Originally Posted by RealHJ

You are absolutely right. It all depends on the context and one's individual travel patterns and needs.

I am sorry for going OT here and even making that remark. I really didn't mean to hijack the thread like this..

In my specific case, with SkyTeam to go to Asia or Europe from HNL I have DL flights to FUK, KIX, NGO, NRT (3x daily), KE (2x daily) to ICN and 1x daily to NRT, MU (3x weekly) to PVG, and CI daily to TPE via NRT. All but CI are true lie flat (and MU 33E aircraft super spacious business class compares to first class suites of others and is one of the best business class products hands down; it sure makes for very restful HNL-PVG-FRA and return flights) and provide for easy onwards connections. With *A, it's much more limited. NH has a limited network and reach and doesn't fly from HNL to FUK or NGO or KIX, and its NRT and HND flights have inferior US domestic style recliners. UA only has 1x daily flight to NRT. OZ has only 1 x daily to ICN, and it has a horrible in flight product (angled lie flats with a footrest that you need to exert constant pressure on to keep down, which means that your leg muscles ache and it's impossible to sleep as you cannot relax your body, and service and food on OZ, same as the seating, is also way below par to KE). And that is pretty much it. *A has both a much weaker network and a vastly inferior product (mostly 1980's style recliners, and UA's rather uncomfortable 4 seats clumped together and very narrow lie flat).

*A has SE Asia and PEK well covered, and Japan also fairly well with NH (though it's award availability is another issue, now with the >3 months out block enforced by pretty much everyone but LifeMiles, where the cost is nearly 3x that of UA, for example), but inbetween it's so-so...though the addition of BR has helped a lot. Still, more often than not what is a direct flight on ST is a one or two connections one on *A, at least on routes that I need. But I stress again, that it all depends a lot on one's individual travel needs and patterns.

But anyway, let's keep the thread on topic. My apologies for making this OT remark here initially.