Wanted: Patient mentor to help decode FT.
 

I am wanting to learn more about the different aspects on this site. Ihe mileage run forum and the "trick it/dump" forum etc assume a certain amount of prior knowledge, in fact I am not 100% on what exactly they are or how to do it or even if it is advisable etc.

I understand that there are reasons for this, and I also understand that some people also enjoy a bit of cloak and dagger sudoku musing, but this makes it difficult for people who have a genuine interest to be part of the "club" so to speak. It's a bit like being a 1st grader in a high school class.

I don't want to annoy people by posting copious questions. I have tried readng through the different sections to get a handle on it myself and it is not happening.

If you do not have the time or inclination to help me no worries move onto the next post, but if you have a real passion for this site and are a full bottle on it and enjoy sharing your knowledge get in touch so I can start asking you annoying questions like what exactly is a dump, what is the process you go through step by step to do it, what are the pros and cons etc etc.

When the student is ready the master appears :)

I am glad to help in any way I can as long as you are willing to do your homework.... :D

You can also attend a local event. Flyertalkers love bragging about such exploits. :D
Come to Chat. You'd be surprised what tips you can pick up. Afterall, we talk miles, points, and etc. ;)

Feel free to contact the Moderator of any forum. They'll be more than happy to help you. Feel free to post your question(s). If you don't get a public response, I'm sure someone will send you a PM (private message) responding to your question.

dh

I am no master but will be happy to answer any question I can. A few general observations-

No person is an expert on or interested in everything. Therefore, you should figure out what interests you most, then seek experts in those specific forums. Also read the "stickies" in those forums.

The main thrust at FT is earning frequent flyer miles which bring elite status, lounge access, upgrade from economy/business to business/first, etc., and get you otherwise-super-expensive tickets like round-the-world itineraries. If you are passionate about free drinks in foreign airports or about being served your meal before others, you have found a home. :)

There is a smaller but equally dedicated group whose main interest is finding the lowest possible fare. (Of course, the two are related; low fares can allow one to fly more and thus earn more miles.)

As far as I can tell, the lucrative fares posted by Raffles longhaul and "trick/dump" threads are the only mysteries here. For the time being, don't waste your time on them. Everything else is pretty clear. :)

Seriously, most posts on MR Deals identify attractive fares that require no special decoding except a knowledge of airline-, cabin-, and airport-codes. They are bookable by anyone. The etiquette for using the deals forum: manage your travel online; don't call the airlines while the fare is alive; don't publicize it outside FT.

For researching fares you should learn to use ITA if you haven't already.

I have found that as you're ramping up, it's fine to send a private message to an author of a post that you have a question about and I've never had anyone not respond or give a rude response. Some responses take longer than others but people here are very generous and open with their knowledge.

I thought I was the only one who didnt quite "get it"

Hardly, just look at the content of some of the threads. Oh, you meant understand the jargon. :)

Can I tag along?
 

I too would like to learn more about FT, can I tag along? OP, If you'd post your questions here we can follow you.

Thanks!

"Mysterious" is a downright understatement. The "fuel dump", "kung-fu", and "orbiting the earth" references are driving me crazy.

If "Orbiting" is referencing the Orbitz flexible search function, that looks like a commercial version of the ITA QPX. And, I've gotten pretty good with that. But I can't come close to the fares he finds...What's he doing? Is he using QPX language inside of Orbitz?

I see that most of the fuels dump stuff seemed to be using non AA fares...until yesterday. I was willing to chalk it up to a nice to have but I fly AA so I can't have it and I'll just live without it. But now....arrrgggghhhh!

He's a magician. And, I'm just jealous.




Jim


Would I be correct in assuming that the "Third Strike" reference is, in fact, not a baseball reference? I'm thinking of ITA language and that maybe it's more "Turkey" related...

First welcome to FlyerTalk (FT). The site is just too many thing to too many people to make simple explanations. Lots of people are in much better position to answer your quest than me, but I want to give it a go.

When I first started with FT it was new. I was new to frequent flying too. In those days triple points could be had when flying. Then your could add bonuse for status, and class of service. WOW. The first class cabin was mine! As point added up, I found that my family could go on vacations for free. Points paid for our tickets. Points paid for our hotels. The concept for me was to maximize my freebies, while having my employer pay for the business trips. We traded upgrade coupons, Entertainment Book coupons, etc.

Others did not work for corporations and wanted to get better prices. FT help them too. They also wanted to maximize the points earned, so as to have family trips "on the cheap".

Both groups came together here to get the best deal. The concept of sharing or pooling, our information on the best programs utilized the fact that we come from different places, stay at different hotel brands, different rental cars and the like.

Someone on FT always seems available to answer any question today. There are a lot of categories to help hone in on the information your are looking for. Something about a particular airline, rental company, hotel, eatery, city, country, activities, programs, weather, cruise, or etc.

I would suggest a new person to FT, look over the various topics in each of the main 3 sections (miles and points, travel and dining, community). Consider what your goals are for using FT (they will evolve and expand over time). What airlines do you fly? What hotels do you generally stay in? What car rental company do you usually use? What is you most used credit card? Go to each of these and start reading the threads (posts) and discussions. OH, yes start with the first couple threads of some that help use that particular section. Soon you will see where you might benefit from having that information. If you have a specific ? about an airline (or whatever) start by doing a search. Type a couple descriptive words on the search line. IE "luggage allowance". This will result in a list of prior posts that you can read on the subject. If the search does not produce any help, then make a new post asking the question.

When you do make a post, remember to put in enough data to help us help you. Not, what is a good place to eat in Seattle? Instead, let us know the type of food you like, the price range, the area or location for the place you seek.

Once you get your "feet wet", it will get easier each time. Then you will want to visit topics which you have expertise (your home town, etc) and read, from time to time, the questions others have posted. Answer, when you can add to the information sought.

So you know, now I am retired, as is my wife. We both have amassed and used more that 1,000,000 (points) miles and 200 room nights. We were both high level members in many programs. As we used up our mileage, we found that those used when we were still working were the best. Our status gave us many benefits. But, when you stop buying massive numbers of flights, the status goes and your points lose some value. Over the years there have been many devaluations of points too. Discussions on FT, helped us see that using as we accumulate would work best for us. That type of education you get after a better understanding of the basics.

I have posted most of my recent major trips on TripReports (Community). This is a great area to research trips you might be planning, especially vacations. When I fly a new (to me) airline, I always "check it out" in FT (miles and points). Before I book a hotel, I check out bonuses on FT (miles and points). Before I travel to a new destination I check out FT (travel and dining).

YOU can save money, have better travel experiences, and have a better time, just by visiting FT. It is all free!!!!!!!! You can also "pay it forward" by posting helpful information.

In addition to the other suggestions above (such as using the FAQ stickies in each forum), don't forget to use the Help at the top right of the page. There is a glossary, FAQ, guidelines, etc.

With regard to the "cloak and dagger" type threads and references on the Mileage Run forum ("trick it," "negotiate it," etc.), you might send a PM to some of the posters and/or moderators there to see if they can let you in on the "secret."

I've scrolled past this thread a few times and finally decided to give it a look/see.

I tend to be of the opinion that anything involving cloak/dagger jargon is for the hardcore FT members. There's an awful lot you can get from FT without having to be a hardcore member. Yes, you'll occasionally annoy these hardcore members asking seemingly obvious questions - but that comes with the territory at any new forum. They're just so focused on their goals that they forget they were new once too.

You just sort of need to stake out your claim and then start panning for gold.

I don't fly as much as many people here (i'm more recreational then anything) and I certainly don't have a corporate agent or budget. So, in my panning for gold I might aska dumb question about an airport that it seems everyone else has been to or a airline perk for the one I'm working toward status at. I take in the whole heap of advice and start sifting/rinsing to find the few good nuggets.

Yeah, I stretched that analogy a bit far, but you should get the point.

And don't ever be afraid to ask - what's the worst that could happen? People wont answer - then you can post a snarky "Ya'll wont answer me!" post and that is 99% guaranteed to get their attention. Then folks who already do/don't like one another will take opposing sides on whatever topic and fight it out - not because they wanted to answer your question but because they like to argue with each other. You again take all that dirt and rinse it out until you find the nuggets of wisdom.

LOL - I've actually seen this and wondered what it was all about!;)

Hello megshaye and welcome to FT! :)

As mentioned by a couple other posters attending a 'DO' is helpful. Not sure where you are or which air line you care to frequent but there are a few 'DOs' planned over the next few months. There is the Ann Arbor Art Fair DO 5 (DTW)- July 18-19, 2009 and then the Greasy Spoon Do - ATL, May 16th. The Ann Arbor DO would probably be what you are looking for. The ATL DO may be more of a friendly get together although I am sure anyone would be happy to answer a question.

Monitoring the forum of your favorite air line and or hotel then asking the posters questions about how they found a specific Mileage Run (MR) or hotel special is another way to learn the ins and outs.

Travel safe and have fun :D

While I and many other Flyertalkers are more than willing to help others... members do like to see others contribute to Flyertalk. I could see some members seeing another member who has been on FT for almost two years with only six posts as someone who is on FT to take.... not saying that is the case here.

It is so simple to contribute and give back.... we all can do it.

William