Originally Posted by seaskybound
I am planning my first MR. I am not a miles collector but have temporarily rellocated to Israel and would like to do a MR to requalify for AA EXP which I will need very much when I move back to the USA. I need 19500 qualifying miles.
I want to make it a short vacation (2-3 days) and go to GIG (Rio) also maximize my VIPs and I have found the following MR out of BRU
BRU-ORD-MIA-GIG-MIA-LGA/JFK-BRU if there is upgrade inventory I will only need 2 VIPs for the trip (great VIP usage each for 2 long int'l segments) comes to $800 all AA metal
I can also fly TLV-BRU-TLV for $400 but on SN and no qualifying miles
Overall price wise I am fine but will be 2000m short.
I have seen these funny MRs with many more segments and have no idea how to book them or check for them. How do you add those segments (in general but also speciffically for this route such as an ORD-LAX-MIA workaround)
If you have Expertflyer try checkign the routing rules to see where you can route through at that fare. In general, I would use the multiple cities feature on AA.com and try adding in a stop in DFW or STL or maybe even RDU or BOS. Each fare is different on where it allows you to stop as well as with what flight times work. I would just keep trying in combinations that involve stops in AA hubs of focus cities. Good luck.