I have earned multiple millions of miles in various programs, and I use award tickets for economy only because.

1) I have gifted awards to no less than 18 relatives and friends, always leaving me with a nominal balance anyway. As previous threads discuss, a good philosophy is to use miles before they are devalued.

2) When I fly internationally for work, I fly paid business and upgrade to first with airline provided upgrade coupons. When I fly on my own nickel (revenue or miles), I sit in the back. It doesn’t hurt that much. When the flight lands, and you are still alive it is a relief to think of how many miles you have “saved.”

3) I used some of these “saved miles” to take my wife and kids on a cruise last year. If I had been flying business or first, this would not have been possible. There are many ways to redeem miles other than flights.

4) The service and food in first and business is overrated. I have never had a meal in the air that would be considered good on the ground. It is not the “treat” that many people think it is.

5) While I can sleep in fully reclining international first seats, I cannot sleep that well in the business class. But, if the load is light in the back, I can get 2 or 3 seats (or more) and stretch out and get some good rest. There will almost always be somebody sitting next to you in business or first, and even if there isn’t, the armrests don’t move.

My advice would be use the miles to sit in the back, and share the remainder, or do something else fun with them.


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United UGS, 1K, Million Mile Flyer
Hyatt Lifetime Diamond
Starwood Platimun