What Would You Do With 150,000 F/F Miles?
Apr 17th, 2004, 02:34 PM
#2
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I'd be inclined to purchase flights using my "150,000 F/F Miles" rather than pay cash, and maybe even spend them on an hotel (if applicable on the particular scheme).
I'm curious to what you would suggest others could possible do with them?
I'm curious to what you would suggest others could possible do with them?
Where would you GO with those miles, is what I meant!
Apr 17th, 2004, 02:47 PM
#6
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Personally, I'd shop for reasonable economy tickets on one of those truly long flights. I'd use the miles for upgrades. Flights to Asia or Australia would be so much more pleasant in a comfortable seat. I'd do this as the price difference between classes is usually substantially greater than the cost of the economy seat ticket itself, making the miles worth more. As always, just a personal perspective.
Apr 17th, 2004, 03:08 PM
#10
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I'd like to be able to donate them to charity of some kind on one of my caring days.
However, I'd just use them to pay as I go, let's be honest after the money you spend accumulating them, a few business class flights is not much of a reward!
However, I'd just use them to pay as I go, let's be honest after the money you spend accumulating them, a few business class flights is not much of a reward!
Apr 17th, 2004, 03:25 PM
#11
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I'm not sure how the dog figures into the story. If you don't want to leave the dog, why would you be purchasing the flights? Are you thinking of taking the dog? I would absolutely NOT try to take the dog along on a trip! I wouldn't even take a young or middle aged dog, let alone an elderly one. I think it is dangerous to ship a dog in the storage hold of the plane, even if the airline promises it is pressure and temperature controlled. Although it would probably be safe (for the dog) if you have a tiny dog and can take it in the cabin with you, I think the trip would be very stressful for an old dog, and I think having the dog with you would be very limiting unless you were on a driving + camping vacation. I feel comfortable leaving my dogs (well, now it's dog, not dogs, since my 16-year-old had to be put to sleep two months ago) in a familiar kennel, but I ask a lot of questions before choosing a kennel. I think boarding in a responsible, clean, attentive kennel is safer than leaving the dog at home and having someone visit to give basic care. I've the dogs for a trial weekend or day at kennels when they were young just to get them used to boarding if I had never been boarded before, so their first experience isn't a long one. (Actually I have no idea whether my dogs had been boarded before I got them, since my dogs have all been strays from shelters that I acquired when they were about a year old.) I take very very good care of my dogs (now dog), but I'd still go on vacation, even with an elderly dog. However, I might choose to take a shorter trip if I had some serious concerns about the dog's health and ability to tolerate boarding.
I just read the other messages...nothing about the dog. Were we supposed to ignore the dog part of the question? I'm confused. If you just want to know WHERE, I guess Grasshopper's suggestion sounds good to me, too.
But what about the dog?
I just read the other messages...nothing about the dog. Were we supposed to ignore the dog part of the question? I'm confused. If you just want to know WHERE, I guess Grasshopper's suggestion sounds good to me, too.
But what about the dog?
Apr 17th, 2004, 03:30 PM
#12
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Give them to me 
Seriously, I'm with Clifton on this. Forget the domestic flights. These days you could pretty much get actoss the country for $200-300 R/T. So you guys are putting about $1800 value on the miles, not a good return. A business class ticket will cost around $3000, so that's $6000 for 2. Assuming that you paid around $600 per economy ticket, you're still ahead about $4800. In most cases it takes around 25K miles each way to upgrade, so for 2 R/T it's 100K miles. You each will get back about 10-15K miles each since you are traveling on a paid ticket, so, you're actually using aroud 75K. You end up traveling in style and comfort, plus you'll be able to use the airport lounges, business claas check-in, etc.
The point is that the 2 of them could travel in style twice, and the value is substancially better than a free domestic ticket.
Oh, and the one suggestion of using the miles for last minute domestic tikets because the fares are higher, well, guess what? so are the number of miles required in many cases. Usually a last minute reward ticket means you have to claim anytime reward, not saver type, which in most cases doubles the mileage required.
Seriously, I'm with Clifton on this. Forget the domestic flights. These days you could pretty much get actoss the country for $200-300 R/T. So you guys are putting about $1800 value on the miles, not a good return. A business class ticket will cost around $3000, so that's $6000 for 2. Assuming that you paid around $600 per economy ticket, you're still ahead about $4800. In most cases it takes around 25K miles each way to upgrade, so for 2 R/T it's 100K miles. You each will get back about 10-15K miles each since you are traveling on a paid ticket, so, you're actually using aroud 75K. You end up traveling in style and comfort, plus you'll be able to use the airport lounges, business claas check-in, etc.
The point is that the 2 of them could travel in style twice, and the value is substancially better than a free domestic ticket.
Oh, and the one suggestion of using the miles for last minute domestic tikets because the fares are higher, well, guess what? so are the number of miles required in many cases. Usually a last minute reward ticket means you have to claim anytime reward, not saver type, which in most cases doubles the mileage required.
Apr 17th, 2004, 03:42 PM
#13
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AA, I fly SFO to DEN on a regular basis. This regular United flight can be hard to get under $325. And since I frequently go at the last minute, fares can be over $400. I've always been able to get a same day ticket for 25,000 miles. Even at the Christmas holidays. In 2003 I got 7 free round trips. I paid under $300 in Dec. for a RT SFO to LHR, for which I earned enough miles for my Christmas trip to Denver. (maybe it's a function of status?)
Apr 17th, 2004, 03:46 PM
#15
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Let me explain about the dog........ We have that many miles accumulated because we won't leave the dog...... am considering what I will do when we no longer have this beloved member of the family (he's 15!) Thanks for all the replies so far..... good points being made!
Apr 17th, 2004, 04:06 PM
#16
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bonniebroad,
Have you considered getting a dog/housesitter?
I can't bear to leave my dogs in a kennel, either, and mine aren't even elderly! I've found a wonderful young woman who is a dog-lover to come and stay at my house. She pampers my dogs maybe even more than I do!
Have you considered getting a dog/housesitter?
I can't bear to leave my dogs in a kennel, either, and mine aren't even elderly! I've found a wonderful young woman who is a dog-lover to come and stay at my house. She pampers my dogs maybe even more than I do!
Apr 17th, 2004, 04:26 PM
#18
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I'd be so afraid that someone might lose my dog. Dogs who wouldn't think of dashing out the door when WE open it (since we're there, so why leave) might dash out when we're away and someone opens the door, because things aren't normal and we are not home so what's the point of staying home without us. I'd be afraid the dog might get loose, so that's the main reason I wouldn't leave the dog home and have someone care for her here when I'm away. Some dogs do fine in kennels. I've been lucky. But I do ask a lot of questions (what would you do if...) and observe things very carefully before settling on a kennel.
Apr 17th, 2004, 04:34 PM
#19
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On some airlines, the lowest-priced economy fares are not upgradeable with miles. This is particuarly true in the case of international travel. Since I'm not very tall and my "roomies" are even shorter, I never bother with upgrades on overseas flights. (I'm unwilling to pay extra for the upgradeable tickets and we get complimentary upgrades regularly on domestic tickets anyway -- even award tickets.)
I redeem more than 150,000 miles annually. In the past year, here are the award tickets I've booked: three to San Francisco @ 21K each; three to Rio de Janeiro @ 33.5K each; one to Paris @ 50K; two to SFO @ 25K each. Total miles: 213,500. Some trips are done on relatively short notice and all are done in a very "opportunistic" fashion.
I don't look very hard to find trips. Instead, I let the trips find me. It's more exciting that way!
My own standard is that I try not to redeem award tickets for less value than 1.5 cents/mile. For 25K, that means tickets that can be purchased for less than $375 should be purchased. For Europe, it's about twice that amount -- but if you've got more miles than money, just do whatever makes you happy!
As for the dog, we had the very same situation a number of years ago and I certainly know where you're coming from.
I redeem more than 150,000 miles annually. In the past year, here are the award tickets I've booked: three to San Francisco @ 21K each; three to Rio de Janeiro @ 33.5K each; one to Paris @ 50K; two to SFO @ 25K each. Total miles: 213,500. Some trips are done on relatively short notice and all are done in a very "opportunistic" fashion.
I don't look very hard to find trips. Instead, I let the trips find me. It's more exciting that way!
My own standard is that I try not to redeem award tickets for less value than 1.5 cents/mile. For 25K, that means tickets that can be purchased for less than $375 should be purchased. For Europe, it's about twice that amount -- but if you've got more miles than money, just do whatever makes you happy!
As for the dog, we had the very same situation a number of years ago and I certainly know where you're coming from.
