US Airways Dividend Miles - Upgrade probability PHX-MCO

Hi All,

As US Plat, I was looking through some other upgrade probability threads (like THIS (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/us-airways-dividend-miles/1315381-using-expertflyer-check-upgrade-probability.html)and THIS (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/us-airways-dividend-miles/1315018-upgrade-probability-clt-phx-others.html) one) and got some great info.

However, I was wondering if anyone here had any first-hand experience with the PHX-MCO route. Looks like I will have to go mid-week the last week of April. I was considering:
Outbound Flight 567
Take-off 8:59a PHX
Landing 4:11p MCO
Return Flight 415
Take-off 5:15p MCO
Landing 6:56p PHX

If you have any experience or advice, I'd appreciate it. Thanks!

Probably pretty good. A few things working for you:

1.) You're platinum

2.) It's a leisure route with mostly tourists (i.e. not as many people with status as, say, a flight between PHX and PHL, CLT, LAX, etc.)

3.) Your desired flights are on the A321 with 16 F seats (as opposed to 12 in the A319/320/737 fleets)

Not sure if you're going alone or not, but remember you can get a single companion upgraded only if they are on the same reservation as you (i.e. booked together at the same time). If not, you may get the upgrade and then will have to ask for your companion upgrade at the gate if all the seats haven't already gone to other elites by then.

I get slammed on this route on upgrades as a gold. I also don't seem to get much love between PHX and FLL.

Yet, I read that many find these to be easy upgrades. I think I'm like 1 for 8 legs.

I have upcoming PHX to FLL and I just decided to use 9k and not worry about it to upgrade one of the legs.

I flew solo PHX-MCO return twice in January, as a CP, and wasn't upgraded on any flights. One return was through CLT, which is a challenge anyway (I was upgraded on MCO-CLT on the TA 757 tho :cool:).

Yes it is a leisure route. Yes it is an A321 with more seats in F. But I think there's enough who splurge and either buy F or use miles to upgrade. If they're staying at the Grand Floridian/Polynesian/Contemporary, flying in F is a drop in the bucket (generally people who go to WDW from further away both stay longer and stay at higher end properties). There are some packages available that make F look rather attractive.

The exit rows are very nice, and I had fairly new aircraft. I think row 9 on the left... There was some sort of box far in front of me, when I asked the FA what was in it, she opened it and showed me a fire extinguisher and other similar items.

I flew solo PHX-MCO return twice in January, as a CP, and wasn't upgraded on any flights.

Yikes! I wonder if time of year will make a difference? I would travel third week in April. My other option is to go DL (also Plat on DL), but then I'd have to go through ATL.

Thanks everyone for their feedback!

Yikes! I wonder if time of year will make a difference? I would travel third week in April. My other option is to go DL (also Plat on DL), but then I'd have to go through ATL.

Thanks everyone for their feedback!

Like Aztimm, the A321s I've flown on this route were nice equipment. If you can snag 9D or 9E, flying nonstop even without the upgrade is pretty nice. They are pretty narrow, because of the tray table in the seat and actually seem to me a bit more narrow than even standard exit seats, but if a 17" width works for you, it's more than made up for with the extra leg room.

Like Aztimm, the A321s I've flown on this route were nice equipment. If you can snag 9D or 9E, flying nonstop even without the upgrade is pretty nice. They are pretty narrow, because of the tray table in the seat and actually seem to me a bit more narrow than even standard exit seats, but if a 17" width works for you, it's more than made up for with the extra leg room.

I agree that the exit row seats on the A321s make for a very nice trip, especially if you are tall and/or like to be able to get up and stretch.

Ikar, my memory is not what ... what, uh ... oh, yeah -- what it used to be... and not denying that there are tray tables in the armrests. But is it also possible that there are tray tables way up in front of you, on the backs of the row 8 seats?

Ikar, my memory is not what ... what, uh ... oh, yeah -- what it used to be... and not denying that there are tray tables in the armrests. But is it also possible that there are tray tables way up in front of you, on the backs of the row 8 seats?

I'm pretty sure they are in the arm rests, but my memory is not ideal either.

It's a long way to row 8, so you'd have to get up to use the tray tables, on the 321.

I'm pretty sure they are in the arm rests, but my memory is not ideal either.

It's a long way to row 8, so you'd have to get up to use the tray tables, on the 321.

Seatguru (http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/US_Airways/US_Airways_Airbus_A321.php) claims the tray tables are in the armrests, but from other posts I know things there aren't 100% accurate :rolleyes:

Based on the seatmap, I've been in the following coach seats on the A321:
10C
10F
22F

Of those, my preference would be: 10F, 10C, then 22F in that order. 10F has a ton of legroom because there's no 9F and you still have underseat storage, but have to maneuver to get in/out of it since the FA chair is in front of it (plus you can play footsie with the FA when they're seated :p)

I do remember getting a BOB (I think the salad) on a PHX-MCO, and I'm nearly 100% certain 10C's tray table is in the armrest. I don't remember the seat being too narrow, but I'm not a large person either.
An interesting experience from one flight... I took the ~4pm PHX-MCO flight and was watching, "The Silence of the Lambs," on my computer. At one point I glanced to the aisle and the woman in either 10 or 11D was poaching (the seats don't line up exactly there). Perhaps not the best movie for watching in-flight, but she certainly didn't complain ;)

If the OP has an option he/she should try PHX - TPA, TPA has US lounge and I've been upgraded everytime in each direction as a silver. I take that route to LAS a lot, if I don't go through PHL for the extra PQM. Also TPA is only about an 1 to 1.5 hour drive to MCO depending on where you're going. Also you get a lot of hyper kids on the MCO leg heading to disney so boarding is always a nightmare.

But worst case on the a321 to MCO just take one of the 2 seats in row 9 on the right side, if you get upgraded great if not no biggie. I'm 6'6 and I find that seat very comfrtable especially for long hauls. Tons of leg room. Sometimes the FAs get huffy about you trying to put your carryon under the seat that is 10 feet in front of you, really the only downside.

Go Gators

If the OP has an option he/she should try PHX - TPA, TPA has US lounge and I've been upgraded everytime in each direction as a silver.

That's great advice! Thank you.

I wish I hadn't already booked my ticket... though I'm not sure I'd prefer the 1.5 hour drive over suffering in Y.