Originally Posted by channa
My target on cost per mile earned is a penny per mile. With the promotions this past year and some really great fares, I've been able to bring that down significantly (last I checked I was banking CO miles at a clip of $0.007 or so, sometimes less).
I think you'd be better off staging yourself to a different city (CLE is pricey for fares and has restricted routing rules). A cheapie trip to ORD or BWI to get started on a series of runs would enable you to improve your cost per mile.
Good advice as usual. But I have some self-imposed constraints and an ambitious goal getting in the way of otherwise good advice. My goal, by the way, is to become Gold before the year is half over--so I can reap the benefits thereof
this year and next.
Now, about those constraints. 1) I want to avoid being away from home overnight. Family issues and all; don't ask. 2) I want to avoid connections. Here's why: Three months of my goal's six month window is winter in Ohio. Hell, maybe four months! And even where it's not so wintry, there are still ice storms and fog, like from Texas to Maine anymore. Connections make for
missed connections and possible nights away from home. (See constraint 1).
So, that leads me to choose long nonstops from CLE, which include LAS, LAX, PHX and SFO. (SEA is only seasonal and not the winter season, that's for sure!) From my analysis, LAS is the clear winner at $198.40 for 3650 miles ($0.054/mile). (Thank you, America West!) To achieve your 1-cent per mile benchmark, I'd have to fly 3650 miles for $36.50. I don't see that happening in this universe.
So, I'm flying to LAS and back to CLE on the same plane. Impossible to miss my "connection." Yes, I know the winter weather in CLE (or skydiving Elvises in LAS) can still thwart me, but that's a given. Unnecessarily adding ORD or BWI to the mix is not palatable to me, despite the better fares. And remember, I'm also throwing in a few genuine vacation trips: HNL, CDG and LGW, all with beaucoup miles! ^
So, who knows, if I reach my 50,000 mile goal by July, what's to stop me from snagging another 25,000 before the year-end? I may become--dare I say it?--Platinum! (Cue the angels on high.) LAS will get pretty boring after say the sixth visit to the airport slot machines. But, take heart. Non-stops to SEA will be operating by mid-year. And, hell, why not take a jaunt to ANC? It's not a nonstop from CLE but neither are CDG or HNL and I'm going to them!
Oh, I can't wait to join the ranks of the insufferably whiny Plats who scream bloody murder when they are only getting upgrades 99% of the time. Why, the indignity of it all! Ahhh, I can hardly wait.
