Comments on: The 5 Million Frequent Flyer Mile Challenge

By: CS Rice

CS Rice — Mon, 03 May 2010 03:12:18 +0000

Thanks Chris! I’m on it and definitely up for the challenge! The tip on the US coins is golden! That will really help. Your time, energy and enthusiasm are really appreciated! This will be passed along to reach that goal sure and sweet.
Grazi, grazi to you!

By: Michael A.

Michael A. — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 20:37:15 +0000

Chris, thanks so much for putting all this together.

Based on this, I’ve already applied for several cards (the Citi AA Mastercard, Hilton Amex, Delta Amex Gold Business, and United Visa Business….I already had the regular Delta Amex Gold and regular United Visa so will be downgrading or cancelling those soon…..)

I would also recommend the new Spirit Onyx World Mastercard under their “3 Free Flights” marketing. Basically, you get 15,000 Miles and unlike the other airlines Spirit has really low rates for redemption. They break it up into geographic regions (based on distance from your dep. airport) and peak vs. off-peak.

No annual fee 1st year, $69 after that.

I’m gonna try and go to Costa Rica in May, so once my miles post, I’ll use 7,500 and still have 7,500! I could take you or someone else (for free) to the Caribbean, or I could take another round-trip to St. Thomas or Cartagena…or if I wanted to go Chicago–>New York 3 times I could (albeit on off-peak)

By: Cindy

Cindy — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:52:21 +0000

Wonderful information Chris! For those wondering how to meet their required spending obligations, my girlfriend and her husband will often use their credit card to purchase airline tickets for friends and family to earn rewards etc. The friend/family member then simply writes them a check…done deal.

Of course…if their friends wise up they’ll have to find another source of mileage revenue…

By: Laura

Laura — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 16:34:24 +0000

Hey, thank you so much! I’m really appreciating your blog and your sharing of all these awesome tips, as well as your thoughts, experiences and ruminations. Adelante!

By: Liam

Liam — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 04:35:42 +0000

Wouldn’t the mint idea also work if buying casino chips? It doesn’t on one of the programs here in NZ but might work over in the States.

By: Trackback from Josh Premuda

Trackback from Josh Premuda — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 15:55:29 +0000

[...] I used to play the credit card frequent flyer point game, where you sign up for a card to get the initial points then cancel the card for a free flight. But, I’ve never done it to the extreme of Chris Guillebeau at The Art of Nonconformity. Surprisingly, it doesn’t really hurt your credit score. [...]

By: Val

Val — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:56:32 +0000

A year and a half ago I began applying for cards with free miles and no annual fees. I racked up at leat 12 domestic plane tickets in a few months between my husband and I. Then a few months ago I found this site and thought “300,000 miles, no way!” When I calculated what I had gotten, I found it to be the same. I did it and didn’t even realize it. I was encouraged to find someone else doing the same thing. After reading this web site, I applied for more cards and now have another 8 free plane tickets and have never paid an annual fee. My favorite card is the CITI Premier Pass that earns miles through ThankYou.com. I was able to fly 5 of us round trip to Orlando, FL for free on my free miles and then use my miles on the ThankYou network for rent-a-cars, hotels and food. We went to FL for 10 days and had free flights, free hotels, free car, $75 in free gas, & $400 in free gift cards for places like Applebees, Olive Garden, Red Lobster etc. The CITI bank card miles can be used for flights too… they are booked through Expedia.com. I just chose to use them for the food, hotel and card because I had so many free flights already.
I can’t even tell you how many miles I have accumulated in the last 1 1/2 years. I lost track as I use them as fast as I earn them.

By: Aaron

Aaron — Thu, 28 May 2009 19:25:11 +0000

My wife and I have got 150K AAdvantage miles apiece churning. 100K in the last 4 months. We apply for a Citi AA AMEX and MC at the same time every 65 days, buy our coins, and close the cards after the miles post 1 week after the first statement. Citi lets you have 6 personal + 2 business cards at a time, and you can get the 25K bonus for each. Keep them rotating, and that’s about 75K every 2 months, possibly 350K+ AAdvantage miles per year if they don’t get wise and shut us down!

My family and I have already flown to Thailand, NYC, LAX, MI, Hawaii, and London by churning.

By: Gary

Gary — Thu, 28 May 2009 14:27:42 +0000

I can relate to your writing. Exellent explanation and detail.

By: Jennifer Filzen

Jennifer Filzen — Fri, 01 May 2009 16:53:56 +0000

Amazing information! Thanks for helping those of us stuck at home see some opportunities to get out and see the world.