Mileage Run Discussion - AA: DFW-BOS-SFO-BOS-DFW for 463.40 ai @ 2.72 cpm.

I need 13916 EQM to make EXP after all business trips for 2009 are accounted for. Just came up with this MR and am wondering if anyone can do better than this:

11/14 - DFW-BOS (lv DFW at 11:55 am)
11/14 - BOS-SFO
11/14 - SFO-BOS (red-eye)
11/15 - BOS-DFW (arr DFW 12:00 pm)

Comes to 17,064 miles (with DEQM factored in) for $463.40 ai @2.72 cpm. Hope to get bumped on all flights. Solid 19+ hours flying, could get tiresome if I don't get upgraded...

This deal bests my other alternative: DFW-FRA-DFW for $665.60 ai: 20572 miles @ 3.24 cpm.

I've dropped the idea of my DFW-ORD-NRT-SIN-NRT-ORD-DFW MR for $958 ai: 34964 miles @ 2.74 cpm - as it requires a Thursday-Sunday run and still won't get me over the 125K needed for the Elite reward.

Any other ideas that will get me at least 13,916 EQM for less money? I pretty much have only that weekend (14-15 Nov) to get this done.

Thanks for any pointers!

Getting ready for my first-ever MR this weekend. Pulled the trigger on the DFW-BOS-SFO-BOS-DFW last week and just got word that all segments have been upgraded. Sweet!

Even though I'm not a member, I should get access to the AAdmirals Club at Logan if my reading of the rules is correct (transcontinental flights). In any case, maximum layover at any airport on this trip is 2 hour 10 min (BOS on the 14th), so I should be OK either way.

Let me know if any fellow FlyerTalkers will be on the same route. We can meet up and share frequent-flyer war stories...:-)

Would appreciate any last-minute tips/do's/don'ts for this newbie MR'er....

Thanks!

Even though I'm not a member, I should get access to the AAdmirals Club at Logan if my reading of the rules is correct (transcontinental flights). In any case, maximum layover at any airport on this trip is 2 hour 10 min (BOS on the 14th), so I should be OK either way.

Thanks!

Unfortunately, X class does not permit you to use the AAdmirals Club for transcontinental flights. Only full fare F, J or award Z, U fares qualify.

Have fun on your first mileage run!! Doesn't sound too bad...I remember one of my first all day runs (LAX-SFO-ORD-ALB-ORD-DFW-LAX) and felt like a mixed cocktail must feel towards the end.

Negative on the access to Admiral's Club, you will only get access when you are on an trip that involves (most) International destinations on a OW airline, or if you have booked PAID F/J or F/J using miles on a trans-con flight Fare Codes F,C,J, or U. Best option is to buy a $50 one day pass valid on one of the two days you're traveling. The rules are stated here:Admiral's Club Access (https://www.aa.com/i18nForward.do?p=/travelInformation/airportAmenities/AdmiralsLoungeAccess.jsp#oneworldCustomers) I presume you're new to EXP? There's alot of rules and info to remember for sure!!

Getting ready for my first-ever MR this weekend. Pulled the trigger on the DFW-BOS-SFO-BOS-DFW last week and just got word that all segments have been upgraded. Sweet!

Even though I'm not a member, I should get access to the AAdmirals Club at Logan if my reading of the rules is correct (transcontinental flights). In any case, maximum layover at any airport on this trip is 2 hour 10 min (BOS on the 14th), so I should be OK either way.

Let me know if any fellow FlyerTalkers will be on the same route. We can meet up and share frequent-flyer war stories...:-)

Would appreciate any last-minute tips/do's/don'ts for this newbie MR'er....

Thanks!

Sorry, you will not have Admirals Club access on your transcons. Where did you see that? (Paid F/J, I see)

Not a big deal though with a max layover of around 2 hours.

Have fun, I find MR's very relaxing.

Since you'll be in F you may not be hungry, but, the Mission Grill in SFO next to the AC has good burgers and Guinness.

Have fun on your first mileage run!! Doesn't sound too bad...I remember one of my first all day runs (LAX-SFO-ORD-ALB-ORD-DFW-LAX) and felt like a mixed cocktail must feel towards the end.

Negative on the access to Admiral's Club, you will only get access when you are on an trip that involves (most) International destinations on a OW airline, or if you have booked PAID F/J or F/J using miles on a trans-con flight Fare Codes F,C,J, or U. Best option is to buy a $50 one day pass valid on one of the two days you're traveling. The rules are stated here:Admiral's Club Access (https://www.aa.com/i18nForward.do?p=/travelInformation/airportAmenities/AdmiralsLoungeAccess.jsp#oneworldCustomers) I presume you're new to EXP? There's alot of rules and info to remember for sure!!

Thanks for the info. No, I'm not new to EXP. Have been an EXP continuously for the past 7 years. It is just that I'm new to transcontinental US flights (my first transcon flight, in fact). All of my travel from DFW is usually to destinations outside the US, where lounge access is a non-issue. Good to know about this restriction on transcon flights. I think I can survive 2 hours 10 min in the general waiting area :) Save the $50 to keep the overall cpm down :D

Thanks for the info. No, I'm not new to EXP. Have been an EXP continuously for the past 7 years. It is just that I'm new to transcontinental US flights (my first transcon flight, in fact). All of my travel from DFW is usually to destinations outside the US, where lounge access is a non-issue. Good to know about this restriction on transcon flights. I think I can survive 2 hours 10 min in the general waiting area :) Save the $50 to keep the overall cpm down :D

You could post your flights http://www.flyertalk.com/flightconnect/ and see if someone would guest you into the AC. When I solo MR, I usually check to see if anyone needs access.

Would appreciate any last-minute tips/do's/don'ts for this newbie MR'er....

Thanks!

-Have fun.
-Don't hesitate to let people know what you are doing. Half the fun is the looks you get when you tell seatmates and airline staff what you are up to!

Oh, and keep us posted on how things go!

-Have fun.
-Don't hesitate to let people know what you are doing. Half the fun is the looks you get when you tell seatmates and airline staff what you are up to!

Oh, and keep us posted on how things go!

Thanks Gamecock!
On board AA197, getting ready to head to SFO. First leg was cool. Survived the 2 hour wait in the (gasp!) general waiting area :D at Logan too.

More from SFO....

Thanks Gamecock!
On board AA197, getting ready to head to SFO. First leg was cool. Survived the 2 hour wait in the (gasp!) general waiting area :D at Logan too.

More from SFO....

On board AA 150, the red-eye back to BOS. Two down, two more to go. Tired already despite being in First. Wish the seats on the 757 reclined back more :( Looking to catch some zzz's on this one...

Back home in Dallas after my first MR! Final calculus:

- 19 hours 40 min of the ~24-hour travel time was actually spent in the seat
- Not a big fan of the 757 first-class seats for such an extended flying time. No footrest and insufficient seat recline. Guess I've been spoiled by the new AA business class seats :D
- Total expenses: $473.40 (fare) + 21.22 (tolls+parking) + 3.25 (bottled water) = $497.87.
- Total miles gained = 17,064 miles (with DEQM factored in)
- 2.92 cpm overall

Tired but satisfied that EXP is secure for one more year - assuming that my business trip to Paris in early December goes through as planned :) Otherwise, I might be back looking for yet another late-year MR to make up that difference....

Thanks to everyone who provided valuable tips and information!

Congratulations! When will you find out about your business trip? With not many weeks left before the end of the year, a last-minute ticket for a MR could get expensive if you think the chances of the trip to Paris being canceled is high.

Congratulations!

If your trip to Paris gets canceled for some reason, keep in mind that the DBLEQ promo ends on December 15th.

Congratulations! When will you find out about your business trip? With not many weeks left before the end of the year, a last-minute ticket for a MR could get expensive if you think the chances of the trip to Paris being canceled is high.

Thanks!

Trip has been approved and tickets have been purchased so there is a 99.9% chance of the Paris trip going through as planned. I was just accounting for the non-zero probability of Murphy (of Murphy's Law fame) making his presence felt :D

Thanks!

Trip has been approved and tickets have been purchased so there is a 99.9% chance of the Paris trip going through as planned. I was just accounting for the non-zero probability of Murphy (of Murphy's Law fame) making his presence felt :D

Well, congratulations on renewing EXP then! And yes, me and Murphy are buddies. The aggressive bugger seems to always want to show his laws are right, especially when I'm trying to make tight connections.

I have been looking at your flights today which you did from DFW. I need 20k miles (10k with DEQM) to get EXP (1st time) and I am thinking of tacking on a SEA-DFW to this trip, or doing a SEA-MAD, or doing a SEA-SFO-BOS (x2)-SEA. (Hope I am not jacking your thread)

Not sure which to do but I am not sure (don't think) that I could sit for 4 cross countries back to back so may do SEA-MAD. Also, couldn't seem to get SEA-DFW to price out well.

Congrats again and welcome back.

Congrats.

Complain as you may about F in the 757, I did a redeye as part of my 1st MR earlier this year and was stuck in steerage. :eek: Deboarded and sprinted to my next flight (there were 5 or 6 of us) back to LAX in F on a 767. Slept most of the way back to LAX. Return that afternoon was in F but by that time I was refreshed and enjoyed the flight.

I have been looking at your flights today which you did from DFW. I need 20k miles (10k with DEQM) to get EXP (1st time) and I am thinking of tacking on a SEA-DFW to this trip, or doing a SEA-MAD, or doing a SEA-SFO-BOS (x2)-SEA. (Hope I am not jacking your thread)

Not sure which to do but I am not sure (don't think) that I could sit for 4 cross countries back to back so may do SEA-MAD. Also, couldn't seem to get SEA-DFW to price out well.

Congrats again and welcome back.
Right now I'm looking at an DFW-LAX-JFK-LAX route to get me the 15k that I need. It actually leaves me about 120 EQM's short so I might reroute one segment. You can get that trip done in just under 24 hours gate to gate.

It gets 14,840 miles. Unfortunately this morning the price went from $503 (3.52 cpm) to about $620 (4.33 cpm) so that kills a bit of the value.

Congrats.

Complain as you may about F in the 757, I did a redeye as part of my 1st MR earlier this year and was stuck in steerage. :eek: Deboarded and sprinted to my next flight (there were 5 or 6 of us) back to LAX in F on a 767. Slept most of the way back to LAX. Return that afternoon was in F but by that time I was refreshed and enjoyed the flight.

It's all relative Gamecock! I know I shouldn't complain, but we all do, because we can :) Seriously though, I agree. I would have been toast if I had to do all these 4 segments in steerage. I was pretty beat, as it is, despite all the wining and dining in F throughout - although my opting to watch the movie on the red-eye instead of getting more sleep might have a lot to do with it :p. I had forgotten to pack my eye-shades and just could not sleep with the TV screen right in front of me. Plus, it was a WWII story ('Into the Storm') and I'm a sucker for historical themes....

Moral of the story - pack some eye-shades on your MR. Essential to get some much needed ZZZs, IMO.

Right now I'm looking at an DFW-LAX-JFK-LAX route to get me the 15k that I need. It actually leaves me about 120 EQM's short so I might reroute one segment. You can get that trip done in just under 24 hours gate to gate.

It gets 14,840 miles. Unfortunately this morning the price went from $503 (3.52 cpm) to about $620 (4.33 cpm) so that kills a bit of the value.

Have you looked at DFW-ORD-FRA-ORD-DFW? Have not checked the price myself recently, but about a week ago, it was going for around $660. Plus, you end up with ~20.5 K miles (with DEQM) for all your troubles and a lower cpm to boot.

I have been looking at your flights today which you did from DFW. I need 20k miles (10k with DEQM) to get EXP (1st time) and I am thinking of tacking on a SEA-DFW to this trip, or doing a SEA-MAD, or doing a SEA-SFO-BOS (x2)-SEA. (Hope I am not jacking your thread)

Not sure which to do but I am not sure (don't think) that I could sit for 4 cross countries back to back so may do SEA-MAD. Also, couldn't seem to get SEA-DFW to price out well.

Congrats again and welcome back.

Thanks!

- Have you looked at any legs involving SEA-MIA yet? E.g. SEA-ORD-MIA comes about 2900+ miles one way. Combining that with BOS-SFO (2704 miles) in some fashion might be an option. Please note that I have not looked into valid connections or timings or prices. Just going by geography and major AA airport locations.

- SEA-ORD-FRA is another option (5900+ miles one way).

- Might want to focus on red-eye's from SEA to the east coast since those are usually cheaper.

- Using Farecompare's flyertalk page might help too:

http://www.farecompare.com/search/flyertalk.html

Good luck!