I am currently a Delta Gold, but I have not flown enough to requalify for even Silver status. On top of it all, I've grown slightly dissatisfied with Delta. I don't hate the service, but I find that their flights tend to be $100 - $200 than AA and UA. And, I've experienced the difficulties in redeeming SkyMiles.
So, I've been debating between UA and AA.
I live in Key West.
Initially, I thought of UA, because (1) they offer more routing opportunities, as they flow to FLL, RSW, and MIA and (2) I can transfer Chase Sapphire Points to UA Miles. But, after researching it, I learned that FLL, RSW, and even MIA are not hubs, all requiring routing through HOU or elsewhere in order to go transcontinental and most Europe destinations. Too bad, as I enjoyed my experience with UA when I lived in SEA.
Now, I'm exploring AA. They only fly to MIA, an airport that I don't like, but it is a robust hub.
I've flown AA several times, but not in the last two years. I'd like to get your thoughts on the idea of status challenging to AA.
Here are the issues important to me:
1. In-flight entertainment (i.e. televisions in the seats) and overall flight experience;
2. Low level international availability;
3. International business class experience;
4. UG opportunities;
5. Access to the Admiral's Club.
Being based in EYW (as I once was) AA is really your very best option for a variety of reasons. First, they have about six daily flights to MIA, which is by far the most daily flights of any airline serving EYW. Second, MIA is a huge AA hub which affords you one-stop access to almost every significant Latin American/ Caribbean destination, the primary European cities, and just about all major domestic destinations. In my experience upgrades ex-MIA are very easy to come by with the exception of MIA-LAS; flights departing/arriving/ passing through MIA are low on business travel and high on visiting friends/family and leisure travel (with the exception of flights to/from EZE and GRU, but those are both easy upgrades nevertheless because of multiple daily flights).
You should be able to get low-level international awards from Miami to Europe on AB or IB. AB availability can be checked on the AA website, but you'll need to phone AA to check on IB. I recently booked an award from Washington to Germany for February/March. IB did not have award space available. AB did, in both directions, via JFK, but booking the return flight has been difficult because award seats are not available on AA between JFK and DCA/BWI. You won't have that problem originating in Miami.
Programs: AA Exec Platinum, DL Platinum/MM, Hilton Diamond, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 4,168
Quote:
Originally Posted by NavyUCF
I'd like to get your thoughts on the idea of status challenging to AA.
Here are the issues important to me:
1. In-flight entertainment (i.e. televisions in the seats) and overall flight experience;
2. Low level international availability;
3. International business class experience;
4. UG opportunities;
5. Access to the Admiral's Club.
Thoughts?
AA will not offer you a direct match. It will be a challenge only, where they will give you status after you fly a certain amount. DL Gold is equivalent to AA Platinum.
You will find televisions in the seat pretty non-existent on AA domestic flights and spotty in coach on overseas flights. It's consistently available in first and business class on overseas flights, but it may be in the form of a Samsung tablet.
AA has the reputation of better low international award availability but I have yet to see strong evidence of it, especially for premium classes. However, you will find it far easier to locate and book awards than you are on DL's joke of a website, especially for partner awards. In addition, AA offers one-way awards at half the mileage of a RT. This is a huge convenience. And their availability for domestic awards is pretty good. You are much more likely to find a low coach or first class domestic award on AA.
The business class experience is OK but far from industry-leading. The new 777-300ERs will have state-of-the-art lie-flat seats in business but the other planes have only angle-flat seats. The food and service are a big step down from the better Asian and Middle Eastern carriers. You do get real Bose noise-cancelling headphones.
As a mid-tier flyer on AA (Platinum) you will not get complimentary upgrades. You need to use 500-mile "stickers" to upgrade on a domestic flight, which you either buy or earn (4 stickers for flying 10,000 miles). Don't know what your upgrade rate as a Gold on DL is, but you will likely be flying in F less frequently on AA. The upside of their system is that if you choose to request an upgrade on a flight you're probably more likely to get it, and I find the experience up front to be much more "first class" than on DL. Warm nuts, hot meals more often, more comfortable seats. Upgrades on international flight require miles+copay at your level.
Club access works the same as on DL. You can buy a membership at a reduced rate for domestic access and your Platinum status on AA gets you into AA or other OneWorld lounges on international trips.
Programs: AA EXP (> 1MM BIS), SPG-G, Marriott-S, Hilton-S, Hertz 5*G, AMX-P, Global Entry
Posts: 972
+1 on above comments - to add a couple of other points.
As PLT - if you are willing to pay for sticker upgrades, I have found success rate for domestic upgrades pretty good (say 85% or so). There are certain runs where it is very hard to do. MIA-LGA can be one of them. Particularly when they downgauge a domestic 757 for an INTL one.
Miles for award tickets are, I believe, much better on AA than DL. One trick for INTL awards is that you are allowed a gateway stopover up to 365 days. So, a LHR-MIA award can also deliver a MIA-HNL flight as well. Not bad for 20k in Y on a MileSAAver.
Finally, if you have an AMEX Platinum card (not all of their Plat cards do this), you can get access to AC (as well as DL & US clubs) if you have a boarding pass.
Finally, if you have an AMEX Platinum card (not all of their Plat cards do this), you can get access to AC (as well as DL & US clubs) if you have a boarding pass.
Actually, you don't need a boarding pass to access the US clubs. One of my favorite aspects of the card. This gets me US club access when I'm flying WN.
"One trick for INTL awards is that you are allowed a gateway stopover up to 365 days."
Technically, one has one year from award-ticket issuance to complete all travel on the award, so the length of the stopover is likely to be less than 365 days. But yes, the North American gateway-stopover option can yield great value.
Programs: DL Plat/million, AA 1 mil, HH Diamond, SPG Gold
Posts: 16,386
Quote:
Originally Posted by JMN57
One trick for INTL awards is that you are allowed a gateway stopover up to 365 days.
That's not a comparative advantage for AA - it fact, it points to a weakness. Delta allows stopovers on domestic and international awards - and stopovers don't need to be at the NA gateway.
Thank you all for your comments and follow-up inquiries.
Quote:
How much do you plan to fly? i.e. what level of status do you see yourself attaining? What the destinations you anticipate regularly flying to? Domestic? International?
In Dec, I am flying MIA - CUN. In 2013, I am going to Dallas, Anchorage, San Fran, Newport, RI, and Lexington. All for business. I'm planning a trip to Stuttgart for leisure, though I may seek to do an award ticket. I suspect other leisure trips will come up.
I recently started a new business, so I travel less than I used to (evidenced by my not meeting DL's MQM status threshold this year). But, my travel should pick up in the future.
Perhaps I may not requalify in 2013 for status, but at least during the course of the year, I'll have status.
Quote:
Being based in EYW (as I once was) AA is really your very best option for a variety of reasons. First, they have about six daily flights to MIA, which is by far the most daily flights of any airline serving EYW. Second, MIA is a huge AA hub which affords you one-stop access to almost every significant Latin American/ Caribbean destination, the primary European cities, and just about all major domestic destinations.
This is what I was thinking too. Also, I was thinking that, if for some reason I got stuck in MIA, I can always rent a car and drive home, which I couldn't do from ATL (DL Hub) or TPA or RSW (UA), though I could do it from FLL. The only thing is I don't like MIA, especially having to take a bus to/ from the plane that flies to EYW. But, small price to pay I guess, for one-stop access.
Quote:
In my experience upgrades ex-MIA are very easy to come by with the exception of MIA-LAS; flights departing/arriving/ passing through MIA are low on business travel and high on visiting friends/family and leisure travel (with the exception of flights to/from EZE and GRU, but those are both easy upgrades nevertheless because of multiple daily flights).
Thanks for the insight. Question: what do you mean by "ex-MIA?"
Quote:
You should be able to get low-level international awards from Miami to Europe on AB or IB.
Thanks for the feedback. I don't know what AB or IB is, but I'll look into it.
Quote:
What too you so long to wake up..
Can you expand on your thoughts? I'd love to hear them.
Quote:
AA will not offer you a direct match. It will be a challenge only, where they will give you status after you fly a certain amount. DL Gold is equivalent to AA Platinum.
Thanks. I may have mispoken earlier about match v. challenge. One concern I have is satisfying the challenge. Do you have a sense of MR opportunities out of MIA? (Obviously there won't be good MR deals from EYW.)
Quote:
Don't know what your upgrade rate as a Gold on DL is, but you will likely be flying in F less frequently on AA. The upside of their system is that if you choose to request an upgrade on a flight you're probably more likely to get it, and I find the experience up front to be much more "first class" than on DL.
Thanks for your thorough feedback. Can you expand on this? You're saying I'll fly in FC less frequently on AA than on DL, but . . . I didn't follow the part about requesting an upgrade and getting it.
Quote:
+1 on above comments - to add a couple of other points.
Thanks! I need to research sticker upgrades.
Quote:
Actually, you don't need a boarding pass to access the US clubs. One of my favorite aspects of the card. This gets me US club access when I'm flying WN.
Really? I have an AMEX Platinum, and I thought I could only use the AC when flying AA.
Thank you all very much for your thoughtful guidance!
Would love to hear more feedback from my responses above.
Programs: AA Exec Platinum, DL Platinum/MM, Hilton Diamond, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 4,168
Quote:
Originally Posted by NavyUCF
Thanks for your thorough feedback. Can you expand on this? You're saying I'll fly in FC less frequently on AA than on DL, but . . . I didn't follow the part about requesting an upgrade and getting it.
On DL, upgrades are complimentary for all elites, so your upgrade is automatically requested when you book your ticket. There may be some folks who un-check the "Request Upgrade" box but it would have to be very few. On AA, the default is to NOT request an upgrade. You must go into your reservation after it is booked and request the upgrade. Because not all AA Platinums request upgrades for a given flight, if you do request the upgrade you are more likely to get it than on a given DL flight. Moreover, upgrade priority within your elite tier on AA is governed by the time of request (the earlier the better), not by fare class as it is on DL. (Exception: a Y or B fare on AA will trump others.) And AA gives priority to connecting passengers. So if you fly into MIA from EYW you will have a leg up on those originating at MIA.
When I say you will fly in F less frequently on AA I assume you will only request upgrades when you have stickers you earned for free. You can request upgrades on all flights if you're willing to pay for additional stickers ($30 for each 500-mile increment). In that case, your upgrade % will probably be much higher on AA, but it is not a true apples-to-apples comparison.
Really? I have an AMEX Platinum, and I thought I could only use the AC when flying AA..
Yes, that is correct for the AC and for DL/UA. But for US Airways (US), you do not need a boarding pass. Someone above implied you did for US, so I was clarifying that you don't. I often fly WN between RDU and PHL, so it's been nice that I can access the US clubs in PHL.
OP, I am also an ex-Delta flyer in the Keys. AA flights to MIA from EYW normally don't have the bus ride anymore, normally you get out at a D-60 gate and walk to the terminal. Much better than riding a bus! Plus the flights appear now to be on jets - much better than the old twin prop planes. And, as mentioned earlier, there are several flights a day.
If you have to rent a car, the ramp to 836 to the Turnpike is much better, and there is a train to the car rental facility.
MIA used to be a dump, but it is really improved.
I predict you will be wondering why you didn't make the switch earlier.
Can you expand on your thoughts? I'd love to hear them.
