Giving up the frequent flyer 'Hobby'
Jan 13, 2020, 1:08 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 344
Giving up the frequent flyer 'Hobby'
So I recently decided to give up or at least pause on the frequent flyer 'hobby'.
I've had a good run, many years as Gold (expires May), lots of J and F with BA (amongst others) and lots of nice destinations but I've decided to pull back from the hobby. Here's why
Thank-you for indulging me in this post
I've had a good run, many years as Gold (expires May), lots of J and F with BA (amongst others) and lots of nice destinations but I've decided to pull back from the hobby. Here's why
- Personal situation: My SO can no longer travel often due to health reasons. This means that the points will sit with BA / MR and the companion vouchers will be forfeited
- Work Situation: Much much less travel and much less at the front of the plane. I won't even make Gold this year and am not prepared to do POUGs and points runs to fund Gold
- Ethical situation: It's hard to justify 'flying for fun' in current climate. I know many people feel differently, no judgement
- Health: Flying isn't great for my health, I eat and drink too much
- I feel like a weight has been lifted somewhat.
- When travelling I book the best flight not the one that will accrue points and I'm generally passive when . it comes to earning now.
- When spending money on credit I push it through a cashback card not BA / MR.
- I'm not constantly trying to user vouchers and points
- I've started exploring options for downtime that don't involve zeroing in on LongHaul J/F
Thank-you for indulging me in this post
Jan 13, 2020, 1:18 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,144
All perfectly valid reasons. Everyone has their own perspectives on the game, and certainly your personal considerations are just that.
I'm glad I/we haven't had to cut back of l/h holidays, but that time can't be too far off at our (70+) ages.
I'm glad I/we haven't had to cut back of l/h holidays, but that time can't be too far off at our (70+) ages.
Jan 13, 2020, 1:38 pm
#3
Join Date: Aug 2018
Programs: BAEC Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 152
I guess I’m at the opposite end of the journey: just started becoming a frequent flyer. In fact I’m doing my first tier point run next weekend to get gold.
Would be good to get any tips/advice you have for a beginner starting out? Also some highlights of your time spent in the air?
Would be good to get any tips/advice you have for a beginner starting out? Also some highlights of your time spent in the air?
Jan 13, 2020, 1:45 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,144
I guess I’m at the opposite end of the journey: just started becoming a frequent flyer. In fact I’m doing my first tier point run next weekend to get gold.
Would be good to get any tips/advice you have for a beginner starting out? Also some highlights of your time spent in the air?
Would be good to get any tips/advice you have for a beginner starting out? Also some highlights of your time spent in the air?
Have a planning calendar that starts at the beginning of your Membership Year. I use www.timeanddate.com to generate a printout for drafting purposes, but I'm sure others exist. Or be clever on Excel, of course.
Depends on personal circumstances, again. As retired Leisure travellers, we just try to have 6/7 holidays a year [mainly l/h], evenly spread, going somewhere warm and accruing Gold TPs. YMMV.
Jan 13, 2020, 1:55 pm
#5
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: London
Programs: BA Silver Seigneur des Horaires des Mucci.
Posts: 2,047
I am on the cusp of the OPs position
but not quite there yet
It depends where my next travels will be
I think my income may have peaked so will have to have less extravagant travel in the future
I do though still feel a reasonable strong bond to BA
at times its a bit like another target to reach each year on top of everything else !
I get the impression that all airlines are cutting back across the board and BA is not alone
On the other hand when I have flown other airlines I find that seat selection even though not charging for is restricted to non frequent flyers of that airline
I take one year at a time.,,,
but not quite there yet
It depends where my next travels will be
I think my income may have peaked so will have to have less extravagant travel in the future
I do though still feel a reasonable strong bond to BA
at times its a bit like another target to reach each year on top of everything else !
I get the impression that all airlines are cutting back across the board and BA is not alone
On the other hand when I have flown other airlines I find that seat selection even though not charging for is restricted to non frequent flyers of that airline
I take one year at a time.,,,
Jan 13, 2020, 2:43 pm
#9
Join Date: May 2011
Location: CWL
Programs: BA Blue, Hilton Gold
Posts: 300
I echo your feelings OP. I still enjoy flying but have shifted my outlook to flying as a means of getting to the destination I want to enjoy, and not being the deciding factor in where I travel to. Not chasing points and status has made me somewhat more relaxed over the whole situation; if I don’t have lounge access I can always find a bar with a decent gin or tonic or glass of wine and waste away my time there instead.
Jan 13, 2020, 3:07 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 344
The whole hobby, for me at least, became too much effort and the margins between buying a premium seat in the sale of flying ex Europe rather than using miles was too low.
Also some highlights of your time spent in the air?
- First time in J - wow
- First time in Qantas PJs
- First time on an A380 (was in J and sat at a bar in a plane for 8 hours, yes a bar on a plane)
- First OP UP to J, ditto J - F
- First F (LHR-NYC) and first concorde room experience
- First F on Emirates and Cathay
- First F SYD-LHR - too much LPG
- First time in Sydney, Auckland, Hong Kong etc
- Getting drunk with someone very very famous in F to SFO
- Flying back from Toronto after getting some awful news and the BA cabin crew looking after me
Jan 13, 2020, 3:29 pm
#11
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: BA - Blue > Bronze > Silver > Bronze > Blue
Posts: 6,812
Freeing yourselves from the shackles of a singular alliance is a liberating thing.
if you’re flying business anyway the benefits of status are not great, I suspect most but all of the most frequent flyers would be better off choosing the best / cheapest option rather than chasing status.
if you’re flying business anyway the benefits of status are not great, I suspect most but all of the most frequent flyers would be better off choosing the best / cheapest option rather than chasing status.
Jan 13, 2020, 5:34 pm
#13
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: NYC
Programs: AA - EXP
Posts: 233
Sorry to hear about your SO's health issues, wishing them all the best.
I totally feel you on the ethical conundrum. There have been instances where I've found points/miles useful to get direct oneway routings that are out of my price range otherwise. I vowed that 2019 was the last year I would take out of the way routings for the sake of higher points and miles earnings.
Best of luck with your future free from the shackles.
I totally feel you on the ethical conundrum. There have been instances where I've found points/miles useful to get direct oneway routings that are out of my price range otherwise. I vowed that 2019 was the last year I would take out of the way routings for the sake of higher points and miles earnings.
Best of luck with your future free from the shackles.
Jan 13, 2020, 7:12 pm
#14
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Orlando
Programs: Delta-Million miler
Posts: 1,312
Ditto
1. Retired- no more frequent travel
2. Two recent back surgeries. Severe leg pain. RLS Can’t sit for a long time.
3. Been there. Done that. Sightseeing doesn’t excite me anymore.
4. Diminished and fixed income.
5. can’t justify high cost of Delta fares to earn more and more miles. Find many cheaper fares by other carriers.
6. Two dogs. Can’t travel with them (or without them). Car driving preferred.
7. sliding scale from platinum, to gold, to silver. My qualify for 2 million in Delta after another 400K miles but unlikely to fly.
8. My Delta/AmEx platinum card cost has gone up. Will give up that and lose miles. A major portion of ,y current miles come from that.
1. Retired- no more frequent travel
2. Two recent back surgeries. Severe leg pain. RLS Can’t sit for a long time.
3. Been there. Done that. Sightseeing doesn’t excite me anymore.
4. Diminished and fixed income.
5. can’t justify high cost of Delta fares to earn more and more miles. Find many cheaper fares by other carriers.
6. Two dogs. Can’t travel with them (or without them). Car driving preferred.
7. sliding scale from platinum, to gold, to silver. My qualify for 2 million in Delta after another 400K miles but unlikely to fly.
8. My Delta/AmEx platinum card cost has gone up. Will give up that and lose miles. A major portion of ,y current miles come from that.
Jan 13, 2020, 11:23 pm
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 344
Sorry to hear about your SO's health issues, wishing them all the best.
I totally feel you on the ethical conundrum. There have been instances where I've found points/miles useful to get direct oneway routings that are out of my price range otherwise. I vowed that 2019 was the last year I would take out of the way routings for the sake of higher points and miles earnings.
Best of luck with your future free from the shackles.
I totally feel you on the ethical conundrum. There have been instances where I've found points/miles useful to get direct oneway routings that are out of my price range otherwise. I vowed that 2019 was the last year I would take out of the way routings for the sake of higher points and miles earnings.
Best of luck with your future free from the shackles.