your first time....
 

so, i just emailed a friend of mine who frequently travels on AC and introduced her to FT. it made me think: how did i stumble on to FT and what was it like the first time? (and i've only been here TWO months!)

i can't remember how i got here, but i do remember how amazed i was with how friendly and helpful the people were!

how did other people come across FT and what was your first time like?

Good question- I can't remember either! I had been a "lurker" for some time before actually posting not long ago myself. I look forward to checking in every am, every pm, and sometimes several times during the day! Everyone is friendly and certainly helpful! I'm almost to the point of needing a twelve-step program to deal with this addiction!

Just be sure to 'go thru your program' in a distant city. Seems to help, a lot! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

it's all dhammer's fault - he found a bunch of us on the old AOL travel boards....

when i stumbled upon the saga of my hero [bowing down on one knee]...Pudding Guy

I found webflyer.com while looking for a place to easily calculate air miles between cities. I saw a small link for FlyerTalk! I followed it and the rest is history . . .

You can blame the Pudding Guy for me being here too...

I found FlyerTalk from PlaneBusiness.com, which used to have a free message board.

I was looking for some freeware to keep track of miles and points.. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I am a newby for all of one day! I got the link yesterday from MP CS because I was so frustraded at the 1K program. I think the gentlemen thought this would do a better job for me than he could. He was dead on!

squeakr,

DENY. DENY. DENY. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

dh

I was reading an article and Flyertalk was mentioned. Since it was an easy name to remember I thought I would go look.

Now I'm PLAT on AA and just finished a rt to LHR from DFW in BIZ. All thanks to the stuff I learned on FT> thankyouverymuch.

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TANSTAAFL - but if you work it right, FF miles comes pretty close.

It all started when...

...I was looking up something via a major search engine...& the search results were presented...the magical link wasn't represented by the first hit, but it was near the top...

...& when I followed the link...& subsequently began checking out the site...I soon realized that I had just been introduced to a kind of travel-related "Holy Grail".

It was one of those moments in one's Internet search activities in which one happens upon a gem of a site which one would honor w/ a "Golden" bookmark, if possible (wait--make that Platinum!)... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

In my search results "highlight reel", the moment I chanced upon this site would indeed be one of the most interesting...& emotional...

It was a moment I wished it were possible to "hug" a URL... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Instead, I just stared in mesmerized disbelief, seemed to hold my breath, & eagerly explored...until the moment when I sat back in my chair, w/ a perpetual smile on my face, & silently thanked several people:

* Randy

* whoever it was who posted the comment which ultimately led to my encountering the site

* everyone whose generous & helpful words were to be found @ the site


I know I'm not alone in saying that this IS my favorite stop on the Internet...it's a personalized "newspaper", "coffee shop", & "library", all in one... traversing various posts @ times takes on the feel of being a passerby in a friendly corner of a "large community, w/ a small town feel", mentally "saying"/thinking a kind of silent & subconscious "hello" (& to whom one would issue a friendly smile & wave if in person), when "passing by" various others (& it can feel like a "Norm from Cheers"-like moment when entering Chat, which is also special)... when encountering a handle associated w/ someone one hasn't "seen" in a while, but whose thoughts one appreciates & whose presence & thoughts were missed--those are the people for whom a kind of "man, I'm glad they're still around" moment is experienced...& there have been many...


You people have saved my ..., saved me money, helped me optimize numerous realities, made me laugh, shared in my happiness when reaching a milestone (pun! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif ), & can make commiseration--not to mention celebration--a truly social event... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

This place & the people are fantastic.

I can't express how much I appreciate the generosity of this community.

Everyone, grab your Sister Sledge songsheet, if you will...

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

please don't title the topic so vague as "your first time..." that topic title is worthless. pls. be descriptive.

I bet I wasn't the only one who looked at this thread just because the topic piqued my interest! The first time....?!

Thanks for your constructive comments. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/rolleyes.gif

I discovered Flyertalk when I did a Google search for "United upgrade certificates". Oddly enough, that's also how I discovered eBay! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif



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Please visit The Mileage Runner's Toolkit and Unofficial United Airlines Guide

*sigh* so much for trying to be tongue-in-cheek. the whole point was to grab your attention...."your first time..." please! what did everyone REALLY think of? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

i think slpflyer got it http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

I used google or yahoo, searching for ff flier portals. So, I stumbled upon Webflyer.com. I lurked on FT for about 5 months before I joined.

I still wonder why we do lurk, rather than just register and start posting away.

- Pat

I've been visiting Flyertalk and WebFlyer for many years now. I remember when there were so few people visiting the discussion boards that it was only necessary to check for activity once a month or so....really!

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Addicted to airline miles? Check out: Mileage Workshop

Perhaps I am of the older school, and used to lurk for some time before posting. I came in based on an article in InsideFlyer..... nowadays its like anew InsideFlyer hitting our mailboxes every day.

i honestly can say this site has made me a brilliant traveller, maximising my travel to the fullest in grand style.
i first learn of this site reading the usa today special on destination an extended version and from that day to this i logged on every day since march of 2000 with the exception when im reeping one of my rewards (in a five star hotel or 36000 ft in the clouds and a computer is not adt my exposal.

it is truly amazing how travel smart you become when logging on.
keep the info coming every one at FT

I was looking for some badly needed help with some ongoing NWA problems my family and I had been having. When a VERY industrious, kind, helpful, and seemingly tireless rep, MJW, began posting, I just could not resist the urge to register and begin posting - to the chagrin of many! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

I can't remember how I found flyerTalk the first time, seems like I've been here a long time Can anybody help me?

I was in the middle of doing research for my thesis and so bored that I read every word of the WSJ one day - FT was mentioned. Once I read Vulcan's thread, I was hooked for life and barely managed to get the paper finished!

I was looking for mile high club porno, and accidentaly stumbled onto Flyertalk. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Count me in as another one who found out about FT via a WSJ article. I have/will have at least 65K more miles thanks to FT (AA 20/20 promo, GoldPoints once they post... :-P) Thanks FT!

After my third intercontinental long haul in as many months, I realized I had something like 35,000 miles plus bonuses and didn't know what to do with them, or how to manage my traveling for the maximum benefit in my program. Frankly I was scared of going on my next trip and not making the most of it points wise...etc.

So I typed in "frequent flyer" into Google and up popped Webflyer.

[This message has been edited by Carioca Canuck (edited 01-30-2002).]

Me too -- although it took a couple of years for my first post.

How did I find this page? I think I was searching either yahoo or altavista about frequent flyer miles and suddenly I was at flyertalk.com That was in May 2000 and I have been here ever since, almost visit every day(except when I have been out travelling or the page have been down).

Searching for "miles" on Yahoo, I first dicovered MileageAddict's Mileage Workshop.

Then, the link to FT.

I was invited to check FT out by none other than Premex, who migrated here from rec.travel.air

Thanks Premex http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif !

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danville 1K

Ahhhhhhh...... ol' rec.travel.air.....what a hoot http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Hello FTers,

I used the link from Webflyer to find Flyertalk. I also lurked for about a year. I greatly appreciate all of the great advice and information that I have been able to use.


Va.SquireFlyer

I used to browse the online version of InsideFlyer Magazine to avoid the subscription costs. Then I noticed FlyerTalk one day (in 1998?). I guess it was before they started keeping track of the date registered. Now, even though FT scoops InsideFlyer most of the time, I subscribe to the paper version to support Randy&co and because it's more portable.

Mine was a roundabout journey. I went to the Continental.Com site and saw Freddy Award winner pasted everywhere.
I wanted to know what the heck a Freddy was so I did a search for "continental freddy".
Brought me to the http://www.denycontinentalthefreddie.com/ site which is posted here all the time.
Backtracked to here.

I first posted 2 years and two days ago and with my memory have no recollection of what it was.
I do remember lurking for several months and watching the development of the PiP. Although I have learned quite a bit about mileage programs for sure my most pleasant and unexpected gain is having met kindred souls who have become the balm/bane* of my obsession.
And my biggest regret is that I waited and watched the PiP happening and did not participate.

*both words for the exclusive use of svpii http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Saw an article on the Pudding Guy. Thought he was more insane than me, which improved my self-esteem. Through FT, I have seen scores of people more insane than I, and my self-esteem gets a much needed daily boost.

Also, I have improved my travel experiences many times over thanks to the insanity of everyone on this board. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif Thanks.

I was searching for FF specials and discovered the FT link.

Hey, who are some of the FT pioneers who are still active?

I had just started a job with regular travel, although it is only around once per month. Being an accountant, I wanted to be sure and maximize my mileage! I also wanted to understand which credit card gave the most rewards.

Using a search engine, I cam across FT. It has been great! After some research, I picked a Hilton Amex card. This has proved to be a very wise choice. Last year, I used 100,000 points for six nights stay in Washington DC for vacation. Currently, I have over 136,000 points in my account and will do the same thing this year at a different location. All because of FT!

Everyone here is so friendly and eager to share their tips, tricks, and knowledge of current promotions, bonuses, money saving ideas.

I hope no one ever develops a 12 step program for addiction! This is one addiction that rocks!

I found FT through an article in USA today. Don't recall exactly which one, but I guess that's not important. I was hooked immediately - especially intrigued by this foreign, almost twisted, concept of "The Mileage Run!!"

Like so many others, Long time lurker, took awhile to post.

I don't travel a lot, as my job doesn't require it, and working for a non-profit organization, can't exactly afford to travel like I wish I could.

Regardless, I find this site fascinating. I also find it on my browser's screen quite often as well!