Mileage Run Discussion - Help with MR from STL (AA)

I qualified for AA GLD last year, but due to my schedule this year, I haven't done much flying at all. I do plan on doing a lot more traveling next year though and I'd like to requalify for GLD at least, and am considering doing a challenge to PLT (I mostly book deep discount economy). I have few short domestic trips booked for the rest of the year, but that's only about 5k EQM total. In addition, my girlfriend and I are planning a JFK-MAD-SFO-JFK trip in late Dec/early Jan, but the JFK-MAD leg will occur in Dec 2012 and the rest will be in Jan 2013, thus not counting for this qualifying year.

What's your advice on what I should do? Should I do the challenge or just try to requalify? PLT would be nice for the lounge access, as I will likely be going on a 2-3 more international trips next year.

What destinations might be good for MRs from STL? What kind of routings might I do for JFK-MAD-SFO-JFK to get some extra miles (nothing too extreme as to make my girlfriend angry)? Also, I often travel STL-LGA. What kind of creative routings might I do to increase my mileage yield? I've been reading up a lot on constructing MRs, but have had little success adding multi-city destinations without increasing the price significantly.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I qualified for AA GLD last year, but due to my schedule this year, I haven't done much flying at all. I do plan on doing a lot more traveling next year though and I'd like to requalify for GLD at least, and am considering doing a challenge to PLT (I mostly book deep discount economy). I have few short domestic trips booked for the rest of the year, but that's only about 5k EQM total. In addition, my girlfriend and I are planning a JFK-MAD-SFO-JFK trip in late Dec/early Jan, but the JFK-MAD leg will occur in Dec 2012 and the rest will be in Jan 2013, thus not counting for this qualifying year.

What's your advice on what I should do? Should I do the challenge or just try to requalify? PLT would be nice for the lounge access, as I will likely be going on a 2-3 more international trips next year.

What destinations might be good for MRs from STL? What kind of routings might I do for JFK-MAD-SFO-JFK to get some extra miles (nothing too extreme as to make my girlfriend angry)? Also, I often travel STL-LGA. What kind of creative routings might I do to increase my mileage yield? I've been reading up a lot on constructing MRs, but have had little success adding multi-city destinations without increasing the price significantly.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I suggest that anytime you fly to/from LGA route through ORD for nearly an additional 1,000 miles per round trip. This is the way I often travel to ORD and STL. The price if often the same.

How do you get the price to be about the same? When I book STL-LGA on the AA website, I can find $110 ow. However, ow with connection through ORD is more than $200.

i wonder if a challenge is possible for nov,dec, & jan?.... maybe there is a separate counter for it....might be worth a call....

for the mad trip, you could up fare to a 1 pt/mi fare if needed....often not too costly for intl....

5k eqm on cheap fares is 2.5k eqp....

what is your ytd eqm? or better would be the eqm you think you need to run for...