 The Perfect Gift
I am delighted to contribute once again to Celebrated Living’s special Gift Guide Issue. As you know, the season of giving is a joyful time, but it can be stressful too. Even for Celebrated Living readers, who obviously have very discerning taste, finding the right gift for everyone on your list is a challenge.
In my experience, the hardest people to shop for are young adults. It is a veritable minefield trying to select clothes, books, music, or anything else they’ll like. The potential for awkwardness or even embarrassment, on both sides of the exchange, is high. But you don’t have to put yourself through that. Here’s my completely unbiased advice: Give travel! Instead of something they’ll stick in a drawer and forget about, give the people you care about an experience they’ll remember for years to come.
Travel is a particularly good gift for young adults who have limited means and are trying to find their way in the world. "Find your passion, then follow it," they have been told. But where to look? I say look everywhere. While that’s a convenient suggestion coming from an airline CEO, as a traveler yourself I’m sure you’ll agree that the more young people experience of the world, the more they will discover about themselves and their true interests.
I know what some of you are thinking. You love your niece or nephew, but your gift budget calls for a sweater, not a trip to Shanghai. Fair enough. But consider this: At American Airlines, we offer a number of ways for friends, family members, and loved ones to pitch in without necessarily paying for an entire trip. AA gift cards can be bought and redeemed at AA.com in any denomination between $50 and $1,500. You can buy a plastic card and have it mailed to the person it’s for, or you can have a virtual card delivered via e-mail. Recipients can use up to eight gift cards at one time toward the purchase of travel throughout our global network. If gift cards aren’t your style, we also have the giftAAmiles program, whereby AAdvantage members can purchase miles as gifts to other AAdvantage members , and the shareAAmiles program, which enables members to transfer miles from their existing balance to an AAdvantage member of their choosing. All the details are available at AA.com.
Of course, some of the people on your list probably travel all the time. For them, what better gift than an Admirals Club membership? Every time they relax in the quiet comfort of our clubs -- and we have dozens spread all over the world -- they’ll think of you. One-year memberships can be bought at AA.com or any Admirals Club. And if a full membership seems a bit on the extravagant side, one-day passes are also available.
To me, travel is simply the perfect gift -- for anyone, young or old. It has been said that we travel the world searching for what we need, and return home to find it. Exploration. Discovery. Adventure. And, a renewed appreciation of home. Sure beats a sweater, or a fruitcake!
Whether today’s journey is taking you someplace new and exotic, or someplace familiar like home, we are happy and appreciative that you have chosen to fly with us. On behalf of everyone at American Airlines, happy holidays and the best of everything in 2009.!
Gerard J. Arpey
Chairman and CEO American Airlines
|
|