Let this be a lesson to you.

Start a spreadsheet right now. On the top row, put in the amount of EQMs you have right now. Then, in subsequent rows, list flights you plan to take (broken up into segments), along with the mileage you'll earn for each segment. Include mileage from double EQM promos and class-of-service bonuses.

What happens if you don't do that? You end up 134 miles short.

I flew a ton in the last month or so, during which time AA was running a double-EQM ...

I'm currently reading an interesting book by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein. It's called Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness. The book is basically about the ways that we can "nudge" people to make good decisions without eliminating their freedom of choice. For example, workers in a school cafeteria can "nudge" students to make healthier choices by giving prime placement to healthy foods. Kids can still choose junk food, but the ...

...That is the question.

Right now I'm an AAdvantage Platinum (PLT) member. In a few weeks, I'll be EXP (Executive Platinum, the highest level in American's program).

I am not currently a member of the Admirals Club, American's lounges. But I'm thinking about it. There are two issues here. First, is membership even worth it? Second, if membership is in fact worth it, how should I acquire said membership? I'm going to deal with the first question below, and the ...

American Airlines announced recently that it was severely cutting flights at STL, Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, which is effectively ending STL's standing as an AA hub.

The move makes perfect sense. American inherited the hub from TWA, which left it with three hubs in the central time zone, and two within 300 miles of each other. Having hubs at both ORD and STL is just wasteful, and it came as no surprise to American customers that the bulk of STL's flight load was ...