While I mostly write this blog to inform you, the reader, about airline loyalty programs, credit cards, etc. I also like to use this site as a journal of sorts. I love that I can go back to older posts and read exactly what I was thinking or feeling at any point in time. It’s especially funny to look back and see how my writing and voice has developed over time.
I also love looking back at trip reports and reliving the whole experience. For instance, I completely forgot how drunk I felt during my Singapore Suites flight. Those pre-flight mixed drinks and beers in the Virgin Clubhouse definitely weren’t necessary.
I also like to, from time to time, write updates. These updates mostly serve as milestones for myself, but also help you get to know personally a little bit more. After all, you have a choice when it comes to travel bloggers and I want to thank you for choosing mine! If you don’t care about the person pecking away on their keyboard in a Chicago Starbucks then by all means please feel free to skip this post.
What A Journey It’s Been
I really got into this hobby back in late 2014. At that point in my life I first started traveling weekly for work. I hated boarding last and sitting in a cramped seat near the back of the plane. While sitting in airport terminals, waiting to board each flight I began reading FlyerTalk and ThePointsGuy. Over time I opened credit cards and remained loyal to brands to enhance my work travel. Then at some point in 2015 I started a WordPress site to document my travels. At that point in time I think the site was called “The Flyer Expert” and my writing was terrible. Not to mention my biggest SEO competitor at the time was a small printing shop in the UK. I wrote these awful little trip reports that were mostly pointless. Luckily, for one reason or another I kept writing.
Over time I’ve changed the name of this site a few times. First I chose Miles and Moore and began writing more regularly. My goal was to grow that site enough to enable advertising. Once I hit a few thousand monthly page views I applied for advertising through Google Adsense. At that time Google informed me that “Miles and Moore” wasn’t eligible for Adsense. The reason being the name is too close to Miles and More, Lufthansa’s loyalty program.
Launching Moore With Miles
For that reason I chose to start over. I moved my hosting from WordPress.com to WordPress.org and changed the name to Moore With Miles. Briefly the name was MilesWithMoore, but we’ll just forget about that. Today, I continue to write, learn, and most importantly travel. Readership continues to grow and my Adsense revenue continues to increase, slowly. If my only goal was to make money from doing this I’d be highly disappointed. I’ve truly begun to appreciate one of my now favorite quotes.
It will always take longer and cost more than you expect.
In addition to all of the changes to this site, I’ve also experienced some significant changes in my career. Believe it or not I have a full time job. Most of you are probably relived to hear that. Today, it’s a job that I mostly enjoy, but that hasn’t always been the case.
Carrer Changes
In 2015 I had a steady job and traveled nearly weekly. By July of 2015 I reached AAdvantage Platinum status. I thought I’d for sure hit Executive Platinum by the end of 2015. Then, my world was turned upside down when I read the news that my employer was being sold. Not wanting to let fate decide my career path I jumped ship. I quickly moved to a smaller firm which promised more travel and larger expense accounts. While the later was true, the former was non-existent. I flew 50,000 miles in the first half of 2015 and just 10,000 miles in the second half. Needless to say I was disappointed and worse, I didn’t enjoy working for the new firm.
Then, in early 2016 I moved to another firm. I moved back to a big organization with more consistent travel, but even smaller expense accounts. While I expected more air travel I ended up with mostly road miles. I drove well over 10,000 miles in just 7 months. It wasn’t ideal, but the job came with more flexible hours which allowed for more personal travel.
In May of this year I moved roles internally. I took a more traditional 9-5 desk job. While work travel nearly entirely stopped, I now had more structure. This gives me the ability to plan trips I actually enjoy taking. It’s nice knowing where I’m going to be each week.
2017 Has Been… Odd
As my work travel decreased I started flying more and more personally. Before I knew it I’d flown 25,000 miles with American and earned AAdvantage Gold status. While I haven’t been traveling for work, I’ve been flying a lot for family trips and weddings. Man have I been to a ton of weddings this year! Somehow I’m sitting here today with 30 EQS, 42,914 EQM, and $4,209 EQD. I can’t believe I’m just a few flights away from AAdvantage Platinum status organically.
Going into 2017 I only expected to hit AAdvantage Gold status and I was fine with that. I don’t fly as often for work so I don’t need a high level of status. I just need to make sure that I can pick a decent seat and have overhead bin space for my roller-board. It’s funny how the one year I had no plans to earn status might just be the year I finally earn Executive Platinum.
Remaining Travel In 2017
While 2017 is nearly over I still have a ton of traveling to do. In a few weeks I’ll fly to California once again for yet another wedding (thanks for the invite btw). I booked that trip as an American Airlines special fare so I’ll earn much more EQD than I would have otherwise. Then in November, less than a month from today, I beginning my outrageous 2017 American AAdvantage mileage run.
My year-end mileage run takes me around the world twice, literally, and then some. Specifically I’m traveling ORD-LAX-ICN-SGN-DOH-JFK-DOH-SGN-DOH-ORD-DOH-SGN-HKG-ORD. Get all that? Along the way I’ll hit AAdvantage Platinum, Platinum Pro, and most importantly Executive Platinum! I’ll also get to check out several world class lounges along the way. Notably the Pier and the Wing in HKG, the new Centurion Lounge HKG, the Al Mourjan Business Lounge Doha, and several others. It’s going to be an absolutely insane journey and one that I’m honestly worried about. I have no idea what to expect in terms of jet lag and misery. I keep picturing lying in bed in Asia going crazy that I can’t sleep or worse, not sleeping on the planes.
Final Thoughts
While I know this content is different than what I normally write I think it’s important to write. I love having these posts as personal records so that I may look back and think “why was I so worried about jet lag” or “wow you were 100% right about jet lag fears.” Obviously this is a deeply personal post, but hopefully it’s given you a little more insight as to who I am in real life. I hope you enjoyed this update, if not, sorry for wasting your time.
Future self, how was the Vietnam Airport? Was Executive Platinum Worth It?
