One Mile at a Time [OMaaT] discussions [merged]
Jan 14, 2015, 11:26 am
#77
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: SMF, SNA
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott Platinum Elite, IHG Diamond
Posts: 175
I confess I do tend to follow him, and like some of his posts, but my gosh, this frantic flying to nowhere every few days on some exotic first class product after another is suspicious. I can't figure out the miles math to pull this sort of thing off on a weekly basis. While I was recently reading an exclusive private first class lounge within a lounge within a lounge review, I found myself fantasizing how funny would this be if these bloggers had to pay for all those exotic F flights.
Jan 14, 2015, 9:28 pm
#78
Join Date: May 2008
Location: BOS/SIN
Programs: SQ
Posts: 2,704
Ha, I present as exhibit A, today's cuticle scissor post.
I confess I do tend to follow him, and like some of his posts, but my gosh, this frantic flying to nowhere every few days on some exotic first class product after another is suspicious. I can't figure out the miles math to pull this sort of thing off on a weekly basis. While I was recently reading an exclusive private first class lounge within a lounge within a lounge review, I found myself fantasizing how funny would this be if these bloggers had to pay for all those exotic F flights.
I confess I do tend to follow him, and like some of his posts, but my gosh, this frantic flying to nowhere every few days on some exotic first class product after another is suspicious. I can't figure out the miles math to pull this sort of thing off on a weekly basis. While I was recently reading an exclusive private first class lounge within a lounge within a lounge review, I found myself fantasizing how funny would this be if these bloggers had to pay for all those exotic F flights.
Jan 15, 2015, 1:48 am
#79
Join Date: Jul 2014
Programs: Jeff is Deaf
Posts: 541
. The ironies in life, pay in cash for a ticket in a miles blog.
Jan 15, 2015, 8:59 am
#80
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: DFW
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, Admirals Club, Global Entry
Posts: 1,141
Ok, finally, that's enough.
There's no irony here at all. The truth is that using miles for international F and using ultra-low cost cash tickets for international flights (i.e., great deals!) are both at the very heart of everything Flyertalk represents. This stuff takes up tens of thousands of posts here. Hundreds of thousands, in fact. That most definitely and assuredly includes such semi-exotic stuff as cheap flights ex Colombo, Sri Lanka, ex places in the Middle East I've barely even heard of, and (even for us US residents) ex Europe.
In the past year or so, for example, Ben has flown back and forth from the US to deep South America on $1000-or-so cash tickets in F. Several times in three days. And he's flown back and forth from JFK to SFO/LAX on ultra-cheap fares in F. Also several times in three days and at a 3x elite qualifying miles bonus multiplier besides. This is called a "mileage run." Again, it's not anything I would understand or do, but Flyertalk folks do this kind of thing a lot. These days I gather it's often done more for status than miles, and the hard-core folks also do it to experience new products, new planes, and new airlines. Not that I would know from any personal experience at all.
None of this stuff is my cup of tea and, frankly, I don't really understand it personally, but pretending that it's somehow -- from a Flyertalk perspective -- odd or inappropriate or "ironic" or even a bit off the beaten track or hard to understand is fundamentally, absolutely and completely misguided.
My personal views? I think of it all like world-class mountaineering: it's crazy and I'd never in a million years do it myself but I like reading about it. And I think of the blogs as being like commercial TV: mostly it's trash and I skip just about all the commercials but sometimes it's really fun to watch. Sadly, this side of PBS and the BBC, nobody wants to entertain me completely for free . . . .
There's no irony here at all. The truth is that using miles for international F and using ultra-low cost cash tickets for international flights (i.e., great deals!) are both at the very heart of everything Flyertalk represents. This stuff takes up tens of thousands of posts here. Hundreds of thousands, in fact. That most definitely and assuredly includes such semi-exotic stuff as cheap flights ex Colombo, Sri Lanka, ex places in the Middle East I've barely even heard of, and (even for us US residents) ex Europe.
In the past year or so, for example, Ben has flown back and forth from the US to deep South America on $1000-or-so cash tickets in F. Several times in three days. And he's flown back and forth from JFK to SFO/LAX on ultra-cheap fares in F. Also several times in three days and at a 3x elite qualifying miles bonus multiplier besides. This is called a "mileage run." Again, it's not anything I would understand or do, but Flyertalk folks do this kind of thing a lot. These days I gather it's often done more for status than miles, and the hard-core folks also do it to experience new products, new planes, and new airlines. Not that I would know from any personal experience at all.
None of this stuff is my cup of tea and, frankly, I don't really understand it personally, but pretending that it's somehow -- from a Flyertalk perspective -- odd or inappropriate or "ironic" or even a bit off the beaten track or hard to understand is fundamentally, absolutely and completely misguided.
My personal views? I think of it all like world-class mountaineering: it's crazy and I'd never in a million years do it myself but I like reading about it. And I think of the blogs as being like commercial TV: mostly it's trash and I skip just about all the commercials but sometimes it's really fun to watch. Sadly, this side of PBS and the BBC, nobody wants to entertain me completely for free . . . .
Last edited by FallenPlat; Jan 15, 2015 at 9:17 am
Jan 15, 2015, 9:13 am
#81
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in LIMA, PERU
Posts: 58,588
Ok, finally, that's enough.
There's no irony here at all. The truth is that using miles for international F and using ultra-low cost cash tickets for international flights (i.e., great deals!) are both at the very heart of everything Flyertalk represents. This stuff takes up tens of thousands of posts here. Hundreds of thousands, in fact. That most definitely and assuredly includes such semi-exotic stuff such as cheap flights ex Colombo, Sri Lanka, ex places in the Middle East I've barely even heard of, and (even for us US residents) ex Europe.
In the past year or so, for example, Ben has flown back and forth from the US to deep South America on $1000-or-so cash tickets in F. Several times in three days. And he's flown back and forth from JFK to SFO/LAX on ultra-cheap fares in F. Also several times in three days and at a 3x elite qualifying miles bonus multiplier besides. This is called a "mileage run." Again, it's not anything I would understand or do, but Flyertalk folks do this kind of thing a lot. These days I gather it's often done more for status than miles, and the hard-core folks also do it to experience new products, new planes, and new airlines. Not that I would know from any personal experience at all.
None of this stuff is my cup of tea and, frankly, I don't really understand it, but pretending that it's somehow -- from a Flyertalk perspective -- odd or inappropriate or "ironic" or even a bit off the beaten track or hard to understand is fundamentally, absolutely and completely misguided.
My personal views? I think of it all like world-class mountaineering: it's crazy and I'd never in a million years do it myself but I like reading about it. And I think of the blogs as being like commercial TV: mostly it's trash and I skip just about all the commercials but sometimes it's really fun to watch. Sadly, this side of PBS and the BBC, nobody wants to entertain me completely for free . . . .
There's no irony here at all. The truth is that using miles for international F and using ultra-low cost cash tickets for international flights (i.e., great deals!) are both at the very heart of everything Flyertalk represents. This stuff takes up tens of thousands of posts here. Hundreds of thousands, in fact. That most definitely and assuredly includes such semi-exotic stuff such as cheap flights ex Colombo, Sri Lanka, ex places in the Middle East I've barely even heard of, and (even for us US residents) ex Europe.
In the past year or so, for example, Ben has flown back and forth from the US to deep South America on $1000-or-so cash tickets in F. Several times in three days. And he's flown back and forth from JFK to SFO/LAX on ultra-cheap fares in F. Also several times in three days and at a 3x elite qualifying miles bonus multiplier besides. This is called a "mileage run." Again, it's not anything I would understand or do, but Flyertalk folks do this kind of thing a lot. These days I gather it's often done more for status than miles, and the hard-core folks also do it to experience new products, new planes, and new airlines. Not that I would know from any personal experience at all.
None of this stuff is my cup of tea and, frankly, I don't really understand it, but pretending that it's somehow -- from a Flyertalk perspective -- odd or inappropriate or "ironic" or even a bit off the beaten track or hard to understand is fundamentally, absolutely and completely misguided.
My personal views? I think of it all like world-class mountaineering: it's crazy and I'd never in a million years do it myself but I like reading about it. And I think of the blogs as being like commercial TV: mostly it's trash and I skip just about all the commercials but sometimes it's really fun to watch. Sadly, this side of PBS and the BBC, nobody wants to entertain me completely for free . . . .
On FT, people talk about HOW they got the good deal fare or the miles to get an award ticket.
And I suspect that lack of transparency is because the real story would contradict the credit card pumping income stream story (apply for this card and you can be just like me!).
Which is fine, if a bit of hucksterism by implication.
Again, makes it a valuable resource for premium cabin research. Just not on how to get INTO those cabins.
But that's clearly not what he wants his blog to be.
Jan 15, 2015, 9:35 am
#82
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: BUF
Programs: SPG Plt, HHonors Gold, UA Gold, PC Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 880
my take is that i have zero faith in how he really is traveling - via points, cash, or whatever...
after the united e-cert thing, i really dont believe anything he says based how he affords his travels.
after the united e-cert thing, i really dont believe anything he says based how he affords his travels.
Jan 15, 2015, 10:00 am
#83
Join Date: Jul 2014
Programs: Jeff is Deaf
Posts: 541
My frustration with the blog is the lack of transparency in terms of bookings.
On FT, people talk about HOW they got the good deal fare or the miles to get an award ticket.
And I suspect that lack of transparency is because the real story would contradict the credit card pumping income stream story (apply for this card and you can be just like me!).
Which is fine, if a bit of hucksterism by implication.
Again, makes it a valuable resource for premium cabin research. Just not on how to get INTO those cabins.
But that's clearly not what he wants his blog to be.
On FT, people talk about HOW they got the good deal fare or the miles to get an award ticket.
And I suspect that lack of transparency is because the real story would contradict the credit card pumping income stream story (apply for this card and you can be just like me!).
Which is fine, if a bit of hucksterism by implication.
Again, makes it a valuable resource for premium cabin research. Just not on how to get INTO those cabins.
But that's clearly not what he wants his blog to be.
Last edited by YoungSoloTraveler; Jan 15, 2015 at 10:11 am
Jan 15, 2015, 10:02 am
#84
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: DFW
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, Admirals Club, Global Entry
Posts: 1,141
On the miles spent front, Ben usually posts the cash/points used, both for hotels and the flights. The miles-or-cash conundrum, in fact, is a frequent meme in many posts. Saying he doesn't usually do this is simply false.
On the miles earned front, on January 7, 2014, he posted a "miles acquired" pie chart that showed how he got his miles. A surprising (to me) amount were outright purchases. Look at the post. Again, saying this is a big hard-to-understand mystery is simply false.
But if you actually read the blog with any consistency, you'd know this. Or if you were a true miles-and-points guy, you'd know as well. (Hint: start with the Jan. 7, 2014 post; we've been promised one for this year, too, but it hasn't shown up yet.)
The question you should've asked, but didn't, is how he hears about the great fares and the great miles/points deals. Colombo?! Others on Flyertalk can give you that answer better than I. (Hint: You need a lot of hard, hard, hard-core hobbyist friends who trust you; this stuff isn't public.)
And finally, just because you don't know something doesn't mean others are equally in the dark (e.g., because the thing in question is just impossible to know) and it most definitely doesn't mean that the only explanation for your factual ignorance on this particular topic has to be that someone else is committing, just completely has to be committing, or is likely committing, or might be committing fraud.
Oh, and shouting, "Fraud!" at the top of my on-line lungs isn't something I would have the personal courage to do. I'd be afraid of what others might think of me. And of state libel laws since internet anonymity can sometimes be sadly fleeting.
On the miles earned front, on January 7, 2014, he posted a "miles acquired" pie chart that showed how he got his miles. A surprising (to me) amount were outright purchases. Look at the post. Again, saying this is a big hard-to-understand mystery is simply false.
But if you actually read the blog with any consistency, you'd know this. Or if you were a true miles-and-points guy, you'd know as well. (Hint: start with the Jan. 7, 2014 post; we've been promised one for this year, too, but it hasn't shown up yet.)
The question you should've asked, but didn't, is how he hears about the great fares and the great miles/points deals. Colombo?! Others on Flyertalk can give you that answer better than I. (Hint: You need a lot of hard, hard, hard-core hobbyist friends who trust you; this stuff isn't public.)
And finally, just because you don't know something doesn't mean others are equally in the dark (e.g., because the thing in question is just impossible to know) and it most definitely doesn't mean that the only explanation for your factual ignorance on this particular topic has to be that someone else is committing, just completely has to be committing, or is likely committing, or might be committing fraud.
Oh, and shouting, "Fraud!" at the top of my on-line lungs isn't something I would have the personal courage to do. I'd be afraid of what others might think of me. And of state libel laws since internet anonymity can sometimes be sadly fleeting.
Last edited by FallenPlat; Jan 15, 2015 at 10:07 am
Jan 15, 2015, 10:16 am
#85
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: SMF, SNA
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott Platinum Elite, IHG Diamond
Posts: 175
Totally agree on the lack of transparency.
If spending cash is how he does it, why is that unique? Anyone with the means can leverage some miles + cash and travel like he does. I'm guessing other FT'ers don't do mileage runs by exclusively flying in F class or Suites class on premium international carriers on a weekly or 2x-3x weekly basis.
Most of these bloggers state their goal is to show others how easy it is for them to travel by collecting miles, but OMaaT is quickly getting beyond that and morphing into a Rich kids of Instagram-like lifestyle blog. Fun reading yes, but not particularly useful.
If spending cash is how he does it, why is that unique? Anyone with the means can leverage some miles + cash and travel like he does. I'm guessing other FT'ers don't do mileage runs by exclusively flying in F class or Suites class on premium international carriers on a weekly or 2x-3x weekly basis.
Most of these bloggers state their goal is to show others how easy it is for them to travel by collecting miles, but OMaaT is quickly getting beyond that and morphing into a Rich kids of Instagram-like lifestyle blog. Fun reading yes, but not particularly useful.
Jan 15, 2015, 10:32 am
#86
Join Date: Jul 2014
Programs: Jeff is Deaf
Posts: 541
On the miles spent front, Ben usually posts the cash/points used, both for hotels and the flights. The miles-or-cash conundrum, in fact, is a frequent meme in many posts. Saying he doesn't usually do this is simply false.
On the miles earned front, on January 7, 2014, he posted a "miles acquired" pie chart that showed how he got his miles. A surprising (to me) amount were outright purchases. Look at the post. Again, saying this is a big hard-to-understand mystery is simply false.
But if you actually read the blog with any consistency, you'd know this. Or if you were a true miles-and-points guy, you'd know as well. (Hint: start with the Jan. 7, 2014 post; we've been promised one for this year, too, but it hasn't shown up yet.)
The question you should've asked, but didn't, is how he hears about the great fares and the great miles/points deals. Colombo?! Others on Flyertalk can give you that answer better than I. (Hint: You need a lot of hard, hard, hard-core hobbyist friends who trust you; this stuff isn't public.)
And finally, just because you don't know something doesn't mean others are equally in the dark (e.g., because the thing in question is just impossible to know) and it most definitely doesn't mean that the only explanation for your factual ignorance on this particular topic has to be that someone else is committing, just completely has to be committing, or is likely committing, or might be committing fraud.
Oh, and shouting, "Fraud!" at the top of my on-line lungs isn't something I would have the personal courage to do. I'd be afraid of what others might think of me. And of state libel laws since internet anonymity can sometimes be sadly fleeting.
On the miles earned front, on January 7, 2014, he posted a "miles acquired" pie chart that showed how he got his miles. A surprising (to me) amount were outright purchases. Look at the post. Again, saying this is a big hard-to-understand mystery is simply false.
But if you actually read the blog with any consistency, you'd know this. Or if you were a true miles-and-points guy, you'd know as well. (Hint: start with the Jan. 7, 2014 post; we've been promised one for this year, too, but it hasn't shown up yet.)
The question you should've asked, but didn't, is how he hears about the great fares and the great miles/points deals. Colombo?! Others on Flyertalk can give you that answer better than I. (Hint: You need a lot of hard, hard, hard-core hobbyist friends who trust you; this stuff isn't public.)
And finally, just because you don't know something doesn't mean others are equally in the dark (e.g., because the thing in question is just impossible to know) and it most definitely doesn't mean that the only explanation for your factual ignorance on this particular topic has to be that someone else is committing, just completely has to be committing, or is likely committing, or might be committing fraud.
Oh, and shouting, "Fraud!" at the top of my on-line lungs isn't something I would have the personal courage to do. I'd be afraid of what others might think of me. And of state libel laws since internet anonymity can sometimes be sadly fleeting.
I wonder what you would think of the stuff that gets posted on 4chan if you are so easily offended.Its not hard to find cheap routings out of out of the way countries, CMB, CAI. If you know how to use MATRIX properly this can all be found within hours. But clearly I am not a "travel expert", so what do I know.
Yes cause the average person is going to go back to January 2014....
I dunno whats your obsession with defending Lucky so much, but keep it chill. We are just saying the obvious here.
I love his pictures, much less his sometimes whiny posts (is this libel). At least he isnt credit card pumping that badly like MMS.
Jan 15, 2015, 10:52 am
#87
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: DFW
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, Admirals Club, Global Entry
Posts: 1,141
Yes, on the "utility" front the blog certainly focuses on spend rather than earn, but for me that's a feature not a bug since I mostly just read for the entertainment value anyway. I really just skip the "earn" posts since I'm not a credit card guy.
The "utility" I get is on topics like, say, what's so great about the Barclays Arrival Plus Card (answer: nothing for me) -- which I guess partly explains why I mostly skip that sort of thing.
The "utility" I get is on topics like, say, what's so great about the Barclays Arrival Plus Card (answer: nothing for me) -- which I guess partly explains why I mostly skip that sort of thing.
Jan 15, 2015, 2:42 pm
#88
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: SMF, SNA
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott Platinum Elite, IHG Diamond
Posts: 175
If there's no longer much personal usefulness from reading a blog, then it boils down to simple voyeurism into someone's [perceived] glamourous travel life. Can be fun, can be repetitively dull.
Can I just say, though, I am quite tired of seeing pictures of bubbly champagne glasses and caviar? I think we all got the memo about 100 [or 1,000] trip reports ago: they serve champagne and caviar in international F, huzzah.
Can I just say, though, I am quite tired of seeing pictures of bubbly champagne glasses and caviar? I think we all got the memo about 100 [or 1,000] trip reports ago: they serve champagne and caviar in international F, huzzah.
Jan 15, 2015, 6:20 pm
#89
Join Date: May 2004
Location: LAX
Posts: 1,849
he "revealed" he acquires 800K miles per year, still he needs that much
just for one week, if he travels on miles.
I can get he has some fans, fascinated by the caviar, but defending
his deceptions is something else...
Jan 16, 2015, 3:55 pm
#90
Join Date: May 2009
Location: South Park, CO
Programs: Tegridy Elite
Posts: 5,678
But this post isn’t to defend myself, but rather to share some thoughts on the judgy crowd, because I know I’m not the only one accused of “not really traveling.” And I assume if people say it to me, they say it to lots of others as well.