Ruhr

Hi. I just need to post this to get it off my chest and discuss with people who might understand.

I've done my share of overnight runs to get the elite qualification miles and spending, and I achieved my elite status goals for this year already (United Platinum). I had booked a for-fun, inexpensive getaway (to a city about 1500 miles away) this weekend. The flight was going to leave this morning, with an overnight stay at hotel, return tomorrow morning.

Overnight bag was diligently packed. All set last night. Then I had a little too much to drink. When I woke up this morning, I felt sick. And exhausted. Didn't want to do it. So I cancelled the flight. The fare was less than the change fee, so I'll have to eat that cost. I'm eating the cost of the airport hotel too (non-refundable).

I feel a little guilty throwing it away, but I guess if I really needed this trip, I would have found a way to go (or not put myself in this situation).

Have you done something like this before--just decided not to go on your mileage run? How did you feel about it after?

jeffery352

Definitely...back before EQMs existed, I would do periodic weekend runs from the US to Europe when airfare dropped below $400. One time I was scheduled to go to Brussels on Friday after work, staying a night in Belgium, and then heading back on that Sunday.

But on that Friday morning, I woke up and realized I had zero desire to try to sleep in an economy seat transatlantic, and take my jetlagged self around a new city with a language I barely knew....so I ate the cost of the ticket, begged Hilton to let me refund (bless their heart they did), and -- here's the fun part -- I didn't tell any of my friends at home that I did NOT do the mileage run ... so I had an entire weekend to myself with no obligations, and I spent the weekend at home reading and watching really bad television.

Was well worth it.

mikew99

A few years ago, I had the bright idea to go out clubbing the night before a MR. I woke up with a hangover, looked at the clock, realized that I still had time to make it to the airport -- and promptly went right back to sleep.

Due to the cost being less than the change fee, it became my pure contribution to the airline's profit margins for that year.

mav

No, I have never done that, been on them all, but if I was ill and didn't need the miles to make status for that year and the price was cheap enough I would do what you did. I have only done a few turnarounds, most of the time stay one or 2 nights wherever I go and MOST of the time have a good time. Actually, I can't remember having a bad time.

FlyingIsCool

I'm just coming back from one of those "bad" experiences. I flew back home on Thursday, had a couple of extra drinks on my flight back and continued when I got home. Fortunately my flight on Friday was at noon. Was a semi-miserable flight on Friday. Needed to do this mileage run so I can make 1K this year.

Madone59

I know the feeling man. I have never cxled a trip but sometimes I just don't want to go. I'm trying to keep these thoughts out of my head thought because I have a 42,000 mile trip planned for Jan 2017

Enjoy being no the ground, your EQM will be turned back to 0 and the race will start again soon enough

tomasdev

Kinda the opposite, but reading the confessions make me wanna share it.

Earlier this year, I booked a BOS-LAX-BOS trip and I live in NY. I had to take a bus the night before, had to sleep at BOS until TSA opened 4.30am. By the time I got to LAX, 11.30am, and my return flight being 4.30pm, I was exhausted. I just wanted to get back at home. I asked an agent to put me on the 12.30pm flight to NYC and then a connection to BOS (so I could drop off) but it was too late. She couldn't do it.

I arrived back at BOS 11.15pm, and my bus ($5 each of the megabuses) was next day 9 am... Had to work the following day. Decided to make a run, and just go to the stop and try to catch the last bus available, no matter the cost.

Ended up paying $50 on a megabus, to be back at NY 4am. Ended up WFH the full day. My run was less profitable, and I learnt a ton about not taking "close but not so close" airport runs.

Instead of forfeiting it, I made it more expensive and still flew it lol.

mav

WOW! BUT that's a LOT of miles . What is your itinerary? Good news is you will almost half way there for pqm's ^

puppysara

One time I had a LAX/JFK RT and two days later was booked on LAX-MAD flt for vacation with husband. Storm was threatening the East Coast. The potential of getting stuck in JFK wasn't acceptable. My husband doesn't travel well and our u/gs had already cleared to MAD. I cancelled the JFK trip. The other was to Asia with two 8 HR JAL legs in coach. I was tired and didn't want the turn in Jakarta plus the coach seats on JAL. Cancelled, paid the change fee and took a voucher. Never regretted either cancellation. It's history. Put it out of your mind.

Ruhr

Hey thanks everyone for sharing some of your stories. It's a few days since I skipped my trip and I'm over it. I don't feel guilty any more, and I'm glad I went through this experience so that I can strive to not get myself in this situation in the future.

Not surprisingly, my credit card was charged for the pre-paid room. Interestingly, the hotel chain gave me points and a stay credit, even though I cancelled. LOL. I'll take it.

beckoa

I got off a trip somewhere in the L48. Was scheduled to take the n/s ANC-DEN redeye within a few hours of arriving home. I was tired and really didn't need the miles or the trip. It was a cheap flight, but I stayed home, despite being upgraded. Since I was flying AS as an MVPG+ I deposited the flight into mywallet

Ruhr

I neglected to say that on my cancelled trip this past weekend, I got upgraded 4/4 of the segments: on the cheapest fare class! I love you, 1K status! Two of those flights had meal service. But I walked away from that. Again, it's OK, it's OK. Over it.

Palal

Sometimes you just have to slow down and take it easy. Health is more important than mileage runs

TYSDoc

I had a good laugh reading along. I recently bailed on one of mine. It was a same day MR, but required a 2 1/2 hr drive to the starting airport for a 6am departure. Getting back at 11pm with a 2 1/2 hr drive home. No alcohol, but a stiff back and recovering froma cold... yeah. Bailed on it and stayed in bed with my hot lady all day. Regrets? Zero.

ULDB65

Haven't outright cancelled one, but after booking some bad connections for a super cheap run in Y (long layover in bad airport), ended up paying to change to a better connection underway, to get more hotel time at the destination. Learned a lesson that some deals aren't worth it, and my sanity is worth something.

Unrelated, and its not technically a mileage run, but a crazy end-of-year closing deals run starting 12/28: TPA-ATL-SEA-HKG-ICN-DTW-TPA-ATL-CDG-OTP-AMS-DTW-TPA

I spend New Years Eve in Bucharest, with a hotel. The rest is go go go. Fortunately, it's all up front, including upper deck on two 747 legs, one DL and one KE. Happy holidays!