jmurat1041

I have had the chance of holding United 1K and American Executive Platinum status for a couple years now and would like to share some thoughts on my experience with both programs and how they compare. I may send a copy to AA and UA and ask if they care.

My profile: I spend a lot of time on airplanes for business, flying around 300,000 miles per year, mostly internationally, I can chose which airline I fly but am generally expected by my company to purchase the lowest cost coach fare. So my interest is to get as many business class upgrades as possible and as many miles as possible, which I use for family and friends. I live in Miami, FL, an AA hub.

Obtaining the status:

Reaching 100K is easier for me on United/Star Alliance than on AA, United has more flights to Asia and a couple flights to the Middle East. AA is stronger in LatAm (though UAL also flies to GRU and EZE) but in Asia AA metal only flies to Japan and India.

Flying One World vs Star Alliance

There are some fare restrictions but in general it seems to me Elites get double miles on One World flights but not on on Star Alliance flights, except for some Lufthansa flights. That is a big difference which I have rarely seen highlighted.

CX vs SQ

When I fly Cathay Pacific in any class, the lead flight attendant comes to me, calls me by name, thanks me for my business and for being Emerald and sometimes I even get upgraded without asking.

When I fly Singapore Airlines, which is nonetheless a great airline, I get nothing and sometimes end up in a middle seat.

When I fly Cathay in coach I have access to the fist class lounge in HKG, where I can get a VIP room, take a shower, a bath, relax, then have dinner and be served fine wines in their restaurant.

When I fly SQ in coach I do not even have access to the SilverKris business lounge in Singapore, instead I can go to the Star Alliance Gold lounge and if I am lucky they will have noodles. No comparison.

BA vs LH

Can’t get miles on BA transatlantic flights, London is a difficult airport to connect to for me because of the multiple airports, hand luggage restrictions and the time it takes to go through the lines, I would rather avoid it. But I love the BA lounges.

On the other hand I can get double miles on LH transatlantic and attempt to use a systemwide upgrade (though I have never done it, not sure what the success rate is) and FRA is an easy airport to make connections. But I am not impressed by the Senator lounges I have seen.

UAL business vs AA business

No doubt for me that UAL business is superior, AA’s new biz is cramped, the seat is not completely flat and I have never been able to sleep in it. UA’s new business is a pleasure, especially on the upper deck of a 747, which AA does not fly. Good entertainment in both. I wish either would fly the A380, have not heard of any plans.

SWUs

Perhaps because they know their business class is superior, UAL has surreptitiously made an enormous change to their policy, which I questioned them about and they say they have not. My experience is, for the last 18 months I have NEVER been able to confirm a confirmed systemwide upgrade. Essentially the upgrade is pending until check in and then you get it or not, recently I have not been able to redeem my SWUs. What is the point of having them then, in the past it had never happened that I had an SWU expire, now it looks like it is going to, in spite of the 165,000 miles I have flown on UAL this year (OK, including DEQMs).

You get six SWUs per year on UAL, whereas you get 8 on AA, which makes it much easier to travel with a companion.

On AA, I make a call and almost always get my SWUs confirmed immediately.

Oh, and UA requires the purchase of higher “upgradable” fares. Paying more and then not get upgraded adds to the frustration.

Domestic upgrades

In most cases I get upgraded on domestic flights on either AA or UA. I do however have a preference for AA because I find their domestic biz better in terms of comfort and food and wine, and I usually get my upgrades confirmed earlier. And generally speaking AA/One World makes me feel more important to them than UA/Star Alliance (where are my 1K luggage tags?).

Of course Star Alliance is much bigger, which means more opportunities to earn EQMs if I didn’t mind flying the partners in coach and not getting double miles. But I do mind…

Premier lounges

A good example of how AA makes me feel more important is access to the Flagship lounges when traveling internationally (though very regretfully all of the Carribean and Canada are not considered international by AA), whereas UA will not allow me into their First class lounge at all, only into the Red Carpet (and the Red Carpet lounges in the US are really not that impressive, can you believe they do not have a single shower at IAD?).

Reservations

I do most of my reservations on line. But when I speak to an agent I have a better experience with AA, no wait, and one even called me back! Recently UA’s messaging system, SMS or email, has failed to alert me of events I suscribe to (departure gate, upgrades) on most occasions and I have been on hold for a while before someone picked up the phone.

Award availability

From Miami of course almost none on UAL metal, anywhere, anytime, did not use to be that way. Variable availability on partners. Not bad at all on AA, with the possibility to book one-way, which is a plus for me, and reduced off-peak awards.

Conclusion:

Generally better experience with AA/One World, especially CX, and I live in an AA hub with a flagship lounge. But UA has a better business class product and flights to South East Asia and the Middle East and a better transatlantic partner (did I mention BA only awards miles based on the fare paid?). So I am stuck, I will have to continue to fly both…. I have been thinking of getting a FF card from CX, SQ or LH, ask them to match my status and use them rather than AA/UA for international flights. But I am thinking this is going to cost me my domestic upgrades, has anyone tried that?