them for a rainy day or when I can't afford a ticket"

She's 70

I think your mom picked the right airline and she has the good mentality of good natured times gone by, but man, I think it's time you took the reigns, cashed 'em all in for a family vactatin to every place you ever heard her say she wanted to go. And then, if she does get upset, hand her a few grand and smile. :)

My dad had saved up uber Starwood points and AA miles with plans to do a few family Round The World trips, and then some.

He was taking one last business trip to Cali (he was a consulting engineer) and with this flight he also knew he could keep platinum status. He was going to come home in a few days from business, and take my mother to Hawaai on tickets they had just purchased for 3 islands. This was to be their 44th wedding anniversary trip.

His trip to Cali had a slight problem though...

The American Airlines flight abruptly ended in NYC on around the 85th floor of a tall building once known as the WTC. Flight 11's mileage never credited but my mother now has the Platinum status and big deal to that.

Dad was 70 on 9/11/2001.

Mom says she should have let him book those RTW tickets when he first started talking about it to our family...


Please ask your mother to take the trips while she is here with you! Not that anyone assumes, wishes or even jinxes that soomething could happen, but age is real and times are changing. Equally true is the fact that airlines, the FAA, and the industry itself still have their weaknesses...

As the famed long-time ski film maker, Warren Miller has always said, "Do it now because if you don't, you'll be one year older when you do"

:) MM

I think your mom picked the right airline and she has the good mentality of good natured times gone by, but man, I think it's time you took the reigns, cashed 'em all in for a family vactatin to every place you ever heard her say she wanted to go. And then, if she does get upset, hand her a few grand and smile. :)

My dad had saved up uber Starwood points and AA miles with plans to do a few family Round The World trips, and then some.

He was taking one last business trip to Cali (he was a consulting engineer) and with this flight he also knew he could keep platinum status. He was going to come home in a few days from business, and take my mother to Hawaai on tickets they had just purchased for 3 islands. This was to be their 44th wedding anniversary trip.

His trip to Cali had a slight problem though...

The American Airlines flight abruptly ended in NYC on around the 85th floor of a tall building once known as the WTC. Flight 11's mileage never credited but my mother now has the Platinum status and big deal to that.

Dad was 70 on 9/11/2001.

Mom says she should have let him book those RTW tickets when he first started talking about it to our family...


Please ask your mother to take the trips while she is here with you! Not that anyone assumes, wishes or even jinxes that soomething could happen, but age is real and times are changing. Equally true is the fact that airlines, the FAA, and the industry itself still have their weaknesses...

As the famed long-time ski film maker, Warren Miller has always said, "Do it now because if you don't, you'll be one year older when you do"

:) MM
Very sorry about your dad.
And what has to be a very painful loss.
A day we will all long remember like no other.
And it could have easily been any one of us.
I really appreciate the post and the reminder about making the best of today.What we have in front of us.

I have a friend for many years that always says "live for today"
" tomorrow is not promised to anybody"
She certainly has her wisdom whomever she borrowed that phrase from.
Sometimes I just need to hear it again to be reminded!

Very sorry about your dad.
And what has to be a very painful loss.
A day we will all long remember like no other.
And it could have easily been any one of us.
I really appreciate the post and the reminder about making the best of today.What we have in front of us.

I have a friend for many years that always says "live for today"
" tomorrow is not promised to anybody"
She certainly has her wisdom whomever she borrowed that phrase from.
Sometimes I just need to hear it again to be reminded!

thanks for your thoughts. I know it is a sensitive subject even for those not with lost family members but yeah, my point is that there's a balance in life but for me it certainly leans toward enjoying what we have right now...

not to mention the theory that the airlines will slowly whittle away at the useability and value of these many miles people are holding. As mentioned in previous places, if I start saving for a 50k award today and it takes me 2 years to get that many miles, whose to say that award will be a 50k award still? If it jumps to 75, what do I do now? And then, are there seats, etc? Did the airline get bought out or change it routings even more drastically than they used to just 2 years ago? Now what? Give up? Save longer? And for what? When? For whom?

just somethin to think about...

MM

Nice story. Very interesting thanks for sharing!
Your mom is amazing.
May she continue to be in great health to use her hard earned miles
I think she made a wise investment.
American with all their bashing continues to lead the way IMO of all the majors with respectable availability, many partners , ways to redeem and earn.
Cheers

Not to sound mean or condemn my mother to an early grave, but she will never use them. ARE THEY WILLABLE?

AA miles? Don't know about willing them, but they can be transferred from parent to child for a fee and submission of a death certificate.

Joe Brancatelli,Peter Greenburg,Tim Winship all say Burn them now"Greenburg advises using them to optain tix on the foreign alliance carriers and then move the dates as needed.
So Now I have over 120k in each of my three big accounts(UA,NW,BA),and some "orphans"(AA,AC,DL)as well.
I cannot afford big vacations every year-but would rather bank my miles for F travel for when I can.
I am totally misguided in this?

wow its been months since this once addict was in here! oh I will be back but we are having a baby (dunno the sex yet) and since we found out I have been a very busy but non traveling man! And, in a few weeks I may not get ot travel anywhere for quite a while, but family may... BUT I have been using my CCs to charge up like everything I do in home improvement to get this old fixer upper of the house we live in all set and done. That being said, I have a bunch of miles now... Im saving em for a trip to some island somewhere some day!

I think hoarding could cause probs cuz they will one day say oh we are done doing miles deals. Plus every year it seems the requirements go up, the avialability goes down and the rules change yet again. But on the other hand, if you have plans for something far off and exotic, well you need a ton anyway. Just earn em all in one or two places (like for me, it's AA and starwood) and if you have others, well use em up or book trades with your friends. That's my opinion, lol

:)MM

Ya better burn em on Southwest I hear they expire !
Hi to To Faith.........the look alike :D

Southwest's awards expire quickly (one year), but you can reissue them for $50 each no matter how long ago they expired. So they don't really expire until the policy changes, at which point you will have one year to reissue and use all your expired awards.

M8, you really ought to get a more reliable car. I have one in mind. :)