Originally Posted by
factory81
IFor instance I have found that United/Continental have not much that I can appreciate. The reward redemptions tend to be more costly in nearly every scenario for me compared to AA. Delta is also more expensive in regards to mile redemption, an every flight seems to have like $60 in fees and taxes vs. $10 for AA.
I'm not DL fan, but domestic DL awards also have the same $10 fee. I believe it's a tax paid to the U.S. government, not a fee paid to the airline. As we get into international itineraries, things start to diverge...and it can get a bit more difficult to figure out what are really taxes and what are fees.
I too have generally been happy with AA in that respect. Total tax/fee costs for int'l awards seem reasonable.
Hotel points can be absolutely pathetic in terms of value.
Oh, but they can also be AWESOME if you know how to use 'em. I think the OP's challenge is that it sounds like he won't be racking full-value "regular" hotel stays on the DC business travel, making it difficult to reach the high point totals needed to really leverage programs like Marriott or HHonors. Starwood is better at low point totals. IHG is probably okay too although I don't know quite as much about it. I have about 150k IHG left from the Crack the Case that I'll probably just hold for Manhattan stays where everything is $400/nt., making the points worth around a penny each.
40k r/t USA - Narita or USA - Europe with AA vs. 60-80-100k+ with UA/CO/Delta
Those are off-peak award levels on AA. During most of the year, I believe they're 60k just like UA.
I seriously don't know why anyone accumulates miles with anyone but AA (at the moment i am in love with them)
I like pairing UA and AA because both offer one-ways. I'm rebuilding US now because the Grand Slam is 150,000-ish very easy miles. (This counts miles earned on the hits plus the GS bonuses.) In general, Star Alliance has more total options ex-USA. That's a good reason to build mileage somewhere on *A. AA is a fine program (for now) - that's by itself a good reason to build with them. Having both has come in handy for me over the years. Domestically, having a decent stash of WN has also been helpful...again because of the one-way options and all of the West Coast nonstops from MCI.
Besides, the OP doesn't really have an option of building on AA if his primary route is MCI-WAS. I was an AA Plat when I began my work in Arlington and learned after ONE week that MCI-ORD-DCA was *not* feasible long-term. I loved AA Plat at the time - there wasn't an EXP level, Plat Service Centers in major airports, semi-common op-UG's, periodic mailed Admiral's Club comp passes, etc.
But nonstops trump all when you're flying weekly...fortunately my firm's travel agent was able to hook up a Gold Preferred match on US. I was generally happy with them but not as happy as I would have been if AA flew MCI-DCA.