In October, AA offered a fare sale in the NYC-DEN market... $490 round trip First Class fares and even including three class JFK-LAX flights in the mix. As a result, I could now comfortably requalify for Executive Platinum status both in 2015 (good until February 2017) and in 2016 (good until February 2018). And with the current and now extended AA premium class bonuses, earn 43,000 RDMs per round trip. At less than 1.2 cents per mile, what's not to like? And with the new AAdvantage rules, I get double EQMs on every premium fare flight.
I wound up buying 8 JFK-DEN round trips, 4 for November/December and 4 for January. My January 2016 flights are one per week, the exact same flights each trip. DEN-LAX-JFK tonight on the return of my last JFK-LAX-DEN flights, then a 2 hour turn at JFK before starting the next round trip, JFK-LAX and LAX-DEN. Wash, rinse, repeat.
Tuesday afternoon, I head for DIA and my usual garage Level 1 parking space. Then up to level 5 to the South PreCheck. Whoa, do they seriously use these lines for security somedays?
Only to find that the South PreCheck is closed. Seriously? 3:15p on a Tuesday?
Before trekking to North Security, I checked out Bridge Security option. Closed again.
So over to North Security where PreCheck was open but mobbed, not so much at the ID station, but the line for the conveyor. Apparently, it was kettle central today. Since there was only 35 minutes to boarding, I headed for the usual Gate 53.
DEN-LAX
AA 5977
E75
4:15p-5:55p
4:35p-6:25p
January 5, 2016
Dinner
Where it quickly became gate lice central. When one person stands in line, everyone else decided they should as well.
Once on board, an excellent LAX-based crew offered open bar PDBs.
Lots of legroom in row 1 on this E75.
Since I had added some lbs. on our New Zealand trip, I decided to see if I could go alcohol-free this trip. Also food free at least on this flight, as I declined the salad (with chicken or salmon) or pastrami sandwich options.
From last month, the salad with salmon. It's actually pretty good if you are hungry.
Taxiing to the bus terminal.
A three-class First LAX-JFK ticket gets you entrance to AA's Flagship Lounge, located inside the Admirals Club.
Even a little eye candy tonight.
Tonight's menu looks good, at least on paper.
In reality, not so much. Do you think the kitchen staff could check these every now and then? Pretty pathetic. You have to be pretty desperate to eat this stuff.
Yeah, these look really good. Yikes.
I checked back about a half hour later and the staff had finally replenished the food offerings.
Salmon was pretty good. Beef was terrible.
Dessert was very good.
LAX-JFK
AA 10
A321T
9:30p-5:45a +1
January 5, 2016
First Class
Late Night Supper
For domestic travel, this is about as good as it gets. American's A321T flies between JFK and LAX/SFO and features 10 seats in First Class with lie flat seats in a 1-1 configurations.
Some cabin pics from a previous daytime flight.
And tonight, seat 3F.
AA amenity kit.
Pretty good IFE with a good selection of movies, both recent and classics.
Excellent crew tonight and a new more substantial January menu. Choice of Shrimp Sliders with Asian Aoili or the Wagyu Meatloaf.
Spinach and artichoke dip was excellent as always, especially with the warm roll. The pita rounds continue to be disgusting. I've tasted better cardboard.
The Wagyu Meatloaf was a pleasant surprise although a little dry. Could have used a little more seasoning and/or a lot more pomodoro sauce. Roasted garlic mashed potatoes were gross... tasteless and absent any garlic flavor whatsoever. Odd that they would highlight caramelized onions when I only saw a sliver of one inside the half of the meatloaf I ate.
Just prior to landing, scones and yogurt fruit smoothie were tasty.
2016 EXP Cost and Mileage Log:
This trip:
Fare: $245
EQMs: 6,648
RDMs: 21,310
YTD 2016:
Fare: $364
EQMs: 7,497
RDMs: 23,008 ($0.158 per mile)
