Recommend meetup/conferences/events with heavy MSpend emphasis

Rommie2k6

Level 2 Member
I'm still new to this meetup thing (i.e. in person), so perhaps the more experienced people can help. There seem to be a number of meetup/conferences/events for miles & points, any recommendation on which one would have a heavy MSpend emphasis, and geared towards a non-newbie audience? And... is there a list of planned events anywhere, and are these events held at regular/same times of the year?

I was planning to go for FTU Advanced, but those tickets always sell out which is really frustrating. Is there any other events geared towards "higher-level" miles and point hackers and MSpenders?
 

Matt

Administrator
Staff member
Can you help me understand a few things about your question:

  • What do you mean by higher-level?
  • What do you expect to learn from a conference that you haven't learned online?
Thanks!
 

Rommie2k6

Level 2 Member
Can you help me understand a few things about your question:

  • What do you mean by higher-level?
  • What do you expect to learn from a conference that you haven't learned online?
Thanks!
"Higher level" means it's not geared toward newbies, for e.g. the standard FTU (non-advanced) package seems to be geared towards newcomers, literally stuff like here's how to use tools for booking award travel (easily found on blogs), here's the latest credit card bonus I am pushing (check FT or blogs), etc... I'm looking for a crowd who would be familiar with at least 50% of what is being discussed on Level 2 forum and/or familiar with the contents on FT MSpend subforum.

Honestly, I will probably not learn a lot of new stuff, but maybe something that I "missed out", or something that did not focus on for the wrong reasons (e.g. perhaps this new MSpend is much better than it looks and I glossed over it). I'm also interested to learn about the MSpend experiences in other parts of the country, granted it's not going to change my situation, but it's keeping with the times. Going to these conferences is more for socializing and getting to meet fellow Miles & Point travel hackers and MSpenders.
 

FlyingExplorer

Travel, Tastes, & Tennis
FTU and Adv. FTU presentations contain almost nothing that cannot be easily found on blogs. Their focus is on travel and not on MS. Now, there is nothing wrong with that, just go in with the expectations set at the right (low) level. And if you just go for the socializing, why pay the fee?
 
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Matt

Administrator
Staff member
Part of the problem I have with establishing our next DO is this issue of advanced. The FTU stuff, while I haven't attended I imagine to be fluff and nonsense.

That said- I can't see any traditional event working for advanced people- you can't have a presentation on the next Level 2 topic- it just doesn't work like that.

I have some thoughts about this which is why I ask what people want. And a new concept is in the pipeline.
 

Air Land and Sea

Level 2 Member
Part of the problem I have with establishing our next DO is this issue of advanced. The FTU stuff, while I haven't attended I imagine to be fluff and nonsense.


I went to the FTU Advanced in Dc earlier this month and I felt like I got nothing out of it. Many of the sessions had "basic members" sneaking in. One even asked about the Companion Pass from SouthWest where he was greeted with boos and told to go back to Basic.

I will say that I liked the smaller format better than the larger ones that I had been to in the past. I also liked the "unplugged"session where you could ask questions of the speakers.

What I find helpful is the interaction with other attendees - that's priceless.
 

Madelyn

Level 2 Member
I was at FTU DC as well. When I walk away with any new info, I consider it worthwhile, so no complaints here, but I would look for a less of a "newbie" format going forward though.
 

ROB BLACK

Level 2 Member
Matt; I would expect higher level to be a min of $50K/mo and conferences allows face to face that make first time exchanges of ideas more comfortable Thoughts ?
 

Matt

Administrator
Staff member
Matt; I would expect higher level to be a min of $50K/mo and conferences allows face to face that make first time exchanges of ideas more comfortable Thoughts ?
My thoughts are that it would be a waste of time. You'd get a group of guys in a room who all do MO. Meaning they spend far too much time and effort working to earn $1k per month. Everyone would brag about how big their credit line is and gloss over how much time they waste waiting in line behind someone returning a bottle of seltzer or a bunch of bananas.

I like innovators. People who are not afraid to try new things. These people may be quirky, and their volume may be lower (but if it scales- what is the difference?)

I didn't have many goals from my last two events, but one thing that I did really want is to put two guys together - one is a legend in MS and one is a legend in fuel dumping. Neither really knew what the other was doing. I want to put these people together, and make a panda.
 

Matt

Administrator
Staff member
Why is that a waste of time?
Because you'd have a group of people who all do the same thing, and quickly realize that there's nothing to learn... a piss up is fine, but if you knew the hours I put in to making a DO happen, you'd realize that I want more from it than just that.
 

BuddyFunJet

Level 2 Member
My wish would be a meeting with less of a focus on the specifics of individual cards and more of a MS in volume structure discussion. Accounting systems to track cards/earnings. Scripts to automate online activity. Banking organization. Centralized account? Many Feeders? Earning/Time Value considerations.

By these topics, interest from a newcomer would be low but the value to a more active person would be high.

I get most of my hard to share value from break/dinner discussions with people that I meet there.
 

Chasing The Points

Administrator
Staff member
My wish would be a meeting with less of a focus on the specifics of individual cards and more of a MS in volume structure discussion. Accounting systems to track cards/earnings. Scripts to automate online activity. Banking organization. Centralized account? Many Feeders? Earning/Time Value considerations.

By these topics, interest from a newcomer would be low but the value to a more active person would be high.

I get most of my hard to share value from break/dinner discussions with people that I meet there.
I am going to need to report this post for too many good ideas ;)
 
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