Well, ok, not the best flying experience of my life, but as a someone who grinds it out week-to-week, this is about as good as it's going to get for me in the air.

I recently had to make a couple of cross country flights and was fortunate to do these in paid F. I’m normally an AA flyer, fly coach and watch for prices, but this time I knew I wanted to at least try one other of the major airlines…and with a choice between Delta and United, I still went with cheapest and settled (?) on UA. Both flights were roundtrip PHL-XXX (west coast city). Here are my experiences…in alphabetic order

Additional info: I have low status on both airlines and I’m very rarely upgraded (<5%) so this really is a treat for me.

AA: PHL – PHX (A321)
(still trying to figure out how to post photos...but there's probably nothing you guys haven't already seen)




Blankets available on all segments.
Seat is pretty wide and comfortable, but there really is poor legroom. All things considered, I’d likely be more comfortable in an exit row (especially one like 10F or 23F). And in hindsight, the seat backs are a little stiff. I was definitely fidgeting a little starting halfway through the flight.

PDBs are offered.

And to kick things off with some interest, there’s a little dust up here in F. Some guy is trying to jam his bag into the overhead. It just won't fit but he's trying to force it into the space that already nearly full. The guy sitting directly below this overhead yells at him because he really isn’t being careful (and frankly, he’s absolutely right). Standing guy relents and puts his rollaboard under the seat in front of him (which seemed pretty stupid…who wants to fly cross country with a rollaboard at your feet?). Someone else tries the same overhead space, too, but first guy says that "a-holes in first class won't let you use the overhead". (he actually used the bad word). To his credit, sitting guy let it go. Jeez, I thought people would be nicer up here.

Hot towels are distributed. Age old question, are these just for your hands or also for your face?

I preordered my breakfast and I feel like I might have been the only one to do so. And it was a good thing as they were out of choices by my row.

Omelet tasty, sausage pleasantly spicy, potatoes and squash (?) a little bland and a little soft. Biscuit good. Fruit okay.

Service was very good, absolutely nothing to fault, but would have appreciated something faster so I could sleep.

Overall:
Seat: 6 out of 10
Service: 10 out of 10
Food: 8 out of 10 (I saw a picture someone else posted of the same meal…the omelet was wading in a little pool of water (likely steam condensation back to water).


AA: PHX – XXX (B737 variant)
Photo of first class seat.
Seat is a little more narrow than on the A321 but still comfortable. However, there is definitely more legroom. In hindsight, this is the better seat due to the legroom. But as on the A321, I wish the seat back was a little softer.

PDBs were offered

Warm nuts were offered. And then a big aluminum try of MORE warm nuts for refills. Yikes, that was a lot of nuts.

Hot towels.

Preordered lunch. Tasty, but a texture that the pasta was likely frozen. Salad small but good. Bread good.

Warm chocolate chip cookie. Yes!

Attentive service. Overall it was faster than the first flight, again, nothing that could really be faulted.

Overall:
Seat: 8 out of 10 (legroom better, seatback still a bit firm)
Service: 9 out of 10 (while service was faster, there was something about the morning flight that was a little better).
Food: 7 out of 10

AA: XXX – PHX (B737 variant)
Photo of seat. Wow, I had no idea there was a second seat back pocket and that there were ear buds in it.

PDB offered.

I just realized…in the safety video, why are they all cheering at the end?

Hot towels.

Warm nuts. No refills offered, but nonetheless, I think I'm sick of warm nuts.

Photo of dinner. The steak is practically bite size and quite dry. Salad fine. Bread good. Quinoa a little dry but still tasty.

Warm cookie!

Overall:
Seat: 8 out of 10 (legroom better, seatback still a bit firm)
Service: 8 out of 10 (nothing wrong with it, but nothing stood out. Maybe this is harsh?)
Food: 5 out of 10




AA: PHX – PHL (A321)
Chaotic boarding. Our gate in PHX is in the corner of the terminal and there's no structure to boarding. Unless you got to the gate early and maneuvered your way to the front (and I don’t want to use the term gate lice), it was tough.

PDBs offered

Seriously, on the A321, once the person in front of you reclines, there really isn't much leg room in F. The woman in front of my slammed her seat back soon after take-off. And I take the position that since the airline lets you recline, that’s your right. But everytime I moved, my knees dragged across the seat back. Which I guess disturbed her. And since sleep was out of the question, the only thing I could do was read. And it’s not my fault the angle of the reading light was right in her face. Next time, bring a mask.

I think there were hot towels.

Overall:
Seat: 6 out of 10 (if this would have been a daytime flight, and the person in front of my hadn’t reclined, I’d give this a higher rating. But since it wasn’t, and she did, it gets a 6.)
Service: 6 out of 10. Certainly friendly. But with no meal service, what are they really doing to warrant anything higher?
Food: 0 out of 10. There may have been a snack basket, but I can’t remember. So it gets a 0.