when the rules to a game change the better players adapt and overtake the ones that are unable or unwilling

I miss $99 RT's from AUS-DAL (ez miles) but AA pulled the route. It's going to cost $50 more to upgrade TATL/TPAC with miles. Cost effective mileage runs are getting harder to come by. I'm not leaving this game, but rather intend to figure out how to continue scoring and even improve the payback.

I like having elite status and hope to exchange the miles for something I'd never pay out of pocket: travel from US to AU in biz/1st. Both will require some gamesmanship and adaptation as the rules change. It's worth it to me.