I pay for all my travel and hotels myself. I accumulate approx 8k NW miles per month using WP visa - I did little flying this year due to illness so I will have no status 03. I flew mileage runs last year to make NW Gold elite, and currently have around 350k.
Primary use is for bringing family over from UK, although I will burn some for myself in early 03 on a self indulgent trip somewhere.
I nearly always buy tickets and suffer coach to maximise the miles. I can use the cheap miles for the expensive tickets from UK in the summer for the kids.
HH - very disappointed with the recent increases. I started collecting HH this summer when CNTU was around, and made 185k with laundering orphan miles and the suchlike. I was planning to do a London GLON in early 03 but will save them now for a ALON for my family next year. (If I can find availability) I guess the VIP awards were the undiscovered value in the Hotel awards world for too long.
I am currently transitioning from NW WP Visa to Starwood Amex, if I can get the Amex LOC up to a useful level.


[This message has been edited by RDY3238 (edited 12-22-2002).]