Just wanted to give you an FYI: Starting today, Delta is partnering with Virgin Atlantic - so you can earn miles or use them on both airlines. <BR><BR>I am so excited by this, as I am planning a trip to London in January and have decided to splurge and use my Delta FF miles for first class Virgin tickets! (Delta doesn't fly direct to London from DC, where I live). It was no problem getting the days I wanted (I am flying mid-week, but that's by choice). Just thought I'd pass it along.

A quick question.<BR>How frequently do you have to fly to accrue enough miles to go first class across the Atlantic? I am intrigued. Are the US versions so much more generous than the UK ones? Do you fly everywhere business class or unrestricted economy to get lots of miles?

For me, and maybe for toher travelers, it's the existence of "affinity" credit cards that allow me to accumulate a lot of miles. We are even able to charge college tuition payments with one mile for every dollar.<BR><BR>I've flown first or business class two and "two half times" out of 22 trips to europe, and it would be nice to splurge like this all the time. But I find it a better use of miles to use them on "more people" (for example, most recent trip to France was 200,000 miles and got all four of us seats), rather than more space/luxury per trip.<BR><BR>The opportunity (or justification) to fly upgraded for one reason or another comes along often enough - - to keep it special, rather than something I have to have.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

Rex - But how many $$ do you need to spend to get a mile? And is one air-mile worth one real mile? <BR>Here in the UK, we collect Air Miles. You get one by spending &pound;20 on your Natwest Visa/Mastercard. Currently you can get a return flight, minus taxes and charges, from London to Boston/New York/DC for 2,000 miles. Before their new promotion it was 8,000 miles! You can also collect AirMiles at supermarkets, wine dealers, airport car parks, department stores, Hilton Hotels, petrol etc. I've collected for ages and have got 4,000. I don't fly anywhere on business, though, and have not flown anywhere on business class, except when I've had an upgrade from bog-standard economy!

Through United, I get 10 miles for each dollar I spend (including tax and tip) at certain restaurants. Since I live near Washington, DC, and many of my favorite restaurants are on the list, we accummulated enough miles in a few months to upgrade to business class to London. On United, it's 10,000 miles each way to upgrade from full-fare economy to Europe.

Hi Nigel,<BR><BR>I have earned miles on Delta through business travel, personal travel, and my AMEX credit card - the last six years I have earned more than enough to buy 2 first class tickets (for me and my boyfriend) from US to Europe, which "cost" 80,000 miles each. We could have gone coach for 50,000 miles, but since VA includes limo pickups at both ends, sleeper seats, and a great lounge when you buy first class, we decided to splurge. AMEX I get 1 mile per $, but there are other perks - restaurants that give you 10 miles per dollar once a month, groceries and gas you earn 2 miles for every $ etc. I charge almost anything I can on AMEX to get miles.

The best way to do the FF thing is to travel on the company dime. I used to travel about 75,000 to 90,000 miles per year on Delta.<BR><BR>I've been to Europe 22 times and have bought tickets only twice. I took these trips at bargain fares of $299 RT from Philadelphia to Paris.<BR><BR>I also have the affinity cards and use them for everything that I can. I just pay them off at the end of each month. I also get a companion upgrade with the Amex card.<BR><BR>I now own my own consulting business and now that I am on my own per diem I do not travel as much. However, I still have 200,000 Delta miles and 235,000 Marriott points.<BR><BR>USe

In the US, 1 $USD spent = 1 FF mile = 1 actual mile flown (though they typically round up for flight under 500 miles to 500).<BR><BR>Free trips within the US are usually 20,000 or 25,000<BR><BR>Transatlantic are 40,000 to 60,000 economy.<BR><BR>Upgrades about the same as a free flight.<BR><BR>

Rex and Uncle Sam have both been to Europe 22 times. What a coincidence. You guys should go together to celebrate trip # 23!

Curious,<BR><BR>Do you have anything of value to share?<BR><BR>US

It sounds like you get better deals over there on AirMiles (and their equivalents) than here in the UK. I think it is because you use flights to get around so much more than here. <BR>Perhaps I could apply for a US Visa card even tho' I live here? Mind you, even in this global age, I am sure there will be some rule against that.

Nigel: although you can technically get a US credit card without being a resident (with a deposit at a bank, some banks are more easy going than others..) it wouldn't suit you. Anything you spend outside the US will be converted to USD. And then you have to convert your GBP to pay the US bills..!<BR>You'll lose plenty along the way. Sorry!