Originally Posted by
mrswirl
Check out this thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...+did+you+spend
There are several posters who claim to spend as little as $2500 - $3000. If you consider LGA-SFO-SYD is roughly 20k EQMs all it takes if 5 round-trips in the $600-$700 range to equal ~$3000. With vouchers and other certs you can bring that down even further.
It's been a while since there was a $700 fare to Australia from the east coast or DEQMs to make it possible to earn 1K for $2500-$3000. And most high-yield 1Ks forget it is their companies footing the bill, not to mention they actually fly a lot less than 100K BIS given either full Y or COS bonuses for C and F fares. For those low-yield 1Ks you so disdain, not only did they earn that status the hard way, in UA's coach cabin (and single screen 744s at the to Australia), they paid for it in after-tax personal dollars! And not all of them ran scams to collect those vouchers you refer to.