The only drawback to Wingnut's suggestion I can see is that some error fares might be spotted by users who do not fulfill the qualification for the error fare sub-forum. However, I think this could easily be solved - once a user like that (e.g., a user with a relatively low post count or newly registered user) posts a fare like that to the general mileage run forum, the moderator could move the post to the error fare sub-forum and grant that user access to that forum.

This would also mean that there would be an additional incentive for users to spot fares for the benefit of other Flyertalk members who have contributed.

Part of the qualification criteria for being allowed to the sub-forum could for instance be that only those users who have signed up for the ad-free version of Flyertalk by subscribing to one of Randy's publications would have access to the error-fare forum. Then one could really ensure that only users who, at least in some way, have contributed to Flyertalk (and if only monetarily) will have access to those error fares.

In my personal opinion, having signed up for the premium version of Flyertalk should only be one of the criteria, not the only one though, because otherwise it would be too easy for the airline/hotel lurkers to get access to that error fare forum.

The reason I added the part about the users of the error fare forum being obligated not to re-post the error fares to mailing lists is simply the same why I think the error fare forum would be good in the first place - so that only those should primarily benefit from such fares who have in some way previously contributed to Flyertalk - either by paying for premium Flyertalk or (and) by fulfilling certain other criteria (like, e.g., having made other Flyertalk users aware of a great fare themselves). Of course, once a user who is allowed to read the error fare sub-forum would re-post the deal to a mailing list, the benefit of the error fare sub-forum would be gone in an instant, so I think it is only logical to make it a requirement for users of that forum not to re-post these fares to mailing lists.

Again, I think wingnut's idea is fantastic.