BEWARE of FlyerTalk!! ;)
 

Exposure to FlyerTalk creates an insatiable appetite, an addiction actually, for miles and points. If you thought you had self-control, think again. Thanks to FlyerTalk's relentless efforts in breaking down my efforts at self-will; I have now given myself over to the uncontrolled hunger and relentless desire for the next opportunity to earn more miles.

My personal stockholm syndrome is now beyond treatment and I am fully bonded to the FlyerTalk captor. Thank you FlyerTalk for all the help and opportunity you have provided me and others in our goals to enrich our travels and provide better opportunities for us and our families.


Now, where's the next 100K opportunity, the hunger is once again building...

+1 And many a sleepless nite reading another thread to gleam a bit more knowledge of the workings of a miles or point program

My TA got so tired of answering my questions about routings and MPM that she put a GDS on my computer.

I know the thread is meant in jest, but I disagree.

I live in Raleigh NC, my wife lives in Toronto. We dated for about two years, then got married a year ago. For me, FT is about finding ways to keep the relationship going. Points, miles, and contacts I have made here, were what enabled us to sustain the relationship to the point where we could get married, and now keep it going. I don't see it as an addiction or a game, to me it's an investment of time, no different than if I had a second job to put food on the table.

I don't busy myself with chits and the like that I can't use. I am signing up for a credit card with a bonus, but only did that after researching that I could actually use the points and miles I'd accumulate for travel we will take.

Perhaps it's a distinction without a difference, but that's the value of FT to me.

Sorry, I guess I hadn't pointed out this clearly enough?

Didnt mean to get you cross on a differing point of view, but I think we are all on the same page.

100% correct. I actually consider this a profitable and yes fun hobby. For 2012 I am traveling in J to LHR (with my son) to AKL (with hubby to see son) to DPS (with hubby) and to BKK on my own. The tickets are all from different sources and airlines. A bit over 600K miles burned and they were earned from different sources such as CC churn, taking advantage of promotions (The AC J class for Y class mile redemption) and yes, even flying for fun and for business.

Please excuse if this seems like I am hijacking your post.

I read this forum occasionally and always wondered (cause I'm unable to find) if there is a thread that points out which are the best point cards to use?
I'm an elderly gal that is just trying to get the most I can. Currently, I have a Amex Hhonors. Use to have Alaska but didn't like the returns on that one plus they raised the fee's up too high for this old gal. Thank you and again, I apologize if I stepped on toes by post question here.

Melanie

Try checking out this video/blog post: http://thepointsguy.com/2011/11/vide...eader-contest/

this forum rocks, and I only wish I joined a few years back when i had more opportunity to churn.. i checked out this forum numerous times for the past 4 or so years, but never bothered to check out the milesbuzz area.. but it's a great resource

I just got started in 2011 but in some ways I feel addicted. I can't wait to get on my computer first thing in the morning to see if there are some fare mistakes (so far none since I've been looking) and at the end of the day to see if there are any great new credit card offers.

I look at it as a hobby and also a little like a second job BUT I have to be very, very careful because I'm self-employed and I know in 2011 it was eating into my work schedule.

I thought this was going to be like one of those Trip Advisor reviews...

"BEWARE of this [insert: hotel/tour/restaurant/etc]"

or the classic and highly informative: "DO NOT STAY HERE!!!!!!!!!!"
:D

Sometimes my wife rips on me a bit for the hours and hours spent online on FT and other miles sites...but she isn't complaining when we're traveling the world at ridiculously low cost! I wish I'd known about all of this a few years back.

I too think of it as a hobby, investment. I prefer to fly and stay for free, so I guess that makes me cheap. Most of my friends think I'm rich because we usually take a vacation every month or two. Even after explaining it to them, their answer is we can't afford it.

The only thing FT changed me is that I now can only turn left boarding the plane for leisure travel.
Really, I can stop this addiction any time I want to. :D

Earlier today I found a fare to visit a friend that, when taking advantage of the AA DEQM would requalify me at Gold by the end of January, and with my PLAT status, earn me like 30,000+ miles (I think it was about 3cpm). However, since I'm not on contract until February, it's kind of risky to just fly halfway across the world with low savings. Was it worth it? Was it not?

SO -I asked a friend for advice, who flat out told me he didn't understand people like (us), and went on to call FF programs horrible because they elevate people and give them priority while sometimes other people get bumped when they're just trying to get somewhere and visit their sick families (what?). He also doesn't get why we waste money on mileage runs when it has no value (even though I explained how I save nearly 1000 a year just in luggage, plus earning tons of double miles which I use to fly other people and myself all over).

So...
that's just my rant.
I'm never asking normal people for flight advice again.
If it weren't for you, FlyerTalk, I think we would all be very lonely.

:)

+1 She (my wife) hates my MRs but loves flying to Hawaii in F for free or staying in suites at Hyatts.

resource
 

Melanie,

I am new to the game and this site has been helpful to me
noobtraveler dot com
- I emailed the the guy that runs it and he replied with answers to my questions really quickly.
Its a good resource.

That's sort of what this board is for so others can learn too :-)

Check out the sticky (collection of most useful threads). There is a thread on the "best card".

My TA thinks that we are nuts for even thinking about doing SFO ORD v.v 16+x.

I love this board but I would really love a FT vocabulary guide for acronyms. :rolleyes:

http://www.flyertalk.com/glossary/

Doesn't have everything, sometimes I google stuff and even then I don't get it. Just today I learned WN was Southwest Airlines!

The really interesting post would be if our wives(or husbands) came on here and had a good time talking about us. My wife sometimes thinks I take things a bit too far in this "hobby" but loves being able to take our trip to SA this Summer for around 80% off. :D

Too funny! :) ^ ^
I've also spent countless hours trying to make my office understand that I don't want to fly A-B if I can fly A-D-C-B for the same price.

Are you sure its not
A-Z-X (hidden city ticket) -D-C-B-C-D-X-Z-A?

Just curious, is the OP from Maryland?

Mike

She wanted to spend more time with me talking about other things than travel(she is overwhelmed with this every day!), and doing other things.
At the same time, I have also benefitted, as now I don't have to pay for KVS.

Mrs. Kayjay had been giving me a very hard time about recordkeeping and controlling the various credit cards we have opened and closed to earn miles/points. That is until I just booked 2 round trip to China (Hong Kong and Shanghai) first class on Cathay Pacific for our 50th anniversary.
The ticket price for this absolute luxury would have been $30K+. 135K AA miles per person covered it.

Conclusion, beware, addiction can become contagious.

Is there any family, where there are two "miles addicts"?
 

I find it interesting that my husband is not into miles & deals as much as I am, but I understand that we are different. I just think that it would be so much fun if we were in it together. We could split reading forums and cut our time in half :) But then, from the other hand, I am not into sports and he would love to have me by his side, when he cheers for his fav team.

Are there any lucky couples, who share the same miles interest?

My wife, too, would look askance at the time I spent on this site, flipping credit cards, etc, until I became Gold on AA/Marriott/Hilton/etc. A few first class flights/free breakfasts/etc won her over. Now at Plat, she will occasionally ask me about "deals", when are we going and should she pack a swimsuit.

Wow, man and wife? That would be something..

My wife couldn't care less.. and says I spend too much time trying to get a deal

My girlfriend and I are both into the mileage game and jumped on things like the BA Visa and the AMEX Plat. Now we're flying JFK-HKG-DPS/SIN-NRT-BOS in CX F and JL J next summer. If we mileage run, we try to turn it into a mini-vacation. It's quite awesome to have someone else who understands and enjoys this crazy game. She also more gleefully takes extra connections than I do.

It might also help that we were a long distance couple for quite some time. :)

Why pick BA when you have to pay YQ on awards?

The 100k bonus was too good for us to pass up. YQ was an issue, but we've got some more AA miles in the bank we're planning to use soon. We have our hands in multiple pots, don't worry. But good looking out. ^

I am with you. I am at the point of obsession.
Actually booked a couple of MR for the first time this Jan, wife thinks I am crazy for doing the MR and the amount of time spent working on this.
She will probably change her tune when we go on Cathay first to HKG-BKK-SIN this summer.
I probably do spend too much time here but as I am new to this, there is always something new to learn.
Thanks to all for sharing your knowledge!

Thats the key.. being at the point of obsession.. but not being obsessed..:cool::-:

Nowadays, I leave some lag room between the time I expect to cancel my cc, and the purchases I make on a particular card.. Some buffer works well, and causes less headache when charging to cards..

My main issue being from Canada, is cc fees. I'll keep the card for almost a year, but when annual fee time comes close.. I work that cost into the back of my mind and cancel the card when I need to, to avoid the annual fee charges..

+1 on the man and wife. At one point She Who Must Be Obeyed (SWMBO) and I had road jobs at the same time. That was when buying her Priority Pass membership went down as one of my most thoughtful presents. :p

Better was arranging our itineraries so we could tryst in an airport motels, or attend the same industry conclave.