Originally Posted by cova

i still find this interesting. A CK spending over $100K a year for personal, non-reimbursed travel, but choosing to save a few hundred $ more to only book coach domestic with thought that CK always get an upgrade. ( I could see if it was paid business which allows international J but requires coach domestically - but that doesn't appear to be the case here). You still get double EQM for J domestically, so maybe you would earn more SWU's and that may provide better savings.

I guess it depends on the route. On DCA-DFW or LAX flights - most times - nobody gets upgraded (full more than 5 days out) - and when they call CK preboard - you notice those CK sitting in coach.

I guess what AA cares is that you are spending $5K or more for international flights - and they can forgo that extra full hundred dollars you save buying coach tickets domestically.

Subject here is TOD's. You might want to prepare for paying for J domestically, as TODs will sell upgrades to non-elites over Elites.

Also - I can't image anyone spending more than 3% of their income on personal airfare. If you spend $15K per year for EXP - I think you need over $500K income - and likely more.

Let's say someone spending $100K on personal travel - even at 5% - would be an income of $2M a year.
I know people at that level - and they would not even think of buying a coach ticket for anything.

Only justification would be deductible from some kind of business or self employed business.