why doesn't she sign up for her own 75K AA card(s)? Then she could use her own miles. :-)

You should compare the cost of a ticket to LA with the one to Europe you are considering and see which is a better deal. If you paid for the LA tickets you would collect miles for that trip which would help bump up you balance. Also, make sure you are maximizing your earning. If you spend a lot online shopping, for example, make sure you are using their shopping portal. AA seems to have fairly high miles per dollar in their program. If you dine out a lot make sure you are also using their dining program.