Who we all are
Oct 23, 2016, 6:39 pm
#3241
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: California
Posts: 13
Hello All
New member, although I’ve been aware of FlyerTalk for a couple of years. Always found it a little intimidating, to be honest.
I really want to travel more so I reckon it’s time to dip my toes into this pool. I’m planning a trip to Europe over the winter holidays, and if I’m really lucky, I’ll make it to Indonesia in the Spring.
I live in California and I design books for a living. My nickname is a type of bean grown in a very tiny patch of northern Spain. It’s amazingly creamy and tasty!
See you around.
I really want to travel more so I reckon it’s time to dip my toes into this pool. I’m planning a trip to Europe over the winter holidays, and if I’m really lucky, I’ll make it to Indonesia in the Spring.
I live in California and I design books for a living. My nickname is a type of bean grown in a very tiny patch of northern Spain. It’s amazingly creamy and tasty!
See you around.
Dec 21, 2016, 4:48 pm
#3243
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: EWR
Programs: UA Gold, IHG Spire, Hertz Five Star
Posts: 11
Hi guys! Been reading this site for a couple of months and finally decided to join the conversation.
I'm probably one of the younger FT'ers on here. 24 years old. I'm an assistant project manager in the new construction department for a major US marine transportation company. We are building vessels on the West Coast, Gulf Coast, & Great Lakes. I love ships, I love planes, and I love to travel. I guess I got lucky with where I am!
I've achieved UA Premier Silver last year and just achieved UA Premier Gold this year.
Based in EWR. Frequent IAH & SEA as we have offices there. My favorite airports I've been to so far is SFO, PDX, & IAH. Never flew international, but hoping to soon. My top dream destinations are HKG, SIN, & KEF
I also enjoy photography. You can check out snippets of my travels on my Instagram @cruiserchris.
I'm probably one of the younger FT'ers on here. 24 years old. I'm an assistant project manager in the new construction department for a major US marine transportation company. We are building vessels on the West Coast, Gulf Coast, & Great Lakes. I love ships, I love planes, and I love to travel. I guess I got lucky with where I am!
I've achieved UA Premier Silver last year and just achieved UA Premier Gold this year.
Based in EWR. Frequent IAH & SEA as we have offices there. My favorite airports I've been to so far is SFO, PDX, & IAH. Never flew international, but hoping to soon. My top dream destinations are HKG, SIN, & KEF
I also enjoy photography. You can check out snippets of my travels on my Instagram @cruiserchris.
Jan 10, 2017, 11:39 pm
#3244
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Singapore
Programs: SPG/Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 34
Been lurking, as is the norm, on FT for a while and have really enjoyed the nuggets of travel hacks gleaned here!
Early 30s, based in Singapore.
SPG Platinum since 2012. Been treated well by Starwood although after the Marriott takeover we'll have to see how that pans out. No chance of lifetime Plat but I will make an effort to try and qualify for a top-tier loyalty membership since I've gotten used to breakfast/room upgrades/lounge access.
No airline status as I tend to travel mainly by low cost carriers for short trips (2 hrs or less) and business redemption tickets (Krisflyer, Asia Miles) for everything else. I travel mainly for leisure hence I plan my travels around what's available on redemption.
Pleased to meet everyone!
Early 30s, based in Singapore.
SPG Platinum since 2012. Been treated well by Starwood although after the Marriott takeover we'll have to see how that pans out. No chance of lifetime Plat but I will make an effort to try and qualify for a top-tier loyalty membership since I've gotten used to breakfast/room upgrades/lounge access.
No airline status as I tend to travel mainly by low cost carriers for short trips (2 hrs or less) and business redemption tickets (Krisflyer, Asia Miles) for everything else. I travel mainly for leisure hence I plan my travels around what's available on redemption.
Pleased to meet everyone!
Feb 8, 2017, 1:36 am
#3245
Join Date: May 2010
Location: BUR
Programs: Southwest, Alaska, Delta, Hilton
Posts: 23
Mid-30's Los Angeles resident. Trying to enjoy Virgin America while they're still around.
Sometimes on Southwest or Delta for OAK or PHX travel.
Thankful to all the FT folks for their info and tips over the years.
Sometimes on Southwest or Delta for OAK or PHX travel.
Thankful to all the FT folks for their info and tips over the years.
Last edited by zoefish; Feb 25, 2017 at 5:40 pm
Feb 19, 2017, 2:31 pm
#3246
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: TX/TN
Programs: AAEP, other airs, hotels, ccs
Posts: 26
Just as my moniker suggests; I do travel, and I do leisure, tho other activities do interfere. I
I joined FT as a means of learning more as I started to crank into the serious travel mode that free time allowed.
I'm old enough to be retired, though that was early as I could, and it's now been 10 years. I wrote a section in the 'travel wish list' the other day, and realized I'd been to about most every major place in the last ten year, but so many more to go! Before that, teaching business at one of the U TX outposts.
I really like to talk to business travelers about their business and what they do, if I'm seated next to a business traveler, though I respect the need for quiet and work if that's the preference. I enjoy thinking about other pathways I could have taken in my professional life, and am curious about what drives others toward theirs.
I grew up in mid-Michigan, in a family of non-travelers, and as an adult, moving about the U.S., living in west and then north Africa once I got married to someone who could work in those places. I consider myself a generic traveler. I have wanted to travel since I was a child, reading about others who were traveling or lived elsewhere, collected stamps, and had a Greek penpal.
Like the last poster, I am grateful for all that I've learned and laughed at while reading FT. As a non-business traveler, I sometimes feel like I don't have much to offer. Glad someone can take the time to share their time and stories. To those who do, 'Thank You."
T&L says "Hi, y'all!"
I joined FT as a means of learning more as I started to crank into the serious travel mode that free time allowed.
I'm old enough to be retired, though that was early as I could, and it's now been 10 years. I wrote a section in the 'travel wish list' the other day, and realized I'd been to about most every major place in the last ten year, but so many more to go! Before that, teaching business at one of the U TX outposts.
I really like to talk to business travelers about their business and what they do, if I'm seated next to a business traveler, though I respect the need for quiet and work if that's the preference. I enjoy thinking about other pathways I could have taken in my professional life, and am curious about what drives others toward theirs.
I grew up in mid-Michigan, in a family of non-travelers, and as an adult, moving about the U.S., living in west and then north Africa once I got married to someone who could work in those places. I consider myself a generic traveler. I have wanted to travel since I was a child, reading about others who were traveling or lived elsewhere, collected stamps, and had a Greek penpal.
Like the last poster, I am grateful for all that I've learned and laughed at while reading FT. As a non-business traveler, I sometimes feel like I don't have much to offer. Glad someone can take the time to share their time and stories. To those who do, 'Thank You."
T&L says "Hi, y'all!"
Feb 22, 2017, 10:22 pm
#3247
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Singapore
Programs: SPG/Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 34
I really like to talk to business travelers about their business and what they do, if I'm seated next to a business traveler, though I respect the need for quiet and work if that's the preference. I enjoy thinking about other pathways I could have taken in my professional life, and am curious about what drives others toward theirs.
Mar 14, 2017, 12:50 pm
#3248
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: FLG
Programs: AA ExP, UA Platinum, Marriott Platinum, IHG PlatInum
Posts: 88
Originally from Cyprus, 50, currently leaving in PHX, AZ.
I caught the aviation bug as a 9-year old boy, when I flew from my native Cyprus to visit some relatives in Detroit, MI. The airline gave us a copy of their timetable, and I got hooked while reading that. I started visiting airline offices when I got back home to get more timetables and other airline paraphernalia; also started sending letters requesting similar items from airlines around the world. First response I got back was from Suriname Airways (which created an interest in obscure airlines).
I caught the FF/miles bug in 1986 when I came to the US for college, and took my first trip while here to visit those same Detroit relatives for Christmas break. Flights were on American, and I was asked if I wanted to join AAdvantage. That disease progressed to a point where, several years ago, a coworker nicknamed me the "miles skank"!
I have had silver status for the past 11 years in a progression of airlines: US 2007-11, CO 2012, UA 2013-present. I have enough revenue travel planned this year to extend the streak to 2018. Since the vast majority of my travel is leisure (and I'm not independently wealthy), I've had to do 4 mileage runs over the years to keep the streak going (first MR was in 2009; longest was in 2015 to Vietnam, since I had mostly used award tickets for other trips that year). BTW, learned the term "mileage run" on FT years ago! While benefits have dwindled for silver in recent years, for me it's still worth it for the access to the premier customer service; that has saved my butt a few times!
I have been using FT for many years to search for answers to aviation questions. I finally got an account in 2014 when I had a question that hadn't been asked yet. I am very appreciative of all the folks that have shared their wisdom with all of us for all these years!
I caught the aviation bug as a 9-year old boy, when I flew from my native Cyprus to visit some relatives in Detroit, MI. The airline gave us a copy of their timetable, and I got hooked while reading that. I started visiting airline offices when I got back home to get more timetables and other airline paraphernalia; also started sending letters requesting similar items from airlines around the world. First response I got back was from Suriname Airways (which created an interest in obscure airlines).
I caught the FF/miles bug in 1986 when I came to the US for college, and took my first trip while here to visit those same Detroit relatives for Christmas break. Flights were on American, and I was asked if I wanted to join AAdvantage. That disease progressed to a point where, several years ago, a coworker nicknamed me the "miles skank"!
I have had silver status for the past 11 years in a progression of airlines: US 2007-11, CO 2012, UA 2013-present. I have enough revenue travel planned this year to extend the streak to 2018. Since the vast majority of my travel is leisure (and I'm not independently wealthy), I've had to do 4 mileage runs over the years to keep the streak going (first MR was in 2009; longest was in 2015 to Vietnam, since I had mostly used award tickets for other trips that year). BTW, learned the term "mileage run" on FT years ago! While benefits have dwindled for silver in recent years, for me it's still worth it for the access to the premier customer service; that has saved my butt a few times!
I have been using FT for many years to search for answers to aviation questions. I finally got an account in 2014 when I had a question that hadn't been asked yet. I am very appreciative of all the folks that have shared their wisdom with all of us for all these years!
Last edited by stephanos99; Aug 2, 2017 at 7:23 pm
Apr 13, 2017, 8:59 pm
#3249
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Between BDL and PVD
Programs: RapidRewards, SkyPesos, whatever flies where I want to go.
Posts: 270
Occasional poster, 27. I travel almost entirely for leisure, and I have barely dipped my toes in the water of traveling compared to what I want to do. I come from a family that barely travels (dad doesn't fly at all) so I guess that's a factor.
I'm primarily a train enthusiast, but planes are pretty cool too, and as a Mechanical Engineer, I do nerd out a bit about the technical aspects of them.
I started flying with Northwest to DTW, since I have family there. I primarily fly WN now, although I have flown DL and AS depending on where I need to go. I have some extended family scattered throughout Alaska, so AS it is for getting around up there. I have flown BOS-BRW (2 connections), which is probably about as far as you can fly domestically from the northeast.
I have never flown internationally, but I most definitely want to visit other parts of the world, including New Zealand, Australia (via QF8), Europe, China, and Japan. As much as Canada is basically a nicer version of the US, visiting Vancouver (via SEA) gave me a bit of a taste of traveling, and I want more.
I live a few miles from GON, which thankfully was put out of it's misery as a pathetic excuse for a commercial airport by WN at PVD. Some of the guys at work still reminiss about the crappy little turboprops that used to fly to PHL and a few other places from GON. After flying a few DL regionals in 2012, I now avoid regionals like the plague, so I often fly WN, as they fly almost everywhere in the US, and don't randomly sub in regionals like DL.
During #deltameltdown last week, I got to do some planespotting at DTW, and seeing Japanese in the terminal, and watching widebodies take off for Amsterdam and Seoul gave me a bit of the travel bug.
I'm primarily a train enthusiast, but planes are pretty cool too, and as a Mechanical Engineer, I do nerd out a bit about the technical aspects of them.
I started flying with Northwest to DTW, since I have family there. I primarily fly WN now, although I have flown DL and AS depending on where I need to go. I have some extended family scattered throughout Alaska, so AS it is for getting around up there. I have flown BOS-BRW (2 connections), which is probably about as far as you can fly domestically from the northeast.
I have never flown internationally, but I most definitely want to visit other parts of the world, including New Zealand, Australia (via QF8), Europe, China, and Japan. As much as Canada is basically a nicer version of the US, visiting Vancouver (via SEA) gave me a bit of a taste of traveling, and I want more.
I live a few miles from GON, which thankfully was put out of it's misery as a pathetic excuse for a commercial airport by WN at PVD. Some of the guys at work still reminiss about the crappy little turboprops that used to fly to PHL and a few other places from GON. After flying a few DL regionals in 2012, I now avoid regionals like the plague, so I often fly WN, as they fly almost everywhere in the US, and don't randomly sub in regionals like DL.
During #deltameltdown last week, I got to do some planespotting at DTW, and seeing Japanese in the terminal, and watching widebodies take off for Amsterdam and Seoul gave me a bit of the travel bug.
Apr 19, 2017, 9:46 am
#3250
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: CAE
Programs: Delta, Marriott, Hilton, Hertz
Posts: 256
Guess who's back!?!?
I'm baaaaack! Wow! I've had an account since 2000. Holy CRAP!
I'm still a LEO and now I'm a part time travel agent. Nope, not making that last part up. My knowledge as a frequent traveler helps my other business but my travel agent side has surpassed what I thought I could ever know. Never would I think to use a TA and boy was I wrong. That all said, I'm not asking for any business, just an interesting observation.
As a frequent traveler who doesn't really travel all THAT much for work, I'm a Marriott Platinum and Delta Silver who will make Gold next month. I'm pretty proud of that since its 90% personal travel and I dont make a crazy salary.
Anyways, I look to be active again, breaking hearts and smashing heads. Or eating donuts. Just kidding, I'm super nice but I do like donuts.
I'm still a LEO and now I'm a part time travel agent. Nope, not making that last part up. My knowledge as a frequent traveler helps my other business but my travel agent side has surpassed what I thought I could ever know. Never would I think to use a TA and boy was I wrong. That all said, I'm not asking for any business, just an interesting observation.
As a frequent traveler who doesn't really travel all THAT much for work, I'm a Marriott Platinum and Delta Silver who will make Gold next month. I'm pretty proud of that since its 90% personal travel and I dont make a crazy salary.
Anyways, I look to be active again, breaking hearts and smashing heads. Or eating donuts. Just kidding, I'm super nice but I do like donuts.
Apr 24, 2017, 4:00 pm
#3251
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Cotswolds, UK
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 29
New FT Member
Hello everybody,
I've been reading a lot of posts as a 'guest' and just signed up as a member. After scouring through the different forums and sub-forums, this seems like the best place to introduce myself.
I live in the UK (The Cotswolds) and I work for a US Enterprise Cloud company. My role enables me to travel regularly and my preferred airline is BA. I've got over 200,000 Avios saved up from the last 3 years of travelling and I made Silver status the last 2 years.
Unfortunately my TP collection ends on May 8th and I'm not in a position to do a mileage run in order to retain my status. This means I'll be starting from scratch in a few weeks to try and build up my status again. Luckily for me, I've got a few flights coming up in May and June that should see me at least reach Bronze fairly quickly.
Anyway, I know there's dedicated forums and threads specific to TP runs, so I'll wrap up this intro with a quick summary
Name: Damien Davis
Profession: Partner Support Manager (ITSM)
Birth Date: 14th Jan '76 (I'm 41)
Location: The Cotswolds, UK
Favourite Air Carrier: British Airways
Comments: In my spare time I practice the art of landscape photography - and no, that's not intended to be a plug (it's just a hobby).
Happy Flying!
I've been reading a lot of posts as a 'guest' and just signed up as a member. After scouring through the different forums and sub-forums, this seems like the best place to introduce myself.
I live in the UK (The Cotswolds) and I work for a US Enterprise Cloud company. My role enables me to travel regularly and my preferred airline is BA. I've got over 200,000 Avios saved up from the last 3 years of travelling and I made Silver status the last 2 years.
Unfortunately my TP collection ends on May 8th and I'm not in a position to do a mileage run in order to retain my status. This means I'll be starting from scratch in a few weeks to try and build up my status again. Luckily for me, I've got a few flights coming up in May and June that should see me at least reach Bronze fairly quickly.
Anyway, I know there's dedicated forums and threads specific to TP runs, so I'll wrap up this intro with a quick summary
Name: Damien Davis
Profession: Partner Support Manager (ITSM)
Birth Date: 14th Jan '76 (I'm 41)
Location: The Cotswolds, UK
Favourite Air Carrier: British Airways
Comments: In my spare time I practice the art of landscape photography - and no, that's not intended to be a plug (it's just a hobby).
Happy Flying!
Apr 30, 2017, 10:36 pm
#3252
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: PHX
Programs: AAexp, AC75k, HertzPC, NationalEE, Accor/MariottP, Hilton/HyattG
Posts: 3,614
I'm baaaaack! Wow! I've had an account since 2000. Holy CRAP!
I'm still a LEO and now I'm a part time travel agent. Nope, not making that last part up. My knowledge as a frequent traveler helps my other business but my travel agent side has surpassed what I thought I could ever know. Never would I think to use a TA and boy was I wrong. That all said, I'm not asking for any business, just an interesting observation.
As a frequent traveler who doesn't really travel all THAT much for work, I'm a Marriott Platinum and Delta Silver who will make Gold next month. I'm pretty proud of that since its 90% personal travel and I dont make a crazy salary.
Anyways, I look to be active again, breaking hearts and smashing heads. Or eating donuts. Just kidding, I'm super nice but I do like donuts.
I'm still a LEO and now I'm a part time travel agent. Nope, not making that last part up. My knowledge as a frequent traveler helps my other business but my travel agent side has surpassed what I thought I could ever know. Never would I think to use a TA and boy was I wrong. That all said, I'm not asking for any business, just an interesting observation.
As a frequent traveler who doesn't really travel all THAT much for work, I'm a Marriott Platinum and Delta Silver who will make Gold next month. I'm pretty proud of that since its 90% personal travel and I dont make a crazy salary.
Anyways, I look to be active again, breaking hearts and smashing heads. Or eating donuts. Just kidding, I'm super nice but I do like donuts.
I took a couple years off but I'm also back in full force as well
Jun 6, 2017, 1:55 am
#3253
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Seoul
Programs: None anymore
Posts: 983
Howdy!
I joined FT awhile ago (but fairly recent if compared to a lot of people on here!) and I'm addicted to points, gimmicks, planes, everything. I don't really do hotel status, I mainly just book whatever looks cool on hotels.com.
I started flying as a kid because my mom had family in Lousiana and we lived in California. I would always ask to fly out there because I LOVED the flying aspect of the trip. Being there was "meh." Growing up, until I was 24, the only flying I had done was between California and Baton Rouge. After college I caught a gig working in South Korea for a temporary 9 month stint which has turned into... 3 years and counting. My first non-Louisiana flight was over 3 years ago when I moved to S. Korea. Anyway so I currently live about an hour south of Seoul. I'm also probably one of the younger FT members, at 27.
Currently I'm 1K on United and have been for the past 3 years, and for the past two years have passed ~130K miles. 25% business related, 75% pleasure. I made a pact with a friend to travel to one country a month for a year and it blossomed into traveling all the time. I make a joke every once in awhile that I'm the only self funded 1K!
Anyway it's a pleasure to interact with everybody here, finally talking with people who are as obsessed (sometimes moreso) as I am when it comes to flying and chasing miles.
I joined FT awhile ago (but fairly recent if compared to a lot of people on here!) and I'm addicted to points, gimmicks, planes, everything. I don't really do hotel status, I mainly just book whatever looks cool on hotels.com.
I started flying as a kid because my mom had family in Lousiana and we lived in California. I would always ask to fly out there because I LOVED the flying aspect of the trip. Being there was "meh." Growing up, until I was 24, the only flying I had done was between California and Baton Rouge. After college I caught a gig working in South Korea for a temporary 9 month stint which has turned into... 3 years and counting. My first non-Louisiana flight was over 3 years ago when I moved to S. Korea. Anyway so I currently live about an hour south of Seoul. I'm also probably one of the younger FT members, at 27.
Currently I'm 1K on United and have been for the past 3 years, and for the past two years have passed ~130K miles. 25% business related, 75% pleasure. I made a pact with a friend to travel to one country a month for a year and it blossomed into traveling all the time. I make a joke every once in awhile that I'm the only self funded 1K!
Anyway it's a pleasure to interact with everybody here, finally talking with people who are as obsessed (sometimes moreso) as I am when it comes to flying and chasing miles.
Jun 12, 2017, 9:48 pm
#3254
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 37
I read this quite often, but I really think I am one of the younger members (22) on this site. I found it a couple of months ago, and have learned a ton!
I am located in Utah, studying Global Supply Chain Management at BYU. I have done a decent amount of traveling compared to a lot of people my age. My parents are big in the points game, so we were brought up in it. Favorite place I have ever been is Singapore, and hope to get my wife out there someday (and if I'm lucky, move out there
). We are currently trying to plan a trip to Europe in August for our 1 year anniversary!
I am located in Utah, studying Global Supply Chain Management at BYU. I have done a decent amount of traveling compared to a lot of people my age. My parents are big in the points game, so we were brought up in it. Favorite place I have ever been is Singapore, and hope to get my wife out there someday (and if I'm lucky, move out there
). We are currently trying to plan a trip to Europe in August for our 1 year anniversary!
Jun 13, 2017, 4:30 am
#3255
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Belfast, Ireland
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 154
Thomas(28) from Derry, Ireland. Work in local government and unfortunately don't get to travel much other than locally. Generally fly out of DUB and book low fares when travelling to Europe. Favourite long haul is Lufthansa although the beer offerings on BA are now better so I'm now a bit torn between the two. Currently looking into flights to get me into and out of TBS and/or KUT for the Ireland match in September.
