My reason for mileage run is pure and simple: maintaining the elite status in 2001. Is paying $0.05/mile flown a smart use of my money and time? Well, my better half thinks I am insane, but puts up with me anyway. I think it is well worth it. I try not to think about the TCO per elite mile for my two scheduled mileage runs: spending even 2 days in Paris has never been cheap (not the way I do it, anyway). But if one decides to blow some money, he/she might as well do it in style. To me, Paris miles runs are much more palatable than let's say flying back and forth to PEK. Just my 2 cents.