Originally Posted by
canadiancow
The only time I encountered something like that was at YUL, but my traveling companion spoke the same officer right before me.
I don't even explain the contest. Keep it simple. "I'm flying to earn a bunch of miles, I'm coming back on the same plane."
At least that can be understood (even if they think you're crazy) very easily. Fly. Earn miles. Done.
I would never want to get into a whole "Hey so there's this Earn Your Wings thing and ..." explanation unless absolutely necessary.
the try the simple thing on my 1st Trip, didn't go so well. So, I change it, and change it, and change it, and now my robotic playback is just "I am in an Air Canada contest that required me fly to certain airports to get certain points. If I win, I will get 1 million Aeroplan miles!!". In my experience, it is the last line that keep them from asking any more questions, as to most people 1 millions Aeroplan miles "sound" a lot
. Usually, the next line is just confirming if I am leaving ORD or staying. I guess it is how comfortable/confidence you are when speaking to them, maybe my 1st Trip, I was not so prepare, so, I may have look nerves. My job fly me domestic 90% of the time, so, US custom is not something that I am very good at.