Time vs Miles
 

Whenever I see a new opportunity to earn bonus miles, I try to assess the amount of time (and hassle) involved vs the number of miles or points I will get in return.

At one extreme are the credit card offers, where one can get 25-30K just for filling out an online application form. At the other, one can get 100 miles for stopping in a store or doing a test drive or some other time consuming activity.

Do you have a guideline as to how much time you are willing to invest for how many miles?

Max. for me (flying) is HKG-CAN, not really a MR, but saves a heck lot of time if I need ~100 miles.:D

1,000 miles an hour for non-EQMs is about my minimum. Also depends on how tedious. Eg. I hate ClubBing because of how tedious the games are, but I loved Amex's Advance Your World game (before it went down the tube).

I try to not think about the time cost of being miles crazy at all. I think of it is a hobby, where spending time on doing an activity has benefits, not cost. Otherwise, most mileage opportunities would probably not be worth their time... most mileage runs wouldn't (I mean, what do you really get from those miles? a couple of extra hours in some airline club, a somewhat bigger seat?...). And even the time I spend here at FT would be better spend knocking off another project at work.

But then again, just comparing the time different things take - CC are definitely my favorite!

I like to equate the reward in miles to how far I'd have to fly for the same reward, and how much that ticket would cost me. So in BMI Diamond Club I'd have to go to LHR and back (from GLA, my home airport) for 600 miles (300 each way on low economy ticket) which costs roughly £100 GBP. So if I can get 600 miles for an activity, and assuming that I want to continue collecting as many miles as possible, it's equivalent to being paid £100.

Agree with the #3 sentiment though, that it is really a hobby and if I was seriously equating it all to money, I certainly wouldn't be wasting my time doing test drives!

I agree with dukleee-- it's a hobby. I mainly try to do the ones I might find a little bit fun. (MRs are not for me!)

To the extent that I do consider the cost, I think of it as opportunity cost, like asking myself "What would I be doing if I was not doing this?"

I suppose you could rephrase your question to "How far out of the way would I fly to earn extra miles?"


2-3 times a year I will fly FRA-DFW-CLT on AA when I could fly non-stop on US.

Why? To keep all my miles in one pot and to maximize the miles I earn.


As an AA elite I earn 24,316 RDMs and as a non-elite on US I earn 8793.

I suppose I could earn elite status on US, but much of my work related travel is booked on AA so I don't see the benifit of splitting my miles. I'd rather spend an extra 4-5 hours traveling and earning almost triple miles for the time spent.