Name: American Express® Gold Card
Brand: American Express

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.

TPG Contributor Eric Goldner just got back from an epic three-day adventure that earned him AA Platinum status. Here's how he did it.

A few weekends ago, I embarked on a mileage run that would take me from coast to coast, down to Miami and over to Panama for a grand total of $942.85. I was on a mission: to earn American Airlines AAdvantage Platinum status through January, 2018, and a bunch of redeemable miles, before the AA program changes go into effect on August 1.

Is the Mileage Run Truly Dead?

American Airlines currently offers several status challenge programs so flyers can quickly acquire elite status, including one in partnership with FoundersCard. Although you can technically still do AA mileage runs after August 1, your return won't be nearly as lucrative. Some people have been wondering if the mileage run is dead, but I'd say only to a certain degree.

For instance, by traveling before August 1, I was able to earn 9,432 base miles and 7,644 bonus miles, yielding a total of 17,076 redeemable miles (since I flew in business and first class on many segments).

However, under the new AAdvantage scheme, flyers will earn redeemable miles according to the cost of the ticket, so regular AAdvantage members would end up bringing in just 5x the miles flown. If I had done this trip after August 1, I would have earned 5x the $855 base fare ($620 for the Panama base fare, plus $235 for the one-way coach flight to LA) for my ticket, or just 4,275 redeemable miles, although I would have still earned the same number of elite-qualifying miles for the trip.

Booking

In order to earn the greatest number of miles in the least amount of time — three days to be exact — I included segments from Los Angeles (LAX) to New York (JFK), New York to Miami (MIA), Miami to Panama City (PTY), Panama City to Miami and finally Miami to New York. But first I needed to get to LA to begin my mileage run.

My journey began and ended in New York, allowing me to travel throughout the US and parts of Central America.

You generally can't add the initial flight from New York to Los Angeles in the same reservation, so I booked this leg separately for $267.10 in economy on AA.

The cheapest flight to position me in Los Angeles for the start of my mileage run was in AA economy for $267.10.

My original itinerary, shown below, had me flying additional legs from New York to Baltimore (BWI), Baltimore to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) and Dallas/Fort Worth to Vancouver (YVR), but by the time I got back to New York on day three, I'd decided I'd had enough flying for one trip so I opted to skip the last few legs. Since I booked this trip just after Britain's historic Brexit vote, I paid for my ticket in British pounds, which saved me about $50 due to the weakened British currency.

At the time I booked this trip, 506.50 British pounds translated to $675.75.

Flight #1: JFK to LAX — A321T in Economy

At long last it was time to start my three-day epic journey with American Airlines from New York (JFK). The first thing I noticed was the long line at check-in. Even though AA offers many check-in counters, my flight was set to depart at about the same time as several other international flights, which I'm assuming is why the main cabin lines were so long.

The main cabin check-in area seemed to have a longer-than-usual line when I arrived at JFK.

I'd flown out of JFK's Terminal 8 many times in the past, and usually walked toward the "semi-private" priority check-in counters. After asking several airline representatives, I learned that the priority lane had recently been moved to the middle of the terminal. Although it's not a long walk, this check-in area was not only very busy and disorganized, but I also didn't feel that I was being offered any of the special priority check-in services that come as a perk of having the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard as I had been on past trips.

The new American Airlines priority check-in counter at JFK.

The length of the main cabin check-in line was just a precursor to what the main TSA line looked like. Thanks to my Platinum Card from American Express, I was able to sign up for TSA Pre-Check (which is also a side-perk of getting Global Entry) at no additional cost. Having the ability to breeze through security within minutes makes traveling a more enjoyable and relaxing experience, not to mention what a great time saver it is.

The tiny TSA Pre-Check line allowed me to breeze through security within minutes.

Normally, I'd have access to the two Admirals Clubs at JFK, but due to American Airlines' latest round of renovations, the main lounge after security was only partially open — initially, I thought the lounge was completely closed, but I was informed by the agent at the Gate 42 lounge that it was indeed open, despite being under construction.

The Admirals Club near Gate 42 is only partially closed, and as a result, doesn't feature the same amenities as other lounge locations.

Although I didn't have priority access with my economy ticket from JFK to LAX, I was allowed to enter the lounge anyway, another benefit of having the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard. Although food certainly wasn't a highlight here like it is at some competitor's lounges, it still made for a nicer waiting experience than sitting at the gate.

The crowded Admirals Club near gate 42 still offered complementary snacks as well as a variety of drinks.

When I'd flown this route in the past, the upgrade list had more than a dozen elite members, but on this day, only five passengers requested upgrades. Nonetheless, the flight's two front cabins were fully booked and no one received an upgrade, which, sadly, is becoming the norm on this route nowadays.

Since I knew this flight would not feature any noteworthy food, I'd had dinner before I headed to the airport. Although Delta Airlines isn't my go-to airline, Biscoff cookies are its most well-known snack, and so popular that AA is now starting to offer them on its flights as well.

American Airlines offers two complimentary snacks: pretzels and Biscoff cookies.

American Airlines has a pretty decent economy product that was bearable for my upcoming six-hour flight, plus the two hours we ended up sitting on the tarmac.

Economy seats arranged in a 3-3 configuration made for a surprisingly comfortable ride to Los Angeles.

After the boarding process, I was thrilled to see we were still scheduled for an on-time departure — of course, as soon as I said this to my seat-mate, a TPG reader named Chad, I knew I had jinxed it. A few moments later, the captain informed us that the aircraft was too heavy, they'd have to make it lighter before we could leave and that we should expect a delay of about 15 minutes.

Unfortunately for us, after the weight problem was fixed, the crew announced that we had to wait in line again for a push crew from the gate, which took more than 90 minutes — not once did anyone offer refreshments or snacks during our nearly two-hour delay on the ground. We managed to make up some time in the air and landed in LA just one hour behind schedule.

Flight #2: LAX to JFK — A321T in Business

After landing in Los Angeles (LAX), the gate area was crowded with unhappy passengers who had already been dreading the red-eye flight bound for New York. Although I wasn't able to take many pictures on the plane, after having a similar experience to Editor-in-Chief Zach Honig's, but TPG Contributor Kevin Song had an opportunity to photograph a similar cabin last year.

The AA business-class cabin offered a 2-2 seat configuration. Image by Kevin Song.

After settling into seat 6C, I immediately slipped into my pajamas (which I still had from a recent stint in Cathay Pacific's first class) and was ready to fall asleep before we even began taxiing to the runway. The in-flight service was very well done and the main thing that stood out to me was how fast the meal service was. Although pre-departure beverages weren't offered, I appreciated how the crew recognized we all wanted to get to sleep quickly.

The plane was very well set up and ready for passengers to settle in immediately for the red-eye flight back to New York (JFK). Image by Kevin Song.

Flight #3: JFK to MIA — 777-200 in First

Toward the end of the LAX-JFK segment, I started talking to another TPG reader who was doing the same mileage run I was as a way to gain higher elite status with American Airlines. After de-planing at 6:45am, we headed to the same Admirals Club near Gate 42, but this time the lounge was practically empty.

With very few guests, the Admirals Club was a nice place to recover from our long flight.

As we departed, the in-flight service began, and to my surprise, we were given a hot meal with a choice of eggs or waffles. The waffles were served with fresh fruit and a selection of breads, which were all sub-par breakfast items, but considering it was a short flight, it got the job done.

For breakfast, I opted for fresh fruit and waffles, served with two types of bread.

I'd specifically chosen the 8:15am departure time for the JFK-MIA leg on American's Boeing 777-200 aircraft, which featured herringbone and reverse herringbone lie-flat seats. Although this was only a 2.5-hour flight, it's always more comfortable to be able to sleep at the push of a button.

Our American Airlines flight featured lie-flat reverse herringbone seats made by Zodiac.

On this new aircraft, Gogo in-flight Wi-Fi wasn't available, but AA's new Panasonic Wi-Fi service was for an additional charge.

While our scheduled arrival time was 11:18am, we actually ended up arriving at 10:45am. However, since we'd gotten in so early, our gate wasn't available and unfortunately, we weren't able to park at Gate D12 until 12:30pm.

Although I was lucky enough to have a lie-flat seat to lounge in, no one likes being stuck in the plane longer than they have to be. My connecting flight to Panama City (PTY) wasn't until 6:05pm, but my TPG reader friend missed his connecting flight to PTY that had been scheduled for 12:33pm — fortunately, AA was kind enough to grant him his original routing credit and cover accommodations due to the missed flight.

Flight #4: MIA to PTY — 737-800 in Business

After my third segment, I decided to go to the Centurion Lounge at MIA, located near gate D12, and was able to gain free access thanks to my American Express Platinum Card. American Express currently offers Centurion Lounges at six additional US airports, including Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), Las Vegas McCarran (LAS), New York-La Guardia (LGA), Seattle-Tacoma (SEA), San Francisco (SFO), and Houston (IAH).

The lounge was pretty full that day, and the servers could barely keep up with the demand of the delicious food inspired by Chef Michelle Bernstein. To maximize your time in the lounge, I'd recommend scheduling your request for a shower and a complimentary 10-minute massage upon arrival. While I had to wait about 45 minutes for each, it was well worth it!

Miami's Centurion Lounge offered a spacious and clean shower room.

Since I had some time to kill at Miami International Airport, I decided to drop by the massive Admirals Club near Gate D30. While it's a good lounge overall, it's just not comparable to any Centurion Lounge because of its barely cordial lounge representatives, cold snack selections and just a handful of amenities.

Admirals Club in Miami offers the usual selection of snacks.

As I saw our older aircraft pulling into the gate more than an hour late, I immediately knew the ride inside would be as unappealing as the outside looked — the interior wasn't retrofitted and was truly not up to AA's new standards.

Looking at one of AA's old silver bird planes, my ride from MIA to PTY.

Although this may not be its most popular route, American Airlines certainly should update the seats, especially the ones that don't recline — like mine.

Bulkhead seats offers spacious leg room, which was nice since the seat didn't actually recline.

I was pleasantly surprised that a hot meal was served. Although I wasn't very hungry, I wanted to try all the meals so I could compare them (hard work, I know). As anticipated, the meal wasn't edible at all since the chicken was cold and rubbery — the cookie was great though.

Green salad, served with chicken parmigiana and pasta, topped off with AA's signature hot chocolate chip cookie.

After a few hours, we finally began to make our turbulent decent into Panama City around 8:30pm.

A Brief Stay at the Aloft Panama

After a quick taxi ride from the airport, I arrived at the super-modern Aloft Panama hotel for a fantastic one-night stay that only cost me $109.

Thanks to a SPG Platinum 75-night elite membership, I received a complimentary upgrade to the 670-square-foot Aloft Suite, which normally costs $159 per night. The Suite featured a nice living room, a large bathroom, two queen beds and two televisions. Surprisingly, this hotel is only an SPG Category 2 property, although this was one of the nicest Aloft properties I've ever stayed in.

I really liked staying at the Aloft Panama.

A Quick Trip to the Panama Canal

When I arrived at the airport, the taxi line was quite long, but I ended up getting a driver who was a great tour guide, too.

Posing for a photo with Leo, a great taxi driver and tour guide when I visited Panama City.

With limited time in the city, I knew the one thing I wanted to see was the Panama Canal.

Driving through Downtown Panama City on our way to the Panama Canal.

For a Monday morning, the Miraflores Visitor Center was quite busy. Panama residents can visit the site for free, while admission is $15 for adult visitors ($10 for children ages 6-12).

The entrance to the Miraflores Visitor Center at the Panama Canal.

I was finally able to visit one of the wonders of the modern world, a place that had been on my bucket list for years. Unfortunately, there were no boats scheduled to go through the Panama Canal while I was there.

A cargo ship departs the Panama Canal way in the distance.

Even though I didn't get to see a boat go through from start to finish, I would still highly recommend making the 20-minute drive out to see this impressive structure up close.

After touring the outside viewing area and the museum, don't forget to check out the movie, which is offered in Spanish and English every 30 minutes.

A nearly completely full theater full of people learning about the history of the Panama Canal.

Flight #5: PTY to MIA — American Eagle E175 in Business/First

After a busy 22 hours in Panama City, it was time to get back to the US aboard one of American's older regional jets.

A view of the American Eagle Embraer E175 jet.

Although this wasn't a newer, retrofitted plane, I would still take the E175 jet over the B737 I flew in on any day because of the legroom and level of comfort it offered.

My bulkhead seat, 1A, for a three-hour flight back to Miami.

The thing that really caught me off guard was that we were given a full meal. Although no hot lunch choices were offered, the roast beef sandwich was surprisingly enjoyable.

Toasted mixed nuts, romaine lettuce salad, a roast beef sandwich with potato salad and a chocolate cheesecake all exceeded my expectations for this leg.

An Overnight Stay at the Element Miami International Airport

My experience at the Element was not nearly as good as my overseas stay had been at the Aloft Panama. As soon as I walked out of the airport in Miami, I spotted the Element hotel shuttle approaching the passenger pick-up area.

The opening view of the living room, which could easily seat many guests.

I received another upgrade, this time to the 680-square-foot Executive Corner Suite, but when I checked into my room, it felt very hot. I turned on the AC and expected the room to cool off after three hours of doing work and having dinner downstairs in the restaurant — but for some reason the room never cooled, nor was maintenance able to fix it at midnight when I finally called them.

If you're staying for a longer period of time, you can easily cook whatever you want in the room's kitchen area.

Although this is a new eco-friendly hotel, I cannot recommend staying at the Element Miami International Airport.

Flight #6: MIA to JFK — 767-300 in First

After a long, sleepless night at the Element, I packed up and headed to the airport as early as possible, arriving at 5:00am. Naturally, I headed straight to The Centurion Lounge.

The entrance to The Centurion Lounge at Miami International Airport.

Breakfast service began with fruit and cereal immediately, but hot meals weren't offered until 6:00am. Luckily, my flight wasn't leaving until 7:00am, but I was definitely on a time crunch once the lounge filled up and people started to crowd around the buffet line.

The Centurion Lounge, nice and empty shortly after opening at 5:00am.

Many flyers say they don't like AA's new retrofitted 767-300 aircraft. Although everyone has different opinions, this flight came in at a close second for my favorite lie-flat seat of the three-day trip, after the A321T's business-class product.

The American Airlines 767-300 First Class Cabin.

As soon as the cabin doors closed and I finished my pre-departure breakfast drink, I immediately put my seat down, and slept for the next 2.5 hours. In no time, we landed back at JFK and my mileage run (sadly) came to an end.

The side view of the 1-2-1 first class configuration in business class.

Was Doing a Mileage Run Worth It?

Many have asked me "Did you actually just do that?" and "How are you not falling asleep while standing right now?" Although I must admit that this type of routing can be exhausting, it's definitely worth doing and I'm so happy I went through with it.

As my trip met the 72-hour mark, I noticed Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs) starting to trickle into my AA account. I'd begun with 14,925 EQMs and ended up with a total of 32,001 EQMs.

Successfully achieving AA Platinum status was the most rewarding part of this trip.

A major advantage of doing a status challenge is that you don't have to earn all 50,000 EQMs, which is usually the normal minimum needed to earn this status tier. The only benefit that's not included in a status challenge is e-500 upgrades, which usually come with Platinum status, but since it's a paid challenge, I didn't receive any upgrades (although technically I could have bought each e-500 upgrade for as little as $40).

Looking back on my journey, it's a trip that I'll remember for many years to come, and I'm very excited to start flying on American Airlines with my new Platinum status.

TPG featured card

American Express® Gold Card

TPG editor's rating

at American Express's secure site.
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.

Rewards rate

Rewards rate
Rate	Category
4X	Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
4X	Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
5X	Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™.
3X	Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App™, or purchased directly from airlines.
2X	Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
1X	Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.

Intro offer

As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

Annual fee

$325

Regular APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Recommended credit

Excellent to Good

Pros + cons

Pros

Valuable dining and food-related credits
Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
Multiple travel and purchase protections
No foreign transaction fees
Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)

Cons

Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits

More details

You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™.
Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App™, or purchased directly from airlines.
Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
$120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
$100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
$84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
$120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
Enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
Book two nights or more with The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and receive a $100* credit towards eligible charges at over 1,400 upscale hotels worldwide. *Eligible charges vary by property.
Book your travel through the Amex Travel App™ with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
No Foreign Transaction Fees.
Annual Fee is $325.
Terms Apply.

Pros

Valuable dining and food-related credits
Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
Multiple travel and purchase protections
No foreign transaction fees
Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)

Cons

Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits

You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™.
Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App™, or purchased directly from airlines.
Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
$120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
$100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
$84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
$120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
Enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
Book two nights or more with The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and receive a $100* credit towards eligible charges at over 1,400 upscale hotels worldwide. *Eligible charges vary by property.
Book your travel through the Amex Travel App™ with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
No Foreign Transaction Fees.
Annual Fee is $325.
Terms Apply.

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.

TPG Contributor Eric Goldner just got back from an epic three-day adventure that earned him AA Platinum status. Here's how he did it.

Is the Mileage Run Truly Dead?

Booking

You generally can't add the initial flight from New York to Los Angeles in the same reservation, so I booked this leg separately for $267.10 in economy on AA.

Flight #1: JFK to LAX — A321T in Economy

American Airlines has a pretty decent economy product that was bearable for my upcoming six-hour flight, plus the two hours we ended up sitting on the tarmac.

Flight #2: LAX to JFK — A321T in Business

Flight #3: JFK to MIA — 777-200 in First

On this new aircraft, Gogo in-flight Wi-Fi wasn't available, but AA's new Panasonic Wi-Fi service was for an additional charge.

Flight #4: MIA to PTY — 737-800 in Business

Although this may not be its most popular route, American Airlines certainly should update the seats, especially the ones that don't recline — like mine.

After a few hours, we finally began to make our turbulent decent into Panama City around 8:30pm.

A Brief Stay at the Aloft Panama

After a quick taxi ride from the airport, I arrived at the super-modern Aloft Panama hotel for a fantastic one-night stay that only cost me $109.

A Quick Trip to the Panama Canal

When I arrived at the airport, the taxi line was quite long, but I ended up getting a driver who was a great tour guide, too.

With limited time in the city, I knew the one thing I wanted to see was the Panama Canal.

For a Monday morning, the Miraflores Visitor Center was quite busy. Panama residents can visit the site for free, while admission is $15 for adult visitors ($10 for children ages 6-12).

Even though I didn't get to see a boat go through from start to finish, I would still highly recommend making the 20-minute drive out to see this impressive structure up close.

After touring the outside viewing area and the museum, don't forget to check out the movie, which is offered in Spanish and English every 30 minutes.

Flight #5: PTY to MIA — American Eagle E175 in Business/First

After a busy 22 hours in Panama City, it was time to get back to the US aboard one of American's older regional jets.

Although this wasn't a newer, retrofitted plane, I would still take the E175 jet over the B737 I flew in on any day because of the legroom and level of comfort it offered.

The thing that really caught me off guard was that we were given a full meal. Although no hot lunch choices were offered, the roast beef sandwich was surprisingly enjoyable.

An Overnight Stay at the Element Miami International Airport

Although this is a new eco-friendly hotel, I cannot recommend staying at the Element Miami International Airport.

Flight #6: MIA to JFK — 767-300 in First

After a long, sleepless night at the Element, I packed up and headed to the airport as early as possible, arriving at 5:00am. Naturally, I headed straight to The Centurion Lounge.

Was Doing a Mileage Run Worth It?

As my trip met the 72-hour mark, I noticed Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs) starting to trickle into my AA account. I'd begun with 14,925 EQMs and ended up with a total of 32,001 EQMs.

Looking back on my journey, it's a trip that I'll remember for many years to come, and I'm very excited to start flying on American Airlines with my new Platinum status.

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