Commuter Policy at AA isn’t limited to air travel. Don’t need a single flight, let alone a backup. Car, train, walking, hoverboards, Saturn V rockets, the Spruce Moose, etc are all equal under the commuter policy. Also, no radius in terms of time nor distance constitutes a commuter. Commute from your summer house in Barrow or your winter house in Islamorada- doesn’t matter.

A commuter miss results in removal from the trip, loss of pay and credit… but the freedom to pick up over the footprint, if one were so inclined.