A Delta Points Mileage Run to Wenatchee (EAT) – The run to EAT & back

A Delta Points Mileage Run to Wenatchee (EAT) – Planning & positioning for the run
A Delta Points Mileage Run to Wenatchee (EAT) – The run to EAT & back
A Delta Points Mileage Run to Wenatchee (EAT) – The SPG Four Points by Sheraton MSP
A Delta Points Mileage Run to Wenatchee (EAT) – The CLUB at SEA
A Delta Points Mileage Run to Wenatchee (EAT) – The totals and points earned

Time for my fun run. Well, to be more specific, my adventure to add more points to my run from the get go. First off, thanks to a very large schedule change I was able to switch from Midway to South Bend. Nice to save an hour in the car and some tolls.

Then time to try for an SDC or Same Day Change as I really dislike the really early flights from SBN. Under the old SDC rules, as long as there was a seat, you could switch flights. As we should know, now fare class is needed as well.

No joy for the CRJ700 via DTW to MSP but there was space on a slightly earlier SBN-DTW-IND-MSP. Now it does sound crazy to fly to IND to get to MSP, but for a mileage runner it was all good other than a very tight connection that I just made.

Despite my city hopping I still made it to MSP well before my flying partner for this run, TexasYankee Dave, so off to the XpresSpa for some pre-run tune-up work (why not right). I took a nap in a massage chair then had an outstanding chair massage.

After a quick visit to the $kyPub Dave finally showed up and we headed off for a local burger I was told I just had to try. It was amazing. A double cheese burger with blue cheese in the middle and thick cut bacon strips on top. Yeah, you need to go try one. I have to say it was kinda fun to leave an airport during a mileage run (something I normally never do).

After a quick and short overnight at the SPG Four Points by Sheraton it was off to the airport. My outbound upgrade had cleared at the 6 day mark as a Diamond Medallion and that was nice on so many levels.

I was thus able to select points as my SPG Platinum amenity since I did not need breakfast as Delta was providing that on the flight out. This upgrade was also nice due to the fact that the 737-800 westbound had less 1st class seats than the 757 on the return.

There were already two other runners with us in 1st and later I found out more were onboard. Once we landed we had to go across the airport to the Alaska gates to take our regional Horizon Q400 Turbo prop jet to Wenatchee, a whopping 22 minute flight from SeaTac airport. Our only problem was we did not have our return boarding passes to get back and with only about 20 minutes in Wenatchee we wanted to have that in place. That proved to be some work.

The gate agent “ran away” once our group got there and customer service across the way had some long lines. So off to the Alaska Boardroom around the corner but they proved unable to simply print our boarding passes. Back to customer service that seemed a bit shocked we were just turning and burning right back to SeaTac but they at last got it done. For Dave, it required reprinting a “flight coupon” that is, a paper ticket to go with the boarding pass. Gosh I am so happy we did this!

I was warned by many that there is just about NO room on these Q400s and they gate check everything. I had my normal laptop bag and my backpack. Both fit just fine as the space is about the same as a CRJ200 so if it fits there it will fit on a Q400 as well.

I had two seats to myself and have to tell you it was so much fun to be back on a prop jet. Not that I want to fly them each week, but after years it was fun.

Plus the views on the short ride to EAT were stunning. I mean just stunning. The day was spectacular and the clouds were fluffy and nice.

I have never been to Wenatchee let alone heard of the nice little town but it was lovely to fly over. There were tons of fruit trees all over and I hope they are blooming next time I fly over. Either way, it was a lovely little town.

The airport in Wenatchee is tiny. I mean tiny. There is pretty much one gate are with 3 doors to the “gate”. Not really a gate as you walk out on the tarmac to board.

The really funny thing was the MASSIVE, I mean massage TSA presence in Wenatchee. I will not go into it but I think the number of personnel may just be a tiny bit excessive.

One of our group of now 6 runners was told had we not printed our pass in SeaTac we would not have had time to get it done and be allowed to board the return. Interesting.

I did have the privilege to meet Steve who was on his first mileage run. It was great to meet you, Steve and hope to see you and have more time to chat next time!

Once back to SeaTac we had some time back at the $kyPub before just missing out on a bump on the way back to MSP. Dave & I got to enjoy row 1 in the 757 with the upgraded slim line seats and the Delta burger that as I have talked about before is quite good for a burger in the air.

After another good night at the SPG Four Points MSP I went to the airport hoping for a bump on my CRJ flight back home to SBN. I ended up finding Dave at the airport as he had taken a bump that just about paid for his run, positioning flights and all. Well done, Dave – #Winning. I did not bump and 55 souls were on my CRJ200. You say impossible? No, we had every seat filled and an infant in arms, the FA, pilot and copilot as well one in the jump seat. Yep, that is 55 total on a tiny little CRJ200.

So many ask if a mileage run is fun? You bet it is. You get to see the world even if you don’t get to stay very long any one place along the ride. You get to sometimes to meet others who are enjoying the same crazy adventure you are. Occasionally you can take a bump and make the trip end up free. Even though mine was not free, I had a few vouchers that made it all good but more on that in the final post! – René
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