I'm a 2.5+ MM BIS with AA and when I moved from AUS to PDX I switched to UA as AA service out of the PNW was poor; I don't want to go through DFW to connect from PDX to LAX (Ok a stretch but....).
Fast forward 4 years and the situation is very different. I will be moving my business back to AA+US/AS in FY (Flying Year) 2015 as the combination of those 3 for me gives me many more options with more direct flights on mainline aircraft. UA is in full retreat from PDX and I would seriously advise against choosing UA based on recent announcements.
My flying is primarily domestic, west of the Rockies and all in Y. F & Long-Haul fliers might have a different perspective. UA upgrades are about as rare as a blue moon (for a Plat) and generally, the cabin and ground staff can be pretty abrasive, with a few notable exceptions. Connecting through SFO is really painful due to climatological and capacity issues. I consistently leave 3+ hours for an SFO connection and regularly mis-connect even with that kind of buffer.
Last edited by timfountain; Jun 8, 2014 at 10:52 pm