Originally Posted by redwall850
Mileage runners will spend 8-24 hours of time flying around to get miles at one cent per mile but do not think 2.5 cents per mile with no time invested except sitting at a computer making a transaction and paying your credit card is worth it.
If you are doing MR for status, OK I understand this just to top off what you need for status.
If you do it as a hobby because you don't have anything else to do with your time like family, sports, fun stuff, work, OK I understand some people do not have a personnal life.
If you are just trying to accumulate miles then I say stay home and buy the miles you need.
Short
Buying miles or getting them for non-flying almost always count towards elite status, whereas butt-in-the-seat miles usually do. Therefore many are willing to sit on a plane(s) for a long time if they can both use the miles towards future travel (or upgrades) and towards getting elite status. (And once you get elite status, you often get a bonus percentage of miles for flights - so it's double dipping and then some).