Originally Posted by StarOne
What to do? I’ve just started a new job where I’ll be traveling a lot. I’m not sure to what destinations, but primarily domestic US. I’m based in Chicago, so have my pick of AA or UA. Given the uncertainty of my destinations, I can’t provide any more details or specifics. From that info, which airline would you choose, AA or UA?
I live in Chicago and have gone back and forth between AA and UA over the years. Right now I am flying mostly AA. At elite levels, domestic upgrades are half the price, and are more likely to include meals. On international, AA lets you upgrade off even the cheapest fares, and the OneWorld round-the-world fares are much less restrictive than Star Alliance's.
UA is also using Ted and RJ's on a lot of flights from Chicago, even to cities like Dallas and Atlanta. The seating on these planes is not nearly as good as UA Economy Plus or AA's roomier seating. Ted is a cattle car with no first class - it was probably what drove me to AA most recently.
UA international awards are a bit cheaper so if you're focused on that rather than immediate comfort, that would be a consideration.