American Airlines Review

Flying American is usually from a need, not an airline specific choice.  I have about a 50-50 enjoyable flight experience ratio when flying American.  I know their big, go a lot of places, and have reasonable connections, particularly to South America, but if a bag is going to get lost, or a gate agent is going to have a bad day, it's usually on an American flight. 

That being said, I still fly them a fair amount because they fly everywhere, and they, with all of their faults, are a lot better than some of the others out there.  I guess the key with AA is not to expect the glamorous flying days of yesteryear, just expect the equivalent of a bus ride with wings.  They will get you there, but there may be some hiccups along the way.  Oh....it also helps if you're fond of the Dallas / Fort Worth airport, because chances are, you're going to change planes there. 

One outstanding aspect of AA is their website for frequent flyers, aa.com.  Arguably one of the best online.  It's easy to arrange flights, look for deals, and plan your travel up to 330 days in advance. They make airmile redemption for award travel  painless, easy, and acheiveable with the click of the mouse.  AA also has vacation packages, hotel access, car rentals, and even cruise bookings and coordination of travel availabities available on their website. 

With all their faults, they have a route system thats pretty close to unbeatable, so while it may not be the standout above all others as far as airlines, sometimes ya just have to.