Thank you Delta! You are making it possible to surprise my girlfriend!!!
Dec 17, 2008, 8:06 pm
#16
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Southwest CT
Programs: DL Diamond and Million Miler, Marriott Titanium Elite, Hertz Pres Circle
Posts: 7,618
Dec 17, 2008, 8:43 pm
#17
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: DC
Programs: DL PM, Hilton Silver, Hyatt Plat, Avis First
Posts: 584
Dec 17, 2008, 11:07 pm
#18
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,298
Good luck to you
So this isn't quite the forum for this I guess... but I thought I'd post it here anyway.
Next week after Christmas my girlfriend and her brother are going from Florida to a church youth retreat in Michigan. They are both flying using SkyMiles. I wasn't planning on going because she was coming out to Arizona next month... well that was until work canceled the idea and said she couldn't get the time off like they originally said she could (now it looks like April).
Because I had just went back to Ohio for her sister's wedding I couldn't afford to go to the retreat so soon after. But after I heard she's not coming out in January I decided I'd try and see if I can make something work out to go to the retreat (because April is a loooong ways off!).
Well it looks like I've got all clear from work, etc. and I've found some Delta flights that I can use my SkyMiles on. I'm really excited about this because I haven't told her anything about this and I was going to surprise her at the DTW airport when she got in. But it dawned on me tonight that I could find out from her brother what flight they are on ATL-DTW and I can probably work it out so that I can fly up from ATL on the same flight.
I'm really excited that this will probably work out! All thanks to Delta and SkyMiles! I got to thinking that probably, yes, Delta (and many other airlines) do this every day unknowingly for their customers but... I guess this means quite a bit to me (and I know it will to her) since we aren't the richest people in the world and we have to economize as much as possible.
I'm so jazzed about it I was thinking maybe Delta would be interested in taking our story on how they are making this happen as a promo thing they could use (like on their blog or something). I figured it wouldn't be too hard to accomplish since we will be in ATL. But I'm not quite sure who I could contact about this.
Just another one of my crazy idea... I know... if nothing else though let this post be a thank you to Delta!
Thank you Delta!
[Anyone got good ideas to make the surprise/trip even better?]
Next week after Christmas my girlfriend and her brother are going from Florida to a church youth retreat in Michigan. They are both flying using SkyMiles. I wasn't planning on going because she was coming out to Arizona next month... well that was until work canceled the idea and said she couldn't get the time off like they originally said she could (now it looks like April).
Because I had just went back to Ohio for her sister's wedding I couldn't afford to go to the retreat so soon after. But after I heard she's not coming out in January I decided I'd try and see if I can make something work out to go to the retreat (because April is a loooong ways off!).
Well it looks like I've got all clear from work, etc. and I've found some Delta flights that I can use my SkyMiles on. I'm really excited about this because I haven't told her anything about this and I was going to surprise her at the DTW airport when she got in. But it dawned on me tonight that I could find out from her brother what flight they are on ATL-DTW and I can probably work it out so that I can fly up from ATL on the same flight.
I'm really excited that this will probably work out! All thanks to Delta and SkyMiles! I got to thinking that probably, yes, Delta (and many other airlines) do this every day unknowingly for their customers but... I guess this means quite a bit to me (and I know it will to her) since we aren't the richest people in the world and we have to economize as much as possible.
I'm so jazzed about it I was thinking maybe Delta would be interested in taking our story on how they are making this happen as a promo thing they could use (like on their blog or something). I figured it wouldn't be too hard to accomplish since we will be in ATL. But I'm not quite sure who I could contact about this.
Just another one of my crazy idea... I know... if nothing else though let this post be a thank you to Delta!
Thank you Delta!
[Anyone got good ideas to make the surprise/trip even better?]
You can be sneaky and ask the brother for flight info and seat assignments and then POSSIBLY see if you can get an aisle seat across from them and you and brother can switch at last minute.... The DOWNSIDE might be the taxes & fees you will need to pay IF you can book an award ticket this LATE for what you want PLUS the expenses you'll need to stay-over, etc etc...
Better than for her going to a so-so BORING youth group rah-rah thingy
pushed onto her by the well-intentioned "church youth leadership" stuck in the same old-same old mode every year, year after year....in dismal places like icy Michigan at holiday time -- why don't you invite her and her brother to visit YOU in warm Arizona?
Again, good luck... especially with the long-distance relationship...
Last edited by Boston_Bulldog; Dec 17, 2008 at 11:16 pm
Dec 17, 2008, 11:44 pm
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 52
Hehe... you guys crack me up! Especially the cynical types... 
I booked the ticket this morning. Everything looks like it'll go as planned. So far they don't have seat confirmation for the outbound flight but the return they do (but Delta's site isn't letting me choose seats for that flight). :/
I agree with you all though... this isn't much a interesting human interest story... I guess I was getting a bit to high in the clouds there last night!
And the likely hood of her not wanting me to show up... I couldn't imagine that... but if that was the case it would be well worth it to find out! As I wouldn't want something to drag on and on.
We met last year at this same youth retreat and it's actually something we both enjoy very much. It's fun what you can actually do in the snow. It's a retreat geared more for older kids 20s then the teen crowd so it's a bit more on the serious level.
Oh her work too is seasonal so it's hard for her to get work off right now and originally she was thinking she'd be able to get both the retreat and a January trip to AZ off and then they backed out of the AZ time so... :/ She had already booked her flights for the retreat so it was kind of hard to change it for AZ. No she was in tears about not being able to come out to AZ.
I booked the ticket this morning. Everything looks like it'll go as planned. So far they don't have seat confirmation for the outbound flight but the return they do (but Delta's site isn't letting me choose seats for that flight). :/
I agree with you all though... this isn't much a interesting human interest story... I guess I was getting a bit to high in the clouds there last night!
And the likely hood of her not wanting me to show up... I couldn't imagine that... but if that was the case it would be well worth it to find out! As I wouldn't want something to drag on and on.
We met last year at this same youth retreat and it's actually something we both enjoy very much. It's fun what you can actually do in the snow. It's a retreat geared more for older kids 20s then the teen crowd so it's a bit more on the serious level.
Oh her work too is seasonal so it's hard for her to get work off right now and originally she was thinking she'd be able to get both the retreat and a January trip to AZ off and then they backed out of the AZ time so... :/ She had already booked her flights for the retreat so it was kind of hard to change it for AZ. No she was in tears about not being able to come out to AZ.
Dec 18, 2008, 1:20 pm
#20
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SEA - DL DM/2MM, *A Gold, SPG Lifetime Plat, some other car and hotel stuff
Posts: 5,649
I don't know how church retreats work, but is that really the destination you want for a long distance nookie run?
Dec 18, 2008, 1:29 pm
#21
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: NYC
Programs: AA PLT
Posts: 1,615
I'll echo the sentiment that GFs don't like the types of surprises that entail you showing up unexpectedly. You're quite likely to get a "W*F are you doing here?" snarl, if not worse.
Dec 18, 2008, 2:08 pm
#22
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: MSN/HOU
Programs: DL Silver (0.239 MM), DL SkyClub Life, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 1,107
I actually had this backfire on me once. Decided I'd come back off of leave early to do New Years in NYC with the then-girlfriend. Called her from the airport (EWR) and then met up at Penn Station where I got the "we're not working out anymore" spiel. (Turns out she'd hooked up with a guy from the cubicle next to hers) So, instead of hanging out in Times Square I wound up alone in Army Lodging with a case of Heinekin. Good luck with all that bro.
Dec 19, 2008, 2:25 pm
#23
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: CLT
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Titanium Elite, HH Diamond
Posts: 253
Reminds me of the opening scenes of one of my favorite movies, "Old School" when Mitch came home early from his meeting in San Diego....(Doorbell ringing) "Hi. I'm here for the....." Gotta see it!
Dec 19, 2008, 6:19 pm
#24
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: DL PM/MM, Hilton Silver, SPG+, Hertz PC
Posts: 7,899
If you do manage to get on the same flight, I have three words from you:
"Mile", "high", and "club".
It is indeed. But also f-ing cold, literally.
"Mile", "high", and "club".
It is indeed. But also f-ing cold, literally.
Jan 2, 2009, 10:43 pm
#25
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 52
So the end of this story (or just the beginning). She was thrilled to see me!!! Unfortunately I didn't get to surprise her like I was hoping to as I had to bring her into my plans on going at the last minute because of some decisions that needed to be made for the rest of the trip.
But there were no regrets on either side about me coming.
We are quite close and have pretty high standards when it comes to relationships so I would have been very surprised if she was actually not interested in me coming. We are already pretty close and communicating isn't a issue for us. The long distances relationship will be solved soon enough anyway.
But there were no regrets on either side about me coming.
We are quite close and have pretty high standards when it comes to relationships so I would have been very surprised if she was actually not interested in me coming. We are already pretty close and communicating isn't a issue for us. The long distances relationship will be solved soon enough anyway.
Jan 3, 2009, 12:04 am
#26
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Florida
Programs: Delta frequent flyer Gold Medallion Status
Posts: 876
Thanks for sharing the end of your story with us. I am pleased that you had such a nice experience, and my best wishes for a Happy New Year, with many more reunions!
Jan 3, 2009, 12:07 am
#27
Join Date: May 2008
Programs: DL AA UA
Posts: 2,359
So the end of this story (or just the beginning). She was thrilled to see me!!! Unfortunately I didn't get to surprise her like I was hoping to as I had to bring her into my plans on going at the last minute because of some decisions that needed to be made for the rest of the trip.
But there were no regrets on either side about me coming.
We are quite close and have pretty high standards when it comes to relationships so I would have been very surprised if she was actually not interested in me coming. We are already pretty close and communicating isn't a issue for us. The long distances relationship will be solved soon enough anyway.
But there were no regrets on either side about me coming.
We are quite close and have pretty high standards when it comes to relationships so I would have been very surprised if she was actually not interested in me coming. We are already pretty close and communicating isn't a issue for us. The long distances relationship will be solved soon enough anyway.
Seriously, congrats and I know you are far too young to get a Kung Fu Master Po reference.
Jan 14, 2009, 8:06 pm
#28
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: PDX & MVD
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 318
Last year i did something similar
I was going off on a business trip for the second time that month and my wife was none to happy about it. I'm sure folks have had this experience.
So i was looking around at miles flights and chatting online with my mother in law... it occurred to me that I had all the miles to fly her down for the dates i'd be gone, she had work to do but no meetings so could work remotely. I arranged for her to fly down to MVD from Boston and arrive mid day, while i took that same flight back at night.
The shock on my wife's face when her mom walked in to our apartment was completely worth it. Instead of getting 2 weeks taking care of a 1 year old on her own, she got 2 weeks of a visit with her mom.
It was definitely the best use of miles i've ever done.
So i was looking around at miles flights and chatting online with my mother in law... it occurred to me that I had all the miles to fly her down for the dates i'd be gone, she had work to do but no meetings so could work remotely. I arranged for her to fly down to MVD from Boston and arrive mid day, while i took that same flight back at night.
The shock on my wife's face when her mom walked in to our apartment was completely worth it. Instead of getting 2 weeks taking care of a 1 year old on her own, she got 2 weeks of a visit with her mom.
It was definitely the best use of miles i've ever done.
Jan 14, 2009, 8:27 pm
#29
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Florida
Programs: Delta frequent flyer Gold Medallion Status
Posts: 876
What a great son-in-law you are. There is nothing I love more than a couple of weeks to visit with my daughter and grandchildren! I think your wife and mother-in-law are very lucky to have someone as thoughtful as you.
Jan 15, 2009, 12:58 am
#30
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: BDU
Programs: DL:MM, Marriott:LTT
Posts: 8,779
So the end of this story (or just the beginning). She was thrilled to see me!!! Unfortunately I didn't get to surprise her like I was hoping to as I had to bring her into my plans on going at the last minute because of some decisions that needed to be made for the rest of the trip.
But there were no regrets on either side about me coming.
We are quite close and have pretty high standards when it comes to relationships so I would have been very surprised if she was actually not interested in me coming. We are already pretty close and communicating isn't a issue for us. The long distances relationship will be solved soon enough anyway.
But there were no regrets on either side about me coming.
We are quite close and have pretty high standards when it comes to relationships so I would have been very surprised if she was actually not interested in me coming. We are already pretty close and communicating isn't a issue for us. The long distances relationship will be solved soon enough anyway.
Congrats on everything working out so well. I'm eating the words in my earlier post and apologize for any angst sharing my skewed view of romance may have caused. Thanks for sharing.