Going for the Gold
Nov 18, 2004 | 7:52 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Houston TX
Posts: 284
Going for the Gold
I currently have 48,073 elite miles for 2004. Gold is 50,000. Problem is that I have no more trips on Continental scheduled for this year.
So questions to the group:
1) What are the chances that Continental will give me the Gold (they did this about 7 or 8 years ago once when I was close but things are a lot tighter now)
2) Is getting the Gold over Silver worth any $$$ - I only travel with my wife a couple of times a year so the companion upgrade is not worth much but higher up on the upgrade list for my own trips may count for something.
3) Assuming it is worth a monetary expenditure, what is the cheapest (and quickest in terms of time used) way to earn those last miles. [To answer this you may need to know that my closest airport is IAH]
thanks,
Alan
So questions to the group:
1) What are the chances that Continental will give me the Gold (they did this about 7 or 8 years ago once when I was close but things are a lot tighter now)
2) Is getting the Gold over Silver worth any $$$ - I only travel with my wife a couple of times a year so the companion upgrade is not worth much but higher up on the upgrade list for my own trips may count for something.
3) Assuming it is worth a monetary expenditure, what is the cheapest (and quickest in terms of time used) way to earn those last miles. [To answer this you may need to know that my closest airport is IAH]
thanks,
Alan
Nov 18, 2004 | 10:57 pm
#2
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: southern CA
Programs: CO Gold; Hilton Gold; PC/Ambassador Gold
Posts: 621
Originally Posted by exiled2tx
I currently have 48,073 elite miles for 2004. Gold is 50,000. Problem is that I have no more trips on Continental scheduled for this year.
So questions to the group:
1) What are the chances that Continental will give me the Gold (they did this about 7 or 8 years ago once when I was close but things are a lot tighter now)
2) Is getting the Gold over Silver worth any $$$ - I only travel with my wife a couple of times a year so the companion upgrade is not worth much but higher up on the upgrade list for my own trips may count for something.
3) Assuming it is worth a monetary expenditure, what is the cheapest (and quickest in terms of time used) way to earn those last miles. [To answer this you may need to know that my closest airport is IAH]
thanks,
Alan
So questions to the group:
1) What are the chances that Continental will give me the Gold (they did this about 7 or 8 years ago once when I was close but things are a lot tighter now)
2) Is getting the Gold over Silver worth any $$$ - I only travel with my wife a couple of times a year so the companion upgrade is not worth much but higher up on the upgrade list for my own trips may count for something.
3) Assuming it is worth a monetary expenditure, what is the cheapest (and quickest in terms of time used) way to earn those last miles. [To answer this you may need to know that my closest airport is IAH]
thanks,
Alan
Have you checked Yahoo's Best Fares:
http://search.travel.yahoo.com/bin/s...intl=us&oc=iah
Maybe a couple of quick MRs to MSY?
Nov 19, 2004 | 4:30 am
#3
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Houston
Programs: UA: MM
Posts: 851
You can try to tack something onto an IAH-AUS and back. I did IAH-AUS followed by a AUS-CLL or AUS-DFW and the Houston Austin flights were on the same plane, I just got off in Austin and turned right around and got back on. I don't know if you can time it all in one day, but it's worth a shot. My last trip (and it was not a run, I needed to be in all the places) was:
IAH-AUS (1 point 500 EQM)
AUS-DFW (2 points, 1000 EQM through Houston)
return two days later
DFW-IAH (1 point 500 EQM)
The AUS-DFW connection in Houston was a little tight (C36 to E18) but I made it. The total fare was $143.
The trick to this is you need to make your second leg (AUS-XXX) from Austin to the final destination or it charges you more. (That is, don't try to book it AUS-IAH-DFW, just AUS-DFW).
I would think you could find a way to make all four segments in one day. Good Luck.
FWIW
DLM
PS , Don't try to check a bag if you do this; they'll unload it in AUS and you have to fetch it and recheck it.
IAH-AUS (1 point 500 EQM)
AUS-DFW (2 points, 1000 EQM through Houston)
return two days later
DFW-IAH (1 point 500 EQM)
The AUS-DFW connection in Houston was a little tight (C36 to E18) but I made it. The total fare was $143.
The trick to this is you need to make your second leg (AUS-XXX) from Austin to the final destination or it charges you more. (That is, don't try to book it AUS-IAH-DFW, just AUS-DFW).
I would think you could find a way to make all four segments in one day. Good Luck.
FWIW
DLM
PS , Don't try to check a bag if you do this; they'll unload it in AUS and you have to fetch it and recheck it.
Nov 19, 2004 | 9:13 am
#4
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Central Florida
Programs: Bonvoy-Gold, HH-Gold, UA-Gold, *A-Gold, Hyatt-Discoverist
Posts: 2,046
Originally Posted by dmunz
You can try to tack something onto an IAH-AUS and back. I did IAH-AUS followed by a AUS-CLL or AUS-DFW and the Houston Austin flights were on the same plane, I just got off in Austin and turned right around and got back on. I don't know if you can time it all in one day, but it's worth a shot. My last trip (and it was not a run, I needed to be in all the places) was:
IAH-AUS (1 point 500 EQM)
AUS-DFW (2 points, 1000 EQM through Houston)
return two days later
DFW-IAH (1 point 500 EQM)
The AUS-DFW connection in Houston was a little tight (C36 to E18) but I made it. The total fare was $143.
The trick to this is you need to make your second leg (AUS-XXX) from Austin to the final destination or it charges you more. (That is, don't try to book it AUS-IAH-DFW, just AUS-DFW).
I would think you could find a way to make all four segments in one day. Good Luck.
FWIW
DLM
PS , Don't try to check a bag if you do this; they'll unload it in AUS and you have to fetch it and recheck it.
IAH-AUS (1 point 500 EQM)
AUS-DFW (2 points, 1000 EQM through Houston)
return two days later
DFW-IAH (1 point 500 EQM)
The AUS-DFW connection in Houston was a little tight (C36 to E18) but I made it. The total fare was $143.
The trick to this is you need to make your second leg (AUS-XXX) from Austin to the final destination or it charges you more. (That is, don't try to book it AUS-IAH-DFW, just AUS-DFW).
I would think you could find a way to make all four segments in one day. Good Luck.
FWIW
DLM
PS , Don't try to check a bag if you do this; they'll unload it in AUS and you have to fetch it and recheck it.
I was over 10K miles from Gold. I did a mileage run last weekend to Alaska: LGA-IAH-SEA-ANC-SEA-IAH-LGA which netted my a cool 9.4K miles and for only $375!!! I only stayed for 8 hours and got a rental car for around $30 (w/ gas!). I generous FT'er in the area met me for dinner and let me use their shower! I am taking Amtrak this weekend on the Acela to Boston from NY-Penn for another 1K miles for $150. So, for under $600 I was able to make up over 10K miles.
To answer your question, if you are within 1000 miles from an elite level, they usually will comp you, but not until late February. It seems standard policy, but you never know when they will stop.
The point is to keep on looking you may find a ridiculous fare for 2K miles and your problem is eliminated.
- HF
P.S. Look for LCC (low cost carrier) cities to fly to and you usually can get a deal with no saturday night even on some.
Last edited by HobokenFlyer; Nov 19, 2004 at 9:15 am
Nov 20, 2004 | 4:41 am
#5
In Memoriam
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: EWR (Wayne Township, NJ) and PHX
Programs: CO OnePass Plat and SPG - Plat, Marriott Plat (don't use -it's a comp), AmericaWest CP
Posts: 4,810
Go for it!
Gold from Silver? Go for it... esp since yous so close, might as well ensure your Gold Status for the next year... having gone with Silver - Gold and soon to Plat. I can tell you I notice a difference when it comes to EUA, the 3 day out is much nicer than waiting at the airport... for a battlefield UG...
-Vincent
-Vincent
Nov 20, 2004 | 7:46 am
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 17,769
Plus, the 100% mileage bonus is better than the 25% by far!!! Go for it.
Nov 20, 2004 | 9:49 am
#7
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: dc
Programs: CO Silver
Posts: 46
Originally Posted by BenjaminNYC
Plus, the 100% mileage bonus is better than the 25% by far!!! Go for it.
Nov 20, 2004 | 9:20 pm
#8
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 17,769
Originally Posted by poisondarts
it's 50% for silver, not 25%. but 100% is still better
But yes OP, go for GLD!!
Nov 22, 2004 | 10:19 am
#9
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Vancouver Island CA, Boquete PA, Buenos AIres AR
Programs: UA MM P *G, Global Entry, Marriott, Hilton, Fairmont, Hyatt, Starwood etc
Posts: 323
What is a LCC city and how does one find/use them?
Great suggestions, but LCC must be a term of art. For a newbie, how do you find and use them? 
Look for LCC (low cost carrier) cities to fly to and you usually can get a deal with no saturday night even on some.[/QUOTE]
Look for LCC (low cost carrier) cities to fly to and you usually can get a deal with no saturday night even on some.[/QUOTE]
Nov 22, 2004 | 10:53 am
#10
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Central Florida
Programs: Bonvoy-Gold, HH-Gold, UA-Gold, *A-Gold, Hyatt-Discoverist
Posts: 2,046
Originally Posted by landrew
Great suggestions, but LCC must be a term of art. For a newbie, how do you find and use them?
Look for LCC (low cost carrier) cities to fly to and you usually can get a deal with no saturday night even on some.
Look for LCC (low cost carrier) cities to fly to and you usually can get a deal with no saturday night even on some.
Any city that JetBlue, AirTran and Southwest flies. Usually the majors have to heavily compete on price to these cities that an LCC serves also, especially if they compete on a Non-Stop route.
- HF