I’m recovering from a cold, so last night I took some NyQuil and went to bed early. This morning I was still feeling a little sluggish and if it hadn’t been for an alert reader bringing this bit of news to my attention, I’m not sure I would have noticed until at least my the third cup of coffee.  So thanks Bob for your note!

Take an American Airlines Facebook survey for 500 free AAdvantage Miles and a chance to win up to 50,000 more!

We want your feedback! Take our Miles for Your Thoughts survey and earn 500 AAdvantage bonus miles, plus be entered for a chance to win 50,000 AAdvantage miles.

It’s easy to earn the miles, all you have to do is:

Visit American’s “Miles for your Thoughts” Facebook survey page;

“Like” both American Airlines and AAdvantage;

Then click “Get Started”

If you’ve already “Liked” both American Airlines and AAdvantage, then just click “Get Started”.

Take the survey. Your 500 miles will be deposited in 6-8 weeks and you’ll automatically be entered in a drawing to win 25,000 to 50,000 AAdvantage Miles.

From the official rules (opens as PDF):

Upon submitting information into the Promotion, each entrant will receive 500 American Airlines AAdvantage miles;

3 Second Place prizes of 25,000 AAdvantage Mile Sweepstakes (total ARV of $1500)

1 Grand Prize of 50,000 AAdvantage Mile Sweepstakes (total ARV of $1,000)

Don’t wait! This Promotion/Sweepstakes is open to the first 200,000 eligible entrants

All entries must be received by 10:59 p.m. CT on December 17, 2012.

Go here to get started.

I almost missed this new AAdvantage promotion (I guess I got distracted by the release of Apple’s Mountain Lion!).

American will get some serious screen time in the upcoming Bourne Legacy movie, and to highlight their featured role they’ve sponsored several promotions this summer:

Who Would You Take Sweepstakes (expired)
• Win 100,000 AAdvantage miles

Pack to Win Sweepstakes (expired)
• Win a trip for 2 to the premie of the Bourne Legacy

AAdvantage Bourne Legacy Sweepstakes (expires August 31)
• 200,000 AAdvantage miles, 6 nights’ hotel from Hilton, 7 days car rental from Avis, $750 shopping spree and $500 dining certificate

AAdvantage – Bourne Legacy bonus miles (book through September 15)
• Earn up to 30,000 bonus AAdvantage Miles with qualifying travel

Last week American launched another sweepstakes on their AAdvantage Facebook page, and I overlooked it, thinking that was one of the earlier promos.

I was wrong, it’s a new sweepstakes! The details:

AAdvantage Program Testing Grounds Sweepstakes

Welcome to the American Airlines AAdvantage program Testing Grounds. Assess your skills as an AAdvantage program Operative, complete missions, earn badges of honor, and enter for a chance to win 100,000 AAdvantage miles, hotel stays, car rental days and more!

Over the next few weeks, the Director will release five new missions to test your skills as an American Airlines AAdvantage program Operative. Completing a mission earns you an entry into that mission’s sweepstakes, plus an additional entry into the Grand Prize Sweepstakes. Complete all five missions to earn five entries into the Grand Prize Sweepstakes.

Mission Prize Sweepstakes:
• Mission 1: 3 free days of car rental service by Avis & Budget Group
• Mission 2: 25,000 AAdvantage bonus miles
• Mission 3: $300 Gift Certificates from AAdvantage Dining
• Mission 4: 2 hotel nights from Hilton HHonors
• Mission 5: 25,000 AAdvantage bonus miles

Grand Prize Sweepstakes:
• A custom vacation package including 100,000 AAdvantage miles, 4 hotel nights, 4 car rental days, and a $200 AAdvantage Dining gift certificate!

The first “mission” is underway and the second is coming up soon. The deadline to enter is 11:59 p.m. CT on August 31, 2012.  Go here to read the rules and to submit your entry.

Good luck and have a great weekend!!

American just launched a new sweepstakes on their Facebook page that offers a grand prize of 250,000 AAdvantage Miles:

Travel the world with American Airlines and Coca-Cola. American Airlines and the oneworld airlines serve more than 800 destinations in 150 countries. Coca-Cola is there to greet you every time, in every language.

Here’s a list of the prizes:

One (1) Grand Prize
250,000 AAdvantage miles and a Coke Weekender Suitcase
Total value per prize: $5,184.95

Three (3) First Prizes
25,000 AAdvantage miles and Oakley Sunglasses
Total value per prize: $587.95

Five (5) Second Prizes
Coke Prize Package: Weekender Suitcase and iCoke iPod Juke Box
Total value per prize: $508.95

To enter the sweepstake visit American’s Facebook page and “Like” the promotion.  You’ll be presented with three different Coca-Cola bottle caps, each in a different language, you play by matching each bottle cap to a location on the map.  Each correct answer will earn you one entry in the sweepstakes.

I’m not sure if the bottle caps are the same for everyone, but here’s a look at how I answered.

BTW, if I win, I may just use some of the miles to go to New Zealand just to see these public toilets in Wellington.

Go here to enter.  Good luck!!

Last Friday American took delivery of another new 737, and to promote the arrival of their new plane they put on a scavenger hunt in Miami.  They hid four 737 models at different locations in Miami then gave out hints on Facebook and Twitter.  The lucky four people that found the planes each won 5,000 AAdvantage Miles.

They also kicked off a new online scavenger hunt for a chance to win 50,000 AAdvantage Miles.  To enter all you have to do is go to American’s website, find and click the button labeled #Hello737, then complete the entry form.

If you want to do this without a hint, go to AA.com/Miami to get started.

For those that want a little more help, scroll down the page for a walkthrough.

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Go to AA.com/Miami

Click on the “Experience Miami” video

UPDATE:  The #Hello737 button is no longer visible.  Here’s a direct link to the Facebook page.  

Click the “#Hello737″ button on the bottom of the video player

Click on the “Enter” button

This will take you to American’s Facebook page. Complete the entry form.

UPDATE:  The #Hello737 button is no longer visible.  Here’s a direct link to the Facebook page.  The contest ends 11:59 p.m. CT on September 7, 2012. Good luck!

Also on the subject of winning AAdvantage miles, don’t forget that AAdvantage sponsors the Monday Deal of the Day over at the Frugal Travel Guy. Share your best AAdvantage or AA related travel advice for a chance to win 2,500 miles. Go here to add your tip.

It’s been a busy week for me, and you may have noticed a decline in number of updates I’ve been able to post.   If there’s been an increase in the general quality of  the internet these last few days, I hope it’s merely coincidental.

Speaking of busy…the folks over at @AmericanAir have been busy too: in the last few days they’ve released a new “Behind the Scenes” video, created the official American Airlines Pinterest page, and launched a new Facebook blogger contest.

Pinterest

I was at a Bar-B-Q last year and the hostess was telling me about about how much fun she was having pinning stuff on Pinterest.   At the time, I had never even heard of it, and while I thought it was a cool idea, I would never have guessed that it  would experience such crazy growth.

You’re probably familiar with it by now, but if you haven’t paid much attention to it, Pinterest is a “content sharing service that allows members to “pin” images, videos and other objects to their pinboard. Also includes standard social networking features”.

They’ve grown from about 600,000 monthly visitors in June 2011, to more than 17 million last month, and it’s a big enough audience that American is hoping to inspire travelers and aviation enthusiast with their new pinboard.

It’s only been up for a few days, but they’ve already pinned some interesting images (take a a look at their Retro board).

Anyway, I’ve thought about creating my own AAdvantage Geek Pinterest page, but I’m not sure that I need another distraction.   Go here to take a look at American’s Pinterest page.  

Facebook

Earlier this month, American launched a new Facebook promotion: share your favorite AAdvantage tip for a chance to win 5,000 miles. If you haven’t entered yet, hurry – the deadline to submit your entry is approaching:

Want the scoop on the best ways to maximize your AAdvantage membership? Read these top tips submitted by AAdvantage members like you! Got a tip to share? Submit your tip now through 5/1 and you’ll be entered for a chance to win 5,000 AAdvantage miles. On or around 5/23, we’ll select our 10 favorite tips to win.

There’s even a blogger component to the promotion: five bloggers (including me) were asked to offer their favorite AAdvantage tip.

Here are the details: the blogger with the tip that gets the most votes will win 5,000 AAdvantage Miles for themselves and 5,000 AAdvantage miles to give away in a reader contest of some kind (for the record, if I win I’ll donate my 5,000 miles to AA’s Miles for Kids program).

I’m flattered that I was asked to take part in a promotion with The Frugal Travel Guy, The Weekly Flyer from Points, Miles & Martinis, Mommy Points, and Matt Long at Landlopers, so this is pretty exciting to me.

There are lots of good suggestions on the AAdvantage Facebook pages, so go read them, submit your own AAdvantage tip, and vote for your favorite expert advice (look for the “Expert Tips” tab)!

YouTube

American has just released their second video from their YouTube series: How does de-icing work? Behind the Scenes @AmericanAir

Two thoughts:

1. I like this video series, watching them feels sort of like taking a field trip without having to leave your desk.

2. I want a de-icing truck!

Photo: Daily News
Credit: Seth Anderson on Flickr

Good morning. Travel, and some technical difficulties at Boarding Area, conspired to keep me away from updating for a few days, but I’m back home and back to the blog.

Reader Giveaway Results:

Last Wednesday, I shared the seating dilemma I was facing, when I had to choose between a middle seat on an exit-row, or a non exit-row aisle seat. I asked readers to weigh in with their advice for a chance to enter a random drawing to give away an @AmericanAir USB Card with free Gogo Wifi code.

Congratulations to mangoMan! His comment, “Aisle. Sometimes exit rows suffer from a shorter seat base than regular seats and I find this particularly uncomfortable.” was randomly selected to win the AA USB card and wifi code.

Thanks to everyone for all the comments, I decided to take the aisle seat, something that 41 out of 58 readers said that they would do too. I got really lucky, the middle seat on my aisle stayed empty, so the window seat passenger and I were able enjoy the extra elbow room and extra storage space.

Speaking of advice, there are two ways for you win AAdvantage Miles today for sharing your favorite AAdvantage tip.

It’s MondAAy at The Frugal Travel Guy

The Frugal Travel Guy has lined up sponsors to give away reader prizes with each of his Deal of the Day updates.  American is the sponsor on Mondays and you can earn 2,500 AAdvantage Miles today just by sharing your favorite American Airlines related deal:

For today’s Deal of the Day American Airlines AAdvantage has provided 2500 AAdvantage miles for the best deals, fares, promotions, anything related to American Airlines, their oneworld partners or AAdvantage partners. Add it to the comments section of this post or this afternoon’s Deal of the Day post to be eligible to win.

One of my favorite tips is to redeem mileage awards to Europe in March or April.  Availability is is good and you can save miles by redeeming them at reduced MileSAAver Off-Peak levels. Besides, Spring in Europe beautiful and the museums aren’t as crowded.  Go here to share your tip. 

Check out the AAdvantage Facebook page

You can also win some miles by sharing a tip on the AAdvantage Facebook page (hat tip to Michael W Travels):

Do you think you’re an AAdvantage miles expert? Do you research which retailer will earn you the most miles? Are friends and family in awe of the trip to Europe you took with your miles? Share your knowledge! Introducing the new Tips Tab, where you can share your AAdvantage program advice—from earning and redeeming miles to program benefits and reaching elite status.

Share your favorite AAdvantage program tip today and enter for the chance to win 5,000 AAdvantage miles!

Go here to get started.

This will probably be the busiest travel week of the year.  I was at DFW yesterday and it was already pretty busy.  Fortunately, though, I was’t traveling. I was just dropping someone off at the airport.

I have a friend from Sydney that was in town for a week on business. He usually travels to Dallas on Qantas and American Airlines, but he had to make this trip at the last minute and because the fare on Qantas was so expensive, he decided to book a trip on United (in economy).

We had arranged to meet yesterday for lunch and I had offered to give him a ride to the airport to catch his return flight. He was supposed to fly from Dallas to San Francisco and then connect to a United flight to Sydney. When we got to the airport I decided that rather than just dropping him off, I’d park and go in with him just to be certain that his flight hadn’t been cancelled or anything.

So we go over to the UA ticket counter to get him checked in. The agent tells us that his flight from DFW to SFO was delayed and that it looked unlikely that he’d be able to make his SFO connection, but that he thought he might be able to book him through Los Angeles so that he could connect to a United LAX to SYD flight.

My friend said to the agent, “I know you’ll do your best, but if at all possible, would you please try to put me in an aisle seat?”

After a few minutes typing at his keyboard the agent told my fried that he had some good news and some bad news. The good news was that he was able to get my friend on the LAX to SYD flight. And then the agent frowned and said with an apologetic voice, “I’m afraid that I wasn’t able to get you an aisle seat in economy, and that the best I can do is to put you in aisle seat in Business”.

He delivered the news so grimly that it took a second for it to sink in: he had upgraded my friend (who has no elite status on United) to business class.

Nice! A little holiday miracle (courtesy United).

oneword MegaDO News

December 14 was the deadline to enter a video in the American Airlines contest to become the official video blogger of the oneworld MegaDo. And now through December 21, you can go to the AAdvantage Facebook page and vote once per day for your favorite submission.

The winner will receive two passes to attend the MegaDO and the five submissions that receive the most votes will earn their creators 25,000 AAdvantage Miles.

There were lots of good videos but the choice was easy for me: I recognized one the contestants.

His name is Brian.  He’s a fellow AAdvantage Geek, and because he’s been one of my long time readers and has frequently left comments on this blog (as IPBrian), I thought I’d give him a little plug and tell you to be sure to view his video.

Go here to the AAdvantage Facebook page to view all the videos (including Brian’s) and to cast a vote for your favorite (good luck IPBrian!!).

Win a trip to South America on LAN Airlines

From now through December 24, oneworld member and American Airlines parter LAN Airlines is giving away a prize each day plus a grand prize: a five day vacation to Ecuador.  To enter their “12 Days of Christmast Giveaway, just go to the LAN Airlines US Facebook page. Good luck!

Speaking of LAN, they’re offering pretty cheap fares to Easter Island.  Tickets are usually a little pricey, but through the end of the years they’re offering fares for as little as $999.  Before you rush out and purchase a ticket, check out hotel prices. Easter Island is one of the world’s more expensive destinations.  

Premium Economy seats on AA.com

Mike Reed wrote about this a few days ago over on his Getting Status blog, but British Airways premium economy (World Traveler Plus) seating is now being displayed and sold on AA.com:

American Airlines’ customers can purchase Premium Economy seats on their partner airlines – before, customers would have to purchase through British Airways to buy this class of service.

I was looking at flights to Tokyo and noticed that it’s now possible to book JAL premium economy seats on AA.com. Take a look:

Something else you might notice in the screenshot: $84 fares from LAX to Narita. Don’t get too excited. This fare requires a round-trip purchase and the return fare is still more more than $900.

British Airways upgrades premium economy service:

In case you missed it, Jaunted gave  British Airways’ Word Traveller Plus, premium economy product a pretty bad review.  Of the food they wrote:

Ah, British Airways, perpetuating all those outdated stereotypes about crap UK food. We were hoping for something more palatable than “chicken and beef”; we got the same food as economy. A gin and tonic and some snack things, followed by a tasteless roast beef dinner and inedible pasta salad and the ironically-named “cherry creamy delight”, then an equally unpalatable sandwich and muffin before landing.

Now they’re reporting “British Airways’ Premium Economy Food Gets the Upgrade to Business Class“.

Photo credit: Christmas at DCA by Goddess Adrasteia via Flickr

We’re less than two month away from the first ever, oneworld MegaDo, and if you missed out getting a ticket, there’s still hope: The AAdvantage team just announced that they’re giving away two seats to the winner of their new Mega VIP Video Contest:

Enter for a chance to be the Official AAdvantage Video Blogger for a behind-the-scenes travel experience! The 2012 oneworld MegaDo is a trip for frequent flyers to get a unique look at the airline industry all while interacting with executives and fellow airline enthusiasts.

Here’s the prize:

• Grand Prize: Two passes to the sold-out Milepoint MegaDo – where you’ll act as the official AAdvantage video blogger; One night’s stay with Hyatt at each stop; A Flip HD Video Camera; Air transportation
• Runners Up prizes: 25,000 AAdvantage miles each (Viewers’ choice prizes)

Here’s how you enter:

Shoot, edit and upload a 30-60 second video detailing:
• Why should we pick YOU to be our official video blogger?
• Which part of the trip would you be most excited about?
• A little about yourself – What makes you tick? What are your hobbies? Be creative!

How to win:

Grand Prize Winner will be selected by an internal panel of judges based on:
• Enthusiasm and passion for participating brands and the MegaDo event
• Ability to tell stories through video in an engaging, professional and creative manner

This is a really special event.  It’s the very first oneworld MegaDo, and beyond that, there’s no guarantee that there will ever be another.  Here’s a look at the schedule:

You will fly to Dallas, Seattle, and Los Angeles on an exclusive fully catered charter flight and enjoy a variety of fun-filled events, including cocktail receptions and dinners with your fellow travelers and executives at American Airlines, oneworld, Hyatt, Boeing, and Milepoint.

Schedule
Wednesday, January 25th
Arrive in DFW for Hyatt Reception at Hyatt Regency DFW.

Thursday, January 26th
Spend day with American Airlines, meet senior management and go behind the scenes. Leave for Seattle in the evening.

Friday, January 27th
Go behind the scenes at Boeing. When finished, leave Seattle for Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles.

Saturday, January 28th
Social event with your fellow travelers at LAX.

If you’re interested, I’d like to encourage you to give it a try.  This is going to be a really, cool experience.  Go here to submit your video and good luck!

Back in September, American introduced a new contest on Facebook to promote the launch of a their new “Fly without putting your life on pause.  Be yourself nonstop.” advertising campaign.

Contest play was pretty simple: all you had to do was watch three commercials as they debuted over a three week period, and then answer three questions about each video. The contest was supposed to end on October 21. The grand prize: 200,000 AAdvantage Miles and everyone was supposed to get 100 AAdvantage Miles just for playing.

The first video, “After School” was released when the contest started on September 22, and then the next week the second commercial, “Scuba”, was introduced.  Then on October 5, when the the final commercial “Producer” was supposed to be released, nothing happend.  Crickets….

The Commercial Scavenger Hunt contest link was still visible on American’s Facebook page and according to the official rules, the dates hadn’t changed.  But other than a few unanswered questions left on AA’s Facebook wall, there wasn’t an update or mention of the contest.

Then this last Friday, on what was supposed to be the final day of the contest, they updated the contest page with a “Promotion Extended” graphic and with some new info added to the Terms and Conditions:

TO ENTER. Between 04:01 p.m. Eastern Time (“ET”) time on September 21, 2011 and 11:59 p.m. ET time on November 11, 2011 (“Promotional Period”),

1, After School, will be released on September 21, 2011, Commercial 2, Scuba, will be released on September 28, 2011, and Commercial 3, Music, release date TBD.

So basically, the contest has been extended till November 11 and between now and then, a new third commercial (“Music” rather than “Producer”) will be released.

If you haven’t played or if you want to see the updated rules, go here.

On another note…

This is completely off topic, but since it’s Monday and everyone needs a little amusement as they start the work week, here’s a story (with photos) from the Daily Mail in London about a kitten that looks like Hitler: “Heil Kitler! Abandoned puss who looks just like a furry Fuhrer”.  The photos were too funny not to share:-)

Here’s a new Facebook contest from American Airlines that promotes their new fall advertising campaign by giving you a chance to win 200,000 AAdvantage Miles and a year of free wifi by watching their new commercials and answering a few questions:

Commercial Scavenger Hunt
Our new commercials are all about highlighting the ways you can be yourself, nonstop while traveling with us. Play our commercial scavenger hunt for a chance to win 200,000 AAdvantage miles and Inflight Wifi for a year!

To play, just visit facebook.com/aa and click “MORE” from the left navigation menu, from there you can select the “Commercial Scavenger Hunt” link and “Like” the contest to get started.  Even if you don’t win, you’ll receive 100 AAdvantage Miles just for playing.

You’ll actually have to listen to the commercials in order to answer the questions, so if you’re at the office you might want to wait till your colleagues aren’t around.

Here’s a look at the new commercial “After School”:

The winner pays taxes and according to the terms and conditions the approximate retail value is $4,380.  Here are a few more details

AMERICAN AIRLINES COMMERCIAL SCAVENGER HUNT SWEEPSTAKES RULES

1. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR CLAIM PRIZE.

2. TO ENTER. Between 04:01 p.m. Eastern Time (“ET”) time on September 21, 2011 and 11:59 p.m. ET time on October 21, 2011 (“Promotional Period”), complete an official entry form online in the manner listed below. All entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. ET time on October 21, 2011. The entry process shall not be complete until the Entrant goes to www.facebook.com/aa and click on the Commercial Scavenger Hunt tab and correctly answer the three (3) trivia questions for minimum of two (2) of the three (3) new airline commercials (nine (9) question available, required to answer six (6) questions correctly). Commercials will be available for review for all questions. Commercial 1, After School, will be released on September 21, 2011, Commercial 2, Scuba, will be released on September 28, 2011, and Commercial 3, Producer, will be released on October 5, 2011. Once submitted, all entries become the exclusive property of American Airlines, Inc. (“American Airlines” or “Sponsor”) and will not be acknowledged nor will they be returned. Limit two (2) entries per person. The first entry a person may receive is for correctly completing the questions for a minimum of two commercials (total six (6) questions). A second entry may be acquired by sharing the promotion with friends on Facebook, via the automatic pop-up share option generated by Facebook.

All Participants who answer questions pertaining to the commercials will receive one hundred (100) American Airlines AAdvantage miles.

3. ELIGIBILITY. Sweepstakes open to individuals legally residing in the forty-eight (48) contiguous United States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico who are 18 years of age or older at the time of entry. Employees and agents of Sponsor, Administrator, Gogo, Facebook and each of their parents and affiliates, agencies, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, and members of such employees’ and agents’ immediate families and individuals living in the same household with such employees, are not eligible to enter or win Sweepstakes. Void where prohibited or otherwise restricted by law.

4. PRIZE DETAILS. One (1) Grand Prize Winner will receive: (i) 200,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles and (ii) One (1) Inflight Wifi Annual Pass from Gogo.

Goto facebook.com/aa to play.  Good luck!