When do we cross the line?
Nov 3, 2007 | 8:58 pm
#16
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: Delta, Hyatt-Plat, Priority Club-Plat, Hilton-Gold
Posts: 1,272
Ok, I have to admit.....I've only been on FT for less than a year (best discovery this year, I must say). That makes me a relatively noob. But, I am proud to say I've already completed my first MR this summer on July 4th, and made status (GM) with Delta.
But hotel hopping?!?! Wow... I honestly must admit that I have not heard of this strategy yet. I spend most of my time in the Delta/MR forums, so I don't wander over to the "crazies" in the hotels, haha. Kidding!
Hmmm...this has me thinking though. I expect to be on the road for three months straight this winter, probably in one city, and probably in one hotel. I'm assuming that the purpose of hotel hopping is to qualify through Number of Stays, rather than Number of Nights, right? Ohhh boy, I don't even want to know, ha. This could be hard to explain on the T&E report!
But hotel hopping?!?! Wow... I honestly must admit that I have not heard of this strategy yet. I spend most of my time in the Delta/MR forums, so I don't wander over to the "crazies" in the hotels, haha. Kidding!
Hmmm...this has me thinking though. I expect to be on the road for three months straight this winter, probably in one city, and probably in one hotel. I'm assuming that the purpose of hotel hopping is to qualify through Number of Stays, rather than Number of Nights, right? Ohhh boy, I don't even want to know, ha. This could be hard to explain on the T&E report!
Nov 3, 2007 | 9:22 pm
#17
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Las Vegas, NV, USA
Programs: UAL IK;Marriott Plat Elite;Hyatt Diamond;Hilton Gold;Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 1,567
I just look at this as a way of preserving domestic bliss. Married for 37 years this year and for the life of me I can't figure out why she is staying. Must be the front cabin flights and free hotel nights. Flying and hotel hopping has been in my blood for a long time but I won't do it on trips with my wife-take the most direct route and stay in one place for an extended period or risk marriage breakdown!
You likely have crossed the line when your force the spouse into this form of abuse
You likely have crossed the line when your force the spouse into this form of abuse
AM I A BAAAAAD WIFE???
Nov 3, 2007 | 9:36 pm
#18
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Las Vegas
Programs: Ummm i think NWA Frequent but not sure if im still in or not?
Posts: 13
When I first met Deb not only had I never heard of FT but the thought of free stuff and lots of flying was alien to me (at 37 when i met her i had flown 3 times in my life) After our 1st trip together (United PS to JFK and a 4 nights at the Marriot Marquis) i was HOOKED. now after nearly 2 years of marriage and many many FT do's listening to MRP Alert's mileage run stories nothing phases me. When Deb told me what her plan was to get us the free nights at Grand Cypress for our Disney trip, any normal persons reaction would have been "are you INSANE?" my reaction "ok baby whatever you need to do" since I only have to suffer thru it for a week i dont complain. The perks WAY out weigh any PITA that i might endure!
M
Last edited by Ctsboss; Nov 3, 2007 at 9:39 pm Reason: My wife is Anal
Nov 3, 2007 | 9:45 pm
#19
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,069
Hotel hopping is the only way I can make Diamond at HH, so to me the benefits are worth it. I do try to make it less traumatic by almost always scheduling my last night (and sometimes the first night) at the airport rather than downtown, so I always get 2 stays rather than one. That's not too painful.... usually....
Guess I just can't take that first step....
Guess I just can't take that first step....
Nov 3, 2007 | 9:51 pm
#20
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: YUL
Programs: Aeroplan E, Bonvoy, Delta SM, AA
Posts: 65
DiscoPapa
With 3 months, you should be able to get top status in a few hotel chains without too much hoping. Some chains give bonuses on stays, some on nights, some after 2, 3, 4 or 5 stays. Normally big bonuses for repeat stays. So you might want to plan your 3 months to max out your benefits and accept that hopping is good for you
.
Remember that you can convert points from some chains to your airline FF account at a bonus (20K SPG points gets you 25K miles in most FF programs). You maximize your hotel points, you maximize you FF miles!
I see nothing wrong in explaining to your boss that you wanted to try a few different places during this long period. Just to change the environment. Finally I have read on FT that some programs limit their benefits to 30 days stay maximum but I can't remember which one though. Read the fine print of your program. Good luck!
debua1k
If next week your husband tells you, in a heated love exchange, that you have been a really Baaaaad Girl, you will know why
2muchfun
With 3 months, you should be able to get top status in a few hotel chains without too much hoping. Some chains give bonuses on stays, some on nights, some after 2, 3, 4 or 5 stays. Normally big bonuses for repeat stays. So you might want to plan your 3 months to max out your benefits and accept that hopping is good for you
.Remember that you can convert points from some chains to your airline FF account at a bonus (20K SPG points gets you 25K miles in most FF programs). You maximize your hotel points, you maximize you FF miles!
I see nothing wrong in explaining to your boss that you wanted to try a few different places during this long period. Just to change the environment. Finally I have read on FT that some programs limit their benefits to 30 days stay maximum but I can't remember which one though. Read the fine print of your program. Good luck!
debua1k
If next week your husband tells you, in a heated love exchange, that you have been a really Baaaaad Girl, you will know why
2muchfun
Last edited by 2muchfun; Nov 4, 2007 at 5:07 am Reason: typo
Nov 3, 2007 | 10:13 pm
#21
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: SAT
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 158
Ord-dfw
I knew I had crossed the line on Thanksgiving Day 2005, when I needed to get from ORD to DFW and I booked my ticket ORD-ATL-MEX-DFW with DL just so I could get all extra miles, instead of flying nonstop ORD-DFW with AA. It helped me make the decision the fact that AA's ticket was 700.00 and DL was 500.00 o/w.
When the immigration officer in DFW asked me how long I had been out of the country I said just a few hours. Crazy eh? I admit it, I'm hooked on the FF game.
When the immigration officer in DFW asked me how long I had been out of the country I said just a few hours. Crazy eh? I admit it, I'm hooked on the FF game.
Nov 3, 2007 | 10:15 pm
#22
Moderator, Hilton Honors
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: on a short leash
Programs: some
Posts: 71,445
Hmmm...this has me thinking though. I expect to be on the road for three months straight this winter, probably in one city, and probably in one hotel. I'm assuming that the purpose of hotel hopping is to qualify through Number of Stays, rather than Number of Nights, right? Ohhh boy, I don't even want to know, ha. This could be hard to explain on the T&E report!
Nov 3, 2007 | 10:42 pm
#23
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: Delta, Hyatt-Plat, Priority Club-Plat, Hilton-Gold
Posts: 1,272
DiscoPapa
With 3 months, you should be able to get top status in a few hotel chains without too much hoping. Some chains give bonuses on stays, some on nights, some after 2, 3, 4 or 5 stays. Normally big bonuses for repeat stays. So you might want to plan your 3 months to max out your benefits and accept that hoping is good for you.
Remember that you can convert points from some chains to your airline FF account at a bonus (20K SPG points gets you 25K miles in most FF programs). You maximize your hotel points, you maximize you FF miles!
I see nothing wrong in explaining to your boss that you wanted to try a few different places during this long period. Just to change the environment. Finally I have read on FT that some programs limit their benefits to 30 days stay maximum but I can't remember which one though. Read the fine print of your program. Good luck!
With 3 months, you should be able to get top status in a few hotel chains without too much hoping. Some chains give bonuses on stays, some on nights, some after 2, 3, 4 or 5 stays. Normally big bonuses for repeat stays. So you might want to plan your 3 months to max out your benefits and accept that hoping is good for you
.Remember that you can convert points from some chains to your airline FF account at a bonus (20K SPG points gets you 25K miles in most FF programs). You maximize your hotel points, you maximize you FF miles!
I see nothing wrong in explaining to your boss that you wanted to try a few different places during this long period. Just to change the environment. Finally I have read on FT that some programs limit their benefits to 30 days stay maximum but I can't remember which one though. Read the fine print of your program. Good luck!
Nov 3, 2007 | 11:58 pm
#24
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: United Arab Emirates & Arizona, USA
Programs: UA MM/1P, EK Ag, Marriott Life Ti, Hilton Dia, IC Dia, Hyatt Glob, Accor Pt
Posts: 4,721
Or to take advantage of other promotions, e.g., Hyatt's Faster Free Nights, which gives one free night per stay, or recently I have taken advantage of some pretty generous InterContinental and Starwood offers of bonus points per stay. For the truly insane, one could even rack up more Platinum amenities (e.g., 500 bonus points per stay in the case of full-service Marriotts) by hopping. These are all relevant only for redeemable points, however, and not elite qualification credit. With the exception of Faster Free Nights, I don't find it worthwhile to hop just to accrue more points for redemption.
Nov 4, 2007 | 5:06 am
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: BOS, MHT
Programs: AA ltg, B6, DL, UA, AS, SPG/Marriott Plt, HH, Hyatt
Posts: 10,062
dont worry (pat on the back, look of concern) you are among friends. And there is no better shrink than us. If we were to download all of this to someone, either he'd go mad, or secretly start to lurk in FT and become addicted as well
Nov 4, 2007 | 6:34 am
#26
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: HY
Programs: AA-EXP (3.3MM), AAirpass, SQ-PPS Solitaire, DL-PM (.777MM), SPG-Plat, HH-D
Posts: 2,307
Finally a confirmation that I am not alone using precious hours and energies chasing the old mighty mile. For many sleepless nights I have been wondering if I should see a shrink to talk about my addiction to Miles!!!
My worst sin to get Miles? Mrs 2muchfun travels a fair amount for business and is required to book all plane tickets via the company's travel agent who uses a central corporate credit card, hence not giving Mrs 2muchfun Credit Card miles for these spendings. However, they also have the personal CC number of Mrs 2muchfun on file for her personal travelling needs and the always ask which card they have to charge for the trip being booked. Many many times I have gently offered Mrs 2muchfun to call the travel agent to book her (and her clients) expensive J fares as she is always too busy to do so.
And guess what? Many many times I have had to pretend to her that the travel agency used by mistake her personal Visa Gold CC instead of the company central travel corporate credit card! . No mistake it was...just the old devil in me!!!
We have raked in hundreds of thousands of CC miles that way before the VP finance cornered my wife... and issued a company memo for that practice to stop.
I had to confess to Mrs 2muchfun of my little scheme... but fortunately my wife loves the free travel benefits and told me to ensure the travel agency makes less frequent mistakes for a little while until the dust settles...
I have also gotten her to do hotel hoping after telling her the hotels were booked solid (just a little white lie) and only available certain nights.
I have recommended her to some unknown restaurants for business luncheons just because these restaurants were paying miles via the Rewards Network. Fortunately, they have always been good restaurants.
I have sent many christmas basket to her clients instead of having her secretary do it. Again for miles given by the web portal and for the miles obtained via the spending on her credit card.
And the last one (I have fallen to a new low I confess): I gave out Quaker granola bars to the kids at Halloween instead of candies: the local food store had a huge sale on those bars with huge Air Miles bonus, Aeroplan Miles on the packaging and finally a BOGOF coupon on each box, making them virtually free before getting all the Miles. I got the Miles, they got the bars!
I am not sure if these kids will be back to ring our door bell next years!
Writing this, I feel I have spent an hour on the couch at the shrink talking about my addiction. I now feel better but I am sure I haven't solve my addiction problem...and maybe that's the way I like it!
2muchfun
My worst sin to get Miles? Mrs 2muchfun travels a fair amount for business and is required to book all plane tickets via the company's travel agent who uses a central corporate credit card, hence not giving Mrs 2muchfun Credit Card miles for these spendings. However, they also have the personal CC number of Mrs 2muchfun on file for her personal travelling needs and the always ask which card they have to charge for the trip being booked. Many many times I have gently offered Mrs 2muchfun to call the travel agent to book her (and her clients) expensive J fares as she is always too busy to do so.
And guess what? Many many times I have had to pretend to her that the travel agency used by mistake
her personal Visa Gold CC instead of the company central travel corporate credit card! . No mistake it was...just the old devil in me!!!We have raked in hundreds of thousands of CC miles that way before the VP finance cornered my wife... and issued a company memo for that practice to stop.
I had to confess to Mrs 2muchfun of my little scheme... but fortunately my wife loves the free travel benefits and told me to ensure the travel agency makes less frequent mistakes
for a little while until the dust settles... I have also gotten her to do hotel hoping after telling her the hotels were booked solid (just a little white lie) and only available certain nights.
I have recommended her to some unknown restaurants for business luncheons just because these restaurants were paying miles via the Rewards Network. Fortunately, they have always been good restaurants.
I have sent many christmas basket to her clients instead of having her secretary do it. Again for miles given by the web portal and for the miles obtained via the spending on her credit card.
And the last one (I have fallen to a new low
I confess): I gave out Quaker granola bars to the kids at Halloween instead of candies: the local food store had a huge sale on those bars with huge Air Miles bonus, Aeroplan Miles on the packaging and finally a BOGOF coupon on each box, making them virtually free before getting all the Miles. I got the Miles, they got the bars!I am not sure if these kids will be back to ring our door bell next years!
Writing this, I feel I have spent an hour on the couch at the shrink talking about my addiction. I now feel better but I am sure I haven't solve my addiction problem...and maybe that's the way I like it!
2muchfun
As much as its a mantra to gain miles I must admit I would treat my wife with a better stick than yours... potentially jeopardizing her job for miles in my book just doesnt cut it. No offense but Im somewhat shocked to be honest.
Nov 4, 2007 | 6:52 am
#27
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: BOS, MHT
Programs: AA ltg, B6, DL, UA, AS, SPG/Marriott Plt, HH, Hyatt
Posts: 10,062
life should be for life and travel and fun and family, not just about work.
Nov 4, 2007 | 3:47 pm
#28
Join Date: Sep 2007
Programs: DL Silver, AS MVP, UA Silver, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Plat, SPG Plat, National Exec Elite
Posts: 3,883
The great thing about hotel hopping w/ HHonors is it's usually possible to do so by going just across the street. In Tulsa I'm able to hop between the Hampton and Embassy off of I-44 without even changing restaurants. The big thing is remembering to switch between "Points+Points" for the Hampton and "Points+Fixed Miles" for the Embassy.
Nov 4, 2007 | 4:13 pm
#29
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New York, NY, USA
Programs: Marriott PL, AA GL, IHG PL, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,595
I know I crossed the line when -
I'm hopping to London for the weekend for no apparent reason (to commoners). And no longer ashamed to tell people about my MR / bed hop, nor have the energy to explain.
I'm at my best friend's wedding and all I can think of is hoard as many coke caps as humanly possible.
I no longer get out of bed unless I know I'm earning miles / points for the day.
I'm hopping to London for the weekend for no apparent reason (to commoners). And no longer ashamed to tell people about my MR / bed hop, nor have the energy to explain.
I'm at my best friend's wedding and all I can think of is hoard as many coke caps as humanly possible.
I no longer get out of bed unless I know I'm earning miles / points for the day.
Last edited by adamak; Nov 4, 2007 at 4:19 pm
Nov 4, 2007 | 4:15 pm
#30
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: RTM
Programs: DiamondClub (rip), Currently an Alliance Treble Champion (BA, A3, AZ)
Posts: 1,804
Was having a chat with the in-laws yesterday - the consensus is that the line is drawn when one flies for the sole purpose of collecting ff miles.