For me, it was 2000-2002. Mainly because I learned to play the game much more effectively, but by learning the programs inside and out (with a lot of help from FT) and by jumping on exceptional mileage-run-quality fares to ensure I kept the statuses that were important to me and kept earning 100% bonuses and more.

Specific things that I participated in during the past 2-3 years that are probably gone forever:

- 8 cheap Hampton nights = 1 free week in an Ocean-view Executive-level room at the Hilton Waikaloa Village.
- A few (I forget how many - about six or eight) cheap roundtrips booked at TWA.com = 2 free F tickets to the Caribbean + a six-month Ambassador's Club pass + the usual miles and bonuses earned on the paid flights.
- 70,000+ Skymiles for $10,000 in DL Amex spending, thanks to 10,000-mile first-use bonus and 50,000(!!!) mile $10K threshold bonus.
- The Sprint/NW 40,000 mile promo. (They HAD to lose boatloads of money on this one.)
- 2-ticket F awards to Hawaii on AA.

I will say this, however: I don't think 2003 is too bad, from an AA/Hilton/Marriott/DL perspective. I have award trips planned this summer and fall, and I'm getting the dates/flights/rooms I want. I never fly DL, so I haven't had to feel the pain that a loyal DL flier is feeling, but I was able to get 2 business-class tickets on DL when I needed them. 2002 and 2003 have been my best years yet for getting free trips. In 1999-2001, everything was sold out so often (especially nice hotels), I thought it was harder to get what I wanted back then.