US Airways First Class to SXM
May 12, 2012, 10:18 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 311
US Airways First Class to SXM
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.
May 12, 2012, 10:49 am
#2
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: BGM/ PHL
Programs: US (Silver, *A Silver), AA, Starbucks (Gold)
Posts: 2,242
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.
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.
May 12, 2012, 2:45 pm
#3
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: PIT/LBA
Programs: I miss US Airways
Posts: 791
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.
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.
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.
May 12, 2012, 4:30 pm
#4
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: BGM/ PHL
Programs: US (Silver, *A Silver), AA, Starbucks (Gold)
Posts: 2,242
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.
May 12, 2012, 5:27 pm
#5
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: AVL
Programs: AA, AS, SQ, Hilton Diamond, PC Platinum, National Exec
Posts: 726
You can't upgrade using ua miles.
May 12, 2012, 6:27 pm
#6
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: BGM/ PHL
Programs: US (Silver, *A Silver), AA, Starbucks (Gold)
Posts: 2,242
May 12, 2012, 6:56 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: PHL, NYC
Programs: AA PLT, DL SLV, UA SLV, MR LTT, HH DIA
Posts: 10,066
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
http://www.united.com/web/en-us/cont...rade/saua.aspx
Last edited by PHL; May 12, 2012 at 7:02 pm
May 12, 2012, 8:00 pm
#8
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: PIT/LBA
Programs: I miss US Airways
Posts: 791
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
http://www.united.com/web/en-us/cont...rade/saua.aspx