Originally Posted by dll

Generally speaking, this is my take:
Best transcon product is hands-down AA on the A321T, in either biz or first. Smaller planes mean quick boarding, and lounge access on either end plus if you are traveling in F you get Flagship check-in. On-board service, in my experience, has been excellent on these flights.

Second best is Delta, Delta One. Excellent check-in experience in LAX with a private entrance and a small land-side lounge, private escalators to security. On-board product excellent with Westin bedding and good menus.

Third place is JetBlue. Service and food is hit-or-miss, no lounge access and marginal ground handling. But on-board is good.

Then VX. I find the VX ground handling disappointing, almost always. LAX is a mess of a terminal, and JFK can be quite jammed at peak hours in the afternoon due to the international departure bank. On-board can be nice but the product is very dated. I've had three transcons on VX this year and on every single one something was broken. My last JFK-LAX had a broken seat, inop IFE and no amenity kits (overlooked or not boarded, but didn't need one so didn't ask). Other flights had inop IFE. I'd say the biggest downsides with VX are frequency of flights and consistency. AA is hourly service, DL is pretty close.

Last place, no surprise, is UA. Almost like they're not evening trying to compete, but EWR can be more convenient for some parts of NY.