Originally Posted by
HawkeyeFlyer
I am currently relocating my home airport from ORD to PHX. The ONLY thing about this move causing me any stress is changing my airline affiliation from UA to AA. I currently am 1mm flier with UA and hate the thought of not using the Lifetime Gold for my wife and I. That being said, UA just does not fly direct to enough of my business locations.
Let me preface that I have no desire or intent to use Southwest unless I literally have no other option.
What are your travel patterns and what status would you hit on UA through your spend and your PQM/PQD? Keep in mind that your LT UA status won't give you a qualifying spend exemption on AA. Spend qualifications would be a
huge factor for me in deciding if AA loyalty was viable or if I should just free agent it all, and yes, take WN when it makes sense (which in my mind gets way more flak on FT than it deserves), or maybe even status challenge to A-List. Having to shovel extra money at an airline beyond your natural travel patterns just to get or retain status may not be worth it.
Originally Posted by
nachosdelux
don't be so quick to dismiss Southwest.
I fly weekly, primarily on Southwest and AA. Southwest is definitely better in coach and marginally inferior when in AA first.
I tend to agree: on flights of up to 2-3 hours, I'm relatively indifferent to F or Y, and those stage lengths are the meat and potatoes of my travel, especially if I can get exit row or extra legroom in coach. Airplane food just isn't all that good and a $5-7 drink in first class just isn't worth that much to me). I'm trying on A-List for 2019 because of changes in AS MP that don't work for me (MVP Gold there, will almost certainly drop down a level). I've been consistently nailing the exit row A or F seat without a seat in front.