I had a small miles related win. United wanted $500 to upgrade to first from PTY to SAT. I am flying on award travel and was able to change my flight from economy to first for 12,500 miles which is equal to about $150.
The state of Texas has always had some of the best club swimming programs in the country. The swim center is over 40 years old. It's still one of the best facilities in the world. Imagine recruiting to train and compete in that pool in 1980s?
Fished inshore today in Boca Chica Panama. Hoping to report here with some good fishing tales and pictures of a big ass rooster or some cubera snapper but I got skunked. I have not been skunked on a charter in a very long time. The water was terrible. Green and cloudy. Rough too. I will be bruised to hell tomorrow. I was out on the bow with a u-shaped railing and I almost went down at least twice. and it was brutally hot. Fine if the fish are biting but miserable when not. Oh well. That's fishing.
Here is how I am thinking about status. I'm United. Not a big business flyer. 90% of my flying is personal. Silver pretty much only gets you economy plus within 24 hours. In order to get silver I'd probably end up spending an extra $500-750 on flights vs being a mercenary. I don't really check bags very often so free baggage doesn't do anything for me. if I fly 10x a year and I get economy plus with an average of $50 I'm barely break even if not behind a little bit. It seems like if you can gain status organically then its worth it but chasing it doesnt' seem worth it
I've completely stop drinking on the weekdays mostly just due to wanting good sleep I spent 6 hours yesterday site seeing in panama. Walking. Getting in an out of a van 30 times. Standing in line. I feel like I was in a car accident
I renewed my son's GE. Instant approval. The card is worthless if you are traveling by air. Some people have reported being asked for it in order to use the kiosks
I'm in the Hilton eco. The surpass has 150k right now. Annual fee is only $95. It's pretty easy to get to diamond and like the poster above said, you get crazy pts by being diamond and having the credit card.
COPA
@Ghost of LL
I'm going to save you some time and aggravation. Pro tip from someone who has been out there a zillion times. When you leave Schertz soccer complex. DO NOT go south down to 1518.. Go north to Schertz Pwky. The traffic on 1518 at 35 can really back up if you get a bunch of games ending at the same time. If you do end up on 1518 there is a Valero there with a pretty good selection of singles. Just saying
Mac nailed most of it. Just remember. Nothing in San Antonio is really far from anywhere. Esp on a Saturday. Even Madrid's is only 30 mins away