American Airlines Advantage Program Free flights not free at all Houston Texas

For many years I have almost exclusively used a co-branded American Airlines/Citibank credit card to accumulate enough frequent flyer miles to one day be able to reward my loyalty by enjoying a lengthly first class trip to the Mideast.

Then, it was time to book that free trip! I was excited! Flat beds, wifi, champagne and caviar all the way.

After adjusting my schedule a bit in order to accommodate the rather limited availability of award seats available, I was shocked to discover that I also had to pay more than $750.00 in so-called "fees."

A search on the American Airlines website revealed that I could have simply bought my own coach ticket for LESS than the fee! The "advantage" in their Advantage Program clearly goes to the airline, not to the loyal customer.

What I learned: Some things are a blatant rip off, but with American Airlines' Advantage Program it's simply dishonest. An old fashion bait and switch.

There's absolutely nothing FREE about the American Airlines Advantage Program. If you're looking for a good airline loyalty program, look elsewhere.