Digging around in the basement I found the letter welcoming me to AAdvantage on March 17, 1992 when I was six years old. My Father signed me up.

As a child I traveled a few times a year with my family but in 2002, I got my start, I call it everything after it "The Frequent Flyer Era". I joined Flyertalk that year, and learned of the AA Gold Challenge. As I was looking at colleges in Colorado and Arizona, I managed to select flights that would get me enough miles to make status. I don't think my Dad really liked flying LAX-DEN-PHX with me, but he was nice enough to put up with it. I reached AA Gold on September 22, 2002, a month before my 17th birthday. For said birthday, I went to California to see a friend of mine and took my first flight with status (JFK-SJC) on October 25, 2002.

After that, I was hooked. I signed up for every program I could, began mileage running, joined promos, got the America West BofA Debit Card when I went to college and UA/AA credit cards after I graduated. Everyone in college thought I was crazy, and my family and friends still do now, but I've really enjoyed this 8 year ride and I'm excited to see where it goes.

What a great thread.