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Are you flying less this year?

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Old Jul 3, 2008 | 9:21 am
  #1  
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Are you flying less this year?

Most of my travel is on the company’s dime. In the past few months most of my travel plans to Asia and LAX have been canceled due to high fares. Instead the company is using more video conferencing. I will be loosing my CO and BR status this year. Has your travel plans changed because of the high air fares? Will you be loosing your status? Is their a pill a mile junky can take to get over this?

Last edited by fly2w; Jul 8, 2008 at 4:52 pm
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Old Jul 3, 2008 | 10:34 am
  #2  
 
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Strictly casual travel/Milage Runs.
I have cut my flying by 2/3 rds this year
Between the outrageously poor "on time"(HAH) performance and the lack of affordable fares it is just too much trouble expense too bother.
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Old Jul 3, 2008 | 10:43 am
  #3  
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Originally Posted by fly2w
Most of my travel is on the companys dime. In the past few months most of my travel plans to Asia and LAX have been canceled due to high fares. Instead the company is using more video conferencing. I will be loosing my CO and BR status this year. Has your travel planes changed because of the high air fares? Will you be loosing your status? Is their a pill a mile junky can take to get over this?
Will easily regain by status thanks to AA's AADER promotion and some cheaper MRs in the first half of this year. But as someone who obtains status just on personal travel, I see less travel in the second half. Not sure what 2009 will bring However, if higher fares gets rid of the Tee Shirt with Big Beer Gut Crowd, I'll more than happy to pay more and maybe fly only once per month.
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Old Jul 3, 2008 | 10:52 am
  #4  
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I did cut my travel, but not because of the economy. There were still a lot of very afforable fares throughout the year (i.e. 280 FRA fare, el cheapo domestic etc) but I did it more for personal reasons. I will still have status with UA next year though...2P or 1P...just not 1K
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Old Jul 3, 2008 | 11:12 am
  #5  
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I lost my status years ago due to a job change. I barely travel for work any more (and after my road warrior years, that doesn't make me unhappy--I loved it but got burnt out).

For personal trips, I can't say I'm cutting back except for a Thanksgiving trip to LA to see my folks. That's still up in the air as we're looking at $2000 for the three of us to fly. I know the $300 rts (or less) NY-LA I was used to were not sustainable but dang it hurts when the price more than doubles.

My daughter is 1--with three roundtrips under her belt already--but no way, no how am I bringing her on a cross country trip as a lap kid. At this point I probably wouldn't even do a puddle-jump flight without her in her own seat. Otherwise this wouldn't be such a big deal.

My other planned trips have already been ticketed--I found ridiculously low prices for LGA-ORD-MLI--$200 per.

We may cut back next year depending on what fuel prices do. Not that I expect a big decline. We'll probably start planning more trips within a day's driving. Even a few tanks of gas is far cheaper for three people than three plane tickets.
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Old Jul 3, 2008 | 2:44 pm
  #6  
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I'm on track to hit about 250k miles this year, in comparison to almost 400k last year. So yeah, although it doesn't feel like it, my travel is waaaaay down this year.

The limited travel will also be the first time in many years that I won't have any airline elite statuses.
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Old Jul 3, 2008 | 3:06 pm
  #7  
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Originally Posted by B747-437B
I'm on track to hit about 250k miles this year, in comparison to almost 400k last year. So yeah, although it doesn't feel like it, my travel is waaaaay down this year.

The limited travel will also be the first time in many years that I won't have any airline elite statuses.
How can you miss on having status if you travel 250K miles this year? That sounds like really, really spread out carriers or non-qualifying fare buckets.
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Old Jul 3, 2008 | 3:10 pm
  #8  
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Originally Posted by Lurker1999
How can you miss on having status if you travel 250K miles this year? That sounds like really, really spread out carriers or non-qualifying fare buckets.
About 80% of my travel is "unticketed" on a jumpseat or GenDec. Its only the 20% that gives me a chance to catch up on the miles!
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Old Jul 3, 2008 | 3:36 pm
  #9  
 
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Haven't cut back........to date, but I will be, to some extent, from now on.

Reason ? In the last couple of weeks, I've been looking at spur of the moment weekend trips to european race meetings, as I usually do this time of year, but the fares I'm finding are resulting in "f*%k that, the TV will have to do !"

Example: the last two years, I've booked, about this time, DUB-BUD in August for about €280, but this year it's nearly €500, and with the £/€ exchange rate down 15% too, it's a double whammy !

Last edited by FlyingOnceMore; Jul 3, 2008 at 6:11 pm
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Old Jul 3, 2008 | 4:45 pm
  #10  
 
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It's odd but I flew more in the 1st half of 2008 than I ever had before (mostly travel for work). Made GM with Delta in May, and I might be on track to make PM...a MR tomorrow to the Left Coast will help

A lot of this year's travel was due to additional responsibilities at my workplace, but I did drive more for regional trips. Usually if a client is within 5 hours driving, I will drive instead of fly (though driving is getting more pricey as well). And I'm finding that more client training is taking place via video conference/WebEx than before in our shop.
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Old Jul 3, 2008 | 6:01 pm
  #11  
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My travel this year will likely be more than 100k flown miles less than last year, but I'm still on track for 350k flown miles.
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Old Jul 3, 2008 | 6:07 pm
  #12  
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So far I have flown somewhere close to 200K miles this year and expect another 100K or so before the end of the year.
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Old Jul 3, 2008 | 6:30 pm
  #13  
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Mine will be increasing quite a bit this year and next. All for pleasure, no business travel.
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Old Jul 3, 2008 | 7:15 pm
  #14  
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My travel has actually increased this year. I've been AA Gold for the past three years, flying 25-30K miles each year; this year I will fly about 85K miles and attain EXP status, thanks to the AADER promotion. No business travel, all personal.

As I would not have gone for EXP without AADER, I don't intend to keep that status next year. I do expect to fly enough to re-qualify for PLT, though.
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Old Jul 3, 2008 | 8:46 pm
  #15  
 
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I am not travelling less, 2 international trips per year. The flight cost more this time so I stayed in very simple accomodations, 35 Euros a night.

I was able to book my fall trip earlier this year which was with FF miles.

For next winter fares don't look too bad. An extra $100 on a trip to Europe is not a big problem for me.
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