I would like to spend the next weekend away (Wed evening or Thu through Sunday) - but at the same time qualify for CO plat. I need 20000 miles (with DEQM ok). Departing from SYR or EWR, where can I go? I need two tickets, and can spend a max of 550 per ticket (without taxes). Can someone help me? Is there a different place where I should be posting this?

You can also post in the "Mileage Run" box. Also, I don't know if it was a typo or not, but I'm pretty sure your max spending per ticket is higher than "$50"?

Edit: seem like you have fixed your mistake. Lol.

Max spending $550/person - I forgot the $ sign in the original post - sorry! Any help would be greatly appreciated...

Getting 10,000 real miles for $550 at the last minute is going to be hard. HNL isn't far enough away. Neither is most of Europe.

Use www.farecompare.com/flyertalk to see what's available. As sbm12 said, you're too late for this week. Your best bet for the pure mileage is to do 2 west coast turns. The 'standard MR of EWR-IAH-SMF, 6000+ EQM - 12,000+ DEQM total can be had next week for 218 + taxes. Two of those and you're done.

The problem is you've already missed all the 7 day advance purchase fares.

There's an EWR-SFO S fare (SG73XSNN) that prices out $239 roundtrip, but it has a 7 day purchase requirement and a 3 day min stay, Dep/Ret Tue/Wed/Thurs/Sat. Two of those, and you've got your 10k EQMs @ $460.

(There are similar S fares to LAX/SNA/SAN/SEA.)

I just priced GIG through IAH in November, thrus afternoon to sat night (arriving back in EWR on Sunday) for $523 + taxes. 6,431 EQM each way, and you get to go to the beach!

Catch is, you need a visa to go to Brazil, so that will set you back 150.

I didn't know there was a 7 day advance purchase requirement for the lowest fares...Anyway - these are great options. I might do the weekend out in the second weekend of November-where I can go Thursday- Monday...Might open some good options....
One more question - if I use my cc points to purchase the ticket (25000 points for any ticket up to $550), can I still earn EQMs and DEQMs?

Sounds like you're using TYP for the ticket, right? Those should earn normally.

Remember you need book for flights departing after a certain cutoff date (check One Pass Program changes) near the end of October in order to qualify for 100% EQM earning for the lowest fare classes. Otherwise, you'd only earn 50% on flights not booked on co.com, glad this rule is going away at the end of this month.

If you can wait to December, try PHL to SMF through IAH.

You get 12k in your account and and I think 12k towards you EQM. Is that correct, 3400 each direction then double EQM???? for a total of 12k. It is close.

You can leave 5pm on Saturday and return at 12:30am Sunday and get home to watch the Giants beat somebody. Cost was 287.xx AI.

What is the likelihood of getting an upgrade as a Gold from EWR to SMF (Friday out back in on Monday)? If I get to ride up front that would make it a really nice weekend away...

EWR to SJC (San Jose) prices similarly, and if you don't mind landing on a grass runway it's not hard to get to San Francisco. The nonstops used to go out with Silvers in front, I had empty seats next to me sometimes, but no more. The EWR to IAH leg has gotten tough; I nabbed my last upgrade on that leg by changing to a more promising flight at an IAH kiosk, successfully fighting the $25 charge after I got home.

For these games, the PDF timetable is your friend: Scan EWR for destinations with a nice mileage, get it done in one flight. (Yeah, yeah, the misconnect in CLE is part of the charm of a mileage run. I'm not charmed.)

I'd add $100 to your budget and make one trip out of it, to somewhere interesting. Hidden costs for two boring trips will make this a push, anyways.

If CO raised its top elite level to 100K, many of us will be going through this exercise, to top off and enjoy a few short trips here and there. Doesn't have to be MR aesthetics to the trip, it could be grabbing a sale to somewhere far and amusing, on a nonstop that won't lead to trouble.

That's good advice for the upgrade. Thanks!
If I wanted to stop at LAS for another day or two at the end of the trip, how could I do it? Which airport in the west coast? Stop in IAH OK...weekend of 6-9 November, could stay untill the 10... Do you think it's too much for a weekend?

When will we have 100% EQMs for lower fare tickets not bought at continental.com? And do those earn DEQMs with the promotion, as well?