This is my 5000th post! (Well, assuming that my last 5 over in the UA forum don't get deleted....
)
Roughly 8.5 years to get here. Although that seems like a modest pace, a quick skim of the past few pages indicates that perhaps it is only a bit slower than average. Never ever would have imagined that I'd be here.
I'll recount my progression:
1. Hear about FT from a college buddy, kxl19. Listen to his mileage run stories for 2 years and swear he is insane.
2. Finally get curious and head to FT looking for mistake fares
3. Book cheap mistake fare (Air Europa, BOS-EWR-MAD for $170 was #1)
4. Do Asia trip with kxl19. Earn Silver status on NWA without trying (SIN+MAD)
5. Use silver status to pick up chicks
6. OK, it was only 1 chick. But she lived 1700 miles away.
7. Status match silver on NW to 2P on United because she lived in DEN. (Was that useful or what?)
8. Fly every other weekend for 2.5 years to see her.
9. Progress quickly from 2P to 1P and then to 1K.
10. Realize that a 1K card might have been more useful for impressing the ladies back at step 5.
11. Use 1K baggage allowance to move contents of an apartment 1700 miles, one flight at a time
12. Marry the girl from step 5
13. Have a momentary panic as we realize that living together means we no longer get to fly every other weekend
14. Come to realization that we can fly anywhere we want!
15. Discover that United actually has a route network consisting of more than BOS-DEN. Who knew?
16. Begin introducing Hobo Jr and Hobo Jr-ette to this crazy world!
I can't wait to see what the next 8.5 years will bring. Thanks FlyerTalk.