Originally Posted by Hoc
So, it's not that an xONEx is not for me. It might be, and it might not be. But I need to understand the way it works, the benefits and downsides, and how I would have to alter my flying habits in order to make the best use of it (as well as whether such an alteration is desirable for me), before I make up my mind.
You would need to make several flying habit alterations. First, you would have to do more trips at one time instead of weekend hoppers here and there. Second, you would have to not to go HNL (unless, of course you buy a seperate ticket). Third, you will have to find direct flights for wherever you go which could be hard from an airport that's small like SNA. For example, if you wanted to go SNA-PHL then that would be four out of your six segments because (AFIAK) the flights are not direct. I agree with the others that unless you are able to take a significant amount of time off to do many segments outside the US then it's not worth it.
Benefits:
1. time/date flexibility (my most important benefit)
2. general availability, though I am usually a bit flexible
3. reroute for $75
4. you get to see more of the world
Downsides:
1. you *only* get 6 flights in the US
2. rules are complicated
3. you need to set a routing unless you want to spend a ton of cash with constant reroutes
4. going around the world can take a lot of time
5. expensive
Personally, if someone is exp and has no interest in seeing the world then they are better off doing $200 LAX-JFK or LAX-PHL runs and the occasional run to Europe for $350. If you do 4 trips LAX-LON at 11,000 miles each and 13 trips to Philadelphia at $200 each then you are renewing exec plat for $4000 all in F or J without having to deal with all the rules and restrictions of the OWE and it would probably be cheaper in the long run.