- Related posts:
Some guys are great at recording all of their trips and the value of each mile burned. I’m not that precise, but I went back several years, tracked down my flights taken, and posted them on DDF for 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019.
In 2019 I burned through some 2,791,500 miles and points. As my family grows I find it easier to burn through miles quicker than ever.
Don’t cry for my miles though, I’m still sitting on 8 figures of unredeemed miles and they’re not earning any interest just sitting there. If you have them, use them! Learn more about earning miles from credit cards in this guide and about the Chase Quinfecta earnings machine here.
2019 flying map and routes:
Here’s how I burned them:
January/February:
- I flew from Cleveland to Newark on United, Newark to Toulouse on a Gulfstream V, Toulouse to Miami-Opa Locka on a Bombardier Global 6000, and then back from Fort Lauderdale to Cleveland on JetBlue. Sometimes the best trips don’t cost any miles at all 🙂
- Our family of 5 flew from Cleveland to Maui via Chicago in United 777-200 lie-flat seats, from Maui to Kauai on Hawaiian as a free stopover, and from Kauai to Cleveland via Denver in United 757-200 lie-flat seats: 500,000 United miles.
- 5 nights in 2 rooms at the Fairmont Kea Lani Maui: Free with lifetime Platinum status
- 5 nights in 2 rooms at the Grand Hyatt Kauai: 250,000 Hyatt points (including 1 Globalist night at 25K value)
- I flew from Cleveland to Los Angeles as a day-trip with several friends for KWFE LA: 25,000 United miles.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs8yR-SnUtf/
April/May:
- I flew from Cleveland to Amsterdam via Detroit for 48 hours with AJK on Delta One A350 suites: 98,000 Delta miles.
- 2 nights at the Andaz Amsterdam: 50,000 Hyatt points
- I flew from Cleveland to LaGuardia: 7,500 BA Avios
- 1 night at the TWA Hotel wound up being comped.
- And back from Newark to Cleveland: 10,000 United miles
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxiDfBGnlqB/
June:
- Our family of 5 flew for Shavuos from Cleveland to Tel Aviv via Newark in United 777-300 lie-flat seats outbound and 787-10 lie-flat seats on the return: 750,000 United miles
- 3 nights at the Ritzaliya (Ritz Carlton Herzliya): 150,000 Marriott points (including 1 Ritz night at 50K value)
- 5 nights in 2 rooms at the Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem: 760,000 Hilton points
July:
- I flew from Cleveland to Fort Lauderdale on JetBlue to go to my nephew’s bris and flew back from Miami to Cleveland using Platinum card airline fee credits.
- 1 night at the Residence Inn Surfside: 25,000 Marriott points (in the form of a credit card free night)
- I flew with my grandfather from Cleveland to Toronto on Air Canada to catch a Tribe game together: 25,000 United miles
- 1 night at the Westin Harbour Castle: 35,000 Marriott points (in the form of a credit card free night)
August:
- I flew with Mimi from Cleveland to Newark for a friend’s wedding: 26,000 Avianca Lifemiles
- 2 nights at the Park Hyatt NYC: 54,000 Hyatt points (after 10% points rebate)
https://www.instagram.com/p/B1mmpGWgjXU/
November:
- I flew with Mimi from Cleveland to Chicago on our anniversary as a day trip: 26,000 Avianca Lifemiles
How did you do in 2019? Hit the comments below and make your own map to post on DDF.
Here’s to a fun 2020, follow my trips in Instagram here!
Leave a Reply
45 Comments On "Here’s How I Burned 2,791,500 Miles In 2019, How Did You Stack Up?"
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I’m more curious to know how you earn your miles.
Are you new around here?
Check out DDF. And read more posts I’ve written 🙂
Could you kindly link us to this specific post.
Thanks
Nope. Been reading dansdeals (ctownbochur) since 2005 when your brother introduced me to it. But still in awe of the level you play.
Also interested to know!
Ditto and yes I am… but that many so fast… for me to get to one mill is a major feat
He earned his miles back in the day of buying coins from the mint and manufactured spend with Bluebird, Amazon and Target redCard. He also has many cards before 5/24 rules went into effect and for his businesses. Not that surprising considering he’s been doing this for a decade; would be curious to know if low or high 8-figures.
Referrals, when you click on a credit card offer from this site he gets 25000 points on average, probably more on most
Nope, banks pay bloggers cash for that. Which helps keep this website running 🙂
it’s amaze me that you could enjoy all of this with your family !
happy for you !
A true blessing!
Nice Dan!
1. How did you find availability for 5 on the ORD – OGG I space,,,dont think ive ever found an upgrade on that route and we take it average once a year.
2. You always find the most amazing looking food (and i’ve tried your picks in some restaurants , were usually as described). How Many calories did you burn in 2019 lol
Plan B, C, D, and E. most of which are talked about on DDF.
Can you send a link? I’ve been following you since ctownbochur and don’t remember this.
No travel since August?!
How much spent in annual fees total?
There was, read the post 🙂
Nearly all of my annual fees paid pay me back more than the annual fee.
Hey Dan,
I noticed that you still have your Fairmont lifetime platinum status. How did you get them to honor it? Who do I call?
He paid for it.
Unless you paid for it during the promotion years ago, I don’t think calling anyone will help.
Email me and I can try to help.
What I want to know is how much you needed to pay out of pocket to rack up those miles
I have a good way to help burn miles-
Have a raffle for all your dedicated readers….
P.S.- If anyone asks, it was Itchakadoozie’s idea (Wink, cough, eh hem…)
I would like to know, how many miles did you accumulate in 2019?
I have roughly the same question. Are you still adding miles through your activities or are you simply burning boatloads of miles that you accumulated in the early days of frequent flyer accounts and their credit cards and manufactured spending?
There are still plenty of ways to rack up miles, even if it’s no longer the golden age.
How did you manage to find 5 available round trip award tickets to TLV for shvues?
Plan B, C, D, E all work fine. Most are discussed on DDF from time to time.
Can you please help us by putting it into one post? Otherwise we need to dig DDF for answers. Thx!
Dan, can you please share a link for plan C,D,E, Thanks
Nice post!! Happy for you and your family.
Iv been on this site since 2016 and have accomplished many things that were once just a dream thru opening up cards…although on a much lower scale;)
It’s fairly easy to earn a miles. With AA / Hyatt link etc , points rebates, hybrid redemption etc etc Even when you are redeeming you generally get rebates.
hey, you are the guru after all! its only befitting for you to accomplish this.
beautiful post! and beautiful family B.A.H!
Nice! What a year. Enjoyed reading. Thanks for sharing. And your site.
Would be interesting to see a similar post about how many miles you accumulated this year and approximately how you did it. If you wanted to share that! Good stuff.
What’s plan C,D,E
How dare you?
lol
Bravo! And I’m jealous with a capital J.
Sooo cool! My fave was seeing you pitch at the World Series (or something) with SPG moments.
Check out DDF. And read more posts I’ve written….what is DDF?
DansDeals Forums
Ive been following and trying to do as you say but no where near 8 figures. Maybe you can do a seminar in Brooklyn to help us? By the way Im Non profit so the maaser on those miles you can donate to me!
Majority of miles is thru spending or new cards?
How did you get 2 rooms at the Waldorf over shavuos at the saver rate?
Just kept checking for openings.
Dan. I’ve been a fan of yours for about 13 years . You are awesome . I have learned much and have enjoyed many adventures on a dime. How did you manage that private flight to and from Toulouse ?
Thanks many blessings to you and yours in 2021.
Mark
Thanks 🙂
https://www.dansdeals.com/points-travel/trip-notes/trip-notes-jetsetting-toulouse-airbus-headquarters/
Happy 2021 to you as well!