A job change change in 2004 gave me the opportunity to start flying internationally for work. Fifteen years later, I finally hit the million mile mark with Delta Airlines flying only in Economy class.
Million Miler tags
Achieving million miler status gives you lifetime Silver Status plus a prize.
We’re going to celebrate together by having a contest to give away my prize from Delta Airlines from Samsonite, Tumi, or Tiffany & Company – you get to choose. But first – let’s look back on some of my favorite trips along the way – both on paid tickets and redeeming Skymiles:
The Maldives
The Maldives. We flew SLC >> LAX >> Malaysia >> Male in business class for 120,000 Skymiles each in 2011. It was one of our first business class redemptions and it was spectacular.
We stayed at Conrad Rangali Island for 40,000 Hilton points a night for 9 nights with Hilton Diamond status. There’s something about being simple folk from Utah and rubbing shoulders with Russian oligarchs. There was also a strike by the workforce on the island that shut the whole place down for 36 hours. We were granted an upgrade because of it.
It also meant that we got to eat at the underwater restaurant, Ithaa, all by ourselves because everyone had cancelled their reservations.
The underwater restaurant in the Maldives
Going to Nigeria during the Ebola crisis and forgetting your yellow fever card
The trip had started off so well – I got a complimentary upgrade to business class from Atlanta to Lagos. About an hour before landing, I realized I had failed to bring my yellow fever card. A stressful conversation happened where I ultimately paid a “facilitation fee” to enter the country.
Stranded in Tahiti because of plane issues
As I waited at the airport to fly back to the US from Tahiti, the delays were longer and longer. Out on the tarmac, there was a huge pile of liquid underneath the plane. It turned out to be fuel and therefore I was “forced” to stay in Tahiti for 2 more days with a complimentary stay at Le Meridian that was granted for all Platinum and higher members with Delta.
Let’s get to the contest! Delta gives out a gift for hitting million miler status and now I’m giving that gift to you! The winner of the contest (US based only – I love all of you international folks but I’m not shipping luggage overseas) will get to choose a gift of their choice. Choose from Samsonite luggage, Tiffany necklaces or Tumi items.
Samsonite selections
Tiffany & Company selections
Tumi selections
To enter the contest, simply leave a comment on this post. Make sure and put your email address in to the form so that I can contact the winner.
Make sure and enter your email in the comments
The contest is open from Saturday February 29th at 7:30 am MST to Tuesday March 3rd at 12:00 pm MST. Winner must be from the United States.
Good luck!
Congrats on the milestone!
I would love the luggage.Thanks.
Congrats on reaching a million miles! It’s a great accomplishment, for sure!!
Great trips! I would love to win!
Congratulations!
What a great giveaway! Thank you!
Impressive
Congratulations! Looking forward to hitting the 1 million mile mark with Delta in a few years.
Congratulations! Just moved my loyalty to Delta this year.
Your articles and tips are always appreciated. Congrats on 1mil.
Congrats!
Thanks for all your hard work! Keep it up!
I really appreciate your hard work and shared wisdom. Thank you.
Jeez you’re triple used at every point I’ve been saving for the past couple years. But I am glad to hear that Delta gives the milestone a little more credit than what we saw from American Airlines earlier last year.
That restaurant in the Maldives looks wonderful!!!! I think I would have a very long meal there just watching the surroundings. I love reading your posts and this one was especially good. Thanks for the contest!
I dug the abba pic
Congrats on the Delta 1M Miler and for sharing the gift with one of us!
The Maldives sounds amazing!
Congratulations, well done, good luck in hitting the next 2million.
Very generous, thank you! A new Tumi bag would be wonderful.
What an accomplishment! Thanks for the giveaway.
Wow, you earned it. Congrats! Enjoyed reading your post.
As a new Silver on Delta I applaud your million mile status. As a retiree I always am in the main cabin in the economy seats. It must be getting harder as we get more and more packed into the cabin.
Congrats!
Great achievement! Congrats.
Great accomplishment! I’ll never get that status, but glad another Utah fellow traveler did! Many Congrats…
Congrats! I have 50,000 more miles till 1 million on Delta and looking forward to the milestone also! Fly safe!
@Brian – awesome!
How generous of you! The 24″ hardside Samsonite is so attractive!
Congrats! I have wanted to become a million miler since I was a teen… only started accruing miles with Delta 4 years ago, and still a long way away from getting there.
Staying hopeful though!
I’m “Only” 300,000 miles short of the 1 Mil mark. I hope to make it!
Congrats on the million miles! Great accomplishment
Congrats on the milestone!
Congratulations on 1MM. I don’t think I could ever fly that many miles myself
Well done. Hope the 2nd million doesn’t take as long
Congratulations on 1M!
Congrats! Couldn’t have been that easy to be away from your family for so long.
This is so nice of you. I am at: lifetimeMQM”:960190, and due to circumstances will probably not get that last 40K. It would be so nice to win this from you and give one of those pendants to my wife.
Congrats on your achievement! That’s a lot of BIS!
Love that it was all done in economy- a little faith for the rest of us in the back! Where do I find my miles total on delta?
Nice Job!
Congrats on your 1M with Delta! Forgetting my Yellow Fever card on a trip it’s required on is honestly one of my biggest travel worries – I always keep it in my passport wallet just to be sure I don’t misplace it.
I feel your pain with the yellow fever card!
Congrats on the million miles! And thanks for showing your generosity with the giveaway!
Interesting travel to 1MM !! Tiffany is my fav gift
Wow, all economy pretty impressive!
Congratulations! That is one tough way to hit a million.
Congratulations and thanks for the offer!
We’d like the ball and we are going to score.
Congrats!
Jason, well done on hitting the 1MM mark! I’d love a TUMI duffle, but I’m actually more interested in learning about your switch to intl. business 15 years ago, what you’ve been up to since, and how that has treated you/your family. I see you were recently in Moscow too — I’m an FSO posted here to the embassy for the time being — what brought you to town? I’d love to connect via email. Cheers, Dan O
@Dan o – i’ll drop you an email
Thanks for the generous offer.
Congratulations on 1MM!
I loved the line about rubbing shoulders with Russian oligarchs. I cannot say I have any story close to that, but last year I was staying in a Hyatt in Phoenix and I got on the elevator wearing a Russia World Cup shirt and the ladies on the elevator, who turned out to be Russian, volunteered that me they had gone to the World Cup.
@Joseph N – what a funny story! I know the person who was the announcer at the World Cup
Holy crap that’s awesome!
Did you happen to find my P in any of those airports? I lost it about 24 years ago
Congrats on your achievement. Great giveaway..!!
Congratulations! And thanks for your generosity.
Would love to read more of your favorite trips (using miles and points).
Well done!
Congrats. Thanks for sharing. I want to win the Million Miler prize.
Great giveaway!!
Awesome… congrats!
Congrats!
Congratulations!!
Wow! Congrats!
Thanks and safe travels!
Unbelievable achievement!
Congrats on 1 million
Congratulations! Would love to go the Maldives. Not sure I could survive a million miles on any plane:)
Congrats!
congratulations, and thanks for the giveaway!
I’m halfway there! One day….
Wow! Congrats on this milestone. Delta is so much more generous than American. I think I received 2 luggage tags and lifetime gold for my million miles.
Congratulations on the milestone.
Congratulations! That Maldives trip sounds incredible, definitely on our bucket list. Very generous to give away your gift, thanks for the chance to win!
Congrats – I have about 870k to go!
Congrats, very cool achievement!!
Your Maldives trip is on my bucket list, I would love to win your million miler swag!
great achievement, congratulations !