wendyhamburger

Actually there is a Brazilian place in Pompano we could turn you on to

Viajero Joven

Thank you very much to everyone who came to the Seattle seminar! I hope you found it worth your effort, and learned lots of good things!

Regarding current talk about a Florida seminar, if there's a meeting place and a critical mass, I'm up for it. Do note that at some point later in Spring, decent fares and availability for a Friday-->Sunday ticket for participants will be very tough to find.

Separately, I've mentioned that I still have in mind a seminar in SoCal.... with SoCal and the Florida possibility, I won't set a date until after New Years, just to ensure my own personal plans.

Thanks!

abelscc

How was the New York seminar last Sun. Did you get a good turnout? I told my son about it. His comment was that he might not fly enough right now but maybe at a later date. They will be flying to AMS for the holidays. I told him to sign up for the points no matter what airline he is flying on. I can't believe how many people still think it is not worth the trouble to collect mileage.

luv2ctheworld

Gonna try not to sound like a broken record, but it will be great to see a seminar in Socal VJ, just hope it won't be when I'm out of town.

Ironically I'm going to be in Phoenix Jan 13th to take advantage of that $98 PHX-NYC fare on AA (voucher on WN and cheapo flight on AA, what a deal). ^

abmj-jr

Definitely! Thanks again, VJ. Already putting the good info to use for next year's status.

I know you have already done a Star 201, but whenever you can plan another, wherever it is, I'm all over it. (SoCal would be great - hint )

JR

pbjag

Great idea! And if there aren't any venues available in FLL because it will be peak "season", I know of a few in Palm Beach County

rdburlew

I would love to come to one in the Raleigh-Durham area

SchmutzigMSP

Maybe it's just me, but as I look back at all the people casually suggesting a MR seminar in Anytown, USA, I can't help but wonder why these people wouldn't mind going to a MR wherever it is held? I mean, you're wanting to go to a class that teaches you how to make and take mileage runs, airline trips that are entirely unnecessary and go to no destination in particular, for the sole purpose of earning points/miles?

Just something to think about for y'all...

FlyingSk8fan

I've been thinking the same thing. I'll go anywhere for a MR seminar as long as I can get cheap airfare and turn the trip there & back into a MR of some sorts

Fox Trot

I'm open to any location with advance notice to book reasonable airfare.


Alternatively;

West Coast, San Francisco

Los Angeles

San Diego

oklAAhoma

I've been wondering the same thing myself. It's strange that folks that want to learn the secrets building a great MR don't seem to want to take a flight to learn those secrets. I'll fly anywhere any time I'm free to take advantage of this great opportunity. (Last minute family needs kept me from SEA but I'll do my best to be at the next one wherever it may be.)

abmj-jr

You all may be missing a point. I just returned from Seattle and the most recent MR seminar. It was great and we all learned a lot, but the flight there wasn't really a mileage run. By definition, a flight to a specific destination for one or more nights and for a specific purpose isn't a true MR. It is just a flight. I paid a lot more to go to the seminar than I ever would pay for a MR. The dates/times just didn't work out right for cheap fares. That was fine as this was someplace I WANTED to go. I also wouldn't rack up 2 nights hotel stays on a mileage run but did for the seminar. It would have been a lot less expensive to drive to the event and sleep in my own bed. That is why some people hope for a seminar near their home base.

We appreciated our locals who drove to the event and picked many of us up as it wasn't at the airport or an airport hotel. We all could have used cabs and such, but then the cost goes up even more. If the seminar had been near my home, I would have driven and offered rides too.

JR

SchmutzigMSP

abmj-jr

I realize that going to the MR seminar techincally makes the trip a non-MR, but you can still be creative about your routings and do other things to maximize the value of your dollar. Example, when I went to the seminar back in July, I flew into ORD on Friday and out late Sunday night and I did a one-day MR from ORD on Sunday after the seminar, but before my return flight home. Turns out I needed that run to make Plat this year.

My only point is that you're going to a seminar to learn how to spend money (for a good value, mind you) that you don't have to spend on airfare. You're getting a class-act seminar that basically costs you nothing other than a suggested donation. Seminars only happen where there is a large enough mass of people that can attend. Therefore, instead of 5 people wanting city A, 5 more wanting city B, 4 wanting city C, etc... if you just have it in city A and you make an effort to attend, everything works out a lot more smoothly.

Also, there will undoubtedly be local people wherever the seminar is held, and chances are they would be willing to help out with transportation and other needs, although there has been a seminar in the past where locals were less than helpful in getting things planned.

So, please consider this all when you're asking for a seminar to be held in Anytown, USA. If there were a seminar on [insert other hobby here] held in some city other than your hometown, and you really wanted to go, you'd save up and try to get there however you can. Drive, fly, Greyhound, whatever.

abelscc

I agree with some of the comments. I really want to attend a MR seminar. It would be great to have advance notice and I will travel anywhere if I have the day open on my schedule.

Until I attend a MR seminar, I have no idea on how to build in extra segments and make the trip a good trip for the money. I have read the stickies and tried to follow them. I have picked up some hints and made some changes but my brain just can't figure out all of the info. If I could, I wouldn't need the seminar.

I have noticed that all of the seminars ended up with many people after the arrangements are posted. I appreciate the energy and time everyone puts into the arrangements. Maybe someone who travels often could pick a city that has reasonable fares. Then just select several dates they want to go to and post it. Locals could help find a place that is available. If the date and place is posted early, I am sure that we could fill the seminar.

SchmutzigMSP

I understand your situation. It's sort of a chicken and egg thing. But keep this in mind: you're not totally helpless. There are threads such as this one (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=391187), listed in the MR tools sticky, that outline how to book and construct a MR. You could take some of those ideas and easily apply them to a trip for the MR seminar. Or you could just do a search by schedule/price (nwa.com has that feature, for instance) or just look for odd connections when trying to book normally. A lot of times the search engines (other than Travelocity) will give you options to connect somewhere else, usually for about $5 more per segment. These would be a great way to add in some extra mileage without knowing much of the mechanics.

I know it's a bit daunting at first, but the more you can pick up before the seminar, the more you could apply into getting to the seminar, and the more you'll actually get out of the seminar. ^