Adding a Mileage Run To Regular Flight?
Jun 8, 2014 | 9:05 am
#16
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Just my opinion on those flight you mention, specifically the SMF-SFO, that to me will be your biggest joker.
1. The EMB 120 is very often late, sometime very very late, make sure you can switch to an earlier flight if necessary. And sometimes cancellations.
2. As mentioned earlier the weather at SFO is hard to predict. In the winter time you also sometimes get fog at SMF or other places the EMB120 flys.
I am not trying to discourage you from doing the flight, but book plenty of connection time @ SFO.
Past experience have, left me at a hotel @ SMF, left me at a hotel @ SFO, driven from SMF to SFO, and last but not least taxied (yes UA put me in a cab) from SMF to SFO. These are not single occurrences.
I have not had problems in DEN but have coworkers who always get stuck due to weather.
1. The EMB 120 is very often late, sometime very very late, make sure you can switch to an earlier flight if necessary. And sometimes cancellations.
2. As mentioned earlier the weather at SFO is hard to predict. In the winter time you also sometimes get fog at SMF or other places the EMB120 flys.
I am not trying to discourage you from doing the flight, but book plenty of connection time @ SFO.
Past experience have, left me at a hotel @ SMF, left me at a hotel @ SFO, driven from SMF to SFO, and last but not least taxied (yes UA put me in a cab) from SMF to SFO. These are not single occurrences.
I have not had problems in DEN but have coworkers who always get stuck due to weather.
Jun 8, 2014 | 7:56 pm
#17
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I love when you get options like that! ^
My favorite was in 2004 when I was mileage running a lot and there was no fare increase to turn LHR-LAX-PHX into LHR-LAX-SFO-LAX-PHX
My favorite was in 2004 when I was mileage running a lot and there was no fare increase to turn LHR-LAX-PHX into LHR-LAX-SFO-LAX-PHX
Jun 8, 2014 | 8:14 pm
#18
Join Date: Sep 2012
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What the OP describes is child's play, with all the warnings about misconnecting and weather, etc.
Last week, I had to do WAS-ROC r/t for a family event. I initially thought of doing IAD-ROC-IAD roundtrip, figuring that even Express nonstops were more reliable than a connection at EWR (flying from DCA).
But I wasn't quite happy with the flight times on the nonstop, so I looked into some other options, and ended up booking DCA-CLE-ROC/ROC-IAD-LAS-ORD-BWI. Arriving/departing DCA/BWI allowed me to use Metro/MARC trains and leave my car at home. The savings in parking cost made this trip almost exactly the same price as the IAD-ROC-IAD option.
Then, CLE was dehubbed and I changed my outbound to DCA-ORD-ROC (a few more miles, and mainline). Then I had a serious delay on ORD-ROC and spent the night with ORD-area friends I hadn't seen.
On the return, I flew ROC-IAD on a junglejet, took a shower in the LH lounge, and then was CPU'ed IAD-LAS (T-48), LAS-ORD redeye (T-24), and ORD-BWI.(T-1). Not bad for a Gold, huh?
So, yes, these things are doable, and can be very lucrative, miles-wise.
Last week, I had to do WAS-ROC r/t for a family event. I initially thought of doing IAD-ROC-IAD roundtrip, figuring that even Express nonstops were more reliable than a connection at EWR (flying from DCA).
But I wasn't quite happy with the flight times on the nonstop, so I looked into some other options, and ended up booking DCA-CLE-ROC/ROC-IAD-LAS-ORD-BWI. Arriving/departing DCA/BWI allowed me to use Metro/MARC trains and leave my car at home. The savings in parking cost made this trip almost exactly the same price as the IAD-ROC-IAD option.
Then, CLE was dehubbed and I changed my outbound to DCA-ORD-ROC (a few more miles, and mainline). Then I had a serious delay on ORD-ROC and spent the night with ORD-area friends I hadn't seen.
On the return, I flew ROC-IAD on a junglejet, took a shower in the LH lounge, and then was CPU'ed IAD-LAS (T-48), LAS-ORD redeye (T-24), and ORD-BWI.(T-1). Not bad for a Gold, huh?
So, yes, these things are doable, and can be very lucrative, miles-wise.
Who says MRs are dead?
Jun 13, 2014 | 10:09 am
#19
Original Poster
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,273
Given the New Way of Earning Miles - Ways to Pad Flights
Hi,
After March 1st, it all comes to dollars. But in the mean time I want to make out like a bandit by padding my trips with not too much additional expense.
I have a SMF->LAX (500m) leg coming up which I can pad to SMF->DEN->LAX (1782 miles) for the same price. Anything better?
I also have SFO->FCO coming up. Any ideas on how to pad that for not too much more money?
I also have SFO->FRA. Any idea on how to pad that?
After March 1st, it all comes to dollars. But in the mean time I want to make out like a bandit by padding my trips with not too much additional expense.
I have a SMF->LAX (500m) leg coming up which I can pad to SMF->DEN->LAX (1782 miles) for the same price. Anything better?
I also have SFO->FCO coming up. Any ideas on how to pad that for not too much more money?
I also have SFO->FRA. Any idea on how to pad that?
Jun 13, 2014 | 10:14 am
#20
Join Date: Jun 2006
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Posts: 3,639
Hi,
After March 1st, it all comes to dollars. But in the mean time I want to make out like a bandit by padding my trips with not too much additional expense.
I have a SMF->LAX (500m) leg coming up which I can pad to SMF->DEN->LAX (1782 miles) for the same price. Anything better?
I also have SFO->FCO coming up. Any ideas on how to pad that for not too much more money?
I also have SFO->FRA. Any idea on how to pad that?
After March 1st, it all comes to dollars. But in the mean time I want to make out like a bandit by padding my trips with not too much additional expense.
I have a SMF->LAX (500m) leg coming up which I can pad to SMF->DEN->LAX (1782 miles) for the same price. Anything better?
I also have SFO->FCO coming up. Any ideas on how to pad that for not too much more money?
I also have SFO->FRA. Any idea on how to pad that?
Jun 13, 2014 | 10:30 am
#22
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: DEN
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Posts: 6,443
Title is confusing. If you're interested in padding flights under the new system, just wait until the day before you want to depart to book, and stick you boss with the bill...... 
Jun 13, 2014 | 10:31 am
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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I find that padding is a trade off between benefit and painfulness. For me, SFO-LHR becoming SFO-LAX-LHR is a good bit of padding and relatively painless. The domestic sector, which is the very painful one, is short and earns 500 mile minimum (ie more than you actually fly). Plus, adding 100 + miles to the TATL sector helps. Whereas SFO-IAH-LHR is very inconvenient for me, with a long domestic sector and worse flight timings for not that many more miles.
Plus, remember that, after March 1, you will still earn PQMs the old fashioned way.
Plus, remember that, after March 1, you will still earn PQMs the old fashioned way.
Jun 13, 2014 | 11:56 am
#24
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