If things work out, in January I’ll be trying to book three J awards to Australia, either partner awards at 375k, or more likely to get the J seats, one world 130 awards. I expect to be short either 15 or 30k RDM, depending on the award. I could purchase miles but I was thinking it might make sense to do a January MR aimed at RDM rather than EQM (and get a start on requalifying for EXP next year). I’m thinking my best return would involve some sort of bonus miles promotion. So with this in mind, any ideas for an MR? Best would involve minimizing travel and stay time as I’ll be doing this alone. I’ll be EXP by then, so ability to upgrade with EVIPs would be a plus. SAN is my home airport but I could fly out of LAX.

IMHO in this economy MR'g for RDM is a dubious proposition. Even with your 100% bonus (EXP) on AA achieving 15k or 30k over the next two months at a reasonable CPM (<2.5 IMHO) is going to be a challenge. I'd reconsider purchasing AAdvantage miles, especially with the 20% kicker available until Dec 31.

OTOH, if you replace a MR with a brief visit to some place interesting then it becomes a different proposition, esp. with upgrades from eVIP's (little to no cost). I personally don't mind a somewhat higher CPM if I get to see something interesting (as opposed to not leaving the airport). YMMV, of course.

You could try NRT from LAX via AUS both ways with overnight in Austin and Tokyo, which gets well over 30k RDM for under $1500. Another fun trip might be Buenos Aires for two days/nights: LAX(AS)-SEA(AA)-DFW-EZE-DFW-AUS-LAX for $936 a.i. 1/15-19 14,921 bis or 29,842 RDM @ PLT/EXP.

I'd try opening some CCs and getting the 25k bonus, redeeming miles on LSC games (check the thread in SPAM), doing a few opinion place survey. There is also a new thing at Citibank (if you want to open an account with them) which allows you to fund a deposit account with a CC as a standard purchase and receive the miles. Depending on your credit and banking needs, you could easily open on checking account with Citi, fund it and then write yourself a check and close the account in 60 days.

I'd recommend getting a CC. Even if you have, say the Citi Mastercard AAdvantage, you can open and get the welcome bonus for both the Business MC and the AMEX.

I would say that flying to Brazil before Feb 15 would be a reasonable option. There is a double miles promo until then. And with your PLT bonus, one round trip will give you plenty of miles.

It will take slightly longer as the $785 or $810 fares come with a 2 night stay and the routing comes as SAN-DFW-MIA-SSA-REC-MIA-LAX-SAN - There are plenty of variations available. This gives you about 13,000 EQMs and 39,000 RDMs with the double miles and your PLT bonus.

sorry to be a broken record, but ... don't forget US citizens need a visa to enter Brazil

PS: to those of you who don't get the idiom "like a broken record", go find someone who remembers record players

Adding in the various costs--a couple days lodging, visa, maybe fees to bring along a surfboard--I don't know that Brazil works. And I definitely don't see my wife sending me off to Brazil without her.

Any other ideas, maybe for a destination taking advantage of the AA/One World 10,000 mile bonus?

> I definitely don't see my wife sending me off to Brazil without her.

I went to Rio and Sao Paulo for a mini-vacation last Dec w/o Mrs benzguy80 but with our daughter in tow. Was thinking it was a good thing some other male friend with daughter didn't do likewise (refer to "Blame it on Rio").

Well, f you are currently PLT or EXP, and can get a good rate that includes lax-lhr or jfk-lhr, you can get doubles miles for those segments, in addition to your elite bonus.