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#883003 by dickydotcom
15 Sep 2014, 14:26
To collecting Flying Club miles.
I have next years holiday sorted already and currently have 29000 miles towards 2016
I have a little red coming up which will get me 2000 and I have signed up to Amex Black card which should get another 25000
Mrs D already has over 50000 so we will be sorted for 2016
So why have I just spent £30 on a miles booster to get another 3000?
Shall I book No1 lounge. Oh look I get 500 miles. Lounge booked. (I will eat and have a couple of beers so it's not just for the miles.)
Seriously I'm starting to think I have a problem.
Must go; only 45 min to check in and I need to try for SEQ1.(but that is a different issue.)
Dick D
#883033 by whiterose
15 Sep 2014, 20:57
For me the reverse applies. I'm thinking of ditching my VS Amex because I can never find reward seats to NYC out and back. Sometimes you can get them out but then you'll find there are none coming back in the following weeks. So no point in stockpiling miles if they can't be used.
#883065 by mrsw
16 Sep 2014, 09:40
dickydotcom wrote: (I will eat and have a couple of beers so it's not just for the miles.)


You don't need to explain yourself to us ):

Seriously though, I think most of us here will know what you mean! With the whole miles thing, I found that I was thinking about it too much, working out how many I will have and what I could do with them whenever I have a chance. I know it sounds geeky and I'm ashamed to admit that a spreadsheet has really helped! I track both my and my OH's miles and tier points (not just on VS, oh no, but also on BAEC, Avios.com, and Amex Membership rewards - I have a different tab for hotel loyalty schemes, a tab for calculating M-G prices working out how many pence each FC mile would save (I know), a tab tracking my various credit card vouchers, and, you guessed it, a tab on how to spend those bloody vouchers, and a final tab tracking our holiday options, to 2016 of course, and my and OH's annual leave).

I've also been telling (and boring) my friends about miles - and one of them has not only taken an interest, but had 2 dreams about it! I consider myself less crazy. :| :o)
#883067 by dickydotcom
16 Sep 2014, 09:54
Mrsw
Well I guess I don't have it that bad.
I do have a spreadsheet but only for planning the holiday.
Still to do for next Feb; book taxi to airport, book hire car, pay final rental on the house, and select our seats (3 months till that happens on current system)
We actually put a deposit on accommodation in August 2013 for Feb 2015
Dick D
#883145 by ratechaser
16 Sep 2014, 19:38
whiterose wrote:For me the reverse applies. I'm thinking of ditching my VS Amex because I can never find reward seats to NYC out and back. Sometimes you can get them out but then you'll find there are none coming back in the following weeks. So no point in stockpiling miles if they can't be used.


Yep, I wish you well dicky, but once you start approaching the million mark and have never ever once been able to use them for a flight that you could actually take, then the enthusiasm wanes a bit.

Or maybe it's a sign that I should retire early and travel the world. As they say, 'problems are just the pregnant mothers of solutions'. My glass is half full (must chant that 100 times)
#883200 by Blueskimo
17 Sep 2014, 14:03
Addicted is a good point! I have only been collecting for around 3 months, I have just returned from LA and have so far accumulated 79,000 with wife. I immediately tried to book upgrade PE seats for a flight in May and found it was cheaper to pay cash! I will have over 150,000 for 2016 and intend to fly into Miami and out of Boston with flexible dates......I wonder if I will actually be able to use some miles then??!!
#883304 by dickydotcom
18 Sep 2014, 08:09
Blueskimo wrote:Addicted is a good point! I have only been collecting for around 3 months, I have just returned from LA and have so far accumulated 79,000 with wife. I immediately tried to book upgrade PE seats for a flight in May and found it was cheaper to pay cash! I will have over 150,000 for 2016 and intend to fly into Miami and out of Boston with flexible dates......I wonder if I will actually be able to use some miles then??!!


They say MCO is one of the hardest to get reward G seats but we have done it twice.
This year we made a very late decision to take a holiday and so went PE. Like you it was cheaper to buy the cheapest rate PE than an upgradeable Economy.
I think if you plan ahead and are a bit flexible then Miami and Boston should be OK.

Dick D
#883340 by dickydotcom
18 Sep 2014, 11:57
ColOrd wrote:Hopw easy is it to get economy reward seats? A lot of the posts on here us about PE and UC.


I am an early booker, and when I've checked there have always been E rewards available.
Where and when do you want to go?
I'm one of those sad people who are happy to browse dummy bookings.
Which reminds me, must check on Atlanta reward availability to see what my chances are of flying there instead of MCO Feb 2016.
Dick D
Well I just checked my 2015 dates and for New York there are loads available out in Feb back in March.
I like the new layout with the little red, beige and purple bar at the bottom of the date showing which cabins are available.
#883357 by mrsw
18 Sep 2014, 14:39
dickydotcom wrote:I'm one of those sad people who are happy to browse dummy bookings.


Careful, you don't want to offend too many of us here... :o)
#883701 by spacedog
21 Sep 2014, 19:31
mrsw wrote:
dickydotcom wrote:I'm one of those sad people who are happy to browse dummy bookings.


Careful, you don't want to offend too many of us here... :o)


Yeup, I'm one of those, too! :D

I'm also definitely addicted to spending miles. Our accounts were almost emptied out last month, but by the end of December after a couple of flights, CC bonuses etc. we should be at about 150,000. It's become an addiction but it seems to pay off quite nicely, and it suits my obsessive personality quite well!
#883704 by pjh
21 Sep 2014, 19:49
ColOrd wrote:Finally my mikes have posted from a July stay at the Hilton in Manchester Deansagte! Only taken 3 months!!!


The link between Hilton and Virgin seems to break sometimes. That said I am only week behind at the moment, and already have the first 1000 miles from the recent offer posted from a stay the week before last.
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