Friend who wants to earn 500,000 AAdvantage miles in 2009
Nov 18, 2008, 12:06 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 334
Friend who wants to earn 500,000 AAdvantage miles in 2009
I have a friend who wants to earn 500,000 AAdvantage miles in 2009. Other than the basic suggestions that I could offer her: Citibank AAdvantage credit card, and fly, fly, fly, I'm naive of the more substantial point-generating options.
In addition to reading these forums, are there a few places that you can offer to send her for advice?
Thank you.
In addition to reading these forums, are there a few places that you can offer to send her for advice?
Thank you.
Nov 18, 2008, 12:26 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, BA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 33,527
Cheers.
Nov 18, 2008, 1:15 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: PHL, NYC
Programs: AA PLT, DL SLV, UA SLV, MR LTT, HH DIA
Posts: 10,060
- Travel lots on AA and partners(preferably OW partners), earn PLT or EXP to get the larger bonuses
- Get a CitiAA card
- Stay at SPG hotels, earn gold/plat status to realize more SPG points and pay for stays with CitiAA card
- Cash in 20K SPG points as soon as you earn them, thus earning 25K AA points
- Buy/refinance a house with a Wells Fargo mortgage to earn a max of 35K points
- Buy every possible item possible through AA partners, with the CitiAA card
- Buy every item in everyday spending possible with the CitiAA card
Nov 18, 2008, 1:28 pm
#4
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 7,900
Gary's website maintains a list of all the latest bonuses and tricks:
www.freefrequentflyermiles.com
www.freefrequentflyermiles.com
Nov 18, 2008, 1:34 pm
#5
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 392
Register at idine (aa.rewardsnetwork.com) and eat out a lot. You can earn 10 miles for every dollar you spend, sometimes more when they've got bonuses going (presently it's 15 miles per dollar on dines over $50). Granted, you'd have to eat out a whole lot to make 500,000 miles, but hey, maybe your friend has a big appetite.
Nov 18, 2008, 1:36 pm
#6
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
Flying in paid F/J/C would also generate more points than flying in Y.
Nov 18, 2008, 3:39 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: SJC/VCE
Programs: AA PLT (2.9+ MM), HH GLD, Hyatt Diamond, SPG PLT
Posts: 10,161
MSN Live Search Club.
AAdvtanageeshoppping
AAdvtanageeshoppping
Nov 18, 2008, 3:42 pm
#8
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 644
Umm..paging Steve32? I think he did something like that. Though he might've had a timeshare, converting Marriott points to AA miles and there was a lot of bonuses that year, being the 25th Anniversary.
There's also idine and shopping through the AAdvantage mall.
There's also idine and shopping through the AAdvantage mall.
Nov 18, 2008, 3:57 pm
#9
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 94
Open a CD with Bank Direct and earn one mile for each dollar. We did this to get my husband some of the miles he needed for lifetime platinum. You also earn miles for checking accounts. That is the fastest way to earn alot of miles.
Nov 18, 2008, 4:23 pm
#10
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: LAX
Programs: AA EXP 1.5MM, Asiana Club Silver, KE Morning Calm, Hyatt Platinum, Amtrak Select
Posts: 7,161
Though not 500k in a year, here's what I did to get 710,000 miles in 3 years in the program:
1. Company took me on a business trip to Mexico. Signed up for AAdvantage 11/2005
2. Stumbled upon Flyertalk ^
3. Signed up for AA Citicard, started paying everything with my credit card*
4. Buying everything that I need on AA eShopping
5. Signed up for points.com
6. Watched a Lincoln Zephyr web-commercial
7. Test drove a Lincoln Zephyr
8. Signed up for e-rewards
9. Redeemed e-rewards when possible. AA left e-rewards program this year.
10. Signed up for GLD and PLT challenges
11. Flew a cheap LAX-ORD-ATL-LAX in F, making me obtain GLD status
12. Continued to fly until meeting PLT-lite requirements, but earning 25% elite bonus miles along the way from my newly obtained GLD-lite status
13. Continued to fly to reap 100% elite bonus mile benefits and to maintain at PLT status ever since.
14. Signed up for points.com special Gold Status promo (did not renew next year)
15. Joined AA Dining/Hotels program, drank $2 cup of coffee at local participating diner for the next 12 consecutive days to reach VIP status on Dining program, obtained 10 miles per dollar ever since.
16. Started booking hotels on the AA Dining/Hotel programs during my travels so I earn 5 miles / $1 spent. Found that earning miles per dollar spend was far greater than earning a meager 500 mi per stay.
17. Signed up for any promos in the Dining programs as it came along ^^ (these really do add up!!)
18. Signed up for OpinionPlace - the survey site does not like me
19. Started putting car-rental miles into AA
20. Bought a bunch of cheese wheels
21. Signed up NetFlix
22. Watched some BOSE videos and went to see a demo of a BOSE product, alter bought a BOSE QC2 headset
23. Will become EXP this weekend ^^^
That covers everything that I did for the past three years. Going at this pace, I'll hit 1MM (life GLD) in about 1.5 years!
* Keep a spreadsheet, pay everything (including utility bills!) with your credit card, pay it off the next week through your bank's online bill pay. Spent $300 on certain week? Don't wait for the credit card bill to come in the mail, keep a spreadsheet and pay it off through online bill pay on the next week and repeat this every week. This will keep our credit card balance low, helps your credit score, you get 1 mi / $1 everytime, you'll save money on stamps, and you don't get dinged on monthly finance charges because your balance is close to nil!
1. Company took me on a business trip to Mexico. Signed up for AAdvantage 11/2005
2. Stumbled upon Flyertalk ^
3. Signed up for AA Citicard, started paying everything with my credit card*
4. Buying everything that I need on AA eShopping
5. Signed up for points.com
6. Watched a Lincoln Zephyr web-commercial
7. Test drove a Lincoln Zephyr
8. Signed up for e-rewards
9. Redeemed e-rewards when possible. AA left e-rewards program this year.
10. Signed up for GLD and PLT challenges
11. Flew a cheap LAX-ORD-ATL-LAX in F, making me obtain GLD status
12. Continued to fly until meeting PLT-lite requirements, but earning 25% elite bonus miles along the way from my newly obtained GLD-lite status
13. Continued to fly to reap 100% elite bonus mile benefits and to maintain at PLT status ever since.
14. Signed up for points.com special Gold Status promo (did not renew next year)
15. Joined AA Dining/Hotels program, drank $2 cup of coffee at local participating diner for the next 12 consecutive days to reach VIP status on Dining program, obtained 10 miles per dollar ever since.
16. Started booking hotels on the AA Dining/Hotel programs during my travels so I earn 5 miles / $1 spent. Found that earning miles per dollar spend was far greater than earning a meager 500 mi per stay.
17. Signed up for any promos in the Dining programs as it came along ^^ (these really do add up!!)
18. Signed up for OpinionPlace - the survey site does not like me
19. Started putting car-rental miles into AA
20. Bought a bunch of cheese wheels
21. Signed up NetFlix
22. Watched some BOSE videos and went to see a demo of a BOSE product, alter bought a BOSE QC2 headset
23. Will become EXP this weekend ^^^
That covers everything that I did for the past three years. Going at this pace, I'll hit 1MM (life GLD) in about 1.5 years!
* Keep a spreadsheet, pay everything (including utility bills!) with your credit card, pay it off the next week through your bank's online bill pay. Spent $300 on certain week? Don't wait for the credit card bill to come in the mail, keep a spreadsheet and pay it off through online bill pay on the next week and repeat this every week. This will keep our credit card balance low, helps your credit score, you get 1 mi / $1 everytime, you'll save money on stamps, and you don't get dinged on monthly finance charges because your balance is close to nil!
Last edited by kebosabi; Nov 18, 2008 at 4:42 pm
Nov 18, 2008, 4:51 pm
#11
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: All over
Programs: AA-LTP, HH-DIA, Marriott-LT+AMB, Hyatt-Globalist, Hertz-PC, UA-GS
Posts: 6,828
Though not 500k in a year, here's what I did to get 710,000 miles in 3 years in the program:
1. Company took me on a business trip to Mexico. Signed up for AAdvantage 11/2005
2. Stumbled upon Flyertalk ^
3. Signed up for AA Citicard, started paying everything with my credit card*
4. Buying everything that I need on AA eShopping
5. Signed up for points.com
6. Watched a Lincoln Zephyr web-commercial
7. Test drove a Lincoln Zephyr
8. Signed up for e-rewards
9. Redeemed e-rewards when possible. AA left e-rewards program this year.
10. Signed up for GLD and PLT challenges
11. Flew a cheap LAX-ORD-ATL-LAX in F, making me obtain GLD status
12. Continued to fly until meeting PLT-lite requirements, but earning 25% elite bonus miles along the way from my newly obtained GLD-lite status
13. Continued to fly to reap 100% elite bonus mile benefits and to maintain at PLT status ever since.
14. Signed up for points.com special Gold Status promo (did not renew next year)
15. Joined AA Dining/Hotels program, drank $2 cup of coffee at local participating diner for the next 12 consecutive days to reach VIP status on Dining program, obtained 10 miles per dollar ever since.
16. Started booking hotels on the AA Dining/Hotel programs during my travels so I earn 5 miles / $1 spent. Found that earning miles per dollar spend was far greater than earning a meager 500 mi per stay.
17. Signed up for any promos in the Dining programs as it came along ^^ (these really do add up!!)
18. Signed up for OpinionPlace - the survey site does not like me
19. Started putting car-rental miles into AA
20. Bought a bunch of cheese wheels
21. Signed up NetFlix
22. Watched some BOSE videos and went to see a demo of a BOSE product, alter bought a BOSE QC2 headset
23. Will become EXP this weekend ^^^
That covers everything that I did for the past three years. Going at this pace, I'll hit 1MM (life GLD) in about 1.5 years!
* Keep a spreadsheet, pay everything (including utility bills!) with your credit card, pay it off the next week through your bank's online bill pay. Spent $300 on certain week? Don't wait for the credit card bill to come in the mail, keep a spreadsheet and pay it off through online bill pay on the next week and repeat this every week. This will keep our credit card balance low, helps your credit score, you get 1 mi / $1 everytime, you'll save money on stamps, and you don't get dinged on monthly finance charges because your balance is close to nil!
1. Company took me on a business trip to Mexico. Signed up for AAdvantage 11/2005
2. Stumbled upon Flyertalk ^
3. Signed up for AA Citicard, started paying everything with my credit card*
4. Buying everything that I need on AA eShopping
5. Signed up for points.com
6. Watched a Lincoln Zephyr web-commercial
7. Test drove a Lincoln Zephyr
8. Signed up for e-rewards
9. Redeemed e-rewards when possible. AA left e-rewards program this year.
10. Signed up for GLD and PLT challenges
11. Flew a cheap LAX-ORD-ATL-LAX in F, making me obtain GLD status
12. Continued to fly until meeting PLT-lite requirements, but earning 25% elite bonus miles along the way from my newly obtained GLD-lite status
13. Continued to fly to reap 100% elite bonus mile benefits and to maintain at PLT status ever since.
14. Signed up for points.com special Gold Status promo (did not renew next year)
15. Joined AA Dining/Hotels program, drank $2 cup of coffee at local participating diner for the next 12 consecutive days to reach VIP status on Dining program, obtained 10 miles per dollar ever since.
16. Started booking hotels on the AA Dining/Hotel programs during my travels so I earn 5 miles / $1 spent. Found that earning miles per dollar spend was far greater than earning a meager 500 mi per stay.
17. Signed up for any promos in the Dining programs as it came along ^^ (these really do add up!!)
18. Signed up for OpinionPlace - the survey site does not like me
19. Started putting car-rental miles into AA
20. Bought a bunch of cheese wheels
21. Signed up NetFlix
22. Watched some BOSE videos and went to see a demo of a BOSE product, alter bought a BOSE QC2 headset
23. Will become EXP this weekend ^^^
That covers everything that I did for the past three years. Going at this pace, I'll hit 1MM (life GLD) in about 1.5 years!
* Keep a spreadsheet, pay everything (including utility bills!) with your credit card, pay it off the next week through your bank's online bill pay. Spent $300 on certain week? Don't wait for the credit card bill to come in the mail, keep a spreadsheet and pay it off through online bill pay on the next week and repeat this every week. This will keep our credit card balance low, helps your credit score, you get 1 mi / $1 everytime, you'll save money on stamps, and you don't get dinged on monthly finance charges because your balance is close to nil!
Nov 18, 2008, 5:03 pm
#12
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: LAX
Programs: AA EXP 1.5MM, Asiana Club Silver, KE Morning Calm, Hyatt Platinum, Amtrak Select
Posts: 7,161
Though, it'd be nice to have a job that pays for my travels (hint: read my signature!).
Except for that first business trip to Mexico, the rest of my yearly PLT qualifying flights were out of pocket.
Nov 18, 2008, 5:15 pm
#13
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: All over
Programs: AA-LTP, HH-DIA, Marriott-LT+AMB, Hyatt-Globalist, Hertz-PC, UA-GS
Posts: 6,828
I don't think I qualify for a "road warrior" though. A nut, yes. A road warrior, no.
Though, it'd be nice to have a job that pays for my travels (hint: read my signature!).
Except for that first business trip to Mexico, the rest of my yearly PLT qualifying flights were out of pocket.
Though, it'd be nice to have a job that pays for my travels (hint: read my signature!).
Except for that first business trip to Mexico, the rest of my yearly PLT qualifying flights were out of pocket.
Nov 18, 2008, 5:20 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: MSY; 2-time FT Fantasy Football Champ, now in recovery.
Programs: AA lifetime GLD; UA Silver; Marriott LTTE; IHG Plat,
Posts: 14,517
They could purchase a $2.5 million home using one of the real estate partners. That'd net the whole half million points in one transaction.
Nov 18, 2008, 9:00 pm
#15
Moderator: New York City and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Programs: AA PLT, Natl EC
Posts: 10,855
Wiki update
Great thread! Prompted me to update the wiki page:
http://flyerguide.com/wiki/index.php...r_Mileage_(AA)
Please feel free to add more information. In particular, if someone could reconfirm that it's 'activity date' and not 'post date' that counts toward extending mileage expiration, please add that information to the "How Fast Do Partner Miles Post?" section. I recall seeing this posted here, but do not have firsthand experience. Thanks!
http://flyerguide.com/wiki/index.php...r_Mileage_(AA)
Please feel free to add more information. In particular, if someone could reconfirm that it's 'activity date' and not 'post date' that counts toward extending mileage expiration, please add that information to the "How Fast Do Partner Miles Post?" section. I recall seeing this posted here, but do not have firsthand experience. Thanks!