US Airways Dividend Miles - Just moved to BWI -- switch to US?

Good day all.

I just moved to suburban Baltimore from Denver, so I'm close to BWI but can also fly out of DCA or IAD if I have to. I'm wondering if it would be beneficial to switch to US from UA.

The thing that is making consider it is the unlimited upgrades. My goal is to make at least Silver status this year -- I won't fly much and most, if not all, of my flying will be mileage runs. As the lowest elite level I know my chances for upgrades aren't too great, but at least I have a chance.

I have 18k miles in MP, and no status on either airline. Economy Plus on the miles I already have with them is making me question switching.

Thanks for the advice.

I'd stick with UA-if you do fly US occasionally,you can credit to UA and perhaps reach an Elite level. E+ beats coach on any other carrier.

I use BWI for domestic and IAD for international travel on UA.I only fly US on the rare occasion that neither UA ,CO or WN flies to my destination.

FYI-depending on traffic and your location in Maryland,it can take 2 or more hours to reach IAD for a trip that normally takes me 45 minutes.


Good luck and welcome to Baltimore!

I'd stick with UA-if you do fly US occasionally,you can credit to UA and perhaps reach an Elite level. E+ beats coach on any other carrier.

I use BWI for domestic and IAD for international travel on UA.I only fly US on the rare occasion that neither UA ,CO or WN flies to my destination.

FYI-depending on traffic and your location in Maryland,it can take 2 or more hours to reach IAD for a trip that normally takes me 45 minutes.


Good luck and welcome to Baltimore!

Well I'm in Savage, and my mom works in Chantilly, VA. She said it takes her about 45 minuts with no traffic, and my MRs from IAD will leave around 6 AM.

I have been looking at fares lately, and I can get a little cheaper fares on US to the west coast. That will pretty much be the extent of my flying on US.

Stick with UA... earn your US miles with them. If the NW-DL merger goes through you can expect UA-CO to merge as well. US & CO are under represented at BWI but...

Current comparison:

US non-stops from BWI
PHL, CLT, LGA, LAS, PHX

UA non-stops from BWI
PHX, LAX, SFO, ORD

CO non-stops from BWI
EWR, CLE, IAH

US-UA combined = 9 non-stops

UA-CO combined = 7 non-stop

UA has MUCH BETTER options from IAD than US does from DCA. UA offers a superior premium product and FF program. CO is much better in the premium product than UA or US.... I would hedge my bets on a UA-CO merger.... you have nothing to lose if it should not go through as you will maintain your miles/status on UA with some privlidges on US through *A.

I would recommend you choose the FF program of the airline you will fly the most often. Your flying experience will, 99% of the time, be better if the FF program matches the metal you're sitting in. (UA elites get E+, US elites get F upgrades). Those benefits are exclusive to their own elites.

Please keep in mind that you no longer earn the 500 mile minimum for flights after May 1 so if you are trying to get anywhere on US with a segment from BWI-PHL/LGA-CLT, you will get the actual mileage flown. Stick with UA-it's not worth it to subject yourself to the horror of flying US. I am flying to SFO tomorrow and not thrilled about it and I even got my upgrade to F........stick with UA

Check out: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=790718

Enough said.

I am DC based (usually IAD and DCA) and was CP on US and switched to 1K on UA. UA's E+ is worth getting 25K on UA alone. The problem is that as a 1K flying mostly out of IAD, I was only able to upgrade 20% of the time last year. UA out of BWI (or even DCA) is much better.

At IAD on UA you're in the perfect storm - everyone buying (or upgrading) transatlantic gets FC on connections through IAD, government fares are treated as full fare "Y" fares for upgrading (meaning they are automatically placed higher on the upgrade list if you end up doing the gate dance), you have a ton of UA frequent flyers and full fare FC flyers (lawyers, politicans, lobbists, etc..), TED, and UA uses A319 and A320's for a lot of long haul flights. Especially dismal upgrade chances are coast to coast (IAD to SFO or LAX). On the good news side, I hear they are phasing out Ted.

... I have 18k miles in MP, and no status on either airline. Economy Plus on the miles I already have with them is making me question switching...

Your instinct is correct. If you already have 18k EQMs in MP, and are generally satisfied with E +, you're well on your way to UA Elite status and continued E +.

Think about switching only if you're not happy with UA!

I live in PHL and have UA status, though I will admit that I do 50/50 on US/UA to earn it.

I always default to UA if possible. Problem is that 50% of the time, UA's a lot more expensive. Not $10 but $100 more expensive (duh!).

If you want a ton of free upgrades, try NW... goldmine for them but good luck finding good award tix but the upgrades as a Silver are fairly regular.

I live in PHL and have UA status, though I will admit that I do 50/50 on US/UA to earn it.

It seems I will be doing the same to get my status with UA. BWI-SFO on US for $203 and over 5000 EQMs is too good of a deal to pass up, IMO.

I always default to UA if possible. Problem is that 50% of the time, UA's a lot more expensive. Not $10 but $100 more expensive (duh!).




I'm noticing that too. It's a rare occurance when I see UA fares the same or lower than US fares on similar routes.