Lakisha Campbell is ready to fly.

A 27-year-old electronic-commerce executive from Baltimore, Ms. Campbell is a self-proclaimed frequent-flier mileage "nut" who flies more than 200,000 miles a year and plans to take full advantage of the low fares and bonus miles recently announced by the airlines. She will do a "mileage run," where travelers take a quick trip solely to accumulate miles, which will take her across the country four times in two days: Baltimore to Houston to San Diego to Newark, N.J., to Orlando, Fla., to Newark to San Diego to Los Angeles and back to Baltimore.

The entire trip will cost $250 and generate more than 24,000 frequent-flier miles. More importantly, it will qualify her for Gold status on Continental Airlines. As an elite-level passenger, Ms. Campbell will have more chances to upgrade to first class, and she'll be able to use a dedicated line at the ticket counter, enabling her to bypass long lines at check-in.

In the wake of the terrorist attacks, the airlines first must win back their own customer base before worrying about attracting new passengers. In addition to lowering both business and leisure fares, the airlines have turned to what has always been the single most powerful weapon to attract and retain business travelers: frequent-flier programs.

Ms. Campbell says she had a previous mileage run scheduled for the afternoon of Sept. 11. While she was horrified by the events of that day, she is determined not to let what happened alter the way in which she chooses to spend her free time.

"My philosophy is that life is too short to worry about things you have no control over," she says. "I know it might be different if I were married or had kids, but travel is one of the great joys in my life. My friends all know I don't buy new clothes; I buy mileage runs."

Last week, several airlines announced double-mileage offers, reduced mileage for award travel and extended elite-level status to new and existing passengers. Coupled with historically low fares, these offers are proving irresistible to some people who fly for a living or just love to fly.

"The junkies are back in the business," says Randy Petersen, editor of InsideFlyer, a magazine that tracks the frequent-flier industry. "They're opportunists by nature, and there has never been so much opportunity to get bennies and perks."

Joe Lin, an American Airlines platinum-level flier from Boston, plans to spend the next few months in the air. He recently returned from a 38-hour weekend trip to Tokyo that netted him a total of 36,000 miles for $679.

"The thing I like best about these Japan runs is the ability to turn around at the airport without a hotel stay," he says. "Those can really screw up the dollar-per-mile ratio, and chew up extra time."

Mr. Lin has scheduled another mileage run for flights from Boston to Chicago to Tokyo and on to Taipei, Taiwan. After spending three days with family, he will return to Boston via Los Angeles. He bought one of AMR Corp.'s American Airlines special Web fares that enabled him to buy a round-trip ticket for $650. He will earn about 45,000 bonus miles in the process.

For many people, the promise of free travel has lost its luster in recent weeks. Even those who enjoy playing the frequent-flier game confess to being wary about their next trip.

Ryan Girard, a salesman from Dana Point, Calif., hasn't flown since August. Before his mileage run next month, he is thinking about taking a quick trip to San Francisco, just to get the first flight over with.

"I'm still nervous, just like everyone else," he says. "But I think the best cure is to get myself on a plane and just go."

Mr. Girard and his friends are planning to take a red-eye Continental flight from San Diego to Newark. From Newark, they will continue on to Orlando, return to Newark and then fly back to San Diego all in one day. The ticket cost $123.50 and Mr. Girard expects to earn about 20,000 miles once the applicable bonuses are tabulated.

"Right now, we're thinking of getting back on the red-eye that night and doing it again the next day," he says. "Forty thousand miles in two days -- that's hard to pass up."

(Edited to add Randy's quote plus more flyer antics)

http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/...6505967440.htm

[This message has been edited by wigstheone (edited 10-09-2001).]