I thought I would share my story if you can use it:
About six or so months ago, I began looking at other airline programs (I am a Delta Elite from work). I started slowly and got on with the 25k miles debit card offer from Continental. Then I got the 25k Continental credit card offer (a month too early to bump to the 50k offer later on). Between spending and a $63 mistake fare mileage run from BOS to SAN on United, I was building a nice balance. I started focusing more on FlyerTalk and found your blog. Then the avalanche of points began!
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| Bangkok, Thailand, photo by Andrew Ingersoll |
I am young-ish (28) and I like to travel to Southeast Asia. I soon learned that if I did enough of these deals I could fly to SE Asia at little to no cost to me. I started planning my first application day and it went surprisingly well. I have always kept my credit in good standing. Now I am reaping the rewards:
50k Membership Rewards – Platinum American Express (I wanted this for lounge access, airline fee credit, and other benefits anyway)
100k British Airlines Miles: Chase deal
75k American Airlines Miles: Citi Deal
10k US Air Miles: Barclays snafu
Overall not bad! I was hoping for 25k miles on the US deal for a domestic flight I wanted, but was approved for the lower card. Now I have orphan miles I am trying to figure out what to do with.
Since then I have also gotten the 40k Hilton HHonors Visa and 30k United Airlines Visa Card (to get bonuses from both before the merger with Continental). I am a Delta flyer for work and already have the Delta Platinum American Express. I am running low on cards to apply for!
Here is what I have done with my points:
- Transferred most of the Membership Rewards points to Delta for bonus plus booked my girlfriend a round-trip business class on Korean Air to SE Asia this November using 120k Delta miles.
- Transferred a few Membership Rewards points to British Airways under the 50% bonus deal: Booked my girlfriend and me to Easter Island in April 2012 Business outbound, economy return (104k BA Miles + $383). Big score as these tickets are expensive! They’re priced at $2000 per person in coach.
- Used my Continental-United Airlines miles to book a one-way FIRST CLASS ticket for myself from home to SE Asia in November. I am going via Europe and flying in very good Lufthansa and Thai Airways first class.
- Used some of my American Airlines miles to book a one-way Business Class ticket from SE Asia back home in November. I am flying via JFK on Cathay Pacific with an American Airlines leg to get home.
After all that, I will still have enough American Airlines and United Airlines miles for domestic round trips if I need them. I also still have 150k with Delta and keep adding to them as I fly for work.
Other than my own time, I have paid a total of $575 out of pocket in annuall points transfer fees to make this happen. Not bad considering all of the tickets above I scored!
Kindest Regards,
Bobby
Quick Contest for 25,000 US Airways Miles Ends Tomorrow
The premise of this giveaway is quite simple. Spend 5 minutes voting for 26 videos and get a chance to win a free frequent flier airline ticket in the US and Canada (on any of the three major alliances at the 25K level).
Your chances will be extraordinarily high as this is a very short contest (only runs through August 15 at midnight CET). Also, the number of entrants will be capped at 850. This leaves you with extraordinarily high odds. But you’d better get moving!
You’re voting for the videos of some buddies of ours and in exchange for your time, we’re giving you the chance to win an airline ticket. I am personally providing the ticket, I will take care of randomly choosing the winner, and you’ll contact me when you’re ready for me to book the ticket with my miles.
If our buddies get 1 million points (about 500 more people voting for them) in this contest, they’ll win 1 million SAS EuroBonus miles. We’d consider your votes a favor!
Before I go into the procedure for entering the giveaway, I should let you know that you can give yourself a second entry to the giveaway by sharing this giveaway with your friends on Facebook. Just share the link for this thread on FB by clicking here. Make sure and include the fact that you’ve both voted and shared in your comment per #6 below.
