Now that most major airlines in the U.S. have figured out how to charge for just about everything short of the lavatories – and trust me, that could be coming – an airline ticket has become the equivalent of the base price in an automobile ad. By the time you add up the final bill, the price is a lot higher.
But elite frequent fliers are exempt from many of the extra charges. Yes, so they still need to pay for food and alcohol, but baggage charges,priority check-in, boarding, and seat assignments are generally free.
United has been selling packages such as unlimited checked luggage for a year for $249, Economy Plus seating for a year for $399, and one-time priority status (free bags, economy plus, bonus miles) for prices ranging from about $50 for short domestic flights to about $300 for international flights — per flight.
And other airlines, that may have less sophisticated packages, still often sell access to better seats and boarding lines.
For some travelers, paying these fees may be worth it. Many others, however, might look at their year-to-date mileage balances and consider a “mileage run.”
A mileage run, in regular English, is a trip where the primary motivation is to earn frequent flier miles. Although the trip can turn into a fun mini-vacation. (And more than one of my corporate clients has decided to schedule a meeting or business trip by year’s end to get miles in that calendar year.)
In these cases, distance is the primarily appeal, for example, San Francisco to Boston — 5,408 miles roundtrip. Currently available for under $300 roundtrip. Or Dulles to London — 7,354 miles roundtrip. Currently available for under $700 roundtrip. And connections can add to the mileage involved, especially if the airline involved has 500 mile minimums.
For true, hard-core mileage junkies, flying from the east coast of the U.S. to Australia or Asia can be worth almost 20,000 miles. Ditto for the west coast to Africa or India. (A good travel agent can suggest other ways to maximum miles for dollars.)
For travelers who are anywhere close to elite status, a discount ticket could be far cheaper than paying for baggage, seats, or a package in 2010. And a Elite member can usually get an adjoining seat for free for one companion. In addition, Elite status can also mean better access to upgrades, and priority on waitlists, including when standing by for a full flight after another flight is canceled.
For travelers who aren’t sure they will need extra miles, it is only October. On the other hand autumn fares are generally amongst the best deals of the year. And not only will fares be higher around Thanksgiving and for travel in the second half of December due to the holidays, but the whole travel experience becomes more stressful.
Fly a long distance for a long weekend now, and there’s a chance of short security lines, reasonable weather, being on a plane with empty seats. Fly around the holidays, and it’s more likely to be airport chaos, storms, and planes with both seats and carry-on space overflowing.
And if a canceled flight means being rebooked on another carrier, or postponing the trip completely, friends or family may wait, but there’s no backup way to get miles.
(photo by caterina/flickr/creative commons)
Janice Hough is a California-based travel agent a travel blogger and a part-time comedy writer. A frequent flier herself, she’s been doing battle with airlines, hotels, and other travel companies for over three decades. Besides writing for Travelers United, Janice has a humor blog at Leftcoastsportsbabe.com (Warning, the political and sports humor therein does not represent the views of anyone but herself.)
