I see it as a hobby with benefits. I personally enjoy the challenge of putting it all together. I have visited places I didn't start out intending to because I could get award flights to or from there. The marketing of miles and awards creates unrealistic expectations for the average person with relatively inflexible holidays. I'm fortunate in that I have the ability to adjust my schedule, making award flights totally viable and relatively easy. I start with a general geographical area I want to visit and search options. I've booked over 30 international J&F award flights over the last 5 years, but it often required adjustments and detours from where I was initially headed. I've received tens of thousands of dollars of value and feel a little bit like I'm "sticking it to the man" doing it.