This may be discussed elsewhere, I apologize but could not find it.

Our agent is recommending to switch from posting miles to AA and using MAtmid. Is there any consensus on which is better? We already have about 48,000 on AA and travel about twice a year JFK>TLV. I suppose the agent's advice is because it is hard to get Elal flights using AA miles. (Going through Europe is not an option for us). Th agent is offering to buy the AA miles.

Thoughts?

Your question contains the answer in it
From a strictly mathematical standpoint AA is much much better than Matmid
Assuming you fly deep discount economy you need 14 yes 14, flights on ELAL as a matmid member to get a free ticket to NY. And assuming you take 2 trips a year that is 7 years if ELAL doesn't "retire" some points before that
On AA you need 7 1/2 flights on a carrier that gives you full miles like Turkish or SN even in discounted economy . Maybe Malev will also give it when they join up. Furthermore if you do a Platinum challenge and take the Turkish codeshare you can get Platinum after 1 1/2 flights ( assuming you do it within 90 days) and then the miles really pile up and the tickets come faster.

HOWEVER you said that going through Europe is not an option so the above is not relevant to you (but could be for other travellers) So you are stuck with either getting 50% AA miles on ELAL direct flights and then you are back to needing 15 flights or working only with ELAL
In your case I would stay with ELAL and hope that some short trips to Europe or the Far East will add to your point balance

As to your agent buying your miles, is that legal???

Is the deep discounted fare on elal the typical price you get from a travel agent?

I did not realize that you get only 50% miles on AA when flying Elal. A few years ago it was 100%, I guess it changed.

So you are saying it is about 15 flights to get a ticket either on ELal or AA, either one is not really a good option so it doesn't matter too much I guess.

I don't know how the agent buys miles I assume/hope it's legal.

I'm nearly certain it's not legal.

If you fly within the USA at all, I would suggest what the other poster offered. If you get Platinum on AA, you'll get double miles every time you fly. Add that to a Citibank AA credit card, and you can earn an awful lot of miles that could be very useful to you.

I just can't imagine that flying 2x year on EL AL is going to do much for you with Matmid.

I agree with Jakebeth that the purchase of miles is likely not allowed.

From the AA perspective you cannot measure this only in flights flown. Given the limited frequency of your flights, I would stick with AA, particularly in view of the possibility of Aadvantage mileage accruals through credit cards and US domestic flights as well as double miles for elite status and other bonuses. This of course is a function of your individual lifestyle.

Your inability to travel through Europe may pass and then your options increase.

You may also want to verify for yourself how limited you truly are in getting EL AL tickets using AA miles by calling Aadvantage and inquiring about specific dates and award availability. While not scientific, it may help you. If not traveling in busy season you may find it is not so difficult to snag your ticket.

Although a busy time of year, I recently traveled for the Chanukah holiday on an AA award on EL AL.

It seems to me that a free ticket on EL AL just takes too long to acquire thorugh Matmid.

You traveled overseas for Chanukah? That's some pretty serious observation for that holiday!

Practically all the published fares for sales etc are classified as deep discount
and thus get 50%. Look at the AA website for the classes on ELAL and try to get a fare class that will give you 100%, if the price is not that higher

Being based at BWI as you are I would agree with the other posters and repeat my previous advice, stay with AA, take a Platinum Challenge and try to rack up the miles

If you fly on these fares: which are also considered discounted:
K, H, V, N, U, E
Then you will get 200 points for the the roundtrip flight. You will need 1400 points for a free bomus ticket. So you will need 7 flights.
If you buy in thiese fares it will take you 14 flights since you get 100 points for the roundtrip: T, L, G, O

Best option is to fly in W,Y, S, M, Q, B. There you will get 400 for the roundtrip and you will probably achieve silver status after a year.
Chances are if you only come in the holidays you will not have the deeply discounted fares available anyway.
Ask your travel agent what fare she booked you in the past. N? H? B? or M?

Which really doesn�t give you much.