I really wish i knew what you guys were talking about :)

If you selected the 6K offer and it still showed 6K on the Payment Information page then that is not enough, obviously. One thing about the 10K "overkill" is that it is something of an insurance policy, insuring against your not taking the ZRH trip for some reason, for example, or an unlikely arithmetic error.

True! It is insurance!

Smeagol, it's all 'airline speak'... haha

Or I can buy 9k for $1035. That is the offer for a flight to MCO in September (booked in at 1st class).

Smeagol, it is a high stakes frequent flyer game and we are strategizing to minimize the amount of money given to the airline while maximizing both her frequent flyer status and award miles balance (and riding in front as much as possible).

Carol, you could do that MCO offer and it would get you very close, if not nail it, if you are confident in your computations. But might require a MR.

Or maybe the MCO offer plus the NYC offer, if they allow you to take both. I would expect, but not assume, so.

So the MCO offer is one way to get what you want but has some risk. The other way is to just bring the hammer down and on that 20,000 offer. Just depends on how you want to play the game.

It IS a game, isn't it!!! I hadn't looked at it that way. I'm still thinking. There's no huge rush to do something just yet.

UPDATE: I bit the bullet and purchased my October BKK ticket rather than using miles for it. I won't need to buy EQMs this year, and will make 1K by about 10k miles over. I will, however, consider buying the FF miles offered with my various tickets, as DH and I will be going back to BKK for the holidays on FF tickets. The extra miles will come in handy!

Now I'll just have to hope that my October BKK ticket upgrade(s) clear so I'm not flying in economy all the way there and back. Fingers crossed.

BTW, DH and I have our RETURN (from BKK holiday trip) tickets for early January, first class, Thai A380 BKK-FRA and FRA-ORD on UA 777 first class. Now I just need to GET US TO BKK sometime in mid-December! haha No worries. I'll find seats for us... no rush yet.

I booked SFO to SGN in Vietnam in W class for $1,427.10. I've already been upgraded for the mid September flight. I'm flying to Hong Kong on a 747 and switching to a 737 for the run down to SGN. SGN was cheaper than Bangkok.

You got a great deal, Wally. Usually, the flight to HCMC is much more expensive than the flight to Bangkok.

$1427 is a great deal! Good for you! You're a bit closer to SE Asia, as I have to fly from Chicago, which adds to my price. Lucky you for the upgrades. I like flying to HKG!

Wow, lucky you, carol. FC on a 380' and tg!

The best I ever got was bc on an sq 380. Fabulous!

Looking at buying award miles for 2 cents per mile. Not a bad deal! I'm going to make 1K so don't need to buy PQMs anymore. Flyertalkers say 2cpm is a good deal... I agree.