Agree!! I have been six times...five of which were courtesy of the US Air Force and once on a Coast Guard vessel. It will change the way you think about the world!

 

Yes ,I do. I have earned a considerable of RDM this year to say the least. They seem to go out as fast as they come in. Flying my wife's extended family of 16 first class to Hawaii was the best!! Helping my oldest son replace the appliances in his house along with other furnishings using Sears gift cards was great! Giving my younger son a healthy amount of Amazon gift cards for all the gadgets etc he would want was a kick. I used them for long weekends with the wife cashing in miles for high end hotels and rental cars. I love the auctions!!!!! I would actually do more if I had the time!! Bulls-Cleveland in a suite with my brother and my two boys.... That's what I'm talkin about!!!! Last but not least... being able to treat close friends and family members to First Class trips of a lifetime. Life is good. If you are blessed .....share it with others!!

 

So sorry!!!! my typo!! The poster asked if I ever redeem them not if I shared them with others. somehow my poor typing made that question look so much different. My apologies.

 

All good, I just landed in Beijing from LAX. Sitting in lounge waiting for connection to Chengdu I just assumed it was China censorship of FT.

 

Your answer worked either way.^

It's funny... my wife keeps asking if we'll ever go to Australia again, and I can't really explain in a meaningful way (or rather a way she'd understand) that one of the highlights of such a trip might be running into you. We certainly won't be running into you on our CPT-MUC flight next month; second-to-last row in an LH 747. Even if you were on that plane, we'd be getting off it a day later than you.

 

LMAO. Not far from the truth

 

Mike, If you can use some Global upgrades they are yours buddy. Happy wife ...happy life!!

 

The essence of a true gentleman and just a great person! Kudos ^

 

Thanks, but it's a complicated reservation, with her being on an award ticket. Ironically, because I had to buy up to a V fare, this would have been a trip that a GPU would have actually worked. I know... I'll sit up front and she can be in the back. Um... think that might not make for the "happy life" part.

(Just for kicks, I looked up the fares that can be upgraded internationally, and first thought even V wasn't high enough, but appears that it is. Most of what I knew during that single year as a 1K I've put behind me. I played the lottery that year, buying higher fares for upgrades, and hit only 50% of the time. Nice to be off that train!)

(3rd attempt, maybe I'll get it right. V isn't high-enough fare class to upgrade an LH flight, and that's the gnarliest of the segments, FRA-JNB and CPT-MUC. The domestic and ORD-FRA segments on UA metal are easy in comparison!)

 

Mike, GS can upgrade award tickets with GPUs.

 

But I don't think even the reach of a GS extends to an award ticket on LH, right? There's obviously still way too much lowly 2P in me.

 

I don't believe so. However, a comfy flight in C ORD-FRA would help before the longer LH flight.

 

I'm a first year 1K and hit just 125K miles this year. So I got the additional 2 RPUs. This made me think, how many RPUs/GPUs are you getting and how many are just sitting in your account haha

 

He's mentioned previously that he accumulates quite a few, and treats his family very well. Don't get the idea he just flies for business; he flies a lot for "leisure" as well, taking actual vacations, just like the rest of us. Seems like he enjoys time with his family. Good thing, that!

 

For all those out there that wonder if ua1flyer really does this I can tell you all he most certainly does because I've seen it - and I've also watched him scratching his head on the phone with the MPSC asking about why his miles didn't post properly - yes that's right folks, UA's #1 flyer still battles in the trenches with us every day!

My favorite observation was after watching one particular battle in the ORD GF with the MPSC over the 75k limit per ticket last April - the resentment and then acceptance of the maximum miles per ticket allowable.... Now whenever he can all trips over $7k are booked as two one ways - Mr. ua1flyer WILL get the miles coming to him always (because honestly - he does use them all on friends and family - just like the rest of us).