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Best way to have miles for big trips

Best way to have miles for big trips

Old May 10, 2012, 9:39 pm
  #1  
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 76
Best way to have miles for big trips

Besides the handful of miles I get on credit card applications, how can I build my miles up with a particular company? Whether its united, us or AA so that I have enough miles to take my wife with me to other parts of the world in business class.

50,000 miles with each company just doesn't cut it
dtp1987 is offline  
Old May 10, 2012, 9:49 pm
  #2  
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 462
Mileage runs?
AnitaBryant63 is offline  
Old May 10, 2012, 9:55 pm
  #3  
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
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Originally Posted by dtp1987
Besides the handful of miles I get on credit card applications, how can I build my miles up with a particular company? Whether its united, us or AA so that I have enough miles to take my wife with me to other parts of the world in business class.

50,000 miles with each company just doesn't cut it
Start shopping exclusively at the UR mall with sapphire/Ink bold cards when they have bonus's

CO is easier to get miles on because you can open sapphire, ua and ink bold cards for you and your wife so you have a few cards to collect from
waterbottle is offline  
Old May 10, 2012, 10:58 pm
  #4  
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
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You could do really well with chase and UA:

Sapphire Preferred: 40k
Ink Bold: 50k
UA: 55k
Freedom: 30k
UA Biz: 25k

Fidelty $100k deposit: 50k UA miles

=====================
webazoid is offline  
Old May 11, 2012, 12:29 am
  #5  
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 769
You have a freedom 30k like webazoid?
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Old May 11, 2012, 2:34 am
  #6  
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: South NJ
Posts: 263
Originally Posted by leftpinky
You have a freedom 30k like webazoid?
Somebody's behind on their blog reading

http://www.onlinetravelreview.com/20...ble-heres-how/
Zamboni Driver is offline  
Old May 11, 2012, 5:02 am
  #7  
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 297
A few ways:

1. Start using online shopping portals, especially the Chase UR mall. These miles convert to UA and you can really rake in chunks of miles at a time, especially on big purchases.

2. Use the category bonuses you have on each card. Chase Sapphire gives you 2x points on travel and dining, Ink Bold gives you 5x on office supplies and telecommunications stuff (cellphone, internet, etc.) Put the right spending on the right cards. It'll add up quick.

3. Sign up for more cards, including getting your wife in the game. If both of you open up 2 Citi/AA cards, that is 200k between the both of you.

4. Chase has lots of cards that can get you UA miles. Sapphire is at 40k, Freedom is 30k, Ink Bold is 50k. Again, double dip with your wife getting the cards too and you'll have plenty of miles.
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Old May 11, 2012, 6:14 am
  #8  
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Join Date: Mar 2012
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Do chase UR only transfer to United? And is it easy to convert miles from different chase cards to United?

My wife is going to get in the game in a few months when her credit is higher. Working hard to build it up. Only about 640 now.

And once we do double dip, how do we book reward tickets together?
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Old May 11, 2012, 6:20 am
  #9  
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: PHL (kinda, no airport is really close)
Programs: AA Exp, but not sure for how long. Enterprise Platinum woo-hoo!
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I read the OP a little differently - he said "take my wife with me to other parts of the world in business class" - I think he was saying "I want to go on lots of trips, I know there are people who do that, but how do I? How do these people get hundreds of thousands, or millions, of miles?"

That, unfortunately, is very hard to do. Overseas business class is 100,000 miles and up, 200,000 miles is very doable but 400,000 is hard, and you can't always get tickets at the minimum miles price.

Some people fly an awful lot, and most FF programs give bonues of 100% or more to their top tier, so someone flying 150,000 miles a year might earn 300,000 miles or more. There also are some people who are just plain rich, or run a lot of business spending through their credit cards, and charge millions of dollars a year.

One option is to buy points. Flyertalk is not a place to do that, but I work for a company with about 5,000 professionals on our campus and an active bulletin board. I have found many people who don't really know the best ways to use their points, and have found a fair number of people to buy Amex and Chase points from for 1.25 cents. At that rate, you can get a couple of overseas business class tickets for $2500 plus fees, which isn't too bad.
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Old May 11, 2012, 8:14 am
  #10  
Formerly known as iahsumr
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 520
Some good suggestions here. I would just highlight a few brief ways to start. CC apps are great for a quick infusion of miles. The Ultimate Reward points that were posted are a great way to do that. If you and your wife both do a couple of those, you will be well on your way. I agree with shopping via the UR portal and maximizing the bonus categories on those Ultimate Rewards earning cards. There is some huge value there. Also participate in dining programs.

Participating in promotions can also get you large numbers of miles relatively quickly. The US Airways Grand Slam is a great example, and you can realistically get 100,000 - 200,000 miles from that (if you and your wife both participate). There is some out of pocket cost to do that, but the miles you can in return are well worth the investment (for many folks). If it comes back this fall, check it out and see if it makes sense for you.

Hope that helps some and good luck!
Mommy Points is offline  
Old May 11, 2012, 9:26 am
  #11  
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Best way to have miles for big trips

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
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Old May 11, 2012, 9:48 am
  #12  
Formerly known as iahsumr
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 520
Originally Posted by dtp1987
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
If you couldn't get approved on recon then I agree best to lay low for several months and build credit. The good news is you can maximize the 5x of the Freedom and just save the points for when you have the Ink Bold or Sapphire Preferred. Shop via the UR shopping portal and make sure to earn as many points as you can via dining programs and other promotions that are out there. A little patience and you can have all the points you need a little bit down the road.
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Old May 11, 2012, 10:54 am
  #13  
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Best way to have miles for big trips

Didn't realize I could use points for other things with my chase freedom. Thought only way I could use them was by getting cash back
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Old May 11, 2012, 12:07 pm
  #14  
Formerly known as iahsumr
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 520
Originally Posted by dtp1987
Didn't realize I could use points for other things with my chase freedom. Thought only way I could use them was by getting cash back
It earns UR points just like the Sapphire Preferred and Ink Bold only you don't have the ability to transfer to hotel and airline partners unless you first transfer those UR points to a Sapphire Preferred or Ink Bold account. So, save them until you (or a spouse) has access to one of those accounts.
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Old May 12, 2012, 5:23 pm
  #15  
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: CLD
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Originally Posted by dtp1987
Whether its united, us or AA so that I have enough miles to take my wife with me to other parts of the world in business class.
pay attention to offer with companion pass.. i know AS always has, and one AA business card has it too.
travelsg is offline  

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