Mileage Run Discussion Forum Updated MR Tools & Forum User Guide
Dec 8, 2012, 10:25 pm
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Mileage Run Discussion Forum Updated MR Tools & Forum User Guide
Welcome to the Flyertalk Mileage Run Discussion forum!
This forum introduction and FAQ is meant to offer a quick overview of what Mileage Runs (or MR for short) are, why some people fly them and how you can arrange them for yourself.
Unlike the Mileage Run Deals forum — which is reserved for current fare deals — this forum allows for a wider range of topics are they relate to MR's. Topics include methods to maximize miles/points (trips dedicated to no other reason than the miles/points), or creative alteration of trips to extend their earning capacity in often unique ways.
That said there could be other forums on FT where your topic might be more suited such as on one of the airline forums if your question is specific to that frequent flyer program, or the Travel Tools forum where technical questions of the travel tools themselves can be better answered.
Fare requests — meaning asking for ticket prices between two airports on specific dates — is frowned upon by FlyerTalk members as they are not really functions of FlyerTalk. Rather, we recommend that you consult a travel professional.
If you are not sure where to post please ask one of the volunteer forum moderators as we're here to help.
So what is a Mileage Run?
Simply put a MR is trip flown solely to gain the airline frequent flyer points or miles, often to obtain or retain elite status. NBC’s Today Show recently reported on them and the article and imbedded video in this link and provides a really useful starting point for the uninitiated.
How to plan a Mileage Run?
There are almost as many different types of MR’s as there are MRers and there are no right or wrong answers as everyone is different but the techniques of searching and finding them are fairly standard. FTer VPescado offered some great advice in this thread.
Learning the lingo helps in your search and this glossary explains the various airline and airfare terms.
Mileage Run Tools
There are a many online search tools used to construct MR’s but the most common search engine used is ITA. There is an excellent guide to using ITA here and some past FT threads on refining search results:
Other online tools that members find highly useful are:
Again, the Travel Tools forum was created to handle specific discussion on the tools themselves so please consult that forum if you have a technical question or error response.
This summary is meant to serve as fast facts not as an exhaustive MR manual, as the best teacher is trial & error. Your input on improving it is welcome and strongly encouraged. Please contact a Mileage Run forum moderator by private message (PM) as we are always willing to listen.
Many thanks to bhatnasx, the original author of the forum sticky from which this update was based.
— Mileage Run Moderators
This forum introduction and FAQ is meant to offer a quick overview of what Mileage Runs (or MR for short) are, why some people fly them and how you can arrange them for yourself.
Unlike the Mileage Run Deals forum — which is reserved for current fare deals — this forum allows for a wider range of topics are they relate to MR's. Topics include methods to maximize miles/points (trips dedicated to no other reason than the miles/points), or creative alteration of trips to extend their earning capacity in often unique ways.
That said there could be other forums on FT where your topic might be more suited such as on one of the airline forums if your question is specific to that frequent flyer program, or the Travel Tools forum where technical questions of the travel tools themselves can be better answered.
Fare requests — meaning asking for ticket prices between two airports on specific dates — is frowned upon by FlyerTalk members as they are not really functions of FlyerTalk. Rather, we recommend that you consult a travel professional.
If you are not sure where to post please ask one of the volunteer forum moderators as we're here to help.
So what is a Mileage Run?
Simply put a MR is trip flown solely to gain the airline frequent flyer points or miles, often to obtain or retain elite status. NBC’s Today Show recently reported on them and the article and imbedded video in this link and provides a really useful starting point for the uninitiated.
How to plan a Mileage Run?
There are almost as many different types of MR’s as there are MRers and there are no right or wrong answers as everyone is different but the techniques of searching and finding them are fairly standard. FTer VPescado offered some great advice in this thread.
Learning the lingo helps in your search and this glossary explains the various airline and airfare terms.
Mileage Run Tools
There are a many online search tools used to construct MR’s but the most common search engine used is ITA. There is an excellent guide to using ITA here and some past FT threads on refining search results:
- http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/milea...?highlight=ITA
- http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/milea...?highlight=ITA
- http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/milea...?highlight=ITA
- http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/milea...?highlight=ITA
Other online tools that members find highly useful are:
- KVS Tool allows its users to access real-time info on Flight Availability, Award/Upgrade Availability, Fares, Seat Maps, and more. Various levels of paid access exist and there is more in this FT thread.
- Fare Compare lists cheap domestic & international flights and discount airfares as well allowing members to create FareCompare Fare Alerts which allow them to monitor airline ticket prices of all major airlines and send notices if prices fall below preset levels.
- Skyscanner is a leading global travel search site, providing instant online comparisons for millions of flights on over a thousand airlines, as well as car hire, hotels, holidays and insurance.
- Kayak allows fare searches of hundreds of travel sites to find cheap flight deals.
- Travelocity FareWatcher Plus tracks round-trip fares on up to 10 routes and emails updates to subscribers when prices change.
- Airfare Watchdog bills itself as the only low airfare alert site that covers all airlines and checks availability on the fares listed.
- Expert Flyer, or EF as it's known for short, doesn't sell tickets but gives the best information so you can buy your tickets anywhere, online or off. Either a free or paid pro subscription service. There's more on EF in this FT thread.
- Great Circle Mapper is a web tool for visualizing the great circle path between airports around the globe and for computing the distance along this path. You might see this referred to as GCM.
- Airline Route Mapper is a Windows program for exploring route maps of over 550 airlines! More discussion in this FT thread.
- While not a search engine or tool, the Boarding Area blog does have some excellent user-friendly MR topics and advice.
Again, the Travel Tools forum was created to handle specific discussion on the tools themselves so please consult that forum if you have a technical question or error response.
This summary is meant to serve as fast facts not as an exhaustive MR manual, as the best teacher is trial & error. Your input on improving it is welcome and strongly encouraged. Please contact a Mileage Run forum moderator by private message (PM) as we are always willing to listen.
Many thanks to bhatnasx, the original author of the forum sticky from which this update was based.
— Mileage Run Moderators
Last edited by tcook052; Feb 8, 2014 at 9:53 pm
