Who: I am a meteorologist working at a DoE National Laboratory studying processes in precipitating cloud systems.
When: December 2, a very enjoyable flight in Y from ORD to SFO to attend a conference. Competent crew, seemed to love their job! Pity I can not say the same about my first flight as gold..
How: This year was 100% work travel. This is my first full year on UA.. Due to OW connections when I first moved to the states I moved from QF to AA.. But work's contract carrier is UA.. So I status matched to Silver.. A trip back home made up a goodly portion of the path to Gold..
Where: MSY, LGA, DCA, LGA, SYD, MEL, YYZ, TLS (via FRA), DEN, DCA, DEN, SFO ... Been a busy year.. I would rather make my status with three Asia trips
Why: By important I mean it is welcome.. I really did not change my patterns to make gold.. But I will enjoy international lounge access (since i dropped paid access as it is just not worth it) I could not imagine being status-less in the USA.. As a gold I get treated as well as a status-less flyer in Australia
What: I will be very hard pressed to maintain gold next year.. Travel is getting harder and harder.. But I have had some amazing successes in 2012 which may translate to opportunities in Asia... So far my planned travel is about 10K short of gold..