This is an amazing board. The talent here is unique to the travel industry. I'd say you should all go into the travel industry, but you would all be broke very soon for finding such cheap fares to far off lands. My problem is not unique. I discovered Mileage runs a few months ago, but NOTHING like what you folks are capapble of. I need some guidance. I have a two week trip already planned, but I have no problem breaking it up into sections or what ever I can come up with to GET MILES on UNITED. Currently I am scheduled to leave Portland, OR on January 12 to go to Hawaii (business not fun) and I will return on Saturday January 25 (?). My ticket is $440 and paid for by my company. Here is what I need help doing. I have no problem cashing in the ticket, paying the United $100 fee (and ending up with $350 to spend) and adding in another $700 of my own. With my total cash available in the $1,000 range, I want to create a trip (or trips) that will get me as many miles as possible and then end up in Honolulu on the 13th of January. I could also take the trip to Honolulu on the 12th (as scheduled) and then fly the following weekend to ANYWHERE on the STAR Alliance. I checked with United about looping a Portland- Frankfurt- Honolulu- Portland in the beginning (January 10-12), and that is a possibility, but everyone here is so much more skilled at identifying the routes, I hope you can guide me in my chase. As the old saying goes, "Where do I go from here?"
Phil Pelletier