The Reality of Frequent Flyers

Many that know me think of me as the ultimate fan of the topic of frequent flyer miles, and of course, the lifestyle of the frequent flyer. Whether it’s the consummate road warrior toiling away in a sales/consultant’s role with week in and week out of takeoff and landings or the more sexy, but not always glamorous, life of the mileage runner, I know the stories. I know the lives and I know the personalities behind whatever kind of frequent flyer you might be.

Over the years, I have on occasion read magazine articles or news articles depicting the life of the frequent traveler with their brief glimpses into the activities of the mileage crazed. I love those moments in the limelight and have participated in some of them.

In addition, there has been an occasional fleeting view via video of interviews with my fellow frequent flyers and their stories of renown. If you’ve been lucky enough to catch any of these interview clips, you know the power of seeing a visual of the frequent flyer story. It’s just a different kind of view with a more emotional punch than what you’ll get from reading a magazine article or news item.

How people see frequent flyers will likely change if the planned full media exposure of the life of the high flyer comes to fruition in some major media outlets. We’ve all seen ice truckers and hoarders become popular TV personalities because of the preponderance of reality TV. No less interesting, of course, is the life of frequent flyers as they parlay takeoffs and landings into millions of miles and as they pay homage to Mercury–the Roman mythological god of travel.

I know of at least four different efforts currently in play to bring the reality of the mileage junkie to your television. Will all four succeed? It’s likely they will not.

But given that some of these efforts are coming from some major players, it’s a good bet that on some screen somewhere you’ll soon get a chance to fly along in the life of a frequent flyer. On the 30th anniversary of frequent flyer miles, the reality will show that miles can and do change lives.

No doubt some of the stories that will come to life on your TV screen will border on the truly unbelievable and you might not easily identify with the goals and schemes of a 20-something mileage maniac or a 50-something mileage maven. But at the end of the day, we all share an interest in one of the most interesting topics ever–the siren call and the reward of the mighty frequent flyer mile.

And remember, you heard it here first … frequent flyer miles are a reality (TV show).