US Airways First Class to SXM

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We are booked in Y on US Air from PHL to SXM. I think I can upgrade using UA miles. But is it worth it? Last tiime I flew US Air to the Caribbean in F, about two years ago, the product was terrible. Has it improved at all? I guess it is probably worth the miles, since I have no other compelling need for them. But what can I expect in F? Thanks.
Quote: We are booked in Y on US Air from PHL to SXM. I think I can upgrade using UA miles. But is it worth it? Last tiime I flew US Air to the Caribbean in F, about two years ago, the product was terrible. Has it improved at all? I guess it is probably worth the miles, since I have no other compelling need for them. But what can I expect in F? Thanks.
You get three free checked bags, priority check-in, security and boarding, a slightly bigger seat, free adult beverages and snacks and if the scheduled flight time is 3:30 or more, a full meal. (I clocked it as 3:11 in the air on Great Circle Mapper, so it's borderline.)

Personally I don't think it's worth it - if it were me I'd save my miles for an international J or F award on Thai, Singapore or Lufthansa, and save the co-pay for a few drinks in Sint Maarten. YMMV though, and if this is a special occasion for you and want to fly in domestic F, then by all means go for it, there are worse things you can spend your miles on.
Quote: You get three free checked bags, priority check-in, security and boarding, a slightly bigger seat, free adult beverages and snacks and if the scheduled flight time is 3:30 or more, a full meal. (I clocked it as 3:11 in the air on Great Circle Mapper, so it's borderline.)

Personally I don't think it's worth it - if it were me I'd save my miles for an international J or F award on Thai, Singapore or Lufthansa, and save the co-pay for a few drinks in Sint Maarten. YMMV though, and if this is a special occasion for you and want to fly in domestic F, then by all means go for it, there are worse things you can spend your miles on.
Two checked bags, unless Star Gold or higher
And yes, a full meal, good rule of thumb is to dummy book on usairways.com Scheduled flight time is 4:05 and the dummy booking says Lunch.
Also, depending on what day you fly, it looks like PHL-SXM is either an A319 or B757. The 757 has "envoy" seats that recline 160 degrees. 319 will be a standard domestic F seat.
Quote: Also, depending on what day you fly, it looks like PHL-SXM is either an A319 or B757. The 757 has "envoy" seats that recline 160 degrees. 319 will be a standard domestic F seat.
Actually if it's a B757 then I take that back - those seats are extremely nice for a daytime flight. Just keep in mind that the service won't be Envoy: your meal will be essentially a domestic F meal and there won't be any inflight entertainment.
You can't upgrade using ua miles.
Quote: You can't upgrade using ua miles.
I didn't realize the OP was using UA miles. You might get a GOFirst day of... But don't count on it.
Quote: You can't upgrade using ua miles.
US Airways participates in the Star Alliance Upgrades. But, you have to be on a full Y or B coach fare. If it's a 757, and the miles aren't a big dent to the OP's UA account then it's worth trying to redeem. I don't see anything that says the *A upgrade awards are for TA or TP travel, although I suspect that's where most people try to use them.

http://www.united.com/web/en-us/cont...rade/saua.aspx
Quote: US Airways participates in the Star Alliance Upgrades. But, you have to be on a full Y or B coach fare. If it's a 757, and the miles aren't a big dent to the OP's UA account then it's worth trying to redeem. I don't see anything that says the *A upgrade awards are for TA or TP travel, although I suspect that's where most people try to use them.

http://www.united.com/web/en-us/cont...rade/saua.aspx
Strangely enough when you click on the link in that link that says "view the Star Alliance Upgrade Awards chart.", it just links you to a general award flight view.