Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Stilllwater OK (SWO)
Programs: AAdvantage ExecPlat, World of Hyatt Globalist, plain "member" of Marriott, IHG, enterprise, etc.
Posts: 1,917
Personally, DFW-BCN is good win for me. BCN is a very popular destination for our study abroad programs and the dozen or so university towns (like mine) that connect just (or primarily) to DFW will swing a lot of scummy back of the plane traffic around spring break and May-June. I t think last year we had three programs go to BCN (20-30 students per group), and a couple more that tried but didn't' get enough enrollment to make.
And the other adds are nice. Connecting to PHL domestically from around here is still tough (though, easier than JFK by some measure). If I have to do two connections, much rather do them on this side of the pond. Still wish there was something to BER -- its such a nice place to land, rest, and then take advantage of the rail network from there (as a leisure traveler). Ah well, maybe in the future.
As for the JFK argument, I don't blame AA for skipping it over. It's such a heavily served market to Europe, fares are cheap, and O/D competition is stiff. I've nested roundtrip flights before through NYC to take advantage of $400 ex-JFK TATL fares in June before, because it was half the price as flying on a single itinerary though DFW. (i gave a day or two in between on both ends of the trip in case of IRROPs). And whenever I take a gander at JFK-LHR flights I always find it so shocking how many seats are left in the back of the plane at T-24 hours -- because I never get on anything but a near full TATL flight from DFW or CLT. It's possible to be the biggest and most premium heavy market in the country and still be overserved.
Edit to add: Scummy is a joke, and coach tickets from here to Europe though DFW are always about $1600+.
Last edited by MarkOK; Aug 17, 2023 at 4:50 pm