Compulsive Mileage Junkie?
 

I'm looking to chat with a complusive mileage junkie who really does let the pursuit of miles be a large part of their life? Do you really follow bonus promotions for their mileage value, have you really figured out the "value" of a mile the next time you're standing in line at the supermarket with a box of Kellogg's cereal, etc. I know there's a few of you out there, the question, who are you?

Let me know at [email protected]

Thanks.

Hi Randy! Count me in in as a real milage junkie. I follow every promo and check WebFlyer 3 times a day for updates. I currently am AAExplat. and almost went for the LatinPass deal. I did get the 3 Rt's bonus to Europe on AA and am working on Kellogs' promo...keep up the great work! Almost 1 million miles on AA alone and member of 23 FF clubs!

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MRKEY

Wouln't that be everyone on this board? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

People ask me what I do in my spare time...fishing? Nope. Collecting stamps? No. Antique shopping? Uh....sorry...I spend some of my weekend time working on my website devoted to finding free frequent flyer miles.

My friends are scared of me! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif



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Addicted to airline miles? Check out: The Airline Mileage Workshop

Randy, count me in! My name says it all! When possible nights and weekends are happily spent trying to find ways to earn more miles! Goal is to be a million miler from promos alone :-) May have to live a second lifetime though, to accumulate that many or enjoy using them!

Dear Randy

Yes I admit it - i'm obsessed. In fact my friends at work think I'm obsessed too. Every night (and some mornings) I log on and browse through flyertalk for the latest ways to earn free miles or for particularly good airline offers.

Add to that my membership in various free online points systems (Mypoints, Trocomania etc) and you begin to see what I mean. I am a member of The following frequent flyer schemes

- Latinpass, Ansett, Smiles, Aadvantage, Worldperks, Mileage Plus, TWA Aviators, HawaiianMiles, Onepass, Lanpass, Qualiflyer, Delta, BWIA, USAirways, Mileage Plan, Asiana Bonus Club, Mexicana Frequenta, America West Flightfund, Canadian Plus, Distancia, plus a few miscellaneous hotel and other programs

The majority of these programs are kept because from time to time I get free miles on them for surveys, birthdays and various other reasons. Whilst the number of miles accrued in each programs is not large they do come in use. For example when I joined Renoair I got 1500 miles enrolment bonus. Now that American has bought Renoair my Renoair miles have been transferred to my Aadvantage account.

Naturally I am well aquainted with the number of miles required for various trips in the Asia-Pacific region. I know that 20,000 Onepass or worldperks miles will get me from cairns to many destination in asia on Continental micronesia. I know that 20,000 Aadvantage miles will get me from Australia to western Samoa with a stopover in Fiji!. I know that 30,000 Ansett points will get me an 11,000 km trip right round Australia on Ansett stopping at destinations of my choosing. I know that the best points to have for a trip from Papaete to Easter Island are Canadian Airlines points (25,000).

But there's more. Because I want maximum value out of my trip I scour the internet and travel pages of newspapers for ultra cheap travel deals. In November 1998 I flew United MEL to AKL for A$100 and ended up with around 15,000 miles as a result of a sign-a-friend promotion at the same time. I flew MEL-HKG on a 6 night package ($A830)with Qantas last year and earned 15,000 Qualiflyer miles as a result of a special promotion at the same time.

Add to that I'm flying in May to Los Angeles with Air New Zealand on a $A950 flight for which I will get double Global Rewards points (32,000 for the journey!). Did I mention the 2000 Fly Buys points for booking at Traveland?

I hope that helps a bit.

cheers Peter

I think a name like Mileage Addict explains it all. Plus a Web site listing all the ways to get miles... he's my hero!

Then again, we all are junkies in our own little way.

My name is Catman and I"m a Mileage Junkie... Here's why:

*I purposely fly one particular airline and wonderful airline, get to the elite level to get as many bonuses as possible.
*Member of four airline and seven frequent stay and two car rental programs.
*Five credit cards (yes, they all get paid on time... I just use each one for specific reasons.)
*I have files on every program and update weekly lists on miles owed.
*I will fly a different routing system or stay more at a somewhat costlier hotel to get bonus points and miles.
*I love [b]FLYERTALK[/b} AND all the friends I have made here!!! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

BUT: I am not into conga lines and 10 and 15 mile promotions. And I won't fly a particular airline or go for a promotion I know that I can't achieve.

SO I"m a Mileage Kitten! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Holy Cow!, another Flyertalker from Tucson, Welcome NatalieLovesMiles!

Maybe now we'll be able to fill up a whole booth at a Mexican restaurant when BlondeBomber comes back to Tucson For a Meeting of the South Tucson International Frequent Flyer Society (S.T.I.F.F.S.)

Thanks for reminding me, BlondeBomber, back to the Topic
Compulsive Mileage Junkie? yeah, sure, I've been playing the frequent flyer games since they began in the early '80's. Those Continental BusinessFirst reward tickets to Europe are certainly habit-forming. I get most of my mileage the old way, by actually flying, although I use an affinity credit card, and occasionally take advantage of other promotions.

[This message has been edited by Old Gold (edited 03-31-2000).]

Old Gold: I'll be back sooner than you think (end of April with family and daughter's boyfriend in tow)!

Oh sorry (off topic), yes I am a mileage junkie but I don't let it run my life. I do spend time at FT. I have gotten blase about the 250 non-status miles here or there (although I do collect them!) but am increasingly looking for ways that earn at least 5000 status miles per trip/earning opportunity etc.

I have been consistently getting about 6600 status miles for each $300 US spent recently (about 4.5 cents per status mile) which will now rise to about $400 US. Still a good deal in my books.

I do not fly just to make points though. If I am going somewhere primarily for points (rarely as I think I fly enough), I will take advantage of the opportunity to tour, dine, birdwatch, look for snakes, meet up with fellow FTers etc. If I'm not having fun, why bother?

Addicted--well maybe not; obsessed--sometimes; habituated -- definitely!

Addicted to miles yes....well maybe not !!
Addicted to travel yes....
addicted to the wonderful folks that I have met here and on www.klmuk.com - YES !!

Dear Randy,
Im' not sure I meet your criteria- If the deal is less than 1k miles I usually don't follow up. But I check flyertalk at least 3-4 times a week.

OLD Gold, Is STIFF related to Old Pueble Princess Cruise Lines? (Tucson oriented)

Yours Truly, Woody

.........

Well, how about someone who flies from Boston to Atlanta to get to London just to get DL miles. Or occasionally goes to MAN to get DL miles.

I think some of us need a 12-seat program. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

How is everyone making out with their addiction?

Flying 31,000 miles across 3 continents to Dusseldorf for a weekend of talking flying with people you have never met. Does that qualify? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

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~ Glen ~

I check my miles balances more than my checking account or credit card balances. And as I fall asleep at night I think of new ways to maximize my miles: should I make a double connection? should I fly coach and hope for a gate upgrade without using miles?
And when MCI did not post my 5000 bonus miles I called 7 times until they were credited to my account.
The best part of being addicted to miles is that, thanks to this board, I know I AM NOT ALONE.

I am not a mileage junkie.

I am a status junkie.

I'm not a mileage junkie, but I do follow this board almost daily to see if I am missing something that could make my life better. The purpose of miles and status, I feel, is to improve the quality of my life, not take over my life.

I also am irrevocably HOOKED on miles and how to get the most miles out of my daily life. Since this board I have become addicted. Thank you all

I get very upset when people accuse me of being a mileage junkie. I think it is very normal to fly to the west coast for a day or to Rome for a night or to Frankfurt for coffee. People are so insensitive. Why do they think it strange that I fly three or more legs to a destination when there is a direct flight?

Hmm. Maybe I am in a state of denial.
Wait a minute.
De Nile.
Wonder if I could get an E-fare to Cairo?

Never thought I was addicted to anything stronger then cigarettes and blackjack--that is until I found FT, and the ideas of getting more miles faster. I'm hooked!!!
Only disappointmment is that many of the super contests and bonuses are not available to those outside of the U.S., but we keep trying. Thanks, FT.

bj-21.

P.S.--Losing too much sleep spending so much time on these forums, but, ah well, can always sleep on the plane. (Never do !!)

[This message has been edited by blackjack-21 (edited 11-22-2000).]

Thanks for the clarification koko! Maybe we should start a new thread for status junkies http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

You remind me of myself! Now that i am not alone, I can travel with peace of mind. thank you for setting me free.

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I fly therefore I am!

Per Novacat's comments:

My motto is very similiar:

Why take one flight when you can take two or three in its place?

Blackjack,

If you are concerned that you don't qualify for bonuses because you are based in Canada, why not just change your address to that of a friend in the US? He/she can always forward your statements.

kokonutz'description pegged me too. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/redface.gif

Can't post now.. am on my way to my weekly meeting of Frequent Flyer Anomymous. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

Great thread. This relates to FF programs.

I thought I was at one time. When I started reading FT I felt like a poor relative not ever being near a million miles. I am FF on AA, DElta, AWA and got 2 free on American via British without ever flyiing on British. Think I"m out of my league now. You people embarass me.

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If you are compulsive, this is the place to learn it all and make it pay off. Pity the compulsive FFers who don't have all the resources of FT available to them. LOL

Djlawman

This is a great topic in which to do my first post...yep, I'm hooked. It's been a gradual 9-year process with a few twists.

For one, about 97-98% of my total 1.5 million or so lifetime miles have come from personal leisure trips, not business. The company I used to work for treated business travel like such a budgetary vice that it was almost a rebellious gesture to flaunt a weekend leisure trip to Florida bought on a super-cheap ticket.

I got proficient with easySABRE back in the early 90s days of CompuServe and green screens, learning how to do increasingly sophisticated booking strategies. It took WAY too much time and brainpower to chase down leads and assemble it all, but there was something in the "thrill of the hunt" that kept me going. Also a compulsion to "beat the system" and psychological payoffs like that.

But most important was that I discovered I loved to travel. I would never do "mileage runs," but rather would always make a trip of it and look around the place, often on 3-day or even normal 2-day weekends around work. By 1992 (the year of the great fare war), I was doing some 18 or so annual 2- or 3-day weekend trips and 2 vacation-length ones around a job that afforded maybe 15 paid days off a year and almost no business travel.

And I didn't say anything about most of the trips to co-workers. They knew I traveled a bit but never dreamed exactly how much. Maybe another sign of addiction: hiding it.

Learning the mileage game and maximizing returns there greatly increased my ability to travel. I would earn miles on weekend domestic trips and spend them on bi-annual vacations to places like Thailand.

Finally the job and the company were getting to be just too much of a pain and too much of an impediment to further travel. So, in 1996, at the age of 33, I quit the job on an incentive buyout after 8 years so I could travel full-time for a year.

Instead, it has now been almost five years. I'll travel maybe 200-250 days out of the year on maybe 20 different trips.

Money is very tight and I have to play every angle to keep it all going, including traveling to places with low land costs, staying at Motel 6 or sometimes hostels, and only doing the very best deals on paid tickets.

It's quite a contrast to step off a plane after flying upgraded first class and head to a $15 bunk in a hostel dorm. I often look too casually dressed to be in first class; the business types must sometimes wonder, "What's he doing up here?"

I get no sympathy when I try to explain what a box I'm in. I have to get a very low fare and generous miles to travel on a paid ticket, and also be able to manage the land costs. All the planets must be in alignment. People think I just decide to go someplace and go, but I have to get the deal first, then find the reason to go.

So, in a way, it has consumed a big part of my life. But it sure beats office politics, corporate downsizing and all that other garbage that came with the job I left. Just got back from a 7-week trip that included Hawaii, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and the Philippines (using 3 different award tickets).

There are definitely consequences. "Home" doesn't feel like home when I'm away so much. Friends marry off, start families and do all that "normal" stuff (I have always been single). While some of the trips might include visits with people I know in various places, all are solo trips.

And since I've started belonging "to the planet" rather than to the local area, I see places where the local area isn't the world-class place it sometimes thinks it is. Or where the U.S. isn't the best in the world in every quality-of-life category like I had once believed. There's risk of becoming a travel snob.

And then there's the ever-present specter of needing to work again. I'm still 29 years away from Social Security and the funds sure won't stretch. But it would be very hard to go back to a conventional job after five great years of travel that hit all 50 states and 25 countries. I have earned close to 1.5 million lifetime miles across 6 programs now, but I guess I'm prouder that I've spent 1.2 million of them, all on coach award tickets.

It's been quite a ride.

I'm hooked. I have my credit cards, telephone service tied into mileage. I check
this site everyday.

RustyC, I am gald to see you come out of the closet. Welcome to FT.

Good to see you here, RustyC.

You're not alone backpacking around the world, as that is pretty much the way I travel in Australia and Europe, and have been since my first flight across the Atlantic in 1992. Makes a big difference when you are paying your own way.

Tom

[This message has been edited by tom911 (edited 11-24-2000).]

Welcome rustyc - sounds like an interesting life.

You might also want to check out and post to the Who We All Are threads. Your first post would be appropriate for inclusion in the WWAA threads.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum95/HTML/000607.html

I like to think I am a frequent flyer manager rather than addict! Flyertalk has been great for squeezing miles out, checking out promos (I really love the HHonors profile update!!), etc. I manage my marketing manager husband's accounts, getting him to fly certain airlines, remember to give his freq flyer number to hotels and car rentals. I am the one who follows up with the copies if he forgets. I routed his mileage runs to achieve whatever goal we are looking for and urged him to ask his corporate travel agent to get him comped to UA PremEx when he was just over 40K one year. He does love the perks and hates the details! Many Flyertalkers are way more expert than I am but I would bet that most of us, including me, are miles ahead of our friends!
My husband's traveling companions are dazzled when he gets the upgraded rooms and airplane seats. For my birthday this year, we were given the Governor's Suite at the River Center Marriott in San Antonio for only $59/night! His Gold status and AARP discount got us the goody! Plus champagne and a luscious birthday cake...Love those Frequent Guest/Flyer programs!

Confucious Jr. asks,

"If 'Travel 4 Free' not a FF junkie, then why he fly LAX-FRA - just for a lunch?"

Confucious Sr. responds,

"Enjoyment not always found at destination - but in ride along the way."

I think any of us on these boards qualifies, surely? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Free Miles is my middle name. Add me to list.