I way over paid for my last Delta Mileage Run – I could not be more happy I did!

I made an impulsive mistake. I way over paid for this last mileage run. The end of the year was tight and I was quickly running numbers and the 30 & 31st of OCT worked so I grabbed two more MKE-LAX days via ATL. Most of the other dates I got them under or around $200 each. This one was $242 each day ending up at almost 5CPM and with gas and tolls to MKE at almost $600 for the two days! Ugh! But then, as it worked out, I would have paid 10 times as much for what happened on this trip. It started with a nice effort to support breast cancer research by MKE with a pink tow and luggage cart Nice touch MKE!

Only about ½ of my upgrades had cleared before the trip. Not good. My last run all but the first leg ended up clearing either before, at the gate or with SDC work. The hop down to ATL went fine and the crew was great. Flew past the airport and got a nice shot of the airport.

It was an AMAZING day in Atlanta and I had some time so I headed right to plane train, took the elevator up to the top floor in the F concourse, and went to the SkyDeck.

Sunshine, a nice OK glass of Red, and oh the view, I never ever get tired of seeing the most beautiful bird ever in the sky in Delta colors about to fly (gosh I wish I was on it upstairs going wherever).

Then I get a tweet from a reader that he is on his way to the club. Fun. It is so great to spend even just a few moments with readers along the way.

Then off to my flight and outside the Skyclub I get – are you Rene – yep, yet another reader with just time for a quick hello and good bye!

My upgrade cleared out to LAX and I enjoyed an internationally configured 767. A very good steak sandwich was served and had a chance to watch a few films before I landed in LAX.

I had a LONG layover in LAX. So I pulled up my UBER app (still $30 credit possible 1st time users btw) and got a ride to the Rock’n Fish at Manhattan beach a short ride from LAX.

Part of what made this run SO worth while was a wonderful dinner with readers as well as a blogger I so admire, AMOL, who writes with my fellow blogger Scott on Hack My Trip here at BoardingArea.

To you all, thank you for coming it was a real treat for me to see you and talk about points. I hope to see you along the way or sitting next to me on a Delta jet (in 1st clearly)!

After a lift to the airport I spent some time in both the Skyclub and the Alaska club in LAX. I had spent part of my day also changing from my zero chance upgrade from LAX-ATL to LAX-CVG where I was the ONLY DM on the flight when I did a SDC. I did clear the upgrade and gave up some miles to get the upgrade. Well worth it. My CVG-MKE was also a CRJ200 and guess what – due to mechanical – it was almost 2 hours late. Gosh I hate CRJ200’s!

Day two was a tighter day thanks to the delay but I did have some time for a quick shower and snack in the CLUB in ATL as I did have one more pass for FREE from my Ink Plus card.

I upgraded again and this time and for dinner I tested the veggie pasta dish. It may not seem all that good but it was tasty and the flight went great including outstanding service from the crew.

Before this happened, I spent some time on the phone with Delta. I was on a full flight home via DTW thus the upgrade shot did not look good. There was an ATL flight that looked better. I did the switch hoping for a full flat flight. I ended up in coach. But it was so worth it.

Thanks to AMAZING reps in the LAX Skyclub and some heads up from Capt. Hank I was able to change my direct ATL-MKE to the inaugural flight of the brand new Delta 737-900ER.

I can not tell you what an amazing flight it turned out to be. To get early access to the flight as well as escorted access after the flight was stupid fun. I will never forget this day as long as I live. As I said, the cost of the run was too much but money can not buy the day and trip I enjoyed! – René

▲Delta▲ SkyMiles® Credit Card
RESERVE/PLATINUM/GOLD
from American Express®
Click here for more information

.
.