It's my travel 401k.

Family vacations (J class whenever possible) or gifts to other family members.

Haven't used any for upgrades as I figure I've sat in the back on so many flights now, a few more won't hurt when my certs run out! And hauling 2 kids with my wife and I burns through the miles pretty quick.

Havent used a single point yet.

Will probably use my Aeroplan miles for travels in either business or first to North America.

My EuroBonus points will either be used to upgrade or saved for a trip somewhere.

As it looks now I will never use my points for an economy ticket since I believe if I am going in economy I would rather pay for the ticket and earn more miles/points.

Orphan miles will be transfered into Hilton Hhonors.

Never if there is a cheap ticket. It is my 401K for retirement - or for Mexico where the fare is usually overpriced for the miles you get. This also allows for a stopover in Dallas.

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Ms.DtG

Int'l upgrades for my father, me, and crazy college roommates willing to go on vacation with me.

J class awards to Asia for my mother.

- Pat

My KLM-points are very valuable for me - for doing 1-way "business" trips "domestic Europe" combining with US$10-15 Ryanair cheap cheap ticket.

My *A points will mainly be used for First-class business and pleasure trips from Europe to Asia and from Europe to Brazil.

However, I have to find a creative way to "invoice" my company for all these trips (at published fare - 5% discount" :-)

Use them only when my wife is with me and then we go C or F. Free ticket for her and upgrade for me.

I hate to fly w/o getting miles

I ususally use them for round trips for my wife and I. However, for a christmas gift, I gave two to my sister-in-law to fly to California.
Also, donated one to my son's girlfriend's girlfriend's mother to fly to be with her father during an operation. (I had no clue who she was, but if you cannot help other people now and then, do not expect help someday when you need it.)

I use mine pretty quickly - figure their value can only decrease over time - and all for international first for me and my family, something that I could never pay for and that gives me the most value per mile.

The only downside to this is it means I have to fly a lot more miles to make my status levels because obviously the free trips don't count.

What do you mean decrease? The great thing about miles is that they aren't subject to inflation (unfortunately we also can't deposit them into interest-bearing accounts - man that would be sweet!) And since airfares are subject to inflation, the actual value of a mile saved would seem to increase with time, as years later airfare for the same routes will go up. Just curious to know what makes you think that they can only decrease.

As for my miles, I want to save them up for long extended trips, paying for flights and hotels. Either spend them on myself or spend them on a nice lady friend.

yorock

Hi,

I'm saving mine for a Virgin Atlantic Upper Class flight to San Francisco (100k from the UK)- almost at that level but use it next year and will have plenty left over- maybe for a limo transfer (10k each way) and save up for an East Coast flight (80k apart from MCO)

Regards
TBS

yorock asked:
Airlines tend to raise the mileage levels for rewards over time. I know there are lots of examples of this, but one that quickly comes to mind is TWA used to have an award where for 60K you got a free international first ticket plus a companion upgrade ticket to first for the price of the lowest coach fare (and that fare didn't even have to be available at the time of booking). I used that one as little as six years ago. Now on the airlines I fly it's pretty much 2x that number of miles just for a first-class international ticket for one passenger. Airfares, OTOH, have stayed relatively stable - and they've certainly not gone up to this degree.

With all the triple miles promos that have happened in the last two years and all the miles floating around out there, it seems inevitable that the mileage required for rewards will only go up. Sometimes when award levels change airlines will allow you to use miles earned under the old award charts at those levels, but I'm not willing to count on that with my miles.

Upgrades for Mr. and Mrs. 0524; free tickets for the children and grandchildren.

Use them mostly for Intl upgrades when travelling alone ANd for family trips to Europe. However If I am travelling with family I make sure to at least buy one revenue ticket for my self to get the mileage and hopefully send all the others on freebies.

letiole -
I find this news of airlines increasing award amounts very interesting since I have only been in programs for about 4 and a half years. I do think I remember CO or AA doing away with offpeak domestic awards. Are there any other examples of this?

I do know a guy who doesn't fly often (less than once per year, he says) and everytime he gets credit he turns around and uses his miles on magazines. (Not a bad idea for a SMALL amount of orphan miles.) Whatever floats your boat.

yorock