Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New York, NY
Programs: UA, AA, DL, Hertz, Avis, National, Hyatt, Hilton, SPG, Marriott
Posts: 10,071
The step surcharge for close-in bookings is a devaluation of 1K/GS, simple as that. PlusPoints system (starting tomorrow) is better than AA, IMO, if you take time to understand it. Your other complaints re: wifi, married segment logic, unconventional new status-earning, and catering are well-taken. I still rank AA firmly last among the US3. American is roughly where United was in 2015 or so.