American Airlines Vacations just launched a new scratch-off promotion that offers players a discount and a chance to win a vacation:

Plan Now for Big Savings and Enter for a Chance to Win a Dream Vacation!

Click and drag the coin across the game card to reveal vacation package savings of up to 10%! Match any three offers and with that offer.

Then, register to receive your promotion code and you’ll also be entered for a chance to win a dream vacation!

Hint: If you don’t like the scratch-off results, just refresh the page and play again.

The prize is a $5,000 electronic gift certificate issued by American Airlines to be used toward an AA Vacation package purchase. All entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. Central on September 21, 2012. Go here to read the rules and go to www.AAVacations.com/Scratch-Off to enter.

Reader Giveaway

Speaking of winning stuff….here’s your chance to win an American Airlines Amenity Kit and a 10% discount code you can use to save money on your next ticket purchase!

The discount code is courtesy a reader who had a spare (thanks WIS!), and the amenity kit is my own. It’s brand new and still sealed in the plastic.

Next time you’re in coach, pull out the kit and it’ll be just like sitting in First Class (minus the extra room, warm nuts, baked on board cookie, and butter mint).

The other day I mentioned that American was nominated for two awards in the Annual SimpliFlying Excellence in Social Media Awards. They’re among the finalist in two categories:

Best Airline in Social Media

Best Use of Social Media to Drive Customer Service

Voting runs though August 25, and if you haven’t already voted, you can go here to cast your ballot.

To enter my Reader Giveaway, all you have to do is correctly guess who I voted for in the Best Airline in Social Media category and leave your answer in the comments section.

Monday, I’ll have a random drawing from among all the correct answers and will announce a winner.  One entry per person. The deadline to enter is Sunday, August 19, at 11:59 PM Pacific Time.

Good luck, don’t forget to vote, and have a great weekend!!

I’m traveling to California (and earning some Double Elite Qualifying Miles), so just a short post to tell you about the new “Piece Together Your Vacation” promotion from American Airlines Vacations:

Complete a Puzzle.
Choose an Offer.
Book your Vacation for a chance to win 100,000 AAdvantage Miles!

Can you picture your next vacation? Get inspired when you try your hand at our vacation puzzles. Simply complete a puzzle to reveal a choice of six incredible offers, such as a 10% discount, to use toward your vacation package.

Use your promo code to book your spring break trip, summer vacation or a weekend getaway and get a chance to win 100,000 AAdvantage miles — that’s enough for two round-trip tickets anywhere we fly!

I gave it a try and these were my results:

• $75 Off plus 2,500 AAdvantage Miles
• $25 car rental credit per day
• $50 Activity credit per person
• 5,00 AAdvantage Miles per booking
• 10% off booking
• Double discount: $100 off now; $100 off next time

There are two ways to enter:

Enter by Booking:  Visit www.aavacations.com/piecetogether and complete a puzzle. Purchase a flight + hotel (or flight + car rental) vacation package with a minimum total package price of $1,250 using the promotion code you receive after finishing your puzzle.

Enter Online:  No purchase necessary, just complete the form at www.aavacations.com/pieceenter and submit your entry.

There is a limit of one entry per person regardless of entry method.

From the rules:

• The promotion ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on March 9, 2012
• Approximate retail value of the Grand Prize: $1,999
• Winner is responsible for taxes

If I win, I’m going to Hong Kong.  Where will you go?  

Leave your vacation destination in the comments section for a chance to win a package of the new Marcus Samuelsson spiced nut mix that American started serving late last year.   I tried them a couple of weeks ago, and they’re pretty good.

If you want to see some photos, check out this review from the Weekly Flyer over at Points, Miles & Martinis.  

I’ll have a random drawing in the morning and the winner will be announced tomorrow.   One entry per person. The deadline to enter is tonight at 11:59PM Pacific.

Good luck!

If you’re thinking about a winter break (or planning ahead for Spring Break) American Airlines Vacations is offering 5,000 Bonus AAdvantage Miles when you book airfare and a 4 night stay at the Hilton Los Cabos Beach & Golf Resort:

Plan a relaxing getaway at the Hilton Los Cabos Beach & Golf Resort for four nights or longer and earn 5,000 American Airlines AAdvantage bonus miles!  Book online for an additional 500 AAdvantage miles for a total of 5,500 AAdvantage miles.

The Hilton Los Cabos features one of the only swimmable beaches in Los Cabos, with luxuriously appointed accommodations. You’ll also enjoy renowned golf, a world-class spa, gourmet restaurants and remarkable amenities. This award-winning resort sets new standards for luxury in Los Cabos.

You have to book your vacation by February and travel by May 31, 2012.   Go here for more info or to read the terms and conditions.

Photo: hilton los cabos 05
Credit: lecates on Flickr

Maybe Maya Leibman and her AAdvantage team have been busy planning the big oneworld MegaDo, but it seems that October has been a slow month for AAdvantage bonus offers.  

Fortunately though (for you and for me), the American Airlines Vacations team has been busy coming up with new promotions, otherwise I’d be bringing you the latest AAdvantage eShopping bonus offers.  Instead, we have offers like this new one from AA Vacations: Earn Up To 30,000 AAdvantage Bonus Miles With Australia Vacation Packages.

Book an Australia travel package that includes your flight and hotel with American Airlines Vacations and you can earn up to 30,000 AAdvantage bonus miles with promo code AUSSIE at check-out! The longer your stay, the more miles you can earn.

Earn AAdvantage Bonus Miles

• Stay 7 – 9 Nights & Earn 10,000 Miles
• Stay 10 – 13 Nights & Earn 20,000 Miles
• Stay 14 Nights or Longer & Earn 30,000 Miles

I was able to find available combo airfare/hotel packages from Dallas for about $3,400 for a single traveler and about $2,800 per person for two people traveling together.

This promotion is valid for new reservations made between October 1 – November 30, 2011, for travel between October 15, 2011 – June 30, 2012.

The terms and conditions state that this offer can’t be combined with any other offer, so you won’t be able to use a promo code from the new “Where’s the Deal” promotion from AA Vacations.  You’ll also have to purchase both airfare and you hotel to qualify for the bonus miles.   To read the fine print of to plan your own Australian vacation, go here and use promo code AUSSIE when you book your package.

American Airlines Vacations just launched a new promotion where you select a bonus offer and then play a hand of Black Jack to receive that offer.  Here’s how the describe it in their press release:

To highlight the extension of its lowest price guarantee to its entire suite of travel products – including vacation packages – American Airlines today launched the “What’s The Deal?” online booking promotion. The promotion, which runs through Nov. 9, allows customers who book a package with American Airlines Vacations(sm) to choose from a variety of deals they can put toward their next trip.

To participate, customers simply need to visit www.AAVacations.com/promo, choose one of six available offers, and then go head-to-head with a virtual “dealer.” With the offers customers can:

• Get $75 off and earn 2,500 American Airlines AAdvantage bonus miles when booking their vacation package

• Get $50 off per person when booking their vacation package

• Receive a $25 nightly discount for a future hotel stay when booking their vacation package

• Earn 5,000 AAdvantage bonus miles when booking their vacation package

• Get 10 percent off their entire vacation package

• Receive $100 in savings on their vacation package, as well as a $100 promo code for a future vacation package

I’ve been kicking around the idea of a short vacation to someplace warm (Hawaii or Barbados) in January or February. Fortunately, the promo period runs until till the end of February 2012:

Booking dates for the “What’s The Deal?” promotion are Oct. 10 through Nov. 9, 2011, and travel must be completed by Feb. 29, 2012. Blackout dates are Dec. 21-26, 2011, and Feb. 18-20, 2012.

I played three times and beat the house each time, so if you don’t win, try again. Go here to play or for more details.

It may seem a little early to start planning a break from winter weather, but fall is just a little over a month away and now is a good time to start shopping Hawaiian travel bargains and bonus offers. AAVacations just introduced this promotion for travel between August 15 – December 26, 2011:

Escape to paradise and earn 5,000 American Airlines AAdvantage bonus miles when you stay at select Hyatt Hotels & Resorts in Hawaii!  Choose from gorgeous properties on Maui, Oahu and Kauai and you’ll also enjoy special savings offers such as free breakfast or a free night stay.

Book online and earn an additional 500 miles for a total of 5,500 AAdvantage miles.  To take advantage of this bonus offer, book a flight and hotel package for three nights or longer with AAVacations at one of these Hyatt properties:

Hyatt Regency Waikiki Resort in Oahu

Hyatt Regency in Maui

Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa in Kauai

Go here for the full details or to book a Hawaiian winter break using promo code HYATT5K.

“25,000″ Photo credit: Jena Fuller on Flickr

AAdvantage 30th Anniversary Deal of the Day update: Stay 3 night consecutive nights by June 16, 2011 at a Radisson and earn 3,000 AAvantage Miles. Go here for eligible rates and other details. Don’t forget to submit your name in the daily drawing for 30,000 AAdvantage Miles.

This is easily the best American Airlines Vacations offer I can recall in a long time.  Spend as little as $500 on an air and hotel package and qualify for 2,000 bonus AAdvantage miles.  Spending $5,000 will get you the full 25,000 miles. Here’s the breakdown from AAVacations:

SPEND $500 – $999 EARN 2,000 Bonus Miles
SPEND $1,000 – $1,499 EARN 3,500 Bonus Miles
SPEND $1,500 – $1,999 EARN 5,000 Bonus Miles
SPEND $2,000 – $2,499 EARN 7,500 Bonus Miles
SPEND $2,500 – $2,999 EARN 10,000 Bonus Miles
SPEND $3,000 – $3,499 EARN 12,500 Bonus Miles
SPEND $3,500 – $3,999 EARN 15,000 Bonus Miles
SPEND $4,000 – $4,499 EARN 17,500 Bonus Miles
SPEND $4,500 – $4,999 EARN 20,000 Bonus Miles
SPEND $5,000 or more EARN 25,000 Bonus Miles

I haven’t decided yet where I’m going for vacation, so I’m not able to use this promo to make those plans. In the past I’ve used AAVacations to book business travel for conferences and other occasions and have found their prices to be very competitive.  I’ve even been able to save money using them.  I’m planning to be in Chicago later this summer for a conference and will definitely use AAVacations to make those arrangements.

You have to book your travel by May 31, 2011 and complete your travel by December 31, 2011. You’ll even earn an extra 500 AAdvantage miles if you book your travel online. Use promo code MILES to earn this bonus. Go here for complete term and conditions.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bf6zeRwk5LE
“Rio Trailer” Credit: FoxMovies on YouTube

Overstock.com and American Airlines Vacations are offering a new “Fly Away to Rio Sweepstakes” to promote the the movie and the RIO Boutique at Overstock.com.

Welcome to the RIO Boutique. While you’re here, enter daily to win a trip for two to Rio De Janeiro. Order all your creature comforts from Overstock.com and get inspiration from the characters of the movie RIO. Also, find other fun activities – download our mobile app to get free ringtones and wallpaper, and “Like” us on Facebook to take the quiz and find out which RIO character you are.

The Sweepstakes ends at 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time on April 28, 2011. You can enter once a day and all entries must be received during this period. To enter, just go to the Rio Boutique page at Overstock.com and fill out the entry form.

“Double” Photo credit: unsure shot on Flickr

Another way to earn AAdvantage Miles when traveling is to book your hotel, car rental, tours, activities, and transfers on AA.com. Usually you would earn 250 AAdvantage Miles for a hotel stay and one mile for every dollar spent on other travel related purchases, but if you register for American’s newest promotion, you’ll earn 2 miles for every dollar you spend on hotels, rental cars, and other non-airfare travel items at AA.com.

Earn two AAdvantage miles for every dollar you spend on hotels, car, rentals, activities and cruises.

For the first time ever, you can earn two AAdvantage miles for every dollar you spend when you register and book your next hotel, car rental, activity, or cruise on AA.com.

Along with being doubly rewarding, booking on AA.com is simple and you’ll always get our Lowest Price Guarantee. If you find a cheaper price anywhere on hotels, car rentals, activities and cruises… we’ll match it!

Hurry, this double miles offer ends May 4th.

Go here to register for this offer or to read complete terms and conditions.

“Vacation Motel sign” Photo credit: Brent Moore on Flickr

American Airlines is offering 500 AAdvantage Miles when you book your vacation through AAVacations.com:

American Airlines Vacations offers great value at competitive prices. All of our vacation elements are offered as components, so you can design the trip that suits your interests. You can earn AAdvantage miles on your flight and 500 miles just for booking your trip on AAVacations.com.

Certain restrictions apply and be aware that you can’t earn the miles if you use AAdvantage Miles to pay for any portion of your package, go here for complete details.

And through April 20, 2011 you can save an 10% if you use promotion code TAKE10 when you purchase your vacation:

For a limited time, take an additional 10% off hotels, resorts, rental cars and activities with promo code TAKE10! No minimum purchase. No minimum stay. No limit to how much you can save. No kidding!

Think of it as a Vacation Stimulus Plan! There’s no limit to how much you can save or how many times you can use this coupon. Plus, this offer is combinable with already great specials throughout the world, such as free nights, reduced rates on flights and more.

Discount will be applied to total package price, excluding airfare, cancellation and change waivers, taxes, fees and insurance. Offer is valid for new reservations made between March 22 – April 10, 2011 and for travel between March 24 – December 31, 2011.

Go here to plan your vacation using promotion coupon code TAKE10, you’ll also find the full terms and conditions of the offer.

(Editor’s note:  They’re also offering a big sale that ends March 26, 2011, go here for complete details.)