American Airlines offers last-minute 'deals' at check-in

A friend traveling American Airlines from LA to Nashville this morning reports the airline is offering what seems to amount to an 11th-hour (10th hour if you count snack and beverage sales onboard) attempt to squeeze a few extra bucks out of passengers.

After checking in at the self-service kiosk at the airport, two offers popped up on his screen. For $65, he could have purchased an extra 2,300 AAdvantage miles, and $9 would have bought a change in boarding position to Zone 1.

Considering that it would cost me $2,300 in charges on my American Airlines Citibank credit card to earn 2,300 AA miles, the first offer is quite the deal, and clearly a win-win for airline and passenger alike. But $9 to board with Zone 1 sounds like a ripoff.

Shelling out for that would not upgrade your seat, and you wouldn't even be first to board. Zone 1 passengers usually board after first class, passengers in need of assistance and those with small children. If you've waited that long, what's a few extra minutes? Chances are you'd still find yourself scrambling for an overhead compartment near your seat, anyway.

What do you think? Leave a comment and let me know what you'd be willing to pony up for at the kiosk, and what you'd consider pilferage.