Minneapolis to Charlotte on American Air –
The Cancun trip report includes the following posts:
Cancun Trip Report – Introduction
Cancun Trip Report – American Airlines – Minneapolis to Charlotte
Cancun Trip Report – American Airlines – Charlotte to Cancun
Cancun Trip Report – Hyatt Zilara Cancun
Cancun Trip Report – Priority Pass Mira Business Lounge at Cancun Airport – T3
Cancun Trip Report – American Airlines – Cancun to Charlotte
Cancun Trip Report – American Airlines – Charlotte to Minneapolis
Cancun Trip Report – American Airlines – Minneapolis to Charlotte
Date: October 18, 2015
Flight: American Airlines 835
From: Minneapolis (MSP)
To: Charlotte (CLT)
Aircraft: A321
Seat: 2C
We booked the reservation on US Airways during a sale fare which was $250 per-person. At the time of the reservation, I requested upgrades for the two of us. As an Executive Platinum Member, this trip qualifies for free domestic and Caribbean upgrades. For my wife, I used 500-mile certificates that were in my account from when I was only a Platinum member. Our upgrades cleared about 100-hours prior to the flight.
This reservation was on the first day where American Airlines was operating with a single reservation system. We encountered no issues and the process was seamless. Shortly after the reservation was booked, I received an email from American Airlines saying that the reservation was re-issued within the American Airlines system and from that time forward, it was simply an American Airlines trip.
The trip began with an early morning check in at Minneapolis for a 5:15 AM flight.
When we arrived the ticketing area and security area was crowded with people. Only one security line is open at Minneapolis up until 4:30 AM and we arrived closer to 4:00 AM so as per-usual there were long security lines and no pre-check options. There is, however, a first class side to the line, which makes the line go quickly.
We approached the check-in area and all the signs were converted to American and it did not appear that there were any issues that morning.
We approached the Premium Check-In line and found one guest in front of us. Within a couple minutes, we were greeted by a friendly agent who quickly checked us in for the flight and provided our bag tags and claim stubs. I requested paper copies of the boarding pass as I knew the security line did not have pre-check, but if you show the paper boarding pass you can keep your shoes off and avoid the body scanner. The agent was happy to provide them even though we were both checked in online.
We approached the security line and joined the first class side. After about 5-minutes, we cleared security and had some coffee in the terminal before going to the gate area for boarding.
The plane was parked at a shared gate with Delta in the C terminal. As the gate was shared, the signage was limited. The gate agents made announcements to assist guests with locating the area as it could be confusing. 
Boarding began a few minutes later than expected but the process was relatively orderly. The agents asked the first class passengers to line up and they scanned our boarding passes but then asked us to wait in the area between the podium and the jetway for a few more minutes.
Once given the go-ahead, we boarded the plane and were greeted by the flight attendants at the door.
We located our seats, which were a typical first class seat on a pre-merger US Airways A321 aircraft. The seat was comfortable but it lacked power ports or entertainment options. The aircraft did feature WiFi but we did not use it on the flight.
The flight attendant greeted us and she offered a pre-departure beverage. We requested water and it was provided quickly.
The boarding process was relatively quick and efficient. The flight attendants welcomed everyone on board and they made the customary announcements prior to departing the gate.
It was a cold morning, but the aircraft did not require de-icing. The taxi was short and we were up in the air quickly.
Most of the passengers in the first class cabin were sleeping during the flight. The flight attendants were polite and they kept the interactions and announcements minimal during the flight to respect the passengers that were sleeping.
A beverage was offered and my wife and I both requested juice. 
The flight attendants offered breakfast and we were offered eggs or oatmeal. My wife and I both requested the eggs.
The flight attendant served the breakfast and they checked in with us once a or twice.
The breakfast consisted of an egg quiche with vegetables, The dish was served with sausage slices as well as potatoes. A small fruit plate and a biscuit with butter was also included. 
The egg dish was served hot and it had a good taste and flavor. The vegetables were fresh and they had a good taste. The sausage was also fresh and it had a tangy flavor. The potatoes were soft and they were flavored with onions and peppers. The fruit was fresh and sweet and it was served chilled. The biscuit was warm and flaky and it had a good taste. The juice was fresh and they were both served chilled.
After we finished breakfast, the flight attendants returned and removed the trays and offered additional beverages. My wife and I both declined.
The flight was short and soon enough the flight attendants were preparing the cabin for landing.
I took a picture as we were preparing to land in Charlotte. It looked like a beautiful morning. 
Once on the ground, the flight attendants thanked us and they wished us a good day.
Overall it was a comfortable flight and we felt that the flight attendants were polite and they made us feel welcome.