FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Benicia, California, USA
Programs: AA PLT,AS,UA PP,J6,FB,EY,LH,SQ,HH Dmd,Hyatt Glbl,Marriott Plat,IHG Plat,Accor Gold
Posts: 10,820
Your decision could hinge on where in Asia and Europe you'll be flying. Plus you're looking at something of a moving target, in view of the tighter integration that's coming between AA and BA on the one hand and the pending UA/CO merger on the other. Both of those developments could lead to positive or negative impacts on upgrade possibilities, but we don't yet know what those effects will be.
To my mind, it's a close call for you, with factors on both sides of the equation. If the F upgrade possibility is the primary consideration for you, then I'd lean towards UA unless, as explained below, you are just flying to Japan and China in Asia. But anyway...
As an Executive Platinum (100,000 miles per year), you get eight systemwide upgrades per year from AA. As a 1K (also 100,000 miles), you get six from UA. Plus you're just a quick hop away from Dallas, where lots of AA's international flights go from. Plus once you reach EXP on AA you have access to first class lounges when you fly internationally even if you're in business class, which is a nice perk. So on those count AA wins.
But AA has fewer routes to Asia, just flying to Tokyo and one or two cities in China (and Hong Kong not being one of them), I believe. And UA's international F is far superior on its 767s and 747s, where F has been improved in recent years, and is about on par with AA on its 777s, which are slowly being changed as well. From your post, it sounds like the best connections from San Antonio are on AA and CO.
One other consideration is whether you'll fly on the cheapest international business fare, which is called a Z fare. You can't upgrade that on UA. I believe that's also the case with AA, but I'm not sure. On the other hand, you can use your UA upgrades on a same-day basis to upgrade to F on Star Alliance partner Lufthansa (including on a Z fare), if the space is available.
What you could do, then, is join UA's program but fly CO (which already is tightly tied to UA in terms of mileage credits, etc. and will of course become one with it after the merger goes through) if you need the domestic connections to the international UA flights.
Last edited by Thunderroad; Jun 20, 2010 at 10:45 am