No it isn't déjà vu. I'm on my way to Hong Kong again only two weeks after the last trip to the same city. Am I crazy? Maybe. But the deal was about $600 per return ticket and the trip to Hong Kong has a great reward at the end: United 1K.
As I write this on my way to EWR to catch a 777 to Hong Kong, I'm sitting at 95,504 status miles. When I land in Hong Kong only 16 short hours later I will reach over 100,000 status miles or PQM miles with United Mileage Plus. What does that mean? I'm going to be the highest tier that I can get on United (without being invited).
Why do I need this status? I don't really, I can live without it, but it sure is nice. With the amount that we fly we definitely take advantage of all the perks. Plus it saves us money on Economy Plus seat which can run pretty high (~ $250) on long haul flights. I like a good challenge and it gives me something to work for annually.
Every year I start a new spreadsheet. I enter all my flights I may have booked and record the miles. We strategically make sure that every flight we take maximizes our miles and we don't shy away from some crazy routing. I once flew to Toronto - Boston - Washington DC - Denver - Vegas. Even if early in the year I don't think I'll reach my goal, I have learned that every mile counts and you may just never know. Before it was to simply get Platinum 75K but now I'm aiming higher. Why not go for 100K.
I like flying. Flying doesn't stress me out. If there is a delay, It doesn't bother me. If it is mechanical, I would much rather a delay and make sure the plane is running perfectly. I think I get this lackadaisical attitude because I never really have to be anywhere. I work for myself, I can work on a plane or a lounge and I'm flexible. If I was flying charters where there was only one flight a day then it may be another story.
Part of the trip for me is the flight. I actually like the disconnection. Having my own business there is always something I could be doing. Air travel gives me a break. Sure I can work but when you are flying over China and you have no internet I would rather get caught up on Project Runway.
So this trip is a full three days in Hong Kong. Zak is my travel partner on this trip. We are taking one full day to visit Macau to check out the new Studio City resort. I'm excited. There is enough I didn't cover last trips to Hong Kong and I don't mind repeating things like Victoria Peak for Zak's virgin eyes.
Your next thought is probably: That is a long way to go for three days. It is but not when you enjoy every aspect from door to door. We actually find that 3 or 4 days is enough in many cities, partly because we know we need stuff to see if we return one day!
So what am I more excited about? Visiting Hong Kong or making 1K? It is a very tight race and the excitement of 1K may win.
Steven
You can follow my travel twitter account: @guystravel
