One pass comparisons you get today may not really carry over to what the program is like once it joins *A. It will have to go through a lot of changes.

Based on One Pass 1.5 years ago.. (when I left)
Upgrades are free but hard to get. CO sells a very good first product for a reasonable price, and the front cabin is usually full. Upgrade luck can depend on routes.. from PDX to IAH, I used to do pretty well as a Silver elite (maybe 50%) but that may have changed.

One Pass award travel booking was very hard. If you are looking for Sky Team rewards.. it used to take a lot of work. If you called prepared to "teach" the one pass rep about how to get you to your destination you could usually do pretty well. It is nothing like the ease of getting a *A award IMO.

CO cabin is great if you are in first class. They are friendly, efficient, and service minded. It is also pretty consistant. (IMO) I like UA crews too for the most part, but I can never tell what I am going to get before I get on board. Will they be over the top on service, or will they look at me as if I am wasting their time, and go read magazines for the majority of the flight?
That kind of inconsistancy does not exist on CO. (always the rare exception)

Big issue with CO and the main reason I left. NO Economy Plus, and CO coach is one of the worst economy cabins in the sky.. it is real tight back there. If the person in front of you reclines.. you can forget about using your laptop.. its all over.

Customer service is great at CO. Much better than UA. Agents out of Houston, or Salt Lake are well trained and empowered to help you. The elite lines can be a life saver with irreg opps.

All in all CO has some great things going for it. If they ever add an E+ section I would go back in a minute. I will watch their entry into *A carefully.




PS.. Continental will have a great network in Asia when they join *A.. and it will not have much to do with NW..lol