How to squeeze value out of AA
Mar 19, 2019, 12:50 pm
#136
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Personally, the fact that MLE luxury hotels on various atolls essentially mean you are a captive audience paying captive audience prices for F&B, even if you get the room for free (and there's the last mile getting to the hotel that's usually a seaplane ride of some hundreds of dollars) tends to make me more interested in Sri Lanka or India.
So you don't like Maldives because it is expensive. Some people here like Maldives for the exact same reason... because it is expensive.
And yes, Sri Lanka and India are just like Maldives. LOL.
Last edited by SFO777; Mar 19, 2019 at 2:32 pm
Mar 19, 2019, 1:16 pm
#137
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Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 41,991
While I'm sure there tons of million mile plus members out there, I don't know many people who maintain million mile balances.
Mar 19, 2019, 2:24 pm
#138
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: MCO
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I sort of doubt maximizing the value of the miles will affect one's career down the road. The example of bribery isn't really relevant.
Mar 19, 2019, 3:39 pm
#139
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)
Posts: 8,937
Personally, the fact that MLE luxury hotels on various atolls essentially mean you are a captive audience paying captive audience prices for F&B, even if you get the room for free (and there's the last mile getting to the hotel that's usually a seaplane ride of some hundreds of dollars)
Mar 19, 2019, 3:45 pm
#140
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 4
seems like you are a valued customer. Report something missing that cost a lot. force them to pay it. keep your points
Mar 19, 2019, 3:54 pm
#141
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Mar 19, 2019, 4:01 pm
#142
Join Date: Aug 2004
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Posts: 8,937
Mar 19, 2019, 4:07 pm
#143
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Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
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Correct. India and Sri Lanka are happening late this year/early next. Maldives is, uh, question marks. Though I admit that I could see it happening if it's a case of actually being in the place instead of in an isolated resort atoll that is in effect a hermetically sealed (if perfectly lovely) five star resort, isolated from the rest of the country. I get that those overwater bungalows are super nice though.
I won't pretend I wear a hairshirt and flog myself when I travel, but budget and what I think are good tradeoffs for price/experience/my comfort come to mind. I was very happy in a $20/day backpacker shack bordering the Gulf of Thailand (beach visible, surf sounds at night) a couple of years ago, no A/C in the shack, Bob Marley on the speakers when I went to get food (clearly an outpost on the Banana Pancake Trail). Other people would blanch at that and call me a dirty hippie (and "other people" probably means "you"). Ŕ chacun son goűt.
To be sure. Conspicuous consumption is definitely a thing.
That isn't actually what I said, though. More like they offer things to me I find appealing that I wouldn't be able to get on a Maldivian resort atoll. I tend to get bad cases of the Lewis and Clarks, for one thing.
Yeah, I can see actually doing that because a base of operations to explore (that isn't sticking you on an atoll somewhere) isn't out of reach, it seems.
I won't pretend I wear a hairshirt and flog myself when I travel, but budget and what I think are good tradeoffs for price/experience/my comfort come to mind. I was very happy in a $20/day backpacker shack bordering the Gulf of Thailand (beach visible, surf sounds at night) a couple of years ago, no A/C in the shack, Bob Marley on the speakers when I went to get food (clearly an outpost on the Banana Pancake Trail). Other people would blanch at that and call me a dirty hippie (and "other people" probably means "you"). Ŕ chacun son goűt.
That isn't actually what I said, though. More like they offer things to me I find appealing that I wouldn't be able to get on a Maldivian resort atoll. I tend to get bad cases of the Lewis and Clarks, for one thing.
Mar 19, 2019, 4:11 pm
#144
Join Date: Feb 2015
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 65
I love it. I'm all for this OP. AA cuts every corner to squeeze the life out of the passenger experience, trying to get the maximum value possible out of them in return should be the expectation.
Mar 19, 2019, 6:39 pm
#145
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This would also go to show that, contrary to some posters' assertions, not every offering within a FFP has been vetted for financial soundness.
Thanks - glad at least some people share my perspective.
Last edited by JY1024; Mar 22, 2019 at 11:11 pm Reason: Merged consecutive posts
Mar 19, 2019, 10:48 pm
#147
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American Airlines actually invented frequent flyer programs. They probably know a few things.
But hey, you go on with your bad revenge-seeking self and your ONE MILLION MILES, Dr. Evil. Or wait, is that MBA Evil? Did you go to Evil Business School?
Mar 19, 2019, 11:41 pm
#148
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: New York City + Vail, CO
Programs: American Airlines Executive Platinum, Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite
Posts: 3,224
Given that the OP's primary beef with AA is a failure to serve pre-departure beverages, perhaps the OP should exact revenge by using their miles to fly down to DFW to find Doug Parker at a bar and procure him a copious amount of drinks. Another DUI could have a material impact on AA's stock price. Then again, doing so would probably be vastly helpful to AA and everyone on this forum in the long run. Perhaps the board of directors could install someone competent into the role.
Mar 20, 2019, 12:08 am
#149
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: I 35 south bound, finally stopped
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Posts: 1,665
I am all about the F redemptions with long layovers and killing the expensive bubbly. That is a great idea. It is interesting to me that people have a million or more miles in their account and they can't find a way to use them. I wiped out both our accounts to get to AKL and NAN and back for a month, totally worth it (both EXP). Still on the trip. Use em or lose em. If somebody in a FF program does not use their miles in a clever fashion they did something wrong, not the airline. No whining. We all have choices. Optimizing flying travel is a moving target and the individual needs to pay attention. Thats why I read FT.
Mar 20, 2019, 8:00 am
#150
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UPDATE: I arranged an Ethiad Apartment run, along with some positioning flights. Still have over 600k to burn.
i really like the idea of going to Dougie’s bar and seeing if he can get another DUI.
i really like the idea of going to Dougie’s bar and seeing if he can get another DUI.