How much do you tell your family and friends about travel deals/FF sweetspot etc?

[benjy]

Definitely need to get myself along to some of these meetings so i can find out more tricks of the trade!!

Yes, same here!

Just by reading this forum I've learned a lot, I've even flown in business class, something I never thought I'd be able to do anytime soon!

I definitely want to start flying more, explore more places, earn more points, earn more status credits, etc especially over the next few years.

I got asked by a friend recently why was I flying to a location (Hobart) in two weeks time, staying for just only 3 hours before returning, I tried to explain but they just didn't understand. Basically got cheap Jetstar flights, purchased them for minimum Status Run, accumulation to Status etc.

There's many more things that I'm going to learn from this forum that many others who don't like flying aren't going to understand, mainly because they don't want to know. They just want to know "where I went, what did you do, how was it?" etc.

I look forward to learning more

 

[Shelf]

I'm not a lofty WP. I do love a JASA though.

IME friends and family find it all too hard.

 

[tuapekastar]

Won't even bother posting my experiences in any detail...they're already reflected in almost every post (eyes glazing over etc.)
Essentially, it is 'just too hard' for people to bother with. Too bad for them.

 

[JohnM]

Shrek's totally OK with it as long as he doesn't have to do any of the work
I then switch the conversation to shopping and/or bags (my other obsession) and the glazed look wears off

That's when my glazed look would cut in very quickly, PF .

 

[JohnM]

I've given up with my friends. I spent a lot of time explaining online JASAs in a 'cheat sheet' format and I'm sure they all glazed over and never used it.

Now JASAs have gone to phone booking, I haven't even tried to explain. Imagine if they got Erica - they'd kill ME .

The only thing that is a PITA is that they all think I'm wealthier than what I am - and that can have major disadvantages :evil:.

 

[JohnM]

I do love a JASA though.
/QUOTE]

And who doesn't .

 

[prozac]

Reading these posts I realise I am still doing booking J at the most basic level. Must do some Do's.

 

[casanovawa]

I love my friends but many of them would much rather complain about not having something than go out and get it.

This sums it up for me, not just my friends, but people in general... So easy to be complacent or fearful and whinge what other have or what they wished they could do, than just learning to step forward and take a few risks or see what they can achieve...

 

[erkpod]

I had a guy tell me online today that I'm out of the country more than I'm in the country. I told him that this isn't quite true - I'll only be OS 3 months out of 12 this year.

Mind you, I've only worked 4 1/2 hrs in 2014 so far...

 

[Awesom Andy]

It's a bit of an addiction, and sometimes to my own detriment. My parents think I fly too much for my own good, and my friends see my social media profiles and think that I don't work, but fly around the world and pick up girls at random bars in different cities to make a living. Only if it was that easy...

 

[cove]

One of my brothers could not handle the idea. The other gets his first Suites run next month so he is graduating from business class to SQ A380 Suites as I lent him an ATO bill for 300,000 Kris Flyer miles. I feel confident he will be on board momentarily.
All of my business partners are on board and all of our long term friends have been going on Thai in First or Business using US Air Miles.
Now I loved Cruiser's comment about marrying a "rich chick".

 

[billystorm]

Great gesture cove

 

[spudwa]

I've done USDM on *A three times now in F & J and still the bulk of my friends don't believe me!!!

 

[blackcat20]

I've had a few comments about being "lucky" or "always getting upgrades". Always counter with "never had an upgrade, I use points" and leave it at that. My mum is finally starting to understand how it all works, especially as she now benefits with flights in J.

The only thing that is a PITA is that they all think I'm wealthier than what I am - and that can have major disadvantages :evil:.

That is true; I keep reiterating that I use points, not $$.

 

[Pinkmoose]

I have tried to share this with family and friends. Most people think that I'm pretty stupid for taking extra flights (when it works out much cheaper overall), or chasing points when possible. Then when they see me and my family flying all the time, they keep asking where I get the money to fly all the time?
They don't understand it just takes some time and research and the ability to be flexible and then they just loose interest.
Ohh well.

 

[boomy]

I think most people don't care enough about the way they fly to do much about it, especially if it's going through the process of buying points, searching for availability, Skype all kinds of US call centres, then HUACA a few times until finally booking a flight which goes from A to B the long way.
It's much easier to log on the QF website, book a flight and complain later

 

[bismarck]

Most of the time I just day I use points...occasionally people will push me a bit more and I'm happy to explain but most think it's not for them and don't bother putting advice into action. A few do though.

I've finally got SWMBO on-board after making a detailed presentation that explained how we are flying to VIE later this year in J for about 10% more than the absolute cheapest Y ticket. She doesn't really want to know how, but I now have her blessing to chase the points. She also enjoyed my OWS when we were doing a 140k award over Christmas.

I think the reality is that most people aren't willing to put in the time to educate themselves. I don't necessarily begrudge them that...I'm sure there's money to be made in blogging or iPhone apps and I don't have the time/inclination for that.

I'm very grateful for what I have learned and am pretty confident there'll always be a relatively affordable way to stay in J for our overseas trips (at least until kids...when I'll need to really level up to keep going). I'd love to learn more and will try to get along to a SYD Do one of these days.

Thanks AFF!!


Sent from my iPhone using AustFreqFly

 

[mushypeas]

it's becoming increasingly evident that i need to attend AFF get togethers to feel sane amongst peers

 

[harvyk]

Had just this experience just an hour ago... I was telling one of my work colleagues about our upcoming family trip to the US. He's first response was "sounds expensive", my response "not really". Told him the price and he was most impressed.
I told him about AFF and I even had the AFF site open on my computer as I was speaking (he came into my office), and I could just see his eye's glass over after realizing that to find cheap airfares took a little more effort than 5 minutes.

 

[harvyk]

it's becoming increasingly evident that i need to attend AFF get togethers to feel sane amongst peers

I still remember the first real one I went to, I met one of the other members for pre-meetup beers (as we'd both finished work by that stage). 2 hours later we'd both realised that not only had each others eye's not glassed over (they may however have been looking a little bloodshot at that stage), we'd each found some new ways to work the system...