There's a problem I keep encountering on my mileage runs, which someone could explain AA's check-in rules, or offer advice. Due to the time available for me, every mileage run ends in a direct turnaround.

The cautious side of me likes having all my boarding passes issued, before heading out. From talking to AA, you must be checked in first before being issued BP's. Normally, I use the self-service kiosk to save time. They only check you through to your destination. Sometimes, I find the AA agent who either checks me only to my destination, or all the way through my return legs.

So what are the rules for allowing check-in all the way through?

When I arrive at my destination and immediately go up to the gate agent, to ask for my return BP's, they're always confused or have a hard time running me through the system. Some of them can't figure out, the computer won't spit out BP's until someone checks me in. They simply assume if you're standing there, you must have checked in.

The DFW AC offered this strange advice: try web check-in before you get there. Does this make it easier to ask for my return BP's?

The system seems kind of arbitrary, so how do the rules work? This is what I've seen:

1. AA self-service kiosk only checks thru your destination.
2. AA agent not allowed to pre-check return because I'm not physically at my destination. Other AA agent doesn't care.
3. AA agent not allowed to pre-check because my return date falls on next day (overnight).
4. AS agent pre-checked me on her codeshare segment, and all subsequent (6!) AA segments, which included the next day.