tak29813

On 8 days notice flew party of 3 (Mr TAK, Mrs TAK and cute little 7yo TAKjr) to Denver. From Expedia saw AA was least expensive by wide margin at less than $300 RT. I thought of calling res line for compassion fare info, but really didn't want to hassle given the situation. We were flying out for a memorial service of a direct relative and the price was right.

AA 678 LAX-DEN on 2/24. Got to LAX 2 hours prior to take-off and went to T4 self-check-in. Swiped handy dandy Citi AA card and started the process. Due to purchasing tickets on popular flights so close to date of travel we had 3 seats, but not together. Second screen of the process asks if I want to upgrade for $100 per tix. Yes, yes I do. Pay at the same screen, check 1 bag, and up to screening. Screening was a disaster. Friday afternoon and long lines. Grumpy pax all around us. At 1:40 they call out for pax on the 1:45 to LAS. Had to let 25!!!! pax cut in front of us for a flight that was allegedly taking off in 5 mins. Very grumpy making.

Clear screening (any shoe with a heel, regardless of composition was being x-rayed) and get to the gate. GA was great, confirmed the upgrade and worked with other FC pax to seat us together. Very helpful, believe the name was Linda Wapner. We board, get comfy and are only offered water pre-flight. I really don't mind, but it did seem a little odd. Once in the air we get drink of choice and bag of honey raosted bits of crumbled things that used to be nuts. Decent service, but nothing exciting. Very uneventful flight. Nice landing. Plenty of EXP and Plat up front.

AA1519 DEN-LAX on 2/26. Get to DEN 3 hours early hoping for reroute to SNA as it is closer to home and our ride home! Flight is oversold per AA 800 line. Since we are flying a Q fair any reroute would be terminally, egregiously expensive. Go to self serve check-in, swipe handy dandy Citi AA card, and history repeats itself. Yes, I would like to upgrade at $100 per. Very long story short, we flew LAX-DEN rt in F for less than $500 per. Closest coach fare at time of booking was $525 on Frontier.

Board on time, offered choice of beverage as plane fills and we wait for a few connecting pax. Once airborne we get warm nuts. Then towells (paper, but warm), dinner of roast chicken breast or turkey and cheese croissant, and a bag of cookies. Much more attentive service and a very pleasant experience. Sat next to a fellow FTer. Both of us shocked at a meal on a sub 2 hr flight. So was the cabin crew.

Overall, a fine experience. Flight back was much better than way out, but a part of that is our mindset. I was very surprised to see the upgrade option once, let alone twice. Bags came quickly and the thing AA could control went well. Not an earth shattering travel experience, but good to know it wasn't horrible.

PS - to anyone still reading, some of my favorite moments were watching families board, see a 7yo in F, and walk back muttering. Yes, I am a snob.