I’ve been an American Airlines Executive Platinum for a few years now. Ivy enjoyed a bunch of the benefits, like complimentary domestic upgrades, and no charges for redepositing award miles. But the benefit that I find especially valuable, is the ability for same day standby. Now, don’t get me wrong, American devalued this benefit significantly a couple of years ago. It used to be that as long as you got to your ultimate destination, you were good. Now it has to be the same exact routing, which I think is a significant challenge.

Anyway, I write this from seat 28B, enroute to DCA. My wife and I are on our way home from Costa Rica, and our flight got into Miami early. Not crazy early, but early enough. We landed at 5:40, and the flight we wanted to make was a 6:30 departure. Of course, we needed to get bussed to the terminal, then walk half a mile to the tram, then get through customs, and security, then walk another half mile to the gate.

We ultimately got to the gate about 6:12 or so. The gate agent told my wife no (she is in better shape and faster than I am, something I am trying to change). I got up there and said that I saw there were empty seats on ExpertFlyer, probably not the best thing to say, but my brain was operating on less oxygen than it is used to. Then it occurred to me, that this could be one of those times to make it known that we were both members. The gate agent grumbled a little, but started taping at the keyboard, as I was pulling out my iPhone, either to check ExpertFlyer again, or DM the @AmericanAir twitter team. I honestly don’t know.

A few moments later, we had our boarding passes, for 28B and 28E. I’m not used to being this far back, but, boy am I happy to get home two hours earlier!

Here’s a view from my seat:

Wow, I can’t even see the First Class cabin from here!