The Most Embarassing Thing I've Ever Done to Get Miles
Jun 3, 1999, 1:31 pm
#1
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Join Date: May 1998
Location: Seattle
Programs: Ephesians 4:31-32
Posts: 10,690
The Most Embarassing Thing I've Ever Done to Get Miles
Being serious mileage junkies we probably all think its perfectly normal to change phone companies annually for miles, fill out surveys online for miles, and select credit card companies based on miles. But, occasionally, I find myself doing something so strange for miles that even I begin to wonder.
Here's a good example. As an Alaska MVP Gold, I can change tickets without any penalty at all. Yesterday I was running too late for my flight to get the 500 mile Kiosk check-in bonus. (The Kiosk cuts you off about 15 minutes before departure.) So, I called on my cell phone and changed my reservation to a later flight. I then ran to the Kiosk, checked in for the later flight to get the 500 bonus miles, and then went to the counter and asked them to put me back on my original flight. After making a mad dash to catch the original plane, just before take-off, I landed in my seat and couldn't help laughing at myself. The things we do for miles.
Does anybody else do silly things like this for miles? Does anybody else have courage enough to admit it?
[This message has been edited by Punki (edited 06-03-99).]
Here's a good example. As an Alaska MVP Gold, I can change tickets without any penalty at all. Yesterday I was running too late for my flight to get the 500 mile Kiosk check-in bonus. (The Kiosk cuts you off about 15 minutes before departure.) So, I called on my cell phone and changed my reservation to a later flight. I then ran to the Kiosk, checked in for the later flight to get the 500 bonus miles, and then went to the counter and asked them to put me back on my original flight. After making a mad dash to catch the original plane, just before take-off, I landed in my seat and couldn't help laughing at myself. The things we do for miles.
Does anybody else do silly things like this for miles? Does anybody else have courage enough to admit it?
[This message has been edited by Punki (edited 06-03-99).]
Jun 3, 1999, 1:35 pm
#2
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Cambridge, MA
Posts: 1,433
It was that "Mileage Junkies Anonymous" post that got you going, wasn't it, Punki?
I will rack my brains and try to think of something spectacularly daft that I have done to get miles... but I'm not certain that I can match you.
I will rack my brains and try to think of something spectacularly daft that I have done to get miles... but I'm not certain that I can match you.
Jun 3, 1999, 1:36 pm
#3
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: CH-3823 Wengen Switzerland
Programs: miles&more, MileagePlus
Posts: 27,041
looking forward to laugh together about our madness in Seattle (sep).
Jun 3, 1999, 1:53 pm
#4
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Join Date: May 1998
Location: Seattle
Programs: Ephesians 4:31-32
Posts: 10,690
Yes, baobab, it's true, it's true.
Jun 3, 1999, 2:23 pm
#5
Guest
Posts: n/a
December, a few years ago, while living in Miami, I had just over 49,500 elite qualifying miles in my account and NO travel planned until after the 1st of the year. Not willing to take the chance of not reaching the 2nd tier of the elite program at the 50,000 mile level, I booked a $49 one way flight from Ft. Lauderdale to Tampa. Yes, there were plenty of direct flights but I booked one that connected in Miami (only about 20 miles away). That morning, I drove to MIA, parked my car, took the shuttle van to FLL and caught my flight to TPA. We took off, landed 10 minutes later in Miami, I got off the plane and was back home in time to play golf at noon. 500 status miles, 500 bonus. Do I need therapy? Perhaps. But as a good friend says: "It's an obsession, but it's pleasing." 
Jun 3, 1999, 2:34 pm
#6
Original Member and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Kansas City, MO, USA
Programs: DL PM/MM, AA ExPlat, Hyatt Glob, HH Dia, National ECE, Hertz PC
Posts: 16,579
December last year I flew MSY-ATL-MCO-SRQ-MCO-ATL-MSY in one day to get the five segments I needed to requalify for Gold Medallion. That wouldn't have been so difficult except that for a ticket to be considered "round-trip" you have to stay at your destination for at least four (or is it six) hours. Not a big deal since my brother happens to live there in Sarasota, and if not, I could have flow stand-by, but the point there is if the cities were much further apart it would have been very hard to schedule a "round-trip" in just one day. As it was my first flight left at 5:30 am and I got back into New Orleans around Midnight.
Jun 3, 1999, 2:39 pm
#7
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: wash, dc
Posts: 78
Last year, I was about to come up just short in hitting Silver on CO--by a frustratingly small 200 miles. Much to my girlfriend's horror, I booked a $150 RT from DCA to EWR on the very last Saturday in December just to get those darn miles. So I flew up and flew back, all stocked up with complementary shuttle mags. (I had to justify it in some tangible way) Luckily, I got my gfriend to promise not to tell our friends (who would think I'm crazy) nor her family (who would disinherit her immediately) about this madness. She now gets a real kick out of the fact that I have found some same-minded folks here on FT-- plus, it lessens the amount of what she thinks is frequent flyer blather I throw her way!
I've also convinced my twin bro to use my FF number in exchange for flight coupons for being bumped. He saves money; I get miles!
I've also convinced my twin bro to use my FF number in exchange for flight coupons for being bumped. He saves money; I get miles!
Jun 3, 1999, 3:53 pm
#8
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: TX
Posts: 712
True confessions, and don't tell my non-frequent flyer friends, either. I confide my obsession to my wife only (and she is a therapist--how convenient). Yet sometimes she is not only my confidant, she finds herself unexpectedly the product of it as well.
Okay, "sweetie," we're going from LAX to TUL. Now, "dear," since you have miles with NW, and I have miles with UAL, we'll need to take different flights on different airlines. Okay. You have a nice long flight on a "nicer" plane out of LAX (757) and I'm on an old 727. We'll get there about the "same time." I "forget" to tell her that she has to fly all the way to Memphis first (past Tulsa; of course, in my mind it's more miles) and then to board a beechcraft prop for an 1.5 hr trip West to Tulsa. Of course we do get in TUL about the same time: my flight was direct through Denver (no change of planes) and arrives about 3pm--of course I left 2.5 hours after she did.
I meed her in TUL. "A "nicer"!! plane," she says. Gee you didn't tell me about the "puddle jumper" from Memphis. "AH, ah, ah, well, honey..... "we need the miles''(famous quote).
Embarassing per se, not really. Misleading my wife for miles: yes.
[we laugh about it now. However, I never told her that I didn't have to change planes in Denver.]
[This message has been edited by JeffLewis2 (edited 06-09-1999).]
Okay, "sweetie," we're going from LAX to TUL. Now, "dear," since you have miles with NW, and I have miles with UAL, we'll need to take different flights on different airlines. Okay. You have a nice long flight on a "nicer" plane out of LAX (757) and I'm on an old 727. We'll get there about the "same time." I "forget" to tell her that she has to fly all the way to Memphis first (past Tulsa; of course, in my mind it's more miles) and then to board a beechcraft prop for an 1.5 hr trip West to Tulsa. Of course we do get in TUL about the same time: my flight was direct through Denver (no change of planes) and arrives about 3pm--of course I left 2.5 hours after she did.
I meed her in TUL. "A "nicer"!! plane," she says. Gee you didn't tell me about the "puddle jumper" from Memphis. "AH, ah, ah, well, honey..... "we need the miles''(famous quote).
Embarassing per se, not really. Misleading my wife for miles: yes.
[we laugh about it now. However, I never told her that I didn't have to change planes in Denver.]
[This message has been edited by JeffLewis2 (edited 06-09-1999).]
Jun 3, 1999, 4:14 pm
#9
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Tampa, FL
Programs: AAMM & PLT; UA Gold, DL Silver, Marriott LT Titanium Elite, Hilton Diamond, Hertz #1 Gold Club
Posts: 1,591
Couple years ago, Avis had a promotion where each rental earned you 500 bonus points. The hotel where I was staying had an Avis counter and on top of that they charged I think it was $23 per day for parking. So for the entire week, I would rent the car in the morning and return it in the evening and then rent it the next morning. Not only did I not pay for parking and got the bonus point for each rental. I convinced my wife that I was doing this only to save on the parking cost (we were on vacation) and would not dear mention the mileage motive.
I also find myself eating only at restuarants that earn me dining points with Delta.
[This message has been edited by jamflyer (edited 06-03-99).]
I also find myself eating only at restuarants that earn me dining points with Delta.
[This message has been edited by jamflyer (edited 06-03-99).]
Jun 3, 1999, 4:26 pm
#10
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 1,934
I did the same thing as JeffLewis2. We were going to Seattle, but my husband needed 3 segments for a free ticket on Southwest. So I went on Alaska Air and sent him via Reno on the return back from Seattle. I mentioned that he really needed the segments. Well, on the way back through Reno, the gate agent wouldn't recognize his connection for an additional stamp. He almost missed his flight arguing with the gate agent but got the stamp. Oops..
To get a free ticket on NW, I purposely took an extra segement through Seattle to get to Portland. And after all that, wouldn't you know it but I let the FlyWrites go to waste...
My cousin thinks that I should start a group for FFAholics or that I should teach a class on how to accrue frequent flier miles. I'm glad that I found a group that is just as obsessed as I am.
Thanks...
[This message has been edited by sggolf (edited 06-03-99).]
[This message has been edited by sggolf (edited 06-03-99).]
To get a free ticket on NW, I purposely took an extra segement through Seattle to get to Portland. And after all that, wouldn't you know it but I let the FlyWrites go to waste...
My cousin thinks that I should start a group for FFAholics or that I should teach a class on how to accrue frequent flier miles. I'm glad that I found a group that is just as obsessed as I am.
Thanks...
[This message has been edited by sggolf (edited 06-03-99).]
[This message has been edited by sggolf (edited 06-03-99).]
Jun 3, 1999, 4:34 pm
#11
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 1,664
I have had a few experiences to maximize my miles -- none as crazy as Punki's, but crazy to my friends none-the-less.
1. For the longest time, I was gold on American (these days, 25k miles is easy!). Knowing that I had a chance to qualify for Platinum (based on my scheduled travel), I wanted to maximize my miles. My girlfriend and a few of my friends were going to Ireland for vacation last August. Originally, I was not able to go but about 3 weeks before the trip, my schedule cleared and I was able to go. I priced the flight on Aer Lingus and the cost was $900. Aer Lingus is a Delta partner and I did not want/need Delta miles. Plus, I would like to fly in comfort on vacation (i.e. business class). I spent 1 hour on the phone with American and the agent found me a flight from LGA-ORD-LHR-JFK for $700. I then contacted AL and they had the LHR-Ireland flight s for $200 -- same cost, and 8000+ miles on American and three credits on AL.
2. Same year, now December. I have 48,000 miles. American will not budge on the milage requirment. So I end up flying (all flights upgraded) from JFK to LAX at 8pm Saturday night, landing at 11. Walk across the terminal to the 1:15am flight to Dallas (hello, Saturday night stay). Turns out there is a 12:15 am flight (less time in LAX since the Admirals club was closed). They were able to get me on the 12:15 and get me upgraded (after I told the agent the story, I think she had pitty on me). She also put me on standby list for an earlier the Dallas-NY flight. Get to Dallas at 5am, goto the admirals club -- confirm I am on the list, plus place a upgrade request. GOto the gate at 6am, checkin with the agent -- issues me my first class boarding pass and I am home in NY at 10am -- granted, with 8,000 miles more than needed -- but on a cheap flight with a Saturday night stay.
3. Flying with a client (both os us based in NY) to California. He wants to take United, I want to take American (again, miles and upgrades). End up telling him we get a better deal on American (corporate discount -- not true, our United deal is better but I cant STAND United) and that I will meet him there. Originally, he was supposed to get there before me. I beat him there and have a much better flight!
--Jim
1. For the longest time, I was gold on American (these days, 25k miles is easy!). Knowing that I had a chance to qualify for Platinum (based on my scheduled travel), I wanted to maximize my miles. My girlfriend and a few of my friends were going to Ireland for vacation last August. Originally, I was not able to go but about 3 weeks before the trip, my schedule cleared and I was able to go. I priced the flight on Aer Lingus and the cost was $900. Aer Lingus is a Delta partner and I did not want/need Delta miles. Plus, I would like to fly in comfort on vacation (i.e. business class). I spent 1 hour on the phone with American and the agent found me a flight from LGA-ORD-LHR-JFK for $700. I then contacted AL and they had the LHR-Ireland flight s for $200 -- same cost, and 8000+ miles on American and three credits on AL.
2. Same year, now December. I have 48,000 miles. American will not budge on the milage requirment. So I end up flying (all flights upgraded) from JFK to LAX at 8pm Saturday night, landing at 11. Walk across the terminal to the 1:15am flight to Dallas (hello, Saturday night stay). Turns out there is a 12:15 am flight (less time in LAX since the Admirals club was closed). They were able to get me on the 12:15 and get me upgraded (after I told the agent the story, I think she had pitty on me). She also put me on standby list for an earlier the Dallas-NY flight. Get to Dallas at 5am, goto the admirals club -- confirm I am on the list, plus place a upgrade request. GOto the gate at 6am, checkin with the agent -- issues me my first class boarding pass and I am home in NY at 10am -- granted, with 8,000 miles more than needed -- but on a cheap flight with a Saturday night stay.
3. Flying with a client (both os us based in NY) to California. He wants to take United, I want to take American (again, miles and upgrades). End up telling him we get a better deal on American (corporate discount -- not true, our United deal is better but I cant STAND United) and that I will meet him there. Originally, he was supposed to get there before me. I beat him there and have a much better flight!
--Jim
Jun 3, 1999, 5:52 pm
#12
Commander Catcop
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 10,259
I have added segments to my trips and flown to different airports to get bonus miles.
I have stayed wtih U-A through delays and nasty employees.
But I don't think that most of what has been described is crazy.
And frankly I have yet to do anything embarassing. After all, cats are mature and graceful and never do anything silly.
SO NAH!
------------------
MEOW! MEOW! MEOW!!!
I have stayed wtih U-A through delays and nasty employees.
But I don't think that most of what has been described is crazy.
And frankly I have yet to do anything embarassing. After all, cats are mature and graceful and never do anything silly.
SO NAH!
------------------
MEOW! MEOW! MEOW!!!
Jun 3, 1999, 6:28 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Texas, U.S.A.
Posts: 19,523
I have dined at several of those Mileage Plus Dining locations. What was I thinking...the food it was stinking! The miles never came, so it's never again!
Jun 3, 1999, 10:28 pm
#14
In Memoriam, Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 6,879
Crazy? I fly so many hours out of my way to keep on flights on UA. For example, tomorrow I will fly DTW-ORD-LAX-SNA and have to spend 1.75 hours sitting in LAX just for the miles. I will spend 8.5 hours on a trip that I could have taken non-stop on NW. However, I did not like having to scramble last year at XMAS trying to find enough miles to make 1K. This year, I will have made it by August (both segments and miles, all intra-continental) and will then be FREE to fly any route I choose. Crazy? No. Forsight, yes! By the way I get to fly FC on UA. Worth my time? 9 times out of 10, Yes!
John.
John.
Jun 3, 1999, 10:37 pm
#15
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Tucson, Southern Arizona, North America, Western Hemisphere, The Earth, a small planet in the solar system. Previously OnePass Infinite Platinum Elite, now over entitled 1K
Posts: 2,288
Years ago, in the early days of the FF programs, United was offering a first class domestic ticket for 7 segments and 7,000 miles, traveling from Tucson to Newark I traveled the routing TUS-PHX PHX-SFO SFO-EWR My first flight was a direct flight (stop in PHX) to Newark!