Going for a beer in Atlanta

On Sunday I went for a beer and a couple of pulled pork sliders in Atlanta. There and back again in a day just for a Sam Adams, so it wasn’t like it was a great beer calling to me. To top it off, the sliders gave me barbequed eructations, so the poor woman sitting next to me on the way back certainly deserved a medal. Since no one in their right mind goes to Atlanta for beer – it is the home of Coca-Cola after all – there must have been a better reason underlying it all.

And there was; although I still feel a bit silly about it. The trip back from Las Vegas in mid-December from our company Summit brought my frequent flyer miles through United to 72,765. Yes, I’d been flying a lot in 2012: one trip to London, one to Paris, two to Germany, one to Russia, several to places in the US. A grand total of 72,765 miles. I was already Premier Gold, like last year, just for getting over 50,000 miles. But it’s a jungle out there for Premier Golds. There’s so many of us, you see, being belabored by the Platinums and the 1Ks and the Global Services members, who steal our free upgrades.

I kept on looking at it. Only 2,235 miles from the next level, Premier Platinum, and the ability to swipe upgrades from those lowly Golds. 2,235 miles. Just over one thousand somewhere and one thousand back and I’d be set. So I looked up the various places that are that distance away from Denver. My eye alighted on Atlanta: 1,199 miles there and 1,199 miles back. In one day; elevating me to 75,163 and Platinum.

Last Sunday, in fact. Cheaper at the weekend, especially one so close to the New Year. After all, no one goes to Atlanta for the New Year, right? I booked it a couple of weeks ago, feeling a little silly. Couldn’t I just give United the money and they just add the miles? Not actually fly? About 7 years ago, there was such a scheme but now? No.

Funny thing was, I was upgraded to First for both flights. And my trip to Glendale tomorrow (back Friday) has both flights upgraded too. The real, REAL reason? I hope that some of my/our trips to Europe this year are upgraded as well. I am Platinum, after all; on the fourth circle of the Premier hell. Gimme my dues!

So why do I feel a little silly still?

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