One of the early hacks was called “mileage runs.” Miles, which fliers earn on the basis of the distance traveled, are basically a private currency that can be redeemed for tickets. A clever hacker will look for ways to arbitrage the two currencies: instances where you can get a lot of miles for not a lot of money. So, for example, flying nonstop from New York to Amsterdam is 3,630 miles, but connecting through Istanbul is 6,370 miles. If the two tickets cost the same, and you have nothing better to do with your time, that’s a great deal.
