Mileage Run Discussion - AA MR: Is $629ai for 25k+ EQM good? Is this itinerary crazy?

Hi Everyone --

For some reason, I am obsessed with earning the ELTRW bonus, and am trying to put together a MR that will get me the 24k miles I need to get there :D

Because of a 5-week OW190J trip and some other commitments, the only dates I have available for this MR (before the 12/15 DBLEQ cutoff window) are 12/12-12/13. That's right--I need to do this over a weekend.

Using ITA and aa.com, I pieced together the following itinerary for $629ai:

AUS - DFW (12/12 6:20a - 7:20a) - 55m layover
DFW - LGA (12/12 8:15a - 12:35p) - 1h20m layover
LGA - BOS (12/12 1:55p - 3:05p) - 1h55m layover
BOS - LAX (12/12 5:00p - 8:40p) - 1h35m layover
LAX - BOS (12/12 10:15p - 12/13 6:30a) - 50m layover
BOS - LAX (12/13 7:20a - 10:50a) - 1h20m layover
LAX - SFO (12/13 12:10p - 1:40p) - 1h10m layover
SFO - DFW (12/13 2:50p - 8:20p) - 55m layover
DFW - AUS (12/13 9:15p - 10:10p)

Total mileage is 12686, so with DBLEQ I would get 25372. At $629, this comes out to 5cpm or 2.5cpm, respectively.

Is this a good MR? Would I be crazy to attempt a MR with so many legs and with so many short connections? Am I crazy for attempting to fly through BOS and/or SFO in December?

I'd much rather do a longer-haul trip with fewer segments, but have been unable to find anything less than ~7cpm (3.5cpm w/ DBLEQ) for that weekend.

Any comments/advice will be much appreciated. Thanks!

Id do the longer trip, even it was a bit more.

http://www.farecompare.com/search/flyertalk.html?departure=FAT&fares=Both&carrierFilter=CheapestFarePerCarrierMarket&filter=ALL&ppm=9999&savings=99999&distance=0&sortby=price&p=1

Change start city to AUS and check all areas. I think Vietnam is cheaper. Not sure if you need a visa if you are just coming right back? (if thats possible)

how about AUS-LAX-DFW-MAD-DFW-AUS for $746 a.i. Dec 12-13? granted this is $117 more but you'd avoid the northern airports with only DFW presenting a likely weather problem (much less than BOS, LGA, and ORD). assuming elite rounding to 500 (for DFW-AUS) you'd get 12905 EQM before DBLEQ. after DBLEQ you get 2.9 c/EQM

besides, MAD has a great IB lounge open to OW Emerald and Sapphire

EDIT: you also get home several hours sooner Sunday evening, FWIW

okay, here's a cheaper route from AUS that gets you within 140 mi of 24k (EQM) with DBLEQ

AUS-DFW-OKC-DFW-MAD-DFW-AUS, dep 12/13 9:35am ret 12/14 at 7:25pm

you still get 2 hours or more to luxuriate in the IB club at MAD assuming no troubles getting there

the c/EQM is 2.7 after DBLEQ assuming also rounding up AUS-DFW, DFW-OKC and vv to 500 each

AUS-DFW-OKC-DFW-MAD-DFW-AUS, dep 12/13 9:35am ret 12/14 at 7:25pm
That's pricing out at $2,270 for me. How'd you get it so cheap?

edit: I guess your dates are off - 12/12 - 12/13 priced out at $667.

my bad! I made a typo on the dates. I was trying to stay with OP's dates of 12/12-13

Thanks, Benz--I hadn't thought of positioning to a city that might have a better long-haul fare than starting in Austin.

I found a routing through PHX (AUS-DFW-PHX-DFW-MAD-DFW-AUS) that's $653ai and will net me 25,332 EQM (after DBLEQ).

Thanks again!

Thanks, Benz--I hadn't thought of positioning to a city that might have a better long-haul fare than starting in Austin.

I found a routing through PHX (AUS-DFW-PHX-DFW-MAD-DFW-AUS) that's $653ai and will net me 25,332 EQM (after DBLEQ).

Thanks again!

I've discovered that there are certain detours one can make without blowing the fare. I booked AUS-DFW-SFO-ORD-FRA-DFW-LAX-AUS earlier this year with very little added onto basic AUS-FRA-AUS. ^ AA made it better by cancelling DFW-SFO and rerouting me AUS-DFW-FRA letting me get more sleep etc. They caved when I pressured them for ORC but "got even" by making me late into LAX missing my AUS connection. Spent most of the night in the FL and AC before catching redeye back to DFW (getting more miles).

Someday hope to try AUS-LAX-ORD-DEL and vv. as the fare is very little more than straight AUS-ORD-DEL and vv.

Too bad you won't have time to enjoy Madrid. Was there a few months back, really cool place though I did have a narrow escape with some pickpockets in the subway. :mad:

What is interesting about my current routing is that it actually costs significantly less than an AUS-MAD-AUS roundtrip. Go figure :rolleyes:

What makes this MR a funny coincidence for me is that MAD is actually the first stop on an around-the-world itinerary I'm starting on next week :D I'll definitely keep my eyes peeled in the subway!

Quick question: what does "vv." mean?

What is interesting about my current routing is that it actually costs significantly less than an AUS-MAD-AUS roundtrip. Go figure :rolleyes:

What makes this MR a funny coincidence for me is that MAD is actually the first stop on an around-the-world itinerary I'm starting on next week :D I'll definitely keep my eyes peeled in the subway!

Quick question: what does "vv." mean?

OT, but since you're headed to MAD ... I've read about various ruses including one where someone drops coins and then stoops to pick them up, blocking the victim's way and sometimes even nudging their feet apart. In the meantime an accomplice makes off with the wallet.

This happened to me while I was boarding the subway. I felt a hand brushing my derriere and immediately spun around to confront them. As I lunged back onto the platform I also patted my pockets and realized everything was in place. Decided quickly that there was no percentage in a confrontation so I made another U-turn and retreated back into the subway car, angry but elated that they'd failed.

vv == vice versa

I'm still stuck on the title... asking if an Elite level, for <$650, is crazy. It's an amazing deal. If I were Gold, I'd do this, just for Plat. Not sure if I could do it two more times, for Ex Plat, sounds tiring. :)

Sorry if my original post wasn't clear... I will already be qualifying for EXP from flights prior to this MR (but will likely not be an EXP yet due to when AA sweeps the bonus DBLEQ miles...).

This MR is solely to get to the 125k EQM mark to earn the ELTRW rewards. In my case, I'll probably opt for 2 EVIPs and 25k miles. But that's a topic for another thread ;)