I disagree with the idea that only status makes a mileage run worthwhile. I would do a mileage run just for the miles if it were cost effective. In fact, I'm doing two mileage runs in the coming weeks because they are cost effective. Chicago to Singapore on two consecutive weekends. Total cost for both round-trips: $1580. Total miles with e-booking, United Premier Executive bonus and United "summer of hell" bonus: 122,000 miles. This translates into about $.007 per mile if my math is right. That's right, less than a penny per mile. So for $1580, I'm getting almost 5 free continental U.S. free flights. What's the value of that? If I used them to take last minute transcon flights, it's worth about $8000. If I use those miles for almost 4 free trips to Hawaii, it's still worth nearly $4000. So, a mileage run can be profitable if you like planes enough to sit in them for 40 hours.

And that's not even counting the four books of flight upgrade coupons that I will get for flying the nearly 40,000 miles. Those coupon books combined are worth $500. So my total cost is essentially $1080 for 122,000 miles. That's less than half a cent per mile!

By the way, I define a mileage run as a trip you would not take if there weren't frequent flyer programs. And you can't stay in your destination for more than 12 hours. Anything more is a vacation.

I agree that status is an important factor in making a mileage run. I wouldn't be doing these runs if they didn't bump me into a higher status level. But there's no reason why a mileage run can't help your status AND be cost effective.