Posting from the United Red Carpet Club in Orange County, CA…
So my wife and I took off this morning on a last-minute ticket for a mileage run! Continental had a fare from Pittsburgh to Orange County, CA for just $150 round-trip and we went with it! Now a traditional mileage run is when you make tons of stops and gain elite status and miles without even leaving the airport.
The only true mileage run that I’ve ever done was a 14 flight marathon in 36 hours back in 2006 during an insane AA promo.
We’re doing a more modified version, staying overnight in LA and making one stop in Houston on the way to Orange County and a stop in Newark on the return. Total elite miles for the trip will be 10,500 and redeemable miles are 8,300. Plus we’ll both extend our lowly Silver elite status on Continental through 02/28/11.
Now before you say that I’m insane and that Silver doesn’t get you anywhere near what Gold or Platinum elite status does, it still gets you:
-Bonus miles on every flight
-500 mile minimum flight segment earning
-Reduced award fees
-Priority phone number
-Priority check-in, security, and boarding lines.
-Priority baggage handling.
-Priority standby and reward waitlisting.
– 2 free bags for everyone traveling with you
-Free first class upgrades (after Golds and Plats)
-Much better award ticket availability for saver award tickets and last seat availability for standard award tickets.
Plus besides for the elite benefits the redeemable miles earned from the trip are worth the cost of the trip, so it made sense in my book!
Ever did a mileage run? Considering one before the 12/31 deadline? Hit the comments!
hi hi, i would like to know how to do this and is it a certain time of the year that we can do it, do the airline tell us or we can start the run anytime? thank you and by the way i love you sit all the info that you have provided just in the last 7-8 months that i’ve known about your site, i’ve bought some good deals and everyday lookk forward to getting on the site.
Keep up the great work
Dan do u have the dates available 4 this price or do u have a run available on continental for dec 12. To 15. Where could I find a good mileage run 4 continental?
Have a look. Front page of todays Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126014168569179245.html
Dan,
Can you post a list of well priced Chanukah gifts for children? (Games, electronics, etc.) Thanks. Keep up the good work!!!
Front page story today.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126014168569179245.html
To bad they didn’t interview you Dan. The article also mentions the Hyatt shtick.
Dan,
I’m 2,000 miles short of Silver Elite. I’m doing a mini-mileage run on Wednesday (pending the huge storm headed our way!). CLE-ATL and back, with the ‘Double Elite Miles’ promo will put me over the 25,000 mark. All I have to do is sit at the airport for 3 hours in between flights. This is the first flight all year I’ve personally had to pay for as most everything was work related. The $109 I had to spend on this flight will be more than worth it since next year I’ve already got 3 personal trips and 2 business trips planned. Thanks for all your info!
so dan i guess the only good part of the trip is keeping your silver status (u get miles but u paid for the ticket)