End-of-year mileage padding for LAS-CUN?
 

On December 29th I need to fly from Las Vegas to Cancun. At that point I will have 47,115 EQM, meaning I'll need 2,885 to requalify for PLT. AA has plenty of affordable flights through PHX and DFW, but they would leave me short of my goal. I looked at using short-hops to maximize the 500-mile minimum, but can't make it work--even LAS-LAX-PHX-CUN would produce 2,760 EQM (125 short), and LAS-LAX-DFW-CUN would be 2,763 (122 short). The routing that would work is LAS-ORD-CUN (2,958 EQM), but unfortunately American's routing rules seem to require that to be booked as two separate one-ways, making it very pricey.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Is there any chance of AA making a grace-type exception for a paltry few hundred EQM, or does the new boost/renew system eliminate that entirely? I was counting on an earlier Airberlin flight to get me over the hump, but I found out too late that apparently my fare class only entitled me to 25% EQM--is there any hope of an exception on that front? All thoughts appreciated.

Check the fare rules for permitted routings (after you figure out how much extra you're willing to pay).

Personally, I would try to keep segment count down in order to minimize risks of misconnect. LAS-JFK-CUN?

I know that this isn't what OP asked but in a similar situation I'd try to see if you can do a short hop MR for cheaper than doing that ORD routing. E.g. on the 27th you can fly PHX and back from LAS on US for $179, I'm pretty sure that nets lower than the ORD routing and uses probably almost the same amount of time.

I mean it's the holidays and you might not want to do that though... just an idea.

The extra segments may be more affordable if booked as a multi-city itinerary with your return trip.

e.g. 12/29 LAS-ORD (or JFK)
12/29 ORD (or JFK) to CUN
1/5 (or whenever) CUN to LAS

Buy F and skip the extra segments.

That would only work if the OP has an equivalent number of EQPs. F tickets still only earn 1 EQM/mile (but 1.5 EQP/mile).

How about using Alaska? LAS-SEA-CUN return seems to render over 7,100 EQM, as long as you buy a qualifying fare bucket (3,551 miles Dec 29). You earn full EQM and EQP on AS in most fare buckets ("O" fare earns bupkis). See here: http://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/ea...nes/alaska.jsp

Standby/confirmed sameday change?
 

Before the legs of the trip discussed here, I have booked a LGA-ORD-LAS one-way. I just called AAdvantage customer service and was told that if I pay the $75 confirmed same-day change fee (but NOT flying standby) to go via DFW rather than ORD, I would get EQM credit for that itinerary, which is 379 miles longer and would thus meet my target. Does anyone here know if this is true? I forgot to ask for her name...

Mixed messages
 

I subsequently called back and was told that I *would* get credit for actual miles flown on standby, not just confirmed same-day change, *and* that the airport agents could clear me for the entire LGA-DFW-LAS route and thus check my bag on standby (I previously thought you couldn't fly standby with checked luggage). I had the AAdvantage customer service agent put a note in my file saying that I would receive mileage credit for the Dallas routing assuming that my standby request cleared, in case it doesn't process automatically. That should put me in the clear, yes?

True.

fedaputz, do you have any idea whether I'd get credit for a standby routing or only a confirmed same-day change routing? And does the fact that I now have a comment on my account stating that I was told that mean I should go ahead with standby, even if the agent was mistaken?

Depending on your tolerance for MR's and amount of free time you could do LAS-LAX-SMF-LAX-DFW-CUN for 3700 EQM one way with the 500 mi minimums at $418.

The downside is that it's a full day of travel and you'd have a red eye flight from LAX to DFW. But it gets the job done in one single ticket.

If you were voluntarily rerouted to a shorter route, flew a shorter route or change to a through flight (same flight number with stops or even connections) you'd get fewer miles. If you're involuntarily rerouted to a shorter route, you could still request Original Routing Credit. If you fly with another routing with new connections, you'll earn miles for that routing - regardless of whether it's standby or Same Day Flight Change - unless you switch to a through flight*, which will count as a nonstop flight. It's been this way, AA hasn't announced any changes.

*e.g. Fly such as AA0123 SMF-DFW-BOS, you'll earn miles as if you had flown nonstop. (Not real flight; just used as example.)

Thanks very much, JDiver. That definitively answers my question. I should be good to go with standby on LGA-DFW-LAS. Do you happen to know whether it's also accurate that one can fly standby on a multi-segment itinerary with checked luggage?

In the past, I've had standby confirmed upon initial checkin for ALL segments - but that was some time ago and I do not believe it is current policy. Although I suspect an agent still could do it....