United Mileage Plus - Should I use 50K AA miles or 80K UA miles?

I'm Platinum on AA w/400K miles and Premier on UA w/700K miles. I'm trying to fly on award miles from the Bay Area (ideally SJC) to DSM around August 11th/15th. I can find reasonable award travel on AA for 25K/ticket, but on UA I can only find standard awards, so 40K/ticket. We also plan to buy a seat for our infant daughter, but fares on both airlines are similar, so I assume an infant seat will cost the same on either. Adult fares are around $400.

So the question is should I use 50K AA miles or 80K UA miles? My assumption is that I'll have a harder time using up my UA miles, given UA's pathetic award availability and higher chance of going belly-up, so it might be reasonable to assign them a lower value. On the other hand, I don't think I can qualify for E+ seating, since I'd have my wife and daughter, and I think I can only pull one other person into E+.

Any thoughts? Thanks!

This is a bit of a sticky situation...

Regarding the value of miles and such, you'd basically be spending the same percentage of your miles for either airline (11.5% - 12.5%). It basically comes down to which you prefer, and award availability.

Chances are if you're premier, you'll be able to get your wife and daughter in E+. I have often found that even travelling with 2 companions, the GA has been able to put us all in E+. There are no guarantees, but it's possible that they will be accommodating to your situation and let all 3 of you in E+.

I'm personally partial to UA, but I would say just choose whichever you have the most flexibility with. You definitely have enough mileage across both airlines to cover future travel, so it comes down to your preference.

Good luck!
/s

:confused: :confused: :confused:

United doesn't have a higher chance of going belly up than AA and award availability is no more pathetic than any other program (and it's likely much less pathetic than the legendary nonepass).

Just FYI, you get E+ with standard awards.

But for me an AA mile and an UA mile are worth roughly the same, so I'd go with the cheaper option, i.e. AA.

Chances are if you're premier, you'll be able to get your wife and daughter in E+. I have often found that even travelling with 2 companions, the GA has been able to put us all in E+. There are no guarantees, but it's possible that they will be accommodating to your situation and let all 3 of you in E+.



On Standard Y award tickets anyone is entitled to E+ regardless of status.

UA Standard awards = E+, AA = new concept: "A lot less room throughout coach!"

No brainer

United doesn't have a higher chance of going belly up than AA and award availability is no more pathetic than any other program (and it's likely much less pathetic than the legendary nonepass).



Regarding availability, I base this on UA apparently not having a single saver award available from the Bay Area to Chicago that week, while AA has lots of availability. Of course, UA's ridiculously inflexible award search engine doesn't help uncover something that might be available...

Regarding availability, I base this on UA apparently not having a single saver award available from the Bay Area to Chicago that week, while AA has lots of availability. Of course, UA's ridiculously inflexible award search engine doesn't help uncover something that might be available...

Ok, so based on a sample of size one you're concluding that UA's availability is pathetic :rolleyes: .

What is truly pathetic is the website. You should call UA...they may see availability that is not showing up online. Or they may find you a saver award in business (first in 2 class aircraft) which costs the same as standard Y.

Ok, so based on a sample of size one you're concluding that UA's availability is pathetic .

Also based on my futile attempts to find two seats in any class to anywhere in Europe in the first half of July on any of the 26 *A airlines.

Bill

Double posting is not allowed:

DOUBLE POST IN AA FORUM (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=445)

The only things that are pathetic (per your post #1) are on AA with the disgusting co-pay to use your miles to upgrade international trips and the service fee they charge if you decide to use your miles within their certain time periods. But remember - they know why you fly.