I feel like a Johnny come-lately. Maybe my childhood was dull.

My story is pretty simple. Once upon a time, I had just enough AA miles (from Citicards and a Marriott travel package) to get my wife and I into business class on a USA to Europe flight.

The following year we took an organized tour to Australia and New Zealand. Air arrangements were made by the tour group (in coach) on Air Tahiti Nui. 18 hours from LAX to Sydney (including a stopover in Tahiti) in coach. Brutal.

It should now be very obvious how I got heavily into the points/miles game. It has become a necessity.

Moral to the story: NEVER allow your wife to sit in J on a long-haul flight unless you understand that you will never sit in coach again on an international flight.