RichardInSF

OK, time for the general debate and related stuff to stop. Enough waiting. It's time to find out if this deal is a go or a no-go. Anything happening in that regard?

StarAllianceFanatic

Well, that is just it. You fly in year 1 to enjoy the status and perks in year 2. When I moved to NH from Denver a few years ago, UA had mainline service to both IAD and ORD and filled 757's on almost every flight and DL was regional's only to either JFK or ATL. In the last year, now UA has closed mainline to MHT, flooded the domestic market with RJ's by killing the 737 fleet and now DL has non-stop mainline services to both Detroit and ATL (and doesn't fly to JFK any more). So, you make lemonade out of the lemons and now I fly out of BOS or I fly DL from MHT, and if I am going to commute to BOS, AA and DL are both better than UA as UA is dropping service (they used to have a non-stop to LHR) and now DL is adding one. You don't have foresight into changes in schedules, aircraft, etc., but you should in terms of the "LOYALTY" program and now even that is being devalued or ruined in the opinion of some. They are all straws and eventually they break the camels back but for the most part Southwest or Jet Blue are growing and have not dropped markets that they have opened and UA is cutting and hacking domestically like the market means nothing to them. Last time it was PWM, this time MHT, PBI, FLL, MIA, etc., next time could be your lucky turn.

JeffS

I think they are waiting for AA to see this thread and make an offer.

BlissWorld

Debate? You mean, the one sided conversations from "a select few?"

Many people, including AA higher ups and my AA contact, are on vacation this Thanksgiving week. I will probably be collecting credentials starting next week and you will hopefully get an answer soon. Although, if you don't have enough activities with UA this year, I wouldn't get your hopes up.

rotemben

Moving to BOS in 6 months, so no brainer.
1K, 120K miles this year.

RotemBen

MIA-SAT

I fly mostly domestic. I just returned from Brazil, Argentina and Chile, upgraded on an AA VIPOW each way into J. One earlier trip this year to Brazil and Chile, also upgraded into J, two trips this year to Colombia, also upgraded into J on VIPOW's and one trip to the UK, also upgraded on a VIPOW. (I had 16 of them this year due to the 125 K special bonus from last year and due to reaching 2MM miles last year.) I don't know if that is TransOceanic in your book, but I will do 140K miles this year on AA and requalify as a Plat on CO. AA meets my needs, I get into F domestic and J on flights to South America and Europe this year and prior years. Candidly, I have found that I need to make reroutes at times when a flight might be sold out into J, but I have not missed a long distance upgrade into J on AA yet.

reddirt14

I'm not listening to the nay sayers...just waiting for the Op and more details. UA is going downhill at a rapid pace. AA is superior.

Oh and to the guy who talked about the inferior route...is that all you've got. I realize you can't play up the SWUs, as they are practically worthless these days. EXPs are the real deal, exactly what SWUs should be. And CR1...woopie... So now you get some instruments to try to upgrade, but don't find out until the last minute. Hmmm... AA beats that with a heck of a lot more first class seats. UA has a tiny first class cabin - I'm surprised GSs aren't fighting over the space sometimes...who cares about 1Ks...we all know UA doesn't care about 1Ks.

So yes, in select cases UA wins on routes...But I fly domestic, so I don't really care. And I've been wanting to hit the caribean for a while...United has almost nothing to the Caribean. For me the biggest benny of United is Hawaii. I just like flying them to Hawaii. As far as Asia, anyone can do that and they can do it better than United. Europe...UA is expensive, ableit they have partners that know how to sell the route and offer some service.

United is on the downward slide and I'd love to get out while the gettin is good.

tom911

Sounds like exactly what I did when UA filed for bankruptcy, except AA only comped me to Platinum and not top tier. Was only at that level, though, for all of 5 months. If they hadn't offered the comp I'm sure I could have gone somewhere else. With over 1 million actual flight miles on AA since my move, though, I think it's paid off for both of us.

ocn2ocn

I'm interested if this works. Just requalified for 1K, and have been a 1K for 10 consecutive years. As a frequent user of PS service between LAX and JFK, AA now seems to be a better option as UA continues to squeeze its transcontinental customers.

fastair

Wow, Mesa is 1/2 of all the express carriers? (I think they are the only ones in chap 11 protection) As to unsafe, you choose to fly on 90 flights on carriers you considered unsafe? You seem to put a lot into your status...I for one don't agree that they are unsafe, but if you do, why do you fly on them? Safety to me > status, and if I felt a carrier was unsafe, I wouldn't fly 90 segments on them a year!

If you want to make such ridiculous statements, bury them further in your post, so I don't stop reading so early. I bet that the post had some things of value, but I stopped at the statements made so early in the rant.

As to bankruptcy, if that makes a huge difference, then AA is the network carrier for you. Forget the fact that their costs are higher than the other carriers, forget the fact that while carriers were turning profits in most quarters this year, and they made a meager profit in only 1 of the 2 quarters that should be in the black, just remember they didn't lower their costs when others did, and that is a selling point for you. Chap 11 hurt me more than it hurt most of UA flyers, yet it made for a healthier company. Wall street recommends many of the carriers that used restructuring, yet AA's stock has not had the same luck that the others have.

tom911

Imagine the employees over there are pretty happy their pensions are intact. I think that is one factor that might keep them away from a strike (knowing that an AA bankruptcy filing could jettison their pension to a federal board like UA).

I've never considered stock price as a criteria when selecting a frequent flyer program.

HCA

+1.

Looks like I need to fly DFW a lot for work (just fly a last minute RT with middle seats...). Great time for me to jump to AA if status match works.

fastair

You should, it is a sign of financial strength. A FF program is an investment. While you can get risk investing in risky companies, it isn't what most advisors would recommend putting your entire portfolio into.

Didn't the guy I quoted say that when UA was bankrupt (I think it was he) he then switched to the dAArkside? Apparently, there may be a link to some people.

tom911

What we learned in the UA bankruptcy, among others, is that the frequent flyer currency (miles) remain just as valid during bankruptcy than as before, at least with U.S. carriers. When UA went into bankruptcy I went into burning mode (had 800,000 miles with them) because I didn't know what the long term outlook for those miles would be. Now that the trail has been blazed by them, I'm not worried about miles in a bankruptcy. I don't see an AA bankruptcy anytime soon. They have $5 billion cash on hand and are taking aircraft deliveries every month.

LMUnited1K

I live in New York.

I fly to LA weekly.

I detest EWR.

I'm tired of burning my miles on PS.

I want to sit in the new BA 1st (for free with miles I will actually have after not burning on upgrades), and look as hot as Raquel Welch. Tea, anyone?

As a 1K for the past 7 years, with 187,000 EQM's right now for 2010, I'm done. I'm ready to fly an airline that actually rewards the extraordinary amount of business and loyalty I have to offer. I'm ready to sign up for EXP! The faster I get there, the better.