Miles & points have changed you, do you even know it?

In 2010, I started working in my first job and slowly started getting into the world of corporate travel. By 2012, I was already a voracious reader of multiple travel blogs. 13 years in the miles and points space and I haven’t looked back. If you’ve been in the space for long enough, there’s a good chance that this whole ‘game’ has changed the way you think not just about travel, but also about other things. What are the changes that I’ve seen? Let’s have a look

Miles & points have changed you, do you even know it?

When I had just started dipping my toes into this space, I’d often used to get odd looks from friends and acquaintances. I was almost seen as ‘that guy’ who is constantly looking for deals all the time. So how have miles & points changed me? Here’s a short list.

You look for a deal with everything

Once you spend enough time in this game, you automatically start looking for deals everywhere. Whether you’re buying furniture, buying a car or simply doing groceries. You’re always on the lookout for that discount or that ability to earn bonus points in a  category.

You love to stack

Greed is good? Well, if you’ve been around long enough, then stacking comes naturally. Just one deal is no longer enough. You’re always thinking, can I stack that Amex offer to get a $100 credit and then also earn 5x points on my purchase by leveraging that hotel promo?

You look for cross promotions, simple promotion is not enough

Well, for some of us, even stacking isn’t good enough. We’re looking for cross promotions. Does this airline or hotel partner with Starbucks or Uber? Can I get points or add some Starbucks stars while booking my next flight or hotel room?

Your math game is top notch

If you’ve done this for long enough, then doing quick math is second nature. After all, that’s what it’s all about. You work like a pro and calculate CPM (cents per mile)/CPP (cents per point) with consummate ease. You’re able to blurt out airline and hotel CPP valuations when asked and immediately point out when you think someone got a terrible CPP/CPM value on their latest redemption.

You look at people who are not in the game with a bit of snigger

When you see people doing ‘noob’ level stuff, you often just smirk or smile or do both and have a good laugh with P2 once you’re back home. You wax eloquent about how that guy or gal is such a noob and simply doesn’t know how to travel in a ‘smart’ way.

The Pundit’s Mantra

Do you have more to add to the list? Each one has their own experience and I’m sure there will a lot more funny things to add to this list.

I’m extremely thankful to be a part of this community. Every day, I learn something new and the community has given me the opportunity to travel the world at a fraction of the cost. While I’m really grateful for all the fantastic experiences I’ve had, I understand that travel isn’t really everyone’s favorite thing and some people simply don’t have the time or the interest to follow things with the same rigor as people in our community do.

So, do you have any more points to add in addition to the ones I’ve mentioned above? Chime in and light up the comments section.