If, like you, I had declined to fly for a significant time due to the pandemic, but my miles still grow.
I read this morning an article by Jamie Lauren Keiles in the The New York Times Magazine and then took Bubba-Doo for a short hike. Yes it was short since the road to get to Shatterack Mountain Trail was closed for the winter so I redirected to the Army Corps of Engineers Knightville Dam but that place was crowded (sunny and cool today).
So returning, I stoked up the woodstove and started this piece.
I started flying on a regular basis in the Eighties. At that time it might have been a trip a year, but not knowing any difference I signed up for airline frequent flyer programs in anticipation. After moving the New England, my flights continued for work and when it was personal travel, we tended to fly TWA since St. Louis was a hub. About the same time I signed up for a credit card tied to the airline.
Early use of miles was mainly used to offset expenses for a vacation. If I could knock off a couple of thousand dollars for a weeklong vacation in the Caribbean, why not. Then I used the miles to upgrade to first class tickets. During those times coach may have been $600 each while first was $900-1000 so not really a big difference, but recall this is for two people.
Flying more frequent for work and fun meant I became a loyal flyer with a particular airline and even would pay a bit more to rack up the miles over lesser priced competing airlines. I could then get free first class tickets and travel in style. I knew for example to get a good free ticket, you might need to schedule that vacation 11 months out, but with a school schedule that was not too hard.
So I got a couple of tickets in limbo right now due to Covid, and a bunch of miles, so I am looking at January 2022 for a vacation at a distant and safe location.
Am I too optimistic?
Posts
