100,000+miles or more in coach in one year?
Jul 26, 2016, 9:13 pm
#31
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: IAH / HOU
Programs: UA GS, DL-Plat, Hilton Gold, IHG Platinum, Hyatt Somethingist, Marriott Titanium Lifetime
Posts: 2,853
My highest is probably about 100K in Y. That includes a combination of 50-seaters, flights on DL and other airlines where I held no status at the time, and International Y before I had global upgrade certs to use.
Air Houston-sis used to fly almost all Y back in the Ted days of UA. She would fly a United Express segment and connect to a Ted flight. She wasn't able to use a single 500-mile upgrade (back when UA used that system) for three straight years due to only flying routes with no F.
Although 100,000 miles are a lot to accumulate without any long haul segments I'd bet there are some Southwest road warriors that do it. I know a few people that connected weekly at CVG on routes served by CRJ-200s on both segments that were probably close to 100K a year.
There are also frequent travelers based in smaller-medium sized cities where it was very difficult before the mergers to stick with one airline that probably didn't get many upgrades despite a high level of total flying.
Air Houston-sis used to fly almost all Y back in the Ted days of UA. She would fly a United Express segment and connect to a Ted flight. She wasn't able to use a single 500-mile upgrade (back when UA used that system) for three straight years due to only flying routes with no F.
Although 100,000 miles are a lot to accumulate without any long haul segments I'd bet there are some Southwest road warriors that do it. I know a few people that connected weekly at CVG on routes served by CRJ-200s on both segments that were probably close to 100K a year.
There are also frequent travelers based in smaller-medium sized cities where it was very difficult before the mergers to stick with one airline that probably didn't get many upgrades despite a high level of total flying.
Jul 27, 2016, 4:23 pm
#33
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,884
As of right now, I am Platinum, with
*112,245 MQM so far this year - all reserved in coach, all domestic, but with the occasional upgrade - probably 90k of that is in the back. Still a lot of flights to go this year. I will definitely make Diamond before the end of August, and probably somewhere in the neighborhood of 200K miles by the end of the year
*102 MQS (104 when I get home at the end of the week). Again, all domestic
* $14,567 MQD, I will hit that threshold next week
* Only $5k-$6k on the card spend because I am required to pay for my travel with my corporate Visa. Won't hit the waiver, but I am not having any problem hitting my MQD, so no worries.
Jul 27, 2016, 5:58 pm
#34
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Dayton, OH/CVG
Programs: DA Diamond(1 MM), Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador/Charter Ambassador, Hyatt Glob, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 886
Looks a lot like mine....
As of right now, I am Platinum, with
*112,245 MQM so far this year - all reserved in coach, all domestic, but with the occasional upgrade - probably 90k of that is in the back. Still a lot of flights to go this year. I will definitely make Diamond before the end of August, and probably somewhere in the neighborhood of 200K miles by the end of the year
*102 MQS (104 when I get home at the end of the week). Again, all domestic
* $14,567 MQD, I will hit that threshold next week
* Only $5k-$6k on the card spend because I am required to pay for my travel with my corporate Visa. Won't hit the waiver, but I am not having any problem hitting my MQD, so no worries.
As of right now, I am Platinum, with
*112,245 MQM so far this year - all reserved in coach, all domestic, but with the occasional upgrade - probably 90k of that is in the back. Still a lot of flights to go this year. I will definitely make Diamond before the end of August, and probably somewhere in the neighborhood of 200K miles by the end of the year
*102 MQS (104 when I get home at the end of the week). Again, all domestic
* $14,567 MQD, I will hit that threshold next week
* Only $5k-$6k on the card spend because I am required to pay for my travel with my corporate Visa. Won't hit the waiver, but I am not having any problem hitting my MQD, so no worries.
Jul 27, 2016, 9:08 pm
#35
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: West of CLE
Programs: Delta DM/3 MM; Hertz PC; National EE; Amtrak GR; Bonvoy Silver; Via Rail Préférence
Posts: 5,384
One of the years that I made DM (I think it was 2010) I took advantage of the crazy double MQM promotion that Delta had out of PIT and RDU (they also had it out of STL and BNA). I flew in Y ATL-LHR and LHR-CDG-PIT, as well as LAX-NRT. I think I did a couple of sports trips over to the UK from the DC area in Y also. I got a lot of UGs in those days as well, but I flew at least 50k of my 150k MQMs in 2010 in Y.
I started flying a lot (like 3 RTs a month) in 1984, when one of the partners in my firm had a stroke and could no longer work, and I was taking depositions in federal government trial-type hearing cases all over the country. I basically lucked into signing up for the Delta program, as in those days there were comparatively lots of airlines out there (I flew on Piedmont, Allegheny, Pan Am, United, American, Northwest, Eastern, Continental, PeoplExpress and Republic that year too). Of all of those airlines, I liked Delta the best, and I was flying mostly in Y. I had to basically book my own travel, as our firm's travel agency used the United computer system and would put you on either United or Eastern.
By the fall of 1984, I realized that I had built up quite a few miles, and then also realized that I could get coast-to-coast upgrades for something like 10,000 miles. I also discovered Delta's Royal Service flights, which were the best ever, and angled to get upgrade deals on them; the best and cheapest one I can remember was an itinerary RIC-ATL-SEA and return for $237.00 and 10,000 Delta miles. There were 5 pax in F on a 767 between ATL and SEA, which basically turned into an AYCE bacchanal with bottomless champagne glass. On the way home, Delta cancelled their redeye, and DL arranged for an F seat for me SEA-ORD-RIC.
Needless to say, I was hooked.
I started flying a lot (like 3 RTs a month) in 1984, when one of the partners in my firm had a stroke and could no longer work, and I was taking depositions in federal government trial-type hearing cases all over the country. I basically lucked into signing up for the Delta program, as in those days there were comparatively lots of airlines out there (I flew on Piedmont, Allegheny, Pan Am, United, American, Northwest, Eastern, Continental, PeoplExpress and Republic that year too). Of all of those airlines, I liked Delta the best, and I was flying mostly in Y. I had to basically book my own travel, as our firm's travel agency used the United computer system and would put you on either United or Eastern.
By the fall of 1984, I realized that I had built up quite a few miles, and then also realized that I could get coast-to-coast upgrades for something like 10,000 miles. I also discovered Delta's Royal Service flights, which were the best ever, and angled to get upgrade deals on them; the best and cheapest one I can remember was an itinerary RIC-ATL-SEA and return for $237.00 and 10,000 Delta miles. There were 5 pax in F on a 767 between ATL and SEA, which basically turned into an AYCE bacchanal with bottomless champagne glass. On the way home, Delta cancelled their redeye, and DL arranged for an F seat for me SEA-ORD-RIC.
Needless to say, I was hooked.
Jul 28, 2016, 6:01 pm
#39
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: SJC/SFO/OAK
Programs: NW-PE (ret.) DL-Diamond & 1M, Hertz #1, UA-1P
Posts: 837
Yes. I've been Diamond since Diamond was implemented and have always BOOKED coach seats. On occasion I've received the complimentary upgrade on domestic and have been lucky enough to have GUC's clear on long haul international flights.
But I'd guess 100K+ off my 125K per year has been in the back.
But I'd guess 100K+ off my 125K per year has been in the back.
Booking 100K+/year in coach has been the practice for many years, now nearing 2MM status.
Jul 29, 2016, 11:26 am
#41
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SEA (the REAL Washington); occasionally in the other Washington (DCA area)
Programs: DL PM 1.57MM; AS MVPG 100K
Posts: 21,375
I don't have my log at hand right now, but I'm sure that most of my 131 segments in 2007 were in the back of the bus ... I didn't hit Gold on either CO or DL until late in the year, and I know full well that 30 early segments were solely to get status on AA in order to select decent coach seats for the IAD-LAX-KOA/HNL-LAX-DFW-IAD award trip