The Mileage Run: Trying to Reach Elite Airline Status Before New Years | ABC News

In December, a travel expert says hobbyists fly as much as possible before their credit card miles reset on Jan. 1.
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[@danjberg]

Yep - did that a few years ago to hit Executive Platinum on AA. LAX-MIA-LGA-ORD-LAX in a weekend for $600. This year, flew round trip Austin to Dublin over a weekend just for Platinum Pro status for the next year. Worth it to me!

[@skylineXpert]

You forgot segments. If you get 5 segments that count towards higher status then you can use the cheap coach to your advantage.

[@visax8550]

I did this in 2017. Flew from Detroit to Seoul and back.

[@DMX-du9mn]

Gold for 8 years with Star Alliance - priority boarding is not big deal to me. Lounges and upgrades are best

[@melissajohnson2935]

This really should be elective class in high school. Teach about these things, credit cards, you know things like this 😂

[@alanfinkeldey7484]

You have to spend a certain dollars amount in addition to miles flown or segments.

[@romanbaranovichi5375]

Alan Finkeldey EQDs are easier to earn if you’re cashing business flights

[@gregorybaker330]

I DID A RTW F CLASS IN 6 DAYS TO GET TOP ELITE AND THERE WERE OTHERS ON THE PLANE DOING THE SAME

[@wbokhari8860]

I flew MIA-ORD-SFO-LAX-IAD-MIA in 30hrs for the same reason! Unfortunately, many of these airline programs have become revenue based now (especially in the last couple of years), so mileage runs have become a thing of the past.

[@hanj31]

14k just fly to like Singapore and back from LAX 16k miles boom! just spend like 2-3 days there if possible

[@user-by1kw1ix4p]

Casey Neistat

[@hokobaro]

And that 5.60 is the 9/11 fee anyways

[@stevef4451]

The Points Guy!

[@srper2]

...So pay for all these tickets and sit on a plane for days.... to get "elite" status and get into a lounge for free?

[@powergrower]

Just go make some money and buy your tickets. "Perks" is not having to fly to Austrailia and back on the same day.

[@kille78]

The people that do this the most are the ones that are already having to fly all the time for work and at a certain point get a ton of perks or free flights

[@meacomefeyou]

lololol

[@f2pyt-smite952]

Never knew about this good share

[@ianwyj1]

Huh? He didn't get it by the time he hit San Juan? I thought he still had a flight back to NYC, should have been enough.

[@TheBigdog6554]

He wanted to have it in San Juan so he could feel cool and sit in the "club"

[@JohnSmith-oj3fh]

I love how at 5:26 they talk low cost carriers and show RyanAir who doesn't fly transatlantic. LOL

[@MarksTournaments]

hell yea Alaska Airlines

[@splats6164]

Fly to Fubai. Then fly back on. Do this on Emirates. 14 hours to get there. 14 hours to get back

[@EpicThe112]

The best way to do a mileage run is to obtain an FFQ program from the Three big alliances Oneworld Skyteam and Star Alliance. US Domestic flight's best choice is AA Advantage because you can use it on AS flights. For international flights, the same also applies but you get locked out if you have an FFQ from the big three alliances US-based airlines. An easy way for UA domestic is by using SQ Krisflyer A3 Miles and bonus AC Aeroplan so that you get access to a United Club for Star Alliance. AA/AS domestic use IB BA CX Oneworld Emerald for those lastly DL Skyclubs use VS AF KL KE Skyteam elite plus

[@gregorybaker330]

NEVER LEFT THE AIRPORT ONLY TERMINALS TO CHANGE INT/DOMESTIC/INT

[@fallguy4209]

Wow seal is a journalist now

[@danjberg]

Co-worker wisely told me that you have to get married to a brand to reap the benefits - just hit Lifetime Platinum with Marriott. 😁

[@lmmatgaming]

WOW! Ha ha haha 5:29

[@abigailm8772]

San Juan is not overseas

[@99certain45]

$20,000 5 dollar ticket

[@johnkean6852]

Yes idiots

[@bodyloverz30]

Why does ABC not simply give him First Class, as part of his employee contract?

[@junsupes]

Lol Puerto Rico isn't overseas

[@colereid7815]

I’m a gold status with WestJet? Good enough

[@Inkahustler]

Great tips

[@timmcdonald958]

He could’ve just bought a ticket and not gotten on the plane🤔

[@deanl4575]

Tim McDonald Then they cancel your booking, you may have to pay no-show fees and you don’t earn any miles. But, I don’t understand why you would spend hard earned money just to get rewards. In the end, the airlines are profiting.

[@d.rogers4184]

Totally lame since now airlines only give miles per dollar spent.

[@darkvctry7482]

Exactly I keep trying to explain this to my co-workers are new to the Airline miles system, but these old videos are on youtube and folks still think you can do this.

[@brandtaylor93]

you get both.. you get miles per dollar spend and miles per mile you've flown

[@jackb99]

But they’re talking about qualifying miles, these miles are used to reach elite status. For the other miles used to get free flights, they are awarded by money spent on most US airlines expect Alaska Airlines.

[@romanbaranovichi5375]

Watcher42 r EQM miles are done per miles flown

[@poprockstar77]

nice carbon footprint, useful too

[@jerrynadler2883]

lol. i know how YOU can INSTANTLY reduce your carbon footprint to zero.

[@artanttemple4584]

you played yourself

[@stevenlovewendy]

U.S. elite is nothing to compare to international flight. To make your time worth the experience, fly internationals if you are flying within the state, maybe this does not apply to you.

[@noobarmy855]

the few the proud the 1%

[@jerrynadler2883]

not really. I dont own a car. $800 a month plus $200 in insurance that's $1000 going to travel a month.

[@robertkerr9527]

These days are over....

[@duramax78]

That's good for the environment

[@Ryan-dc6lj]

The plane will fly regardless. No impact.

[@coperfield9188]

Fuck the environment

[@Swellstew]

Can't you just buy the ticket and not fly the trip?

[@deanl4575]

Eric Swells You may have to pay no-show fees, the airline cancels your booking and you don’t earn any miles. I don’t really understand the point of status runs whilst spending your hard earned money. In the end, the airlines profit the most.

[@vancourverite7779]

i bet you he's in lots of debt

[@johnkean6852]

For _ELITE STATUS_ read *RIP ME OFF MORE PLEASE*

[@Konayo_]

And what are you doing then with the one first class flight you earned after all the time you spent on earning miles and damaging the environment? This is so stupid.

[@lonestar4454]

Konayo Actually depending on what status your trying to achieve. This could mean flying first class on every flight you take for a year.

[@suckmypuck91]

Konayo fucking environmentanazi

[@waynerooo]

He's not damaging the environment any more that the plane was going to do already.

[@spruceguitar]

This is totally not about one first class flight. I think you’ve completelly missed the point

[@sithlordrj8883]

@@spruceguitar Konayo doesn't seem to have experienced 1st class before. It is not just about the flight, but the lounges. People who fly cattle class miss out like hell just with the airlines' lounge access. The good thing is there are credit cards that do give automatic access along with guest passes, although the best lounges belong to the airlines themselves and for those you need status.