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I've recently begun trying to find ways to maximize the number of free miles (and earn free or low-cost airfares) by following some of the strategies suggested by the "experts" on the subject. Just google "frequent flier strategies" and you'll find tons of them. This began as an outgrowth of my annual business class roundtrip on Cathay Pacific that I earn from my home in the USA all the way to BKK. It's a $6-10k seat roundtrip and I get it for free (or very close) just by using my Alaska Airlines/BOA Visa for everything I purchase all year long, then cashing in the miles for the trip using one of their partner airlines. It's a bit difficult as it has to be booked either well in advance, or at the last minute (within about a week of travel) but well worth the hassle for the luxury. Imagine flying from home first class to San Francisco or LA, then flying in a Business Class seat (more like a flying "suite") with amazing service, a lie-flat bed, and all the comforts of home to HKG, then Business Class again from HKG to BKK. I arrive fresh and ready to take on the world. I recently discovered that I can use that same strategy but put it on steroids, and earn miles for doing little more than signing up for certain credit cards. Sometimes you have to spend $3k within the first 3 months; sometimes not. But if you play the game the right way, and plan ahead, you can earn some incredible trips for nothing more than a bit of forethought and organization. For example, I signed up for 3 credit cards today, and as a result I'll have 150,000 miles in my American Airlines account within the next few months. That will pay for a round-trip Business Class seat from Seattle to London in the summer, and then a round-trip Business Class seat from Seattle to New York City in the fall. Anyone interested in more details, or have experiences to share along these lines?