Let the Mileage Run Games Begin! (2023)
Mar 5, 2023, 4:53 am
#106
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: AS MVPG, DL KM, Bee Six, Bonvoy Plat, Avis PC, Natl Exec, Greyhound Road Rewards Z"L
Posts: 16,701
I think I'm done with MRs for a bit, barring cheap fares popping up for April. I was really hoping to have flown a bit more, but it is what it is. There's always Q4.
-J.
-J.
Mar 5, 2023, 7:42 am
#107
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AS 75K, DL Silver, UA Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Platinum + LT Gold
Posts: 10,502
I thought I was crazy in the amount of MRs I fly, but some of y'all are on another level
Mar 5, 2023, 8:13 am
#108
Join Date: Sep 2011
Programs: AS 100K and AS 1MM
Posts: 76
Somewhat relevant side-topic - interesting article from 2016 about how the domestic majors have made mileage runs increasingly irrelevant.
https://thepointsguy.com/2016/07/mileage-run-dead/
AS seems to be the only US airline that focuses on distance alone, but my hunch is that credit card spend will increasingly play a larger role in terms of achieving status, even for AS elites.
https://thepointsguy.com/2016/07/mileage-run-dead/
AS seems to be the only US airline that focuses on distance alone, but my hunch is that credit card spend will increasingly play a larger role in terms of achieving status, even for AS elites.
Mar 5, 2023, 12:18 pm
#110
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: YYZ, SFO
Programs: AS 100K, UA*S, IHG Plat, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond | Formerly: AC Super Elite
Posts: 2,476
Mar 5, 2023, 2:26 pm
#111
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: SFO
Programs: AS 75k, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 544
I applaud you all! I've only done 4 transcon mileage runs and I'm tired. That with organic travel only has me at 29k EQM so far. I have a Europe trip coming up and other domestic spring/summer travel so I'll evaluate in Q3/Q4 what I need to bridge the gap to 75k. Hopefully there will be some good AS deals in the fall.
Mar 6, 2023, 11:23 am
#112
Join Date: May 2011
Location: CMH
Programs: w/+1: AS MVPG; IHG/Marriott Plat; Hilton/BW Diamond; Hertz Prez; SG Silver
Posts: 1,188
My wife needed 10k for MVPG. CMH-SEA-CMH, CMH-JFK-SFO-JFK-SFO-SEA-CMH. She got one upgrade to 1st as an MVP, had 2 flights delayed and 1 cancelled. 2 hotel nights on certs. 13,644 mi for $1231=9 cpm. Our goal used to be nmt 6 cpm.
What is your cutoff cpm? Did you do better than 9 cpm?
What is your cutoff cpm? Did you do better than 9 cpm?
Mar 6, 2023, 11:48 am
#113
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: AS MVPG, DL KM, Bee Six, Bonvoy Plat, Avis PC, Natl Exec, Greyhound Road Rewards Z"L
Posts: 16,701
Yikes. I won't do a MR if it's more than 8 cpm. Was looking at some ANC itineraries for next month and got them down to around 7ish, though flying ANC-FAI-ANC and then to points southeast seems like a little overkill.
I was first sucked into AS when they had the 50% off sales and I was getting sub-2 cpm.
-J.
I was first sucked into AS when they had the 50% off sales and I was getting sub-2 cpm.
-J.
Mar 6, 2023, 3:28 pm
#114
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS 75K, BW Plat, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 10,724
Yikes. I won't do a MR if it's more than 8 cpm. Was looking at some ANC itineraries for next month and got them down to around 7ish, though flying ANC-FAI-ANC and then to points southeast seems like a little overkill.
I was first sucked into AS when they had the 50% off sales and I was getting sub-2 cpm.
-J.
I was first sucked into AS when they had the 50% off sales and I was getting sub-2 cpm.
-J.
1. Concentrating my mileage runs during mileage run "season" (January/February/October)
2. Using the companion certificate--I don't usually book mileage runs without my spouse because that would result in one of us not having the same status and it would result in too much time away from each other on weekends.
Mar 6, 2023, 3:37 pm
#115
Join Date: Dec 2021
Programs: Alaska Gold 75
Posts: 27
Recovering from an extended Sat/Sun transcon (ANC LAX FLL LAX SEA ANC) at a CPM of 6.3 cent/mile or $594 for 9431 BIS miles in 28 hours. In all cases, miles hit my account within minutes of landing. Even better, the 20K mileage challenge posted on the return leg to LAX and triggered FC upgrades on the next two flights 
Note to self, the SEA overnight from midnight to 6am should be avoided. One coffeeshop open, that's it. Even the self-driving robot floor cleaners were bored.
Note to self, the SEA overnight from midnight to 6am should be avoided. One coffeeshop open, that's it. Even the self-driving robot floor cleaners were bored.
Mar 8, 2023, 1:59 am
#116
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: West coast, USA
Programs: AS MVPG, Aeroplan 50k, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium, UA Silver
Posts: 39
usually the transcons to boston, nyc, fll are the ones i do, just to get the cpm around 4-5. more than 6 i try not to touch. i usually keep an excel sheet with the distances locked with the formula inputted so i can just check quickly what the cpm will be.
Mar 11, 2023, 11:32 pm
#117
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: PDX
Programs: AS 75K, Marriotts Titanium, OWE, UA Silver
Posts: 42
8 cpm would be a no-go for me.....I generally prefer to keep mileage runs at 5 cpm or less by:
1. Concentrating my mileage runs during mileage run "season" (January/February/October)
2. Using the companion certificate--I don't usually book mileage runs without my spouse because that would result in one of us not having the same status and it would result in too much time away from each other on weekends.
1. Concentrating my mileage runs during mileage run "season" (January/February/October)
2. Using the companion certificate--I don't usually book mileage runs without my spouse because that would result in one of us not having the same status and it would result in too much time away from each other on weekends.
5 cpm or less, companion cert., in main cabin because we have about a 70% upgrade success.
Just did our last PDX-EWR-PDX mr for the winter season. 40k bis so far this year. We may hit 100k this year with our international travel.
Apr 18, 2023, 2:46 pm
#119
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS 75K, BW Plat, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 10,724
This reminds me of the mileage run deal back during the VX days when you could buy a SFO-LAX ticket and connect in FLL or JFK---anyone remember that one? I crossed the country twice in one weekend and since it was VX (crediting to AS), there were no elite upgrades to F....the middle seat in the last row on JFK-SFO was the real low point of the trip.