Johnep, thanks for the suggestions. I think I may just have to send him on a mileage run!!

As for the companion ticket, I may have to do the old call AA and get a different answer thing. I was told that the 80K award only works as a companion to a full fare business ticket, which is certainly out of the question. If he only needs 11K, I think we'd be in OK shape, because he could sign up for the Citibank AAdvantage card, and then charge our property taxes with it!