When, and what was the first mileage run you ever did?
Mar 24, 2017, 1:52 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2013
Location: west coast best coast
Programs: TINDER GOLD, STARBUCKS GOLD, COSTCO EXECUTIVE!!
Posts: 3,989
When, and what was the first mileage run you ever did?
Share the first mileage run you ever did!
Mine was 2013: United. SEA-MIA roundtrip, via IAH. 4.2cpm!
Then I signed up for Flyertalk. What a mistake that was.
Mine was 2013: United. SEA-MIA roundtrip, via IAH. 4.2cpm!
Then I signed up for Flyertalk. What a mistake that was.
Mar 24, 2017, 6:22 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: NW London and NW Sydney
Programs: BA Diamond, Hilton Bronze, A3 Diamond, IHG *G
Posts: 6,344
It cost about $10 extra but got me 500 extra miles and pushed me over the threshold to achieve *G.
Mar 24, 2017, 7:11 am
#3
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: BSL
Programs: AA (EXP); among others :)
Posts: 2,522
Summer of 1988, all over the USA. I had a Northwest (most signage still had 'Northwest Orient') standby pass - 60 days of unlimited domestic travel within the lower 48 for 799 DEM.
In theory, these passes came with multiple restrictions and rules, including no mileage accrual. In practice, none of them were enforced in any way (thanks to rudimentary IT systems of the day I guess), and I was cordially invited to join WorldPerks and credit all those flights, of which there were many.
To my wondrous amazement, this worked and earned me a mountain of miles which I all burned for a number of free TATL trips (in economy, duh...) with them in the coming years. Those were the days...
In theory, these passes came with multiple restrictions and rules, including no mileage accrual. In practice, none of them were enforced in any way (thanks to rudimentary IT systems of the day I guess), and I was cordially invited to join WorldPerks and credit all those flights, of which there were many.
To my wondrous amazement, this worked and earned me a mountain of miles which I all burned for a number of free TATL trips (in economy, duh...) with them in the coming years. Those were the days...
Mar 24, 2017, 2:05 pm
#4
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: NJ
Programs: UA LTG, AA LTG, Bonvoy LTP, IHG Plat, LHW Sterling
Posts: 2,405
I do not recall the exact flight, but it was likely the series of trips I took from DTW-ATL-LAS in the mid 80's during a triple mile promotion on Eastern Airlines. I did spend the weekends in LAS, so not pure MR I suppose.
My favorite one was a Y2K fare on Continental EWR to NRT. Left 12/31/1999 for a RT fare of $198. Only about 30 people in coach.
My last one was a couple of years ago on UA to Sin from EWR. I had a final AA planned just before the rule change last year to HKG, but flight was cancelled due to weather so I aborted. I remain 44,000 miles short of LT Plat on AA and just can’t justify bothering to try.
The new rules with PQD and earning based on $s has put a stop to it for me.
My favorite one was a Y2K fare on Continental EWR to NRT. Left 12/31/1999 for a RT fare of $198. Only about 30 people in coach.
My last one was a couple of years ago on UA to Sin from EWR. I had a final AA planned just before the rule change last year to HKG, but flight was cancelled due to weather so I aborted. I remain 44,000 miles short of LT Plat on AA and just can’t justify bothering to try.
The new rules with PQD and earning based on $s has put a stop to it for me.
Last edited by schriste; Mar 24, 2017 at 2:26 pm
Mar 26, 2017, 8:11 am
#5
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: AC MM E50 , Former SPG, now Marriott LT Plat
Posts: 6,263
First was a YYZ-xxx-BKK-xxx-YYZ, with the last flights on New Years Eve to
maintain top status on AC. That had to be back in the 1990's.
Then, while on a RTW ticket, I realized I had left unused miles on the table, and
switched a YYZ-FRA segment to YYZ-YYC-FRA.
maintain top status on AC. That had to be back in the 1990's.
Then, while on a RTW ticket, I realized I had left unused miles on the table, and
switched a YYZ-FRA segment to YYZ-YYC-FRA.
Mar 26, 2017, 9:26 am
#6
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA
Programs: Delta DM / 1M, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC, Emerald Club Exec
Posts: 500
The earliest one I can find record of was this one in 2003:
SFO-EWR-MSP-SEA-ANC-MSP-HNL-EWR-SFO
It was a mistake fare on the old Continental Airlines with miles credited to Northwest Airlines. The price was just over $300
I know that I did mileage runs before that one but I can't remember details. I still do runs (status) today. And I'll happily take advantage of a cheap fair to fly and spend a few days in a new part of the world for me.
SFO-EWR-MSP-SEA-ANC-MSP-HNL-EWR-SFO
It was a mistake fare on the old Continental Airlines with miles credited to Northwest Airlines. The price was just over $300
I know that I did mileage runs before that one but I can't remember details. I still do runs (status) today. And I'll happily take advantage of a cheap fair to fly and spend a few days in a new part of the world for me.
Mar 27, 2017, 1:40 pm
#7
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: LAS, MPL
Programs: DL Platinum, 1 MM
Posts: 1,320
Mine was in '87 or '88, a one way flight from MSP to RST. I flew the 76 miles, my wife drove down and picked me up. I needed the flight to get one of the free flight booklets NW used to hand out every 20K miles back then. It contained a coupon for a free domestic RT, a free day of car rental, and a free hotel night at Hyatt plus some other stuff I don't remember.
Mar 27, 2017, 2:36 pm
#8
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Colorado
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,158
My first true MR was DEN-ORD-DEN for $25 + $200 voucher back in 2004.
Was about 1000 EQM short of Gold that year. Landed in ORD, walked off the plane, turned around and boarded the same plane back to DEN. Since then I usually do at least one MR per year with SIN being my favorite turnaround. Will have my 1MM lifetime *Gold in May so I think my MR days are numbered.
Most memorable was the 3 hours spent in the HNL lounge. To this day I hesitate telling people that while I've been to Hawaii only once in my life, I've never been outside the airport.
Was about 1000 EQM short of Gold that year. Landed in ORD, walked off the plane, turned around and boarded the same plane back to DEN. Since then I usually do at least one MR per year with SIN being my favorite turnaround. Will have my 1MM lifetime *Gold in May so I think my MR days are numbered.
Most memorable was the 3 hours spent in the HNL lounge. To this day I hesitate telling people that while I've been to Hawaii only once in my life, I've never been outside the airport.
Mar 27, 2017, 6:22 pm
#9
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA
Programs: Delta DM / 1M, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC, Emerald Club Exec
Posts: 500
My first true MR was DEN-ORD-DEN for $25 + $200 voucher back in 2004.
Was about 1000 EQM short of Gold that year. Landed in ORD, walked off the plane, turned around and boarded the same plane back to DEN. Since then I usually do at least one MR per year with SIN being my favorite turnaround. Will have my 1MM lifetime *Gold in May so I think my MR days are numbered.
Most memorable was the 3 hours spent in the HNL lounge. To this day I hesitate telling people that while I've been to Hawaii only once in my life, I've never been outside the airport.
Was about 1000 EQM short of Gold that year. Landed in ORD, walked off the plane, turned around and boarded the same plane back to DEN. Since then I usually do at least one MR per year with SIN being my favorite turnaround. Will have my 1MM lifetime *Gold in May so I think my MR days are numbered.
Most memorable was the 3 hours spent in the HNL lounge. To this day I hesitate telling people that while I've been to Hawaii only once in my life, I've never been outside the airport.
They thought I was nuts.
(I'm trying so hard but failing at not commenting on HNL! OMG!)
And +1 on Singapore. That is still my favorite run.
Mar 30, 2017, 8:44 am
#11
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: LAS, MPL
Programs: DL Platinum, 1 MM
Posts: 1,320
Mar 30, 2017, 8:53 am
#12
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: OMA/LNK
Programs: AA EXP, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 210
April 2016. DFW-HKG-SIN-OJ-CGK-NRT-DFW for about $650. 20k EQMs.
Best part, on the outbound, they were looking for volunteers. They were able to rebook us DFW-NRT-SIN which left DFW 45 minutes later, with open space for us to use SWUs (which were not available on DFW-HKG). Arrived SIN at roughly the same time with $1000 voucher. So I "made" about $400 on my first mileage run.
Best part, on the outbound, they were looking for volunteers. They were able to rebook us DFW-NRT-SIN which left DFW 45 minutes later, with open space for us to use SWUs (which were not available on DFW-HKG). Arrived SIN at roughly the same time with $1000 voucher. So I "made" about $400 on my first mileage run.
Mar 30, 2017, 3:49 pm
#14
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 64
I'd always heard of them but never had the time/money/flexibility to actually do them until last year.
SAN-DEN-DFW-IAH-SAN on UA. $82 a/i. August 2016.
Was fun, but also I was hesitant because of the MCT in IAH (my connection was ~30 minutes). I ended up getting to my SAN gate while boarding was about halfway complete.
-IR
SAN-DEN-DFW-IAH-SAN on UA. $82 a/i. August 2016.
Was fun, but also I was hesitant because of the MCT in IAH (my connection was ~30 minutes). I ended up getting to my SAN gate while boarding was about halfway complete.
-IR