American has launched several new routes and (just as they often do) they’re offering bonus AAdvantage miles to promote them. But this time they’ve made the offer a little sweeter.

Typically when they start new service between two cities they’ll offer double redeemable miles, but with these latest promotions they’re doing something new and offering double miles for main cabin fares, and triple miles for paid first class travel.

Earn Up To Triple Miles Between Miami And San Diego

Offer: Beginning June 12, American Airlines will offer daily nonstop service between Miami and San Diego, giving you more choices. To celebrate, you can earn triple miles for travel in First Class, or double miles for travel in the Main Cabin

Flight # 1065
Departs Miami 6:50 p.m
Arrives San Diego 8:55 p.m.

Flight # 1042
Departs San Diego 9:45 p.m
Arrives Miami 5:40 a.m. (next day)

Offer Dates: June 12, 2013, through September 15, 2013

Promotion Code: SAN3X

Register prior to travel. Here’s a link.

Round-trip travel between SAN and MIA earns 4,534 base miles, so this is probably the offer that will most tempt mileage runners.

There are some sub $400 main cabin fares available for late Summer travel, and the lowest first class fare range between $1,000 and $1,100 much of the Summer.

First Class Fares

Coach Fares

If you’re a mileage runner that’s focused purely on Elite Qualifying Miles, then this offer probably won’t appeal to you: at best you’re paying nearly 7.72 cents per EQM. But if you’re looking to earn some elite miles and also earn a lot of redeemable miles, then depending upon your status level and fare, you can earn earn almost enough miles for a round-trip domestic ticket, or bring down your cost per mile to about 2.57 cents per mile.

First Class Here’s a breakdown of the base miles, 50% class of service bonus, triple miles bonus, and elite miles (if applicable)

Coach Here’s a breakdown of the base miles, double miles bonus, and elite miles (if applicable)

Here are the other Double and Triple Bonus AAdvantage Miles Offers:

Earn Up To Triple Miles Between Chicago And Portland, Oregon

Offer: Beginning June 12, we will offer daily nonstop service between Chicago and Portland, Oregon, giving you more choices.

To celebrate, you can earn triple miles for travel in First Class, or double miles for travel in the Main Cabin.

Flight # 2027
Departs Chicago 10:10 a.m.
Arrives Portland 12:30 p.m.
Flight # 2057
Departs Chicago 3:50 p.m.
Arrives Portland 6:10 p.m.

Flight # 358
Departs Portland 7:10 a.m.
Arrives Chicago 1:05 p.m.
Flight # 2040
Departs Portland 1:15 p.m.
Arrives Chicago 7:10 p.m.

Offer Dates: June 12, 2013, through September 15, 2013

Promotion Code: PDX3X

Register prior to travel. Here’s a link.

New Route Between Los Angeles and Eugene, Oregon

Offer: Starting on June 12, you can fly nonstop between Los Angeles and Eugene, Oregon. This service will be offered twice daily on a 50-seat Bombardier CRJ aircraft (operated by SkyWest Airlines).

To celebrate, we’re offering double miles every time you fly this new route through September 15.

Offer Dates: June 12, 2013, through September 15, 2013

Promotion Code: EUG2X.

Register prior to traveling. Here’s a link.

New Nonstop Flight Between Los Angeles and Redmond, Oregon

Offer: Starting on June 12, you can also fly nonstop between Los Angeles and Redmond, Oregon. This flight will be operated once each day on a 50-seat Bombardier CRJ aircraft (operated by SkyWest Airlines).

You can earn double miles every time you fly this new route through September 15.

Offer Dates: June 12, 2013, through September 15, 2013

Promotion Code: RDM2X

Register before you travel. Here’s a link.

The LAX Admirals Club is hosting an event today that I’m sure would earn the Weekly Flyer’s approval:

LAX Mixing It Up with Matt 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Matt Martinez is a liquor industry veteran with over 20 years experience. Matt spent 16 years behind the bar and has run the beverage programs for both the Beverly Hills Hotel and Gordon Ramsay. Matt has been awarded the titles of Grand Mixologist by Travel and Leisure Magazine (2007) and Top 10 Trend Setting Mixologists 2008 by Beverage Media Group. He has been featured in periodicals such as the Robb Report and Los Angeles Times Food & Wine section.

Matt currently works as Brand Development Manager and Mixologist for Young’s Market Co. He will be working with the LAX bartenders today from 3 – 6. See you at the bar!

Go here for full details.

Photo: Martini
Credit: Chris Palmer on Flickr

Good morning and Happy New Year!

American announced four new routes on Christmas Eve, so just in case you missed the news:

We’re kicking off 2013 by adding new routes to our ever-expanding network, making it easier than ever to travel throughout the United States and beyond.

Enjoy more options from our Los Angeles (LAX) and New York (JFK) hubs to new destinations throughout the United States. Beginning December 23, 2012, you can book travel between:

Los Angeles and Raleigh, North Carolina (RDU) (Beginning April 2, 2013)
New York (JFK) and Houston Bush Intercontinental (IAH) (Beginning April 2, 2013)
Plus, we’re expanding our presence in the Caribbean to bring you new service between:

Miami (MIA) and Martinique (FDF) (Beginning April 6, 2013)
Miami and Pointe a Pitre, Guadeloupe (PTP) (Beginning April 6, 2013)

Here’s the schedule (via Airline Routes)

AA 1342 from LAX to RDU will departs at 8:20 AM and arrive at 4:25 PM daily. AA 1329 will depart RDU at 5:15 and arrive at LAX at 8 PM. American will use a 737-800 on the route.

American will also use a 737-800 on the JFK – Houston route. AA 1901 will depart JFK at 5:25 PM and arrive IAH at 8:20 PM. AA 1972 will depart Houston at 10:10 AM and arrive at JFK at 2:45 PM.

Go here for more details.

There were a few other route changes that were made just before the holidays including cancellation of their their 3X daily Boston/London service.  Back in 2009 they reduced capacity on this route when they went from 767s to 757s, so I guess it’s not too surprising to see it go.  If you’re ticketed to travel on one of American’s direct flights between BOS and LHR after March 31, 2013 you should check your reservation or contact AA to be re-ticketed.

In May, American’s will reduced the number of flights between JFK and London when they go from 5 to 4 daily flights.  They’ll be adding an extra Chicago/London flight and another Miami/London flight.

American introduced their Flagship Check-in service at LAX late last year, and since then they’ve also expanded it to Miami.   Flagship Check-In offer American’s premium cabin customers an elevated experience when the arrive at the airport for an international or transcontinental flight.

Jake Redman over at the Modhop video blog does a great job of putting together video trip reports and travel reviews.  He recently posted a video tour of the LAX Flagship Check-In experience and I thought you might find it interesting.

Go here to check it out.

The other day American announced that the Boeing 767-200s they use on their JFK to LAX and JFK to San Francisco routes will be replaced with smaller, 3 cabin Airbus A321s configured with fully lie-flat seats in First and Business class. They also revealed their plans to offer Main Cabin Extra seating, in-flight wifi, and in-seat entertainment systems throughout the A321 fleet.

After the announcement, I was able to ask some followup question of Alice Liu, Managing Director- Onboard Products at American.

Question: On the transcontinental routes you’re going from the 767-200 with 168 seats to a plane with a little more than 100 seats.   That’s a big reduction in capacity.  Are you planning to serve those routes with more flights?

Our current 767-200 aircraft has 160 seats and the A321T will have 102 seats. Servicing transcontinental routes with a narrowbody aircraft is consistent with our major competitors who also currently fly narrowbody aircraft in these markets.  We will have more details on the frequency of flights and the number of A321T aircraft we plan to have in our fleet at a later date.

Question: American is reducing the number of 3 cabin planes on international routes, choosing instead to upgrade and expand business class, and your competitors have eliminated  3 class service on their JFK to LAX and JFK to SFO routes.  You’re choosing to think differently on these transcontinental routes.  What made you decide to keep the 3 cabin configuration?

American plans to be the only airline to offer a three-class configuration on transcontinental flights, and expects to be the only carrier to offer fully lie-flat seats in First and Business Class on transcontinental flights.

Using narrowbody aircraft in a three-class cabin configuration outfitted with fully lie-flat premium class seats, Wi-Fi and in-seat entertainment throughout on transcontinental routes allows American to significantly reduce cost while continuing to provide a truly premium experience for our high value customers.

Question: With fully lie-flat seats in the premium cabins and upgraded inflight entertainment options, the emphasis seems to be on an enhanced customer experience.  How are the JFK to SFO and JFK to LAX markets different than (let’s say) DFW to LAX?

We know New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco are important business hubs, and many of our high-value customers fly coast-to-coast quite often.

While this announcement does impact our customers that fly transcontinental routes, we strive to deliver an enhanced customer experience to all of our customers.

Our narrowbody enhancements are just the latest in a series of investments we are making to renew our fleet, and the continued progress will benefit all of the markets we fly.

Question: Are you going to continue offering your entertainment on demand in-flight streaming video product?

Yes, entertainment on demand will continue to be offered on our 767-200s transcontinental aircraft.

In-seat inflight entertainment will be available throughout the new A321Ts, and we are currently evaluating the specifics of the entertainment options that will be available to customers.

Question: When will the first of the new A321 Transcons go into service and who gets it first?  LAX or SFO?

American intends to take delivery of these aircraft beginning in Nov. 2013 through 2014. We will have more details at a later date.

Question: Any chance that these new planes will have a new livery?

As you know the Airbus aircraft are composite planes meaning the exteriors cannot be polished like we currently do with our aircraft today.

We are evaluating how to address this in terms of the look and feel of the exterior of the aircraft and will have more details to share at a later date.

When I first learned that they would be replacing their 767-200s with the smaller planes, I was a little sorry to see them go. The big planes always excite my inner eight year old.

But after seeing the images and this video, my inner eight year old started daydreaming about flying through a night sky, across the country in a fully lie-flat seat!

A hat tip to Alice taking the time to answer my questions and to Laura A. at American for helping to make it possible!

Here’s a chance to travel like a celebrity, and to meet one.  American Airlines just launched their new Guaranteed Smoothness Sweepstakes to promote their Five Star VIP travel assistance, and the winner of the drawing will receive a VIP trip to Los Angeles and will get to meet Michael Bublé.
From the promo page:

Beginning today, the American Airlines Five Star Service Guaranteed Smoothness Sweepstakes offers customers the opportunity to register for the chance to win a VIP trip to Los Angeles complete with American’s Five Star Service and an exclusive, VIP meet-and-greet with legendary smooth jazz singer Michael Bublé.

“Our celebrated Five Star Service offers customers personalized assistance that ensures an expedited and hassle-free travel experience,” said Nancy Knipp, American’s Managing Director – Premium Services.

“The lucky winners of our sweepstakes will experience firsthand the smooth Five Star Service travel experience and will be treated like a VIP from start to finish during this once-in-a-lifetime journey.”

Some details of the prize

Through June 11, 2012, customers can register at www.aa.com/buble for the chance to win an exciting trip package that includes two First Class tickets to Los Angeles (LAX);

Five Star Service for two;

an exclusive, VIP gathering with Michael Bublé;

A $2,000 American Express gift card to be applied toward hotel, dining, shopping and more.

If you’re not familiar with American’s Five Star service, it’s one-on-one personal assistance at the airport to escort you through the check-in and security process to minimize wait times and stress, and to get you to the Admirals Club where you can relax before your fight:

Here’s a list of 5 Star services:

Coordinate with Car Service
Curbside Meet & Greet
Assist with Check-in including exclusive Flagship Check-in at participating airports
Expedite through Security Queue
Admirals Club Lounge Access
Pro-active Flight Monitoring and Priority Re-Accommodation during Delays
Escort to Gate
Coordinate Special Requests with In-Flight Crew
Pre-Boarding Assistance

It cost between $125-$200 for Domestic Five Star travel assistance.   The service has received good reviews (like this one from Marshal Jackson when he purchased Five Star Service for his mom as a Mother’s Day gift), and though I can’t imagine actually needing the assistance for myself, I’ve been tempted to try it just so that I can check out the Flagship Check-in area at LAX.  

As for the sweepstakes, I have to confess that I had heard the name Michael Bublé but wasn’t sure why he was famous (now I know), which isn’t a comment on him or his celebrity so much as the fact that my iPod is living in the 90′s!

From the terms and conditions:

• NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.
• OPEN TO/ENTRY DETAILS: Open to legal residents of the 48 contiguous United States and the District of Columbia who are 18 years or older.
• Sweepstakes begins at 11:59 a.m. [Central time (“CT”) April 27, 2012 and all entries must be received by 11:59 a.m. CT time on June 11, 2012.
• PRIZE DETAILS: Two (2) Grand Prizes each with an ARV of $8,400. Total ARV of all Prizes: $16,800.

Go here to enter. Good luck!

Photo: Michael Bublé
Credit: Eva Rinaldi on Flickr

You can earn double AAdvantage miles between LAX and nine destinations:

Participating Airlines: American Airlines and American Eagle

Award: Double Miles

Offer: Earn double AAdvantage miles for travel on select nonstop flights on American Airlines or American Eagle between Los Angeles and:

Denver, CO
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Fresno, CA
Nashville, TN
Phoenix, AZ
Reno, NV
San Diego, CA
Sacramento, CA
Toronto, Canada

Offer Dates: Travel between April 16, 2012 and June 30, 2012

Promotion Code: WCDBL

Registration is required before you travel. Go here to sign up or for more details.

The Double Elite and Double AAdvantage Miles offer is back (actually, it never expired).

American is extending their offer to residents of Illinois, Texas, and California of Double Elite Qualifying Miles and Double AAdvantage Miles on flights between Chicago and San Francisco/Los Angeles, and Dallas-Ft.Worth and San Francisco/Los Angeles. This isn’t a big surprise considering that they and Virgin America are still aggressively competing on these routes.

One new twist to the offer: flights between Chicago and Orange County are included in this promotion.  Virgin American doesn’t fly between the two cities, but AA and United have both been offering some cheap fares on the route, so maybe this is related.

The bonus code remains the same, so no need to register again if you’ve already signed up for this offer.  Here are the details:

Offer Extended Through June 30, 2012. Now You Have More Time To Increase Your Mileage Balance and Qualify For AAdvantage Elite Status Faster

Award: Double Elite-Status Qualifying Miles. Double Flight Miles

Bonus Code: DEQ11

Dates: Book your trip and fly between October 27, 2011, and June 30, 2012

Offer: Reach AAdvantage elite status faster than ever with this offer and add to your mileage balance at the same time! Just book a round-trip ticket and fly on American Airlines between Chicago O’Hare and Los Angeles, Orange County* or San Francisco or between Dallas/Fort Worth and Los Angeles or San Francisco from October 27, 2011, through June 30, 2012. You’ll earn double flight miles AND double elite-qualifying miles, the miles that bring you closer to AAdvantage elite status membership – at an accelerated rate.

With so many choices, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to get to your destination and add more miles to your AAdvantage account:

Between Chicago and Los Angeles 10 nonstops each business day
Between Chicago and San Francisco 7 nonstops each business day
Between Chicago and Orange County 3 nonstops each business day
Between DFW and Los Angeles 18 nonstops each business day
Between DFW and San Francisco 11 nonstops each business day

Note: This offer is valid only for AAdvantage members with an address on file with AAdvantage Marketing programs in California, Illinois or Texas.

* Offer applies to travel booked and flown between Chicago O’Hare and Orange Country starting March 9, 2012 through June 30, 2012.

I’ve been curious about Virgin’s service and have wanted to try them just for fun, but not so curious as to give up the chance of an upgrade or the AAdvantage miles.  And with double elite miles and flight miles, there’s no chance of it happening.   Obviously, the marketing works!

Go here for complete terms and conditions.

Photo: Double
Credit: Gidzy on Flickr

I’m traveling this week and missed posting the results of Monday’s random drawing. So to start today’s post, Congratulations to worldtraveller2: you’re the winner of the new Marcus Samuelsson spiced nut mix!

Because more than 200 American Airlines pilots decided to retire during the 4th quarter of last year, American had to reduce the number of widebody 767 and 777 aircraft on their domestic schedule.

Well, it looks like they’re bringing them back. Here’s a look at the widebody flights (all 767s) that were added to the schedule:

Dallas- Ft. Worth

Date From To Flight Frequency
2/9/12 DFW LAX 2431 1234567
2/9/12 DFW LAX 2439 12345..
2/9/12 DFW SFO 1937 1234567

New York JFK

Date From To Flight Frequency
2/9/12 JFK LAX 1 1234567

Los Angeles

Date From To Flight Frequency
2/9/12 LAX BOS 222 1234567

2/9/12 LAX DFW 2414 12345..
2/9/12 LAX DFW 2416 1234567

3/11/12 LAX HNL 287 1234567

2/9/12 LAX OGG 161 1234567
2/9/12 LAX OGG 253 1234567

Kahului Airport, Maui

Date From To Flight Frequency
2/9/12 OGG LAX 14 1234567
2/9/12 OGG LAX 254 1234567

San Francisco

Date From To Flight Frequency
2/9/12 SFO DFW 414 1234567

There were also some routes that saw a reduction in widebody service: Chicago and Miami each lost two flights from one to the other.

I was hoping they’d bring back the widebody service between Chicago and Dallas, that was one of my favorite flights.

American used to fly a Boeing 777 with a 3 class configuration that was sold as a two class configured flight. It was still standard coach service in the business class cabin, but AAdvantage members with elite status were able to reserve the roomier seats.

Anyway, go here to see a copy of the complete domestic widebody schedule.

Photo: American 767 on a murky day SFO airport
Credit: Bill Abbott on Flickr

Last week American opened their new Flagship Check-In service at LAX.  From the AA.com website:

At American Airlines Flagship Check-in, you’ll get an exclusive, distinct experience that expedites your check-in process. Benefits include:

• A separate curbside entrance room at the terminal offers drive-up and drop-off convenience

• Access to customer service representatives who can personally assist with your individual travel
requirements, from check-in and baggage check to seat or itinerary changes or you have a choice to use available self-service kiosks

• Immediate access to a designated premium security line, offering you expedited access through security checkpoints

Unlike the Flagship Check-In area at London’s Heathrow airport, AAdvantage Executive Platinum status isn’t enough to get you admitted. It’s only available to First Class customers traveling on a three-class transcontinental or three-class international flight, ConciergeKey members, and Five Star Service customers.

Something else that’s changed is that American has introduced a separate premium check-in area for First and Business class passengers, AAdvantage members with elite status, oneworld elite status members, and customers traveling with PriorityAAcces.

Regular check-in is now located on the west side of the T4 lobby.

I flew out of LAX the other day I was able to use the new premium check-in area and thought it was a great improvement: the lines were short and I was able to clear security in record time.

The regular check-in area hasn’t changed though: the lines were long and it still looks like a refuge camp.

Anyway, I wasn’t able to take a photo of the Flagship Check-In area, so to give you an idea of how it looks, I found some images on Flickr and put together a tour:

American Airlines Flagship Curbside check-in
photo credit: Ed Schipul

Main Lobby
photo credit: dobrych

Passenger drop off
photo credit: lan Light

Flagship Ticketing
photo credit: denn

Flagship bathrooms
photo credit: Till Krech

Flagship TSA screening zone
photo credit: Stephen Carlile

If you’re traveling from LAX and use  the Flagship Check-in area, let me know if you take any photos and feel like sharing, I’ll put them up on the site.