if people are willing to fly over to hrs to get from coast to coast, they shouldn't complain about taking the long way to get to the airport. i'm sorry everything in life can't yield miles, but hey!!

You're just saying that 'cause you don't have to take the tunnel to EWR. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

[This message has been edited by notsosmart (edited 02-07-2003).]

Hmmmm. It is a point to consider. BOS-JFK, the cheapest is from South Station is $25.00 via a bus in the morning or afternoon during a promotion, $42.00 at night and otrher routes. From Port Authority it is $1.50 via the Metro to JFK. AMTRAK is a financial nightmare and a ripoff (the Acela is not as fast as a rental car).

SHADO

As a newbie, how do you figure out the stops in the runs to achieve the low cost fares while maximizing the miles?

I usually need to make a run in December to maintain my platinum elite status on CO/NW and would love to hear how you figure out the runs and their availability......or is there another thread where this can be read?

Thanks

The other thing you have to include is the cost of an upgrade, for those of us that fly airlines that don't give unlimited free upgrades... In general, I upgrade flights of > 800 miles because I am uncomfortable unless the seat next to me is open. If the flight is wide open, I'll usually downgrade back to coach, but I can't count on that.

I'm looking at two possible scenarios because I'm going to end up about 10k short of Platinum on AA this year:

1. BDL-DFW-SEA/overnight/SEA-STL-BDL, $277
2. A pair of ORD-STL-MCI-STL-ORD, $201 total

Scenario 1:
Status miles: About 5700
Upgrade cost: 13 x $40
Upgrades earned: 5700/10000 * $160 = -$91
Hotel cost: $40 via priceline (maybe less)
Total "cost": $746
Total cost/status mile: $0.13 (ouch!)

Scenario 2:
Status miles: 4000
Upgrade cost: $0 (exit row is fine for these)
Upgrades earned: 4000/10000 * $160 = -$64
Hotel cost: $0
Total "cost": $137
Total cost/status mile: $0.034

Now, if Scenario 1 ends up on a bunch of empty planes, it's the better choice. But I'll stick with Scenario 2 instead.

The big factor I always find missing from this debate is how people use miles. For this reason (and the issue of bonuses) I believe it is meaningless to try to establish a "standard" value for miles.

For example, I only ever use miles for free coach class trips. We like to do lots of travelling and I don't have that many miles. When I do so I generally only get 0.01 to 0.015 value for my miles. Eg. My fiance is coming to Italy with me in September - cost 60k AA miles - value about $600 - equals 0.01. Then we are going to India, Nepal and Thailand. Cost 70k AA and 40K United miles. Value about $1,500 so 0.014.

Therefore I only value miles at 0.015. With tier bonuses on UA and AA I still find quite a few milegage opportunities at this level. (eg. recent SFO-FLL deal - Cost $150, Miles earned - with bonuses - 11,320 = 0.013)

For those that usually pay Business or First class fares or buy higher fare classes and upgrade the value of miles used can be much higher - even above 0.05 per mile for those who exclusively buy and redeem for first class travel.

i didn't bother reading through this whole thread, but a non-inconsequential cost is incurred getting to and from the airport. and, in Manhattan, it can add up to more than the cost of the ticket.

just flew on the amazing venice trip. ticket was $140'ish + tax so about $210 all-in. cab to JFK was about $45 (left directly from work...couldn't do mass transit). boat to hotel was about $85 for two. boat to airport was about $85 for two. cab home from airport was $45 (fixed rate from JFK to Manhattan). ouch!

Can't speak to NYC transit (though I just went from Manhattan to LGA for $2 on Sunday) but in Venice, the Water Bus system is far cheaper than the Water Taxis. Yes, like any bus, it takes longer than a taxi, but that's the tradeoff.

Back to the original thread, I don't do MRs, only trips where I want to go to the destination. If there's a destination I want to go to, then I calculate the miles I'll get and the raw cash I have to pay for the ticket. If I'm still interested in the destination and not turned off by the total trip cost (including plane ticket) then I'll go. Picking up miles for future redemption is just an interesting side bonus for me. Granted, by the way I buy tickets, I usually end up getting status miles for $0.05 or less, and redeemable miles for $0.02 or less, but that doesn't matter to me because I enjoyed going wherever it was I went.

Everyone has to go with what works for them, because every case is different.

You better believe it. Here's some basic math to back it up (from trips I have done this year or at least have ticketed right now).

SEA-LAX-SYD/MEL-LAX-SEA in QF F: $13,204 or 135,000 AS miles (9.7 cents per mile)

YVR-HKG-AKL-HKG-YVR in CX F: $12,578 or 145,000 AA miles (8.6 cents per mile)

LHR-JFK-LHR in BA R/F: ~10,000 or 125,000 BA miles (8.0 cents per mile)

LHR-CPT/JNB-LHR in BA F: $7,700 or 100,000 AA miles (7.7 cents per mile)

These are just a few examples of what can be done, and I will grant that some of these awards are no longer available (goodbye CX140A http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif ). There is also the issue of whether F/J values and prices are realistic. While clearly that are not, this is what the airlines are charging, which makes them the de facto market value. Apparently there is enough supply out there to meet these outrageous prices.

I agree with you there that the F/J prices are obviously at levels that the market will bear (and these prices change based on demand/supply). This makes these prices 'fair market value' from the airlines' point of view.

What is more relevant to the determination of the value of a FF mile to an individual however, is taking the price that he/she have been willing to pay had he/she not had the option of getting an award and then dividing that price by the # of miles.

For me this usually works out to 1.5 to 2 cents/mile.

For me... 2.5C status miles. I'm doing a few MR's to get AS MVP, so i picked up some cheap deals to go to TPA and MIA for less than $200 r/t. I figure by acquiring MVP status, the 50% bonus will really add up. A hopeful move to Japan, parents moving to Philly, a trip or two to Europe, the miles will really, really add up.

I also don't factor in food costs, but do factor in Hotel costs. Food would be eaten anyways since I'd have to eat, but the hotel room would be an extra cost. I do not count parking/travel to/from myself, since i'm also under the premise that i'd be using that money as some form of entertainment/material aquisition if I was not flying.

Unlike our New York metro friends, I gotta pay for parking, but no tolls, but have to pay for gas for the 110mi trip from my place in SD to LAX, and then about $12 for parking. So, for a 1 day out and back, i'm looking at an additional $30 in fees, which generally does not come close to the price of a ticket.

Funny how this thread was resurrected from the depths of the FT-MR archives.

I am always amazed at the committment of those flyers who start their mileage runs a fair way from the airport (like driving from San to Lax) or afrugal1 who lives in Petaluma and seems to do the grind down to SFO for mileage runs....

yeah, it's commitment. i just wish i had that kind of free time/vacation time. even if i had the commitment, there's still no way i could pull it off without getting fired.

It shows that some people are really doing their homework before posting a message on a subject that has been already covered in the past. I like it! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Time for a 3 or 4 day workweek http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif Mileage runs fit in great when you have the extra day off each week.