Inspired by this thread, I thought I would start my own.

I've learned a lot about travelling from FlyerTalk, but I haven't paid too much attention to the Mileage Run forums.

I travel most weeks, 95% domestic US, based out of of north Houston, so I try to go everywhere by Continental. Don't do too much in the northwest USA, but I go everywhere else.

This year has been very heavy for me: 157,000 EQM (151.5 points). I've made Presidential Platinum, but not by much. If CO/UA raise the bar much next year, I almost certainly won't make it.

Work requirements mean that I don't usually take obscure routes to get to my destination. Fatigue (not to mention cost) generally preclude me from considering mileage runs!

But I do want to get "better" at this whole travel thing.

I'm thinking of accepting all VDBs I can 'safely' take. I might see if I can take the occasional longer route on return legs. I could then use VDBs to finance one or two crazy mileage runs somewhere.

What else I should be doing?