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Mileage RunningFrequent Traveler University Los Angeles

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Background Information:

ben schlappigBoarding Area’s One Mile At A

Time

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bschlappig

onemileatatime@hotmail.com

Basic assumptions• Elite status is meaningless• Frequent flyer miles are a scam• Business travelers are stupid

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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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How The Game Has Changed:• The airlines are onto us with our

routings

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Old Possible Routing:

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New Limited Routing:

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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– Good luck getting to Tahiti with United miles

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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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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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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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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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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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Mileage Runs vs. Mini Vacations:• If you take advantage of the right

promotions, you may never need to mileage run again

Using itaMatrix:

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itaMatrix:

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Colombo premium fares…

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Questions?

ben schlappigBoarding Area’s One Mile At A

Time

onemileatatime

bschlappig

onemileatatime@hotmail.com