This is great - would appreciate any advice anyone can provide:


1. What is most important to you in a frequent flyer program (FFP)?
upgrades, priority services, baggage allowance, good award redemption rates, better award access, lounge access, etc.
>>> Reply: Status, Priority services, Lounge Access

2. How many miles do you usually fly each year? How many flights/sectors?
less than 25000 miles, 50000+ miles and 20-25 flights, etc.
>>> Reply: less than 25,000

3. What fare class do you usually buy?
first, business, premium economy, economy
>>> Reply: First when possible for comfort

4. Are you able to choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
>>> Reply: My home airport is serviced by United, Delta, Southwest, and American mostly.

5. Which routes do you fly most often?
transatlantic, domestic USA, intra-Asia, etc.
>>> Reply: domestic USA

6. What is your home airport?
>>> Reply: AUS (Austin, TX)

7. Do you have status in any FFP? What is it? How miles do you have banked in each FFP, if any?
>>> Reply: I have around 60k with United, 20k JetBlue, 3,500 Delta

8. What are your preferred airlines, if any?
>>> Reply: United because they have the United MileagePlus X app which help earn miles, but Delta for inflight experience and customer service.

I'm in a quandary...

Based on the info above, it would seem like United is the way I should go... but I've flown on Delta and had significantly better experiences with customer service and was more comfortable on the planes.

I have a number of credit cards and reward partnerships, but am wondering if I should stick with United because they're the only ones that go direct from AUS-EWR - I have family/friends back in NJ and fly Austin-Newark a number of times per year. Delta flies connecting through ATL, which isn't bad, and JetBlue flies into JFK which is a nightmare.

I'm quite torn as to what to do...

As for credit cards, I have the Amex Delta card, Chase United Club, and Barclay JetBlue, Chase Sapphire Preferred, and Amex Everyday. I can earn miles from either card.

United just seems like a..."meh"...airline. Every trip on it was uneventful. It seems utilitarian, whereas I feel like Delta, though slightly more expensive, is just a good bit better.

What do you all think?