Originally Posted by
kop84
DL offers x3 to LAX, x1 to SEA, and x3 to SLC
AA offers x4 to LAX and x4 to PHX
UA offers x5 to DEN, x5 to SFO, x2 to LAX
I know one can back track some to DFW or IAH and have many more options, but just looking a flights headed west, UA has the edge while AA/DL are even, but DL offers one more destination.
But DL is getting more gates at AUS, who knows what else will be added.
I wouldn't call going from DFW "backtracking" when going out West, especially to Arizona and Southern California. One ends up flying way north to get to SLC only to have to fly back down South
To San Diego, DFW is way more convenient than SLC:
AUS-SLC-SAN: 1,711 miles
AUS-DFW-SAN: 1,361 miles
To San Francisco, it's a wash:
AUS-SLC-SFO: 1,684 miles
AUS-DFW-SFO: 1,654 miles (
Even for Pacific Northwest destinations, DFW isn't out of the way over other hubs as to Portland it's about a wash as well:
AUS-SLC-PDX: 1,715 miles
AUS-DFW-PDX: 1,806 miles
The minimal difference there means one's connection times really play into the equation, plus factoring in the options available via PHX and LAX. The other factor is the "insurance" all those flights to DFW provide with a ton of back-up options which DL doesn't have at AUS, unless one really backtracks to ATL.