The Shortest Distance Between Two Points is
 

You would have thought that a non-stop flight between two places would be the shortest distance.

But according to continental.com, IAH-EWR is 1415 miles but if you do the same route and change in BNA, it is only 1405 miles.

It would seem that the issue is that IAH-EWR is actually only 1400 miles, while the BNA connection is actually only 1404. The miles credited are based on something different than reality on many, many routes. Another great example that I've experienced recently is EWR-ORD. On CO the flight earns 719 though it only earns 717 on BD when flown on UA. Go figure.

Yeah, it's true but odd that CO has been giving away "free" miles on one of its routes with the most traffic. Anyways, if I measure on Google Earth, it's only 1398 miles from the IAH Marriott to the center of the EWR parking area.

Even from CO's HQ in Downtown Houston to Downtown Newark, it's only 1410 miles.

This thread really shows why it's important to check the effectiveness of your connections.

I always laugh when we see some mileage runner post a bunch of connections that don't buy him anything. We see it a lot on UA where they hubs can often be in a straight line: e.g., BOS-ORD-DEN-SFO is only 18 miles longer than BOS-SFO. That's a lot of work for 18 miles. :)

LOL! You guys are making me addicted to FT....no more eating, sleeping, family, etc. Well, maybe not quite that severely addicted, but on FT many times a day ;)

Occasionally some hapless soul may need to qualify by segments. Otherwise, I can't think of much reason for BOS-ORD-DEN-SFO.

Don't fly straight
 

Actually the shortest distance between EWR and IAH would pass about 60 miles below BNA ;)

Well on my HKG-JFK (on CX but CO flies same route to EWR) flight the other day, we flew up over Japan, over the north Pacific, crossed the West coast between YVR and SEA and headed into JFK. The Great Circle Mapper indicates that this routing is nearly 900 miles longer (+11%) than the polar route. Presumably the 150+ mph tailwinds over Japan/Pacific make up for that.

My point -- the shortest distance between two points is not necessarily a straight line. Of course, I did not get the actual mileage of the flight, only the "shortest distance" mileage. :(

If CO cuts back on the miles awarded for IAH-EWR, I know who gave them the idea :p

Seriously though, if we wish to reflect on exact mileage, perhaps we should take into account any ATC holding pattern and weather diversion miles (I've heard of NYC-ORD flights deviating as far south as MEM to skirt summer thunderstorms).

If any mileage accruals need modification, I suggest they do away with direct flight mileage and give us miles for each segment!

There was CLE-EWR flight that went to EWR and had to turn around back to CLE due to the snow/ice.
It should have earned double the miles

3x. It eventually took off again from CLE and made it successfully. It was CLE-EWR(no landing)-CLE-EWR... 3 hyphens = 3 legs.

I've done that to AUS before from IAH. We were on final and turned around when the landing gear headlight didn't come on as we deployed the wheels (something that was broken on the ground at IAH but that they thought was repaired). Suffice it to say I still only got my single miles credit.

Or there was the flight on a 752 from MCO-EWR with the flight map clearly showing that we did 2000 miles. Again, only the original credit (though I think I probably drank sufficient quantities of the supplies in F to offset the incremental extra miles :D

Segments?

segments = points

with exception of deep discount economy purchased from non-CO.com source, 1 segment = 1 point

usually hapless souls (such as myself) trapped in non-hub cities flying ERJs qualify by segments :o The transcon fliers dine on filet mignon and sip wine while I languish in 12A :)

Unless of course you fly >/= H fares, then segment = 2 EQP. I've been a EQP plat 4 of the last 5 years. (EDIT was stuck at 80 segments the other year and had no year-end opportunities for points run)