Interline is mandatory for us. On a typical trip to Asia I can only get as far as NRT right now so giving up the 500 or 621 to SJC is a hit for status miles. There are no status miles to be had from NRT southward on lower coach fares. And now the upgrade conversion rate is down to 500 miles. And now I have to pay for booze in coach ? A good way to push me onto a foreign carrier.

I used to take the red eyes to the east coast through LAX. The timing was good and the extra miles helped. Now my only option is a 2AM flight to Dallas. Not exactly sleep inducing.

I am afraid to say that the AA bean counters have found my limit so they lose all my business. No sense flying someone if the miles aren’t status miles.