Best way to have miles for big trips
May 12, 2012, 7:27 pm
#16
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 749
I too see one person gaining enough points for 2 as a big hurdle, and something most don't write about enough. My wife and I average about $2k a month in expenses between rent and everything else, so high spending isn't where I'm going to get my points and miles. Make sure you don't get hooked and start spending more just to get miles!
Some general tips of mine:
I see that you're new here, so if you're also new to FF collecting the best piece of advice I can give you is to fly business/first with your wife once, before you try all the crazy schemes. If you haven't done that, do it. Once she sees that your hobby can get you and her there... I think you'll get some leeway with respect to churning and earning. One CC app for you and one for her becomes easier to "swing" after this. Or asking her to sign for some crazy deliveries, or explain why you're staying at a hotel near your house on a Wednesday night.
Balance two good programs against each other. I'm constantly pushing miles into AA and UA, but I burned a bunch of AA this year, so I've switched my primary spending, churning, and scheming to my UA/UR cards so that I will have enough United miles for our next trip. After I have enough miles for that trip with United I'll go back to beefing up our AA miles for our trip even further in the future.
Never forget the little things. Does a family member need a big purchase and want to pay with cash? Buy it for them and they'll pay you back with cash.
Look into keeping those top tier programs for your "Big trips" and use smaller programs like Delta, Southwest, and BA for travel within the US.
In a pinch I fly my wife and I there coach and home Business or even first. This cuts down the miles needed. Or do it the opposite and the vacation (and party) starts right when you get on the plane. It is very likely you would be flying coach both ways if you didn't have miles!
Break up a trip. Both AA and UA let you use stopover cities (AA is technically only in NA gateway) so stopover halfway to your final destination, or halfway home, and use those legs as coach travel. You're on the plane for less time when you do this, so the coach legs don't "Feel" as long. Save the Business/First for the long uninterrupted flight.
Prioritize hotels or flights if you find yourself not getting enough miles for both. I barely collect hotel miles. Just enough for SPG Cash and Points. You may end up surprised how inexpensive very very nice accommodations are oversees.
In the past year I generated 112,000 UA miles from 1 credit card that gave me a 50,000 mile signup bonus, so feeling like the signup bonus is the only thing you have to look forward to is not totally true. Another approval will bump that up 50k more, and I'll be earning like crazy until we book our next trip.
Some general tips of mine:
I see that you're new here, so if you're also new to FF collecting the best piece of advice I can give you is to fly business/first with your wife once, before you try all the crazy schemes. If you haven't done that, do it. Once she sees that your hobby can get you and her there... I think you'll get some leeway with respect to churning and earning. One CC app for you and one for her becomes easier to "swing" after this. Or asking her to sign for some crazy deliveries, or explain why you're staying at a hotel near your house on a Wednesday night.
Balance two good programs against each other. I'm constantly pushing miles into AA and UA, but I burned a bunch of AA this year, so I've switched my primary spending, churning, and scheming to my UA/UR cards so that I will have enough United miles for our next trip. After I have enough miles for that trip with United I'll go back to beefing up our AA miles for our trip even further in the future.
Never forget the little things. Does a family member need a big purchase and want to pay with cash? Buy it for them and they'll pay you back with cash.
Look into keeping those top tier programs for your "Big trips" and use smaller programs like Delta, Southwest, and BA for travel within the US.
In a pinch I fly my wife and I there coach and home Business or even first. This cuts down the miles needed. Or do it the opposite and the vacation (and party) starts right when you get on the plane. It is very likely you would be flying coach both ways if you didn't have miles!
Break up a trip. Both AA and UA let you use stopover cities (AA is technically only in NA gateway) so stopover halfway to your final destination, or halfway home, and use those legs as coach travel. You're on the plane for less time when you do this, so the coach legs don't "Feel" as long. Save the Business/First for the long uninterrupted flight.
Prioritize hotels or flights if you find yourself not getting enough miles for both. I barely collect hotel miles. Just enough for SPG Cash and Points. You may end up surprised how inexpensive very very nice accommodations are oversees.
In the past year I generated 112,000 UA miles from 1 credit card that gave me a 50,000 mile signup bonus, so feeling like the signup bonus is the only thing you have to look forward to is not totally true. Another approval will bump that up 50k more, and I'll be earning like crazy until we book our next trip.
May 12, 2012, 11:10 pm
#17
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 297
I too see one person gaining enough points for 2 as a big hurdle, and something most don't write about enough. My wife and I average about $2k a month in expenses between rent and everything else, so high spending isn't where I'm going to get my points and miles. Make sure you don't get hooked and start spending more just to get miles!
Some general tips of mine:
I see that you're new here, so if you're also new to FF collecting the best piece of advice I can give you is to fly business/first with your wife once, before you try all the crazy schemes. If you haven't done that, do it. Once she sees that your hobby can get you and her there... I think you'll get some leeway with respect to churning and earning. One CC app for you and one for her becomes easier to "swing" after this. Or asking her to sign for some crazy deliveries, or explain why you're staying at a hotel near your house on a Wednesday night.
Balance two good programs against each other. I'm constantly pushing miles into AA and UA, but I burned a bunch of AA this year, so I've switched my primary spending, churning, and scheming to my UA/UR cards so that I will have enough United miles for our next trip. After I have enough miles for that trip with United I'll go back to beefing up our AA miles for our trip even further in the future.
Never forget the little things. Does a family member need a big purchase and want to pay with cash? Buy it for them and they'll pay you back with cash.
Look into keeping those top tier programs for your "Big trips" and use smaller programs like Delta, Southwest, and BA for travel within the US.
In a pinch I fly my wife and I there coach and home Business or even first. This cuts down the miles needed. Or do it the opposite and the vacation (and party) starts right when you get on the plane. It is very likely you would be flying coach both ways if you didn't have miles!
Break up a trip. Both AA and UA let you use stopover cities (AA is technically only in NA gateway) so stopover halfway to your final destination, or halfway home, and use those legs as coach travel. You're on the plane for less time when you do this, so the coach legs don't "Feel" as long. Save the Business/First for the long uninterrupted flight.
Prioritize hotels or flights if you find yourself not getting enough miles for both. I barely collect hotel miles. Just enough for SPG Cash and Points. You may end up surprised how inexpensive very very nice accommodations are oversees.
In the past year I generated 112,000 UA miles from 1 credit card that gave me a 50,000 mile signup bonus, so feeling like the signup bonus is the only thing you have to look forward to is not totally true. Another approval will bump that up 50k more, and I'll be earning like crazy until we book our next trip.
Some general tips of mine:
I see that you're new here, so if you're also new to FF collecting the best piece of advice I can give you is to fly business/first with your wife once, before you try all the crazy schemes. If you haven't done that, do it. Once she sees that your hobby can get you and her there... I think you'll get some leeway with respect to churning and earning. One CC app for you and one for her becomes easier to "swing" after this. Or asking her to sign for some crazy deliveries, or explain why you're staying at a hotel near your house on a Wednesday night.
Balance two good programs against each other. I'm constantly pushing miles into AA and UA, but I burned a bunch of AA this year, so I've switched my primary spending, churning, and scheming to my UA/UR cards so that I will have enough United miles for our next trip. After I have enough miles for that trip with United I'll go back to beefing up our AA miles for our trip even further in the future.
Never forget the little things. Does a family member need a big purchase and want to pay with cash? Buy it for them and they'll pay you back with cash.
Look into keeping those top tier programs for your "Big trips" and use smaller programs like Delta, Southwest, and BA for travel within the US.
In a pinch I fly my wife and I there coach and home Business or even first. This cuts down the miles needed. Or do it the opposite and the vacation (and party) starts right when you get on the plane. It is very likely you would be flying coach both ways if you didn't have miles!
Break up a trip. Both AA and UA let you use stopover cities (AA is technically only in NA gateway) so stopover halfway to your final destination, or halfway home, and use those legs as coach travel. You're on the plane for less time when you do this, so the coach legs don't "Feel" as long. Save the Business/First for the long uninterrupted flight.
Prioritize hotels or flights if you find yourself not getting enough miles for both. I barely collect hotel miles. Just enough for SPG Cash and Points. You may end up surprised how inexpensive very very nice accommodations are oversees.
In the past year I generated 112,000 UA miles from 1 credit card that gave me a 50,000 mile signup bonus, so feeling like the signup bonus is the only thing you have to look forward to is not totally true. Another approval will bump that up 50k more, and I'll be earning like crazy until we book our next trip.
I also very rarely collect hotel points. I just don't prioritize them as much as airline miles, and that's because getting there is the most expensive part. After that, I've always had great success finding good deals on boutique hotels, hostels, etc.
Always, always, always take advantage of stopovers if you can. You are basically getting two trips in one! For example, if you're flying New York to Istanbul, why not stopover somewhere in Europe for a bit before heading on to Istanbul? It's all part of one ticket, so you aren't paying any more to get to have two vacations!
Great job Stubtify! I'm sure the newbies are quite thankful for the advice!
May 13, 2012, 8:45 am
#19
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 757
Thank you guys very much for your help! I've been trying to learn all this stuff in last few weeks. I got denied by chase for Marriott card. So I can't apply for another chase card for another 5 months. Called reconsideration line multiple times. Only have the freedom. But feel like I'm missing out on so much without the Ink or Sapphire. Working on building my credit right now. Credit karma has mine at 730, credit sesame only 660
I have a marriott stay for work in Europe next week, so in mid April I applied again and was approved.
That said, the lower of your scores if accurate is probably a drag, so you may want to go slow and build that up.
May 13, 2012, 8:55 am
#20
Join Date: May 2008
Location: BOS/SIN
Programs: SQ
Posts: 2,704
There are three ways to accrue miles quickly:
1. Credit Cards
2. 100% Buy/Transfer Bonuses
3. Paid Travel
If you want to travel all the time, it will not be 'free' and will require out-of-pocket expenses.
Don't start accruing a single mile until you know what award ticket availability is like on the airline you plan to accrue with.
1. Credit Cards
2. 100% Buy/Transfer Bonuses
3. Paid Travel
If you want to travel all the time, it will not be 'free' and will require out-of-pocket expenses.
Don't start accruing a single mile until you know what award ticket availability is like on the airline you plan to accrue with.
May 13, 2012, 9:23 am
#21
Join Date: Apr 2012
Programs: AA, UA, Hilton, Choice, Wyndham
Posts: 415
There are also brokerage funding bonuses from the likes of Fidelity, TD Ameritrade, etc. Of course, you have to have good liquidity to be able to park 5 digit sums with some broker for a few months to get your points.