With the year coming to a close, it seems appropriate to look at what has happened in my travel world, and what I expect to be different in the year to come…

Like many of you, my miles acquisition strategy has moved to primarily credit card sign-up bonuses. Katy and I generated 1,170,000 miles in points in 2011 with this strategy and each of us maintained our good credit ratings. The rewards are massive if played well, but really not very exciting. The term “churning” comes to mind. Applying for and receiving card bonuses is about as exciting as “churning” butter.


We each added 100,000 miles to our little-used US Airways accounts by purchasing miles before the price increase. Again, not much jazz in that one, either. The opportunity arose and we took advantage.

The most fun I had was the US Airways Grand Slam promo, which netted me 80,000 miles at a relatively cheap price per mile. I was not organized, didn’t avail myself of a couple of the more time consuming “hits,” and only gave myself a B- grade at best.

We participated in only one mistake rate: the Hyatt Grand Cypress in Orlando at $29.50 per night. But that was actually booked in 2010 so not really a “hit” in 2011, either.

We each did a 100% bonus transfer or two with Delta, again a laid-back affair. I recall transferring a few Amex points as well when a bonus transfer opportunity showed up — I think to Continental, but can’t really recall.


China, the island of Kos, Greece, Turkey, Croatia, Bosnia, and Amsterdam provided two outstanding adventures and we loved, as usual, our trip to Hawaii this past spring and again this December. My sons hadn’t seen one another is quite some time. (Aaron, the youngest, has accepted two positions in Young Artist Programs in Opera for 2012. He is making a career of it and Dad is, well, relieved, to say the least. Watch for his budding career at an Opera House near you.)

I never got bumped in 2011, nor do I recall doing any massive mileage running. I lost my United 1K status and am in the process of earning Executive Platinum status on American. The 2 ½ hour regional jet ride to Dallas is not exciting, but will shorten trips to the west coast considerably instead of connecting in Chicago or Dulles. The jury is still out if I made the right decision switching.

The only consumer play I was involved in was the Catera Commerce disaster with the AA shopping mall. That was hardly a heart-stopper either and provided little satisfaction to any of us.

All in all, I’m giving the past year’s travel and overall game playing a B- as well. China was a unique experience. Croatia beautiful but something was missing and I know what it was: That heart pounding, pulse racing feeling of a mistake fare, and a great one at that, kept the year out of the “A” range. I am an “addict” and never got my fix this year.

Maybe it is because the coach “mistakes” don’t excite me anymore and the premium fare ones were just not there. Maybe I’m being excluded from the “private groups” because I’m a “blogger” (I actually know that to be true). Or maybe I’m not reading Flyertalk and Milepoint as much as I used to?

In any event, I want some jazz is 2012 in the form of a fantastic mistake fare or some sort of promo that we all can score big on. If it’s all about credit cards again, “churning butter” is a boring way to go.

50,000 American Airline Miles, No first year fee!