[whizzkid]

This whole setup doesnt make sense for me. Flying as a whole is not that comfy even if you are flying first class. Pack + taxi + controls + wait in lounge + wait boarding and etc.

I believe not needing to fly is more luxurious life than flying. If your job requires you to fly, than business class is there just for that purpose :) (company pays)

[eganist]

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I just finished a mileage run. It made sense for me because I already had the status this year (not from a prior mileage run), which meant I ended up being upgraded on every flight and e.g. flying overnight and showering in airport lounges rather than burning time in hotels. I used it as an opportunity to catch up with old friends in far away places.

Worked out pretty well.

[not_a_moth]

Ha I have United Platinum status and I rarely get upgraded to business. My typical flights are international or fully booked coast-to-coast, where being in business would actually be nice to lie down. I almost always end up having to purchase the upgrades outright if prices aren't jacked up.

Really the only value I care about from the status is premier check in desks across star alliance, which isn't that enviable.

More than signifying anything enviable, top airline status basically just means you get a crap ton of extra radiation exposure every year (e.g. SFO to Tokyo is a chest x-ray per hour, 20 microSv, if you didn't know). Really not worth going out of your way to get.

[toomuchtodo]

I think it's one of those things that you have to be "in the know" to understand and experience the benefits, and why a mileage run or other status qualifying event is worth the time and effort. Same reason some folks have no value getting Global Entry, but for a frequent traveler, being saved from one missed flight due to border control time deltas (looking at your YYZ!) makes the $100 fee and the interview worth it.

[JumpCrisscross]

> Flying as a whole is not that comfy

To each their own. A lay-flat seat is like a mini-vacation strapped onto work trips. I’ve never done a mileage run, but I’ve certainly increased spend on a route (e.g. buy buying a nicer ticket upfront) to hit thresholds because those thresholds are meaningful to me.

[asciimike]

Flying up front is vastly different from being in the back, especially on a premium fist product (Lufthansa or ANA in *A, or Cathay, Emirates, Qatar, etc.). I used to fly to India for business and I could always score a first upgrade BLR -> FRA, which meant I could use the LH first class terminal (separate building) during the layover back to the states. 200+ bottles of whisky, a cigar room, an entire leg of jamon iberico, bathtubs where you could grab a bottle of champagne off the wall and drink while you lounged, dedicated customs, and a Porsche to drive you directly to your departing aircraft. I wouldn't pay O(10k) for a ticket, but it's a pretty good time when you can upgrade it.

[esoterica]

A lay-flat seat tops out at being slightly less comfortable than sitting in your couch at home. I wouldn’t consider it a vacation-tier experience (unless you count it as a mini-vacation every time you plop yourself down in front of the tv after work).

[supercommand]

Sounds like you’re in America.

Elsewhere the ride to the airport is a quick cheap train. Electronic boarding so no need to checkin. But even if you do you’ve got a dedicated counter with someone waiting for you. Controls are under 2 minutes. Less than that if you have status you essentially walk through. (Fuck the American tsa those incompetent fools). And lounges overseas at a decent airline are like high end spas or better.

Checkout cathays first class lounge in hk. Or Singapore’s lounge for pps.

Then again, status at airlines that are not American come with some pretty excellent perks that are not found in America.

I’d take a long haul to retain status. The routes I fly and the frequency makes it a necessity. Taking a hot shower the minute you step off a plane before you meet a client is worth every dollar.

[yibg]

While not exactly a mileage run I did pick United over an alternative cheaper flight just to get to the next status tier. I agree flying sucks even in business / first, but if I’m gonna fly (which for sure I’ll have to next year), might as well make it a bit more comfortable.

[rolltiide]

Learn how to pack and its not a chore. A woman taught me some techniques to optimize packing and space, and ironically other women say its only possible because I am a man.

When you have preauthorization from the government for security the controls are not time consuming, and means less variance in how long you need to get to your plane

So that means much less waiting, but if you wish to wait then you typically have several lounge options to choose from if you desire

And with status you board earlier which also means less drama regarding getting on or whats going to happen to your carryon bag

It requires some finesse but its a much more parallel experience to casual travelers subject to the full stress of air travel

Also with the points you are more frequently booking convenient flights that would otherwise be economically irrational

[ghaff]

With Pre-Check, I'm usually through security in the US pretty quickly. But I hate feeling rushed or worrying about being late so I still normally leave plenty of time and, as you say, can usually hang out in a lounge and/or get a meal so it's pretty comfortable.

I worked for a guy once and when we traveled together (pre-9/11) he'd get a cab from our downtown location to the airport planning to arrive 30 minutes or whatever before the flight. Drove me crazy.

[Scoundreller]

> And with status you board earlier which also means less drama regarding getting on or whats going to happen to your carryon bag

But then you have to deal with once-yearly flyers in Zone 72 bashing their rollon over your feet and into your chair.

Personally, I fear the day airlines force me to board first. I'll enjoy the gate while everyone else boards a plane that will depart at the same time for everyone.

[Aloha]

I'm on the road 150+ nights a year.

Packing can be easy. For example, I roll everything, makes it much easier to tetris them into the bag and they don't come out as wrinkled on the other end, they also compress a little better.

Similarly TSA PreCheck is a must, yes, I hate effectively paying a bribe to bypass the security theatre, but I also hate dealing with getting undressed at the checkpoint - the fact is, the security theatre exists to keep the infrequently flying public feeling safe - and if that results in more relaxed travelers, that also makes my life better.

I mostly focus on Hotel Status over airlines, thats gonna change, I'll likely try for status this year or next at American.

[novok]

One thing I found out recently is that at some airports, pre-check has hours, and it can be somewhat hard to figure out when your leaving, and annoying that you have to. Found that out recently when I had a evening flight leaving from las vegas :/