I fly about 45 weeks a year, this past year I did fly mostly on DL from MLB but had a couple of flights on CO and NW and a few on US from MCO.

I don't always fly on the LUT fares, I try to wait until a week before the flight so that I don't get those fares, but it is a balancing game because most every flight out of MLB is overbooked, it's rare when they don't ask for volunteers to get off the flight, and sometimes I'm forced to fly out of MCO because I can't get a flight out of MLB.

First class isn't all that important to me out of MLB, after all it's only about an hour flight and DL 1st isn't anything to brag about anymore... all it is is a seat closer to the front.

First out of MCO is a big deal for me because of all the tired, crying kids in coach.

What's most important to me is to be able to board early since overhead storage on DL is so scare. Accruing more than the base miles is nice too since I have a big family that likes free tickets.

If I use MCO as my base, I have to use US to PIT and PHL, no way out of that at all. How does the US FF program compare to DL? And I rarely fly on YBM fares so as a Platinum I won't be able to upgrade when I make my reservations. Is US a stable airline, I did hear a rumor that they were pulling out of PIT.

Thanks! I almost wish they would do away with FF programs so they won't influence who I fly!

[This message has been edited by Traveller (edited Dec 27, 2003).]