I've heard it said that your typical frequent flyer takes more flights in a year that the average person does in his/her entire life.

Well, it got me to thinking. Do we really do that? I've been searching for several hours with no good results for statistics to back this up, but based on my own experience I think it may be true. Maybe some of you out there are better researchers than I and can give some input to that, negative or positive.

Assuming one flight per week with 2 weeks off at home, my "model" FF'er would take 50 round trips per year. Assuming John Q. Average takes one round trip per year, from ages 20 to 70, that, too, equals 50 round trips per life.

I didn't even TRY to figure this using mileage...you'd have figure in international vs. domestic travel, etc. But it would, I think, also be a valid criterion.

What do you think? Feel free to challenge my baseline assumptions.