Thanks to Randy, and thanks to all of you who regularly contribute valuable information to FlyerTalk.

For many years, up until nine years ago, Hunki and I were pretty typical business flyers. We got the cheapest tickets and flew in coach. In 1996 we took one of our first leisure trips together, to Hawaii. It was the first time that I remember walking through first and business on a three class plane, on our way to middle seats in coach. Those lovely looking, empty business seats were calling my name throughout the entire flight. I decided then and there that I needed to figure out how to do my best to make sure that I got myself into first or business from then on--Hunki too, of course.

Our next major flight (the one that hooked me up with Flyer Talk in 1998) was going to be on award tickets for our entire family from Seattle to London, London to Malaga, Malaga to Barcelona, Barcelona to Palma, Palma back to London and then back to Seattle. Had we purchased those tickets they would have cost a total of $60,000.00, but we got them for a pittance in taxes.

OK, from then on I was an absolute addict. I admit it. For the past six years, all but 2 or 3 of our domestic flights have been in first or business and all of our international flight have been in business or first--thanks to all of you and the amazing information you have shared on FT over the past 7 years. How totally cool is that!

Even better, we have learned how to accumulate enough miles to park ourselves in business or first on as many flights as we want to take for the rest of our lives.

Oh yeah, we have also made tons of wonderful friends and had dozens and dozens of totally amazing travel experiences with fabulous FlyerTalkers.

Cool beans!