Duke787

The big "preferred seat" benefit is that on most DL flights (with the exception of some 767s), the exit row seats are preferred seats and not C+, which for me means free exit row seats on long flight. That's beneficial both domestically and internationally (makes something like RDU - ATL - LAX at lot simpler).

I also have to go to AUS from time to time so I appreciate that direct flight over connecting. The final point I'll make in favor of DL, is that the SC at RDU is leaps and bounds better than the AC at RDU. I'd say the SC is close to 3-4x the size which is great during that afternoon rush. The AC gets so overfilled right before the RDU-LHR flight and while the SC does get busy before RDU - CDG, there's just more space to sit so it's not as bad.

I do wish DL would bring the 767 onto RDU - CDG permanently (not just the summer months). I mostly avoid that flight when it's on the 757 (if CDG isn't my final destination) because I don't care for the 3-3 in Y and would rather take the connection in ATL or JFK to get on a 767/A330 (with a "2" row) that's going directly to the final destination.

Also don't forget about GSO. They sometimes offer deals that RDU doesn't. We just went to BRU on a $500/ticket deal (even for the week between Christmas and New Years and we had a $1k voucher we had to use) that was ex-GSO and it was easy enough - parking is cheap, the airport is small, and DL/AA/UA have enough of a presence to get you to a major hub fairly painlessly. Depends where you live though, if in Raleigh it can be a longer drive but if you are on the Durham (we are) it's not terrible (about 1 hour maybe with traffic). Going out of CLT though is only worth it if DL or UA decides to attack AA hubs (or in response to AA attacking DL hubs), otherwise the AA dominance there makes pricing noncompetitive.

I usually just put in RDU, GSO, CLT though when I'm doing a Google search and have some flexibility so I can see the results from all 3 and see if there is any difference that makes GSO/CLT worth considering.