AA MR Memories
 

I am posting this in the AA forum since its related to memories of MRs solely on AA. With the year near end and 2017 requiring EQD as well as EQMs the days of MRs for most will either end or become limited.

I thought it might be a good time to reflect on MR memories over the years on AA.

Me:

Back in 2009 the days of DEQMs doing LGA/ORD/FRA twice in the spring, just about everyone in the then FRA AC was a FTer. IIRC the fare was around $250.

LGA/DFW/ANC, I did it both Memorial Day 2008 and Memorial Day 2011, fare was less than $300. On the latter date I spent the return flight talking with a 17 year old EXP seated next to me (his parents were also EXP seated in other F seats). They all were doing MRs as a family. Also had one of the best crews ever onboard.

In summer 2010, doing a LGA/ORD/HNL/DFW/LGA run in which you had to walk outdoors to get to the old HNL AC. There was one small shower. I essentially showered and walked back to the gate to get on a return flight through DFW. IIRC the fare was less than $350.

In winter 2011 doing back to back LGA/ORD runs. Felt strange visiting both the LGA and ORD twice in one day and saw the same faces on all flights. Fare was something $78 rt.

Elite status qualification on American Airlines will continue to require EQM *or* EQS, not both at the same time.

https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...false&from=Nav

Fixed it to read EQDs not EQS. This would be for next year when a dollar spend requirement will accompany either EQMs or EQSs.

I haven't been new to "the game" for a bit, but I only recently got my masters degree and was finally able to tryout MR'ing. Doing it for EQMs just isn't quite the same thrill.

Couple highlighted trips:
DEN-LAX-MIA-JAX-CLT-LAX-DEN
Several DEN-LAX-DFW-ORD-Michigan trips instead of DEN-ORD-MI,
DEN-PHX-ANC-LAX-MIA-DFW-DEN
DEN-SBA-LAX-YVR-TPE(UA/Eva)//KIX-HND//NRT-JFK-MIA-ORD-FNT-ORD-CLT-ATL-CLT-PHX-DEN (return i had to throwaway unfortunately)
Couple DEN-MIA overnight and back morning trips.

I'll miss most cheap/good deals to small airports I wouldn't normally visit. Now I'll primarily focus on flying non-AA business fares to help re qualify.

ORD-DUB back when the fares were $260/RT back in 2005.

Flying STL-DFW-AUS-DFW-STL three times to collect the 60k miles related to AA attempting service at DAL.

BOS-LAX (plus then SAN/SFO) spring 2009 3x EQM when both VX and B6 first entered AA/UA turf.

F cabin on 757s and 763s were almost half FTers going back and forth!

November 2010
ORD>STL (separate ticket)

STL>ORD>BRU> one day layover >ORD >SAN>LAX>ORD>STL

STL>ORD (separate ticket)

I think all in it was about $600
DEQMS on all flights starting and ending in STL

I had a great time in Brussels, but when I got home every muscle in my body ached. And I did it all in First/Business.

After 9/11/01, I began most of my "heavy" flying (first on DL and then on AA)--super bargains existed; while many of my trips were not pure MRs [A to B and immediately return B to A] I did spend a day or two in B:).
The best "deal" (I don't remember the year): JFK-SFO-JFK $135/rt, JFK-LAX-JFK $200/rt AND since I took two transcons, I got a FREE trip on AA (metal) anywhere (in the world).^ [Any likelihood AA will repeat such an offer in the near future?:D]

Jan 2008 -- First int'l MR @ ~$350ai .... and eVIPs cleared both ways !
DFW-SFO-ORD-FRA-(ICE Train)-MUC-BRU-ORD-SFO-DFW

That trip was unbelievably exhausting but a hell of a lot of fun at the same time.

I have done 4...

My very first true mileage run was during either a DEQM or TEQM (I want to say it was triple out of STL). Anyway, I flew SHV-DFW-STL-DFW-NRT-DFW-STL-DFW.

On the flight up to STL on the first start, the flight attendant came on to announce connecting flights, and started down the list... Chicago... blah blah blah... then a big pause.. "this can't be right... for our passengers connecting to DFW..."

4 or 5 people in first class all start chuckling because she clearly didn't understand we were all turning around and heading back on the same plane, and one of us had combined tickets or something.

Anyway, I look over to my seat mate and said, she must not know about mileage runs, and he said, yea i am on this plane with 5 of my buddies headed to NRT. I joined their crew and we went to NRT and back.

After that, I did steak and a malbec in downtown Buenos Aires in a 4 hour layover, paella in Barcelona with 12 hours, and a quick hitter to Frankfurt and straight back.

I will be taking my 5th and likely last one to CGK on Saturday, returning Monday.

Bring back the US airways Grand slam!!!

Earlier this year before the EQDs announcement I was afraid I wouldn't make EXP for next year without some padding (end up making EXP at the end of August). I took three consecutive days and essentially did back to back MRs out of MIA flying a redeye back from MIA and DEN. Making a 738 F seat your bed for two nights in a row will leave you ready to pass out from exhaustion.

I'm a newbie Plat since only 2013, but I have done a couple:

ATL-ORD-BOS-ORD-LAX-HNL-PHX(red-eye)-CLT-ATL $318

ATL-DFW-PVG(2 days)-NRT-LAX-JFK-MIA-ATL $490

DFW-PVG miles upgrade didn't clear but I was in MCE on a new 787 with a row to myself so wasnt terrible. NRT-LAX didn't clear but then I got an op up at boarding. Fun times!

my best one probably LGA-LAX-LAS-JFK rt, back to back JFK-LAS-JFK, and again JFK-LAS-LAX-LGA in Dec 2010, with my wife.
Some of you might remember, it's the expedia.ca mistake fare... how much did I pay? maybe $30 in total with hotel room ?

I remember the old FRA quick-turn MR days fondly! I remember one ticket I grabbed for 197++! On some Saturdays/Sundays, over a dozen people in the J cabin of the 763 on ORD-FRA-ORD were MR folks, many of them FTers! The AC AAngels at FRA knew us all quite well and arranged for the ICTS folks to come up to the lounge to ask us the sticker questions. We also knew the on-board crews very well.

I also have done a bunch of MRs to MAD over the years, but those birds tended to be delayed more often out of DFW given the slightly later departure time compared to the FRA flight (meaning that they would use an afternoon EU inbound aircraft that was often delayed and then had to be cleaned, catered, and customs checked).

*sigh* I miss those days!