Originally Posted by
saint
Just pay it. For as much travel as you do on AA (and probably still will do) this seems like a no brainer. I wouldn't even try to negotiate.
OP said - almost right at the begining - that that would pay the $2.5k to keep their miles and status.
The last few hundred of coments (though it seems like much, much more) have been circular aruguments that have gotton no one anywhere.