Need help with strategy for getting 4K EQM for minor child
 

My wife and I will easily qualify for Gold elite this year but our son (5 y.o.) will be short by almost 4K miles.. If it was just myself I would take a run without a second thought but my 5 y.o. is not really excited about a EWR-??? MR by himself :). So here we are trying to figure out what to do. Vacation time is already committed for this year so there is no room for an extra vacation. Normally we would have a big trip for X-mas but we got 3 BF standard awards to Europe which is the cause of this situation.

We usually fly about 30-40K a year so the extra 75% bonus miles for him next year, in addition to the extra upgrade chance would be nice.

I was thinking of cosigning on a Presidential Chase card to get the flex-EQM but I was wondering if there is a reason that I couldn't do that or shouldn't do that.

Of course we will be just fine if he is only Silver this year and we will love him just as much, but as a loyal FT'er and responsible dad I have to try to get him Gold.

Thanks.

Keba

I would seriously do an MR; that way in the future ya'll can all be in one PNR and be EUAed at once should there be the space; plus the 2x RDM can't hurt.

Do a same day turn transcon or however long you need with your son in tow. Maybe a redeye so he would be sleeping for at least one leg.

I assume that the OP normally flies out of IAH, based on his profile, otherwise a quick EWR-SFO flight ($239 A/I) would be in the cards.

I think IAH-SEA should net almost 4k.

Do a MR. It's well worth it for Gold.

The T&C for Chase will prevent you from getting a card for him.

:confused:

What profile are you looking at? The OP's handle is KebaNYC, they mention flying "EWR-???" and the profile location says NYC.

I agree that the same-day mileage run is a good idea if you can swing it.....and then hope that he doesn't brag to all of his friends about "flying to nowhere with Daddy." ;)

Goto DL for the weekend or before the end of the year. Fly into SNA or LAX and enjoy.

Perhaps the OP is opposed to a MR because he doesn't want to send his son alone as an UM or pay for two seats just to get his son to gold?

You don't need to take any vacation days to take a weekend trip.

Go EWR-XXX Friday night. Then Sunday afternoon (or redeye) back home.

Something like SAN should be decent with a kid. Legoland, SeaWorld, Knott's Berry Farm, whatever he's up for.

5yr old on a UM MR... there's a story for the playground.
OP I know you didn't suggest that.

Can you buy up any existing reservations to B or Y fares? The exra 50% may help.

Hmm... a few weekends at WDW?

Disneyland (which I unwittingly called "DL" upthread..) is the right distance, same idea ;)

Thanks everyone for the advice.

Looks like a nice 3 day weekend in CA is in our future.

Keba

You could do the following PHL to SMF. Friday evening flight return Saturday at 12:20am

PHL leaves around 5pm arrive into SMF around 11:30 pm with a connection in IAH. SMF leaves the next day just after midnight and returns you to PHL in the morning. I have seen it at 273.xx or so.

With a child might be tough.

I did this for 6 months last year. Week in and week out. 1/4 of the time I was booked into FC at the coach fare, and about 1/2 the time I was upgraded.