Now I will go into FT (pre cancer: April 2001 to Oct 2011).
I will try not to write too much but I can write many pages on FT benefited me (and others along the way!)
In Apri 2001, I joined FT a year after looking at
www.clarkhoward.com travel forums. I wanted to find a cheap trip to London (Note: at that time, that was the cheapest all in airfare--especially from the west coast!!). NO excessive taxes, etc!!!
When I joined FT, my travel world changed by orders of magnitudes!! I did the following in the first year of FT:
1. bought mistake fare DEN-FRA on LH for $137ai. I booked a 6 segment trip on UA LAX-DEN and upgraded on all legs
2. Comped US Gold to UA PremEx (both mid tiers at the time)
3. Took alot of bumps and bought alot of $150-$200 transcons!
By 2002-2004, I was taking $400-$500 LAX/ONT/SNA-SIN trips. I routed thru HNL. stopped for free @NRT/HGK and took advantage of promos. On two SIN trips, I got 5X miles on two SIN runs, made 1K for 3 yrs & got upgraded almost all the time.
The most fun I had was I met FTers doing the same thing. One time, my boss found out I took a long weekend to SIN and asked me about it!! That was during one of my 5X promos. I told her that trip gave me enough miles to go to Australia in intl F!!! Not much more was said!!!
Toe brief, I had to work in a full time job, etc. Word got around that I was the "go to" person at work (expert) for finding deals on airfares. I was happy to help them!!! that was always my nature and it was my "fun" hobby. I becamed well traveled in the coming years because of FT!!!
In early 2004, I met my wife & we married in Sept 2006. She was the complete opposite of me. Her big airline trip was on AS in 1988 to Mexico.
I did take her to FCO in late 2005 (I used 40K RT off peak coach for her ticket and I used an expiring $600 bump voucher from 2002. (long story on how I got a 1 yr voucher to extend that long!! trick posted on FT at the time!!!). I proposed to her @St Peter's Square. I was cruel and took her in coach!!! I took her to Hawaii twice.
For a while, I didn't travel alot w/her when I first got married. Being a very good wife, she allowed me to use up most of my upgrades on UA/AA (for 2004, I was both UA 1K & AA Exec Plat. I then took her to Hawaii in upgraded Biz w/lots of legroom. By then, I was AA Plat. the upgrades did not go thru and my wife was spoiled!!! She was sad!
I promised her I would take her to Europe in Biz!! Every Europe trip was in upgraded Biz (I would burn miles for her & take chances w/upgrades! I snagged Biz every time!!).
There are alot more examples of fun travels but I will move to the last series: FT from Oct 2011 to present when I first got dignosed with cancer.