arollins

A few of my favorites MR where the ORD-FRA rt run for <$300, did quite a few weekends going up to FRA just drink beer and back home. The other favorites one, the one that opened me up to other nearby airports was the $39 RT MKE-ORD/DFW-SFO FARES, you could only do one a day, but it was dirt cheap EQM.

sudden729

Recent MR IAH>DFW>HKG and back HKG>LAX>IAH with a 2 hour turn. My outbound went MX with a 3 hour delay but wasn't worried since the inbound was on the same outbound aircraft. The reservation system didn't catch this though, so it rebooked me HKG>LHR>IAH

When I got off the plane in HKG, I actually overheard the gate crew discussing that flight's misconnects and how one passenger (me ) had a 2 hour layover before flying back. It was funny hearing them speculate why anyone would be crazy enough to do such a thing, but one seasoned GA explained the concept of the MR (unbeknownst that I had just walked right past them)

apeortdz

I did a couple PHL-LAS runs for $140.60 this year and was in F too.

ElmhurstNick

I haven't done a lot of pure MRs over the years, although I've let EQM and a cheap fare point me to many places for a long weekend - usually I like to double up and do mattress runs in a cheaper city at the same time.

Many of the pure one-day MRs which I do take have been relatively short distance 4-segment runs. Stuff like ORD-PHL-PIT/back or back in the TWA acquisition days ORD-STL-MCI/back. Flights which are mostly empty and where I can take a book (then) or my Kindle or tablet (now) and spend a Saturday reading between some 1-2 hours flights and some ACs. I always did them for the EQM or EQS, not the RDM.

In 2017, I'll be looking for some Tier Point segment runs on AA+BA to get at least BA Silver or hopefully BA Gold status to replace my EXP. The drop from 60 to 40 TP per short AA F segment hurts, but it's still a value at times. I've decided that I'm not going to play the 500-miler game in 2018, it's cheaper to just buy up to F when needed, although usually that's on DL and not AA given the markets in which I fly.

chicagoflyer1976

I did a number of ORD>LAX runs in 2011 and 2012 (DEQMS), and I was always glad when I saw the crew walk off to another flight, so I didn't have that awkward moment when I re-boarded the same plane. For awhile, most of the lines for the crew were ORD>LAX>LAS>?

idainc

I once did a MIA-MAN and stayed overnight. On the outbound I asked for a Vodka rocks and then an iced tea. The same crew on the return the next day brought that to me without asking.

I raised more than a few eye brows when I boarded the next AM and one drew me into a conversation about my trip. I got the feeling they thought I was auditing the crew or worked for AA.

chicagoflyer1976

I should add- I probably did 10-12 of these ORD>LAX runs, and never missed one upgrade as an EXP. Had one battleground, but everything cleared like a charm, many on Saturdays, but a number on Sundays and other days of the week.

george 3

I envy the discipline of the MRunners to Europe as I would regret not spending days there enjoying whatever the particular city had to offer. Same with GRU (family) or GIG (fun). The only two I've done were JFK LAX/SFO. The first time felt really really strange - I grabbed a burger and shake at the stand near the AA gates in SFO. When re-boarding for the return about an hour and a half later, the GA did a double take. At LAX, the turn was very quick, and the GA asked me why I was getting back on if I just got off. Told her about the MR and she said she didn't believe people really did it and I was proof that it happened.

In all four legs, I did feel guilty getting upgraded to J with people behind me missing out.

lalala

2011- SEA-ORD-HEL twice once in May and once in October - brilliant sunny days and VIPs cleared on all four legs.

My face was nicely tanned on my return in May, a colleague asked if I had gone to HNL for the weekend.

lotemblizej

Lots of inspiring memories which I will keep in mind while I do my first AA mileage run in Dec to reach ExPlat for the first time. Kind of a weak BWI-PHL-FCO-PHL-BWI, but after 12+ years as a 100,000 mile per year flyer on United, I look forward to some new experiences with AA.

Nirvana91

I arrived too late to the game to have many meaningful MR's. In fact, this year was my first and only set: a few ORD-LAX RT's for $65 each. Qualified for elite status but now getting 200 RDMs for a RT to LAX instead of 3,500 is a killer. One time I made a day of it with another FT'er, and also my wife. We went to lunch and also the Broad Museum. I did enjoy people asking me "what did you do Saturday" and I could reply "went to LA for a day trip."

It's extra sad because I know if I had gotten into this a few years earlier, I would have been all over it. Oh well.