1. Mileage Running
Frequent Traveler University Los Angeles
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2. Background Information:
ben schlappig
Boarding Area’s One Mile At A
Time
onemileatatime@hotmail.co bschlappig onemileatatime
m
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3. Basic assumptions
• Elite status is meaningless
• Frequent flyer miles are a scam
• Business travelers are stupid
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4. What We’ll Talk About:
• How the game has changed recently
• When does it make sense to mileage run?
• How to use ITA to find cheap fares
• How to find availability for those fares
• How to maximize the routings
• How to lower the cost of airfare
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5. How The Game Has Changed:
• The airlines are onto us with our routings
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8. Which Airline Should You Select?
• Pick an airline that offers incremental
benefits beyond the miles earned (bonus
miles for passing thresholds, systemwide
upgrades, etc.)
• Pick an airline that has generous routing
rules
• Pick an airline that can meet your mileage
goals
– You can’t use Delta miles for international first
class
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– Good luck getting to Tahiti with United miles
9. American AAdvantage:
• Lots of promotions for bonus miles
• Eight systemwide upgrades without fare
restrictions for top tier elites
• International first class lounge access
• Generous routing rules when traveling
internationally
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10. United MileagePlus:
• Six systemwide upgrades for being top tier
elite
• Four confirmed regional upgrades for
achieving top tier elite
• Companion upgrades
• Fairly generous routing rules for some city
pairs
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11. Delta SkyMiles:
• Rollover elite miles
• Tons of ways to earn miles without flying
(both elite and redeemable)
• Medallion Choice Benefits for earning
Platinum or Diamond Medallion status
– Nominate someone to Silver or Gold status
– 20,000-25,000 bonus redeemable miles
– 4-6 systemwide upgrades
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12. Alaska Mileage Plan:
• Partners with American, Delta, Air France,
British Airways, Korean Air, Qantas, Cathay
Pacific
• Top tier status at 75,000 miles on Alaska or
90,000 miles on partners
• 100% mileage bonus plus 50,000 bonus
miles per year (75,000 flown miles=200,000
redeemable miles)
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13. Tools For Constructing Mileage
Runs:
• expertflyer.com
• http://matrix.itasoftware.com/?
showPricePerMile=true
• airline’s “multi-city” search function
• FlyerTalk mileage run forum
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14. Mileage Runs vs. Mini Vacations:
• If you take advantage of the right
promotions, you may never need to mileage
run again
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