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Old Mar 10, 2006 | 7:35 am
  #1  
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Buying points

I am aware of how to buy/get United points through ameniti.com (50,000)
and Silverwings?? I would like to know how else I can buy miles. PLease assist. (United, Northwest, Delta, Us air etc)
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Old Mar 10, 2006 | 8:54 am
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Originally Posted by pineapple99
I am aware of how to buy/get United points through ameniti.com (50,000)
and Silverwings?? I would like to know how else I can buy miles. PLease assist. (United, Northwest, Delta, Us air etc)
Look on the airlines websites. Most will sell miles but the cost is usually well above a penny or two per mile and therefore most don't think its worth it.
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Old Mar 12, 2006 | 8:45 am
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Smile And I don't understand this.

Originally Posted by chobby100
Look on the airlines websites. Most will sell miles but the cost is usually well above a penny or two per mile and therefore most don't think its worth it.
Mileage runners will spend 8-24 hours of time flying around to get miles at one cent per mile but do not think 2.5 cents per mile with no time invested except sitting at a computer making a transaction and paying your credit card is worth it.

If you are doing MR for status, OK I understand this just to top off what you need for status.

If you do it as a hobby because you don't have anything else to do with your time like family, sports, fun stuff, work, OK I understand some people do not have a personnal life.

If you are just trying to accumulate miles then I say stay home and buy the miles you need.

Short
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Old Mar 12, 2006 | 1:55 pm
  #4  
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Originally Posted by redwall850
Mileage runners will spend 8-24 hours of time flying around to get miles at one cent per mile but do not think 2.5 cents per mile with no time invested except sitting at a computer making a transaction and paying your credit card is worth it.

If you are doing MR for status, OK I understand this just to top off what you need for status.

If you do it as a hobby because you don't have anything else to do with your time like family, sports, fun stuff, work, OK I understand some people do not have a personnal life.

If you are just trying to accumulate miles then I say stay home and buy the miles you need.

Short
OK. Here's a real life example. I am doing a mileage run on AA (6 Round Trips to/from Dallas for 75,000 miles, total cost $430). It will take two days. Now, I could buy those miles from AA for $1,875. So, the question is, is it worth two days of my time for $1,445 after tax? Depending on my tax bracket, I would have to earn about $2,000 pre-tax to have that much money after tax. So what opportunities do I have to earn $1,000 per day, over and above what I am already earning? Some people will have a lot of opportunities. A busy lawyer could just take additional client, bill the extra work, and pocket the money. Mileage running would have little appeal to him. But someone working for a salary might not have that opportunity to earn $1,000 per day. They might prefer to invest a couple of weekend days to get those miles.

The other answer, of course, is that some people enjoy flying - at least as much as they enjoy the work that they would have to do to get that extra $2,000. Obviously, these people do not get enough flying without the mileage runs to scratch that itch, so they may fly less than some others on this board.

It seems uncharitable to say that people who invest a couple of days a year in mileage runs "do not have a personnal life." Or even a personal life. Many people have 104 weekend days off per year, plus 10 holidays, plus 10-20 vacation days, so all-told, around 125-135 days off. A couple of days devoted to mileage runs still would leave them plenty of time to enjoy a personal life.

Last edited by gemac; Mar 12, 2006 at 2:01 pm
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Old Mar 12, 2006 | 6:44 pm
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Originally Posted by redwall850
Mileage runners will spend 8-24 hours of time flying around to get miles at one cent per mile but do not think 2.5 cents per mile with no time invested except sitting at a computer making a transaction and paying your credit card is worth it.

If you are doing MR for status, OK I understand this just to top off what you need for status.

If you do it as a hobby because you don't have anything else to do with your time like family, sports, fun stuff, work, OK I understand some people do not have a personnal life.

If you are just trying to accumulate miles then I say stay home and buy the miles you need.

Short

Buying miles or getting them for non-flying almost always count towards elite status, whereas butt-in-the-seat miles usually do. Therefore many are willing to sit on a plane(s) for a long time if they can both use the miles towards future travel (or upgrades) and towards getting elite status. (And once you get elite status, you often get a bonus percentage of miles for flights - so it's double dipping and then some).
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Old Mar 12, 2006 | 7:15 pm
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Originally Posted by chobby100
Buying miles or getting them for non-flying almost always count towards elite status, whereas butt-in-the-seat miles usually do.
Sorry to be the grammar police here. I know we all know what you meant.

As far as buying miles, it has its place and time. I recently needed less than 500 to top off and acct. for an award ticket. It was definitely worth it to buy them for under $30 rather than fly a segment for many times that cost. I don't think I could justify purchasing any more. I'd rather get the MQM's. Just my opinion.

To answer the OP's question, I used http://miles4sale.com/ for my Delta account. They were cheaper than buying them through Delta (or points.com, which Delta refers you to) and the guy that runs it helped me out with getting them posted right away when I told him my award hold would expire. It took less than 24 hours. ^

Last edited by tkey75; Mar 12, 2006 at 7:25 pm
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Old Mar 13, 2006 | 7:42 pm
  #7  
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Originally Posted by tkey75
Sorry to be the grammar police here. I know we all know what you meant.

As far as buying miles, it has its place and time. I recently needed less than 500 to top off and acct. for an award ticket. It was definitely worth it to buy them for under $30 rather than fly a segment for many times that cost. I don't think I could justify purchasing any more. I'd rather get the MQM's. Just my opinion.

To answer the OP's question, I used http://miles4sale.com/ for my Delta account. They were cheaper than buying them through Delta (or points.com, which Delta refers you to) and the guy that runs it helped me out with getting them posted right away when I told him my award hold would expire. It took less than 24 hours. ^
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Old Mar 13, 2006 | 7:50 pm
  #8  
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buying miles

The intenton of my post about buying miles is to find other sources similar to
ameniti club 50,000 United Miles for 500 us dollars or silver wings 25,000 united for 265 us etc.

I live Seoul and can do a Seoul/Kansai/ Bk ticket for 20,000 united points
a Seoul/bk/Phuket for 20,000 air canada points

A seoul/bk for 20,000 points Northwest

The united mileage chart to Australia and New Zealand also compareS favorably to the prices of tickets from here.

Thanks.
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Old Mar 13, 2006 | 7:52 pm
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(sorry - I posted at the same time as pineapple99 in regard to post #7)
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Old Mar 15, 2006 | 2:05 am
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Originally Posted by gemac
OK. Here's a real life example. I am doing a mileage run on AA (6 Round Trips to/from Dallas for 75,000 miles, total cost $430). .
wow, six round trips for $430, that means one round trip is only $72. sounds like a bargain.... is that kind of fare always available? I cant seem to find it. I dont understand your mileage calculations... where are you flying from dallas?
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Old Mar 15, 2006 | 5:41 am
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I dont understand your mileage calculations... where are you flying from dallas?

Wild guess: <../DreamMaps?dep=DFW&maxFare=75> ??
/.
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Old Mar 17, 2006 | 3:22 pm
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but how does that add to 75,000 miles???
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Old Mar 17, 2006 | 3:44 pm
  #13  
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American Airlines recently initiated service from Dallas Love Field (DAL). There are introductory fares and mileage bonuses. Search the AA section of Flyertalk for the term FLY3 to read the details.

dennis
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Old Mar 18, 2006 | 4:57 pm
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thanks so much for clearing that up!!
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