The "game" since Flyertalk
Dec 27, 2019 | 8:49 am
#46
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 26,113
Jan 3, 2020 | 12:40 am
#47
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: SEA
Programs: Atmos Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 1,989
Still sitting on a pile of AA miles from quick churning the Citi Executive AAdvantage World Elite Mastercard with 100k bonus. Even though my original dreams of cashing them in on an EY F vacation have given way to less luxurious travel over the past 5 years, that brief period before the anti-churn rule change stands as my high-water mark in terms of miles accrual.
Jan 17, 2020 | 1:51 pm
#48
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: St Petersburg, FL, USA
Posts: 2,275
Personal favorites:
- AirTran (RIP) "Wendy's cups for tickets" scheme in 2006. I was buying hundreds from dumpster-divers on Craigslist and giving everyone in my family 32 flight credits (worth 2 RT tickets). It also got me to "lifetime AIrTran elite status", a program they revoked the following year.
- Travelers Advantage (RIP) in 1997-2001 or so. A travel agent that would rebate 5-10% commissions back to you in the form of a monthly check. I was getting $1,000+ monthly rebates, as I was on the road 200+ days a year.
- ValueAmerica.com (RIP) sale of gift certificates at 70-80 cents on the dollar, depending on how many you would buy. I would book my travel with Travelers Advantage and then pay at checkout with heavily discounted Hyatt gift cards. Another $1,000+ per month in cash back.
- AirTran (RIP) "Wendy's cups for tickets" scheme in 2006. I was buying hundreds from dumpster-divers on Craigslist and giving everyone in my family 32 flight credits (worth 2 RT tickets). It also got me to "lifetime AIrTran elite status", a program they revoked the following year.
- Travelers Advantage (RIP) in 1997-2001 or so. A travel agent that would rebate 5-10% commissions back to you in the form of a monthly check. I was getting $1,000+ monthly rebates, as I was on the road 200+ days a year.
- ValueAmerica.com (RIP) sale of gift certificates at 70-80 cents on the dollar, depending on how many you would buy. I would book my travel with Travelers Advantage and then pay at checkout with heavily discounted Hyatt gift cards. Another $1,000+ per month in cash back.
Mar 5, 2020 | 6:37 pm
#49
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: NYC suburbs
Programs: UA LT Gold 1.2MM (BIS), AA LT Plat (SUBs, BD/Bask), Hilton Dia (CC), Hyatt Glob (BIB), et. al.
Posts: 4,595
Credit card churning.
Citi AA cards every couple of months, Barclays US Air card every few months, 2 different Citi Hilton cards every 67-90 days, 5 or 6 new Chase cards every year, repeat AmEx bonuses for the same card every year, 2 Bank of America Alaska at the same time, 20 new cards a year, a dozen applications at the same time.
Oh yeah, BankDirect/Bask Bank/Texas Capital Bank, fortunately not yet a distant memory.
Citi AA cards every couple of months, Barclays US Air card every few months, 2 different Citi Hilton cards every 67-90 days, 5 or 6 new Chase cards every year, repeat AmEx bonuses for the same card every year, 2 Bank of America Alaska at the same time, 20 new cards a year, a dozen applications at the same time.
Oh yeah, BankDirect/Bask Bank/Texas Capital Bank, fortunately not yet a distant memory.