AirTran = Most Underrated Airline?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: AA Gold, Amex Plat
Posts: 4,007
AirTran = Most Underrated Airline?
I'm always amazed at how dead this board is considering how full most of my recent AirTran flights have been.
Seems to me that AirTran is the most underrated US airline...they're not dominant in any major market thanks to Delta's ATL hub and heavy presence at MCO, and they don't have any one amenity (i.e. JetBlue's DirecTV) that differentiates them from the competition.
The best things about AirTran to me are 1) no RJs, even to smallish cities like RIC, CAK, FNT, ICT, etc.; 2) upgrades that are a good value, even for non-elites; and 3) generous frequent flyer benefits if your flights are mostly shorter segments (credits instead of miles).
I wonder if AirTran will ever get the good reputation it deserves among travelers (and even here on FT, if it makes a difference). Many people, even here in RIC where AirTran's arrival was promoted very positively by the local media, haven't heard of the airline or at the very least, know little about it.
Just some thoughts I've had.
Seems to me that AirTran is the most underrated US airline...they're not dominant in any major market thanks to Delta's ATL hub and heavy presence at MCO, and they don't have any one amenity (i.e. JetBlue's DirecTV) that differentiates them from the competition.
The best things about AirTran to me are 1) no RJs, even to smallish cities like RIC, CAK, FNT, ICT, etc.; 2) upgrades that are a good value, even for non-elites; and 3) generous frequent flyer benefits if your flights are mostly shorter segments (credits instead of miles).
I wonder if AirTran will ever get the good reputation it deserves among travelers (and even here on FT, if it makes a difference). Many people, even here in RIC where AirTran's arrival was promoted very positively by the local media, haven't heard of the airline or at the very least, know little about it.
Just some thoughts I've had.
#2
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Short Hills, NJ
Programs: Hilton Silver, Marriott Gold, Priority Club, Continental Silver
Posts: 48
I agree completely. I always choose them over Delta when I lived in Atlanta because of the cheap upgrades and XM radio!
I just wish they flew to more destinations out of EWR.
I just wish they flew to more destinations out of EWR.
#3
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: CHICAGO
Programs: DELTA SM, HILTON GOLD, SPG GOLD
Posts: 108
The cheap upgeades are the best part.
#4
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: MHT/BOS <--> World
Programs: AA Plat 2.8MM
Posts: 4,629
Yes, I LOVE having to pay for the cheap Airtran upgrades when other airlines upgrade me for free!!!
Airtran is an excellent airline in many, many ways.
Please remember, however, that Airtran is a poor choice for:
- Anyone who flies more than 50K a year and wants free upgrades from cheap fares. CO, NW, DL, US, and AS all offer unlimitted; AA and UA give the 50K level limitted free upgrades. 25K level flyers also receive these free upgrades, but only can count on them on less busy routes.
- Anyone who wants to fly international with the benefits of an alliance...keeping miles in one place both domestically and internationally and gaining status flying several airlines.
- Anyone who flies transcon on coach fares a lot and wants to receive free FOOD and professional service (that comes in other airlines F cabin).
- Someone who wants a much better seat than Airtran offers. For the FF who cares, they can identify which airlines offer international business class style seats on select domestic routes (free upgrades to these seats)...and of course those who want international business class and First Class awards (free) when they vacation internationally. I do applaud AirTran for their any-airline awards, but these are limitted to coach so don't help those who want free premium cabin vacations.
- Anyone who wants a quiet lounge to work before/between their flights located close to their airlines gates.
The above people are not underrating Airtran; they have good reasons to prefer other carriers.
For the infrequent traveller AirTran often offers a better product than the competition. Infrequent = less than 25K or 50K/year.
Those who mostly fly routes serves by Airtran with big planes but other airline only use RJs should also prefer Airtran with their paid upgrades.
For the frequent traveller, if you care about any of the above, you may not want to overrate Airtran. I say this as someone who does not fly AirTran often for the above reasons. I do have an A+ account and would fly them say MDW-ATL if they cost a lot less than AA, but if AA is in the same range, I will fly AA, get upgraded for free 99% of the time, and enjoy the free perks.
No, I do not prefer the cheap Airtran upgrades to free ones!
Airtran is an excellent airline in many, many ways.
Please remember, however, that Airtran is a poor choice for:
- Anyone who flies more than 50K a year and wants free upgrades from cheap fares. CO, NW, DL, US, and AS all offer unlimitted; AA and UA give the 50K level limitted free upgrades. 25K level flyers also receive these free upgrades, but only can count on them on less busy routes.
- Anyone who wants to fly international with the benefits of an alliance...keeping miles in one place both domestically and internationally and gaining status flying several airlines.
- Anyone who flies transcon on coach fares a lot and wants to receive free FOOD and professional service (that comes in other airlines F cabin).
- Someone who wants a much better seat than Airtran offers. For the FF who cares, they can identify which airlines offer international business class style seats on select domestic routes (free upgrades to these seats)...and of course those who want international business class and First Class awards (free) when they vacation internationally. I do applaud AirTran for their any-airline awards, but these are limitted to coach so don't help those who want free premium cabin vacations.
- Anyone who wants a quiet lounge to work before/between their flights located close to their airlines gates.
The above people are not underrating Airtran; they have good reasons to prefer other carriers.
For the infrequent traveller AirTran often offers a better product than the competition. Infrequent = less than 25K or 50K/year.
Those who mostly fly routes serves by Airtran with big planes but other airline only use RJs should also prefer Airtran with their paid upgrades.
For the frequent traveller, if you care about any of the above, you may not want to overrate Airtran. I say this as someone who does not fly AirTran often for the above reasons. I do have an A+ account and would fly them say MDW-ATL if they cost a lot less than AA, but if AA is in the same range, I will fly AA, get upgraded for free 99% of the time, and enjoy the free perks.
No, I do not prefer the cheap Airtran upgrades to free ones!
Last edited by wanaflyforless; Feb 13, 2007 at 6:21 pm
#5
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: ATL
Programs: DL SkyMiles, MR, HH, ICH/PC, Avis Pref., Hertz Gold
Posts: 2,897
Free elite upgrades are totally worthless if you are flying on American Eagle or Comair RJs with "no class" seating. If AirTran is competing on those routes, you will be in a full-sized A/C with Biz class.
I agree that AirTran's primary market is to the infrequent, leisure traveler and I think DL mainline is superior overall, but when faced with the prospect of flying on Comair or ASA, Airtran starts looking mighty good!
#6
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: STL, CPS
Programs: AA LT Plat
Posts: 974
I have to admit they turned my head when they threw that spoiled 3 yr old and her culture-of-entitlement parents off their flight for not getting seated and belted.
Haven't flown them yet, but they're in STL now and I would definitely consider them.
Haven't flown them yet, but they're in STL now and I would definitely consider them.
#7
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: MHT/BOS <--> World
Programs: AA Plat 2.8MM
Posts: 4,629
Good! We agree! ^
Free elite upgrades are totally worthless if you are flying on American Eagle or Comair RJs with "no class" seating. If AirTran is competing on those routes, you will be in a full-sized A/C with Biz class.
I agree that AirTran's primary market is to the infrequent, leisure traveler and I think DL mainline is superior overall, but when faced with the prospect of flying on Comair or ASA, Airtran starts looking mighty good!
I agree that AirTran's primary market is to the infrequent, leisure traveler and I think DL mainline is superior overall, but when faced with the prospect of flying on Comair or ASA, Airtran starts looking mighty good!
#8
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: MHT/BOS <--> World
Programs: AA Plat 2.8MM
Posts: 4,629
Very true. However, this does not influence me as I am primarily an advance purchase buyer or flexible in my travel plans...so I would have to pay more to get an upgradable fare on Airtran (as an elite). At least this has been the case when I have checked my price options and when I flew them a couple times.
#9
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Spam-a-lot
Programs: Priority Club Rewards, AirTran A+ Rewards, Delta SkyMiles, Marriott Rewards
Posts: 523
Perhaps AirTran doesn't mind being underrated... at least in other airline's minds. Yes, they are constantly battling DL in ATL, but historically they seem to have done a good job of not getting involved in a similar all out battle with other carriers while building sizeable operations in their backyards (ie. building focus cities in the WN strongholds of BWI and MDW and years ago building up flights out of DFW). Of course, of late it seems like B6 is paying a lot more attention to AirTran's growth in SWF and HPN. Maybe the other airlines are waking up to find a much stronger competitor than they had imagined.
I also think this is why it will be VERY hard for Virgin America to get a foothold even if they can get their DOT ducks in a row. The legacy carriers see what a mistake it was to ignore the start-up LCCs and the LCCs are going to vigorously defend the market from any new entrants.
I also think this is why it will be VERY hard for Virgin America to get a foothold even if they can get their DOT ducks in a row. The legacy carriers see what a mistake it was to ignore the start-up LCCs and the LCCs are going to vigorously defend the market from any new entrants.
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: AA Gold, Amex Plat
Posts: 4,007
I hadn't thought about it before everyone replied, but yes, the lack of international flights is a big drawback to AirTran. I don't fly international on a regular basis so I hadn't thought of that...but even still, with enough A+ credits (don't remember how many) AirTran will buy you a coach ticket on another airline to travel internationally, and in most cases that ticket earns miles on whatever carrier FL chooses.
#11
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: CLE
Programs: UA GS+LT UC, AA EXP+LT PLT, Fairmont LT PLT, Marriott PLT, Hilton DIA, Hyatt Glob, Avis CHM
Posts: 4,670
A+ Rewards is a joke.
Noone else in the industry has a 12 month expiration on miles earned with no ways of extending them.
Then even when you get a free ticket it's nearly impossible to actually find A+ coach seating...
Noone else in the industry has a 12 month expiration on miles earned with no ways of extending them.
Then even when you get a free ticket it's nearly impossible to actually find A+ coach seating...
#12
Join Date: May 2006
Location: ATL
Programs: DL PM, Jersey Mike's Sub Club
Posts: 85
100 credits = RT anywhere in the world. If your end goal is international reward travel, and you fly primarily to/from smaller markets (especially shorter hops) FL can't be beat. If you fly longer haul routes regularly, obviously there are better choices, but that is not FL's core market.
#13
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: CLE
Programs: UA GS+LT UC, AA EXP+LT PLT, Fairmont LT PLT, Marriott PLT, Hilton DIA, Hyatt Glob, Avis CHM
Posts: 4,670
You'd have to be crazy to fly 100 FL segments in a year, short or long-haul.
Take AA for example,
100 segments on AA gets you EXP status and due to minimum miles/segment and elite bonuses by the time you finish 100 segments of any kind you'll more than enough miles to fly anywhere in the AA award system, and you'll get automatic domestic upgrades as well as a whole bunch of systemwide upgrades.
FL can't come close to that with their joke of what they call "elite status"
#14
Join Date: May 2006
Location: ATL
Programs: DL PM, Jersey Mike's Sub Club
Posts: 85
Wrong.
You'd have to be crazy to fly 100 FL segments in a year, short or long-haul.
Take AA for example,
100 segments on AA gets you EXP status and due to minimum miles/segment and elite bonuses by the time you finish 100 segments of any kind you'll more than enough miles to fly anywhere in the AA award system, and you'll get automatic domestic upgrades as well as a whole bunch of systemwide upgrades.
FL can't come close to that with their joke of what they call "elite status"
You'd have to be crazy to fly 100 FL segments in a year, short or long-haul.
Take AA for example,
100 segments on AA gets you EXP status and due to minimum miles/segment and elite bonuses by the time you finish 100 segments of any kind you'll more than enough miles to fly anywhere in the AA award system, and you'll get automatic domestic upgrades as well as a whole bunch of systemwide upgrades.
FL can't come close to that with their joke of what they call "elite status"
#15
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: MHT/BOS <--> World
Programs: AA Plat 2.8MM
Posts: 4,629
From a flying experience standpoint, it depends what the competition is flying on the route. Take my hope airport: ORD I can fly a lot of short haul without seeing an RJ: ORD-STL, ORD-DTW, ORD-MSP, etc So it would depend where I need to go and what the competition uses on my routes who would give me a better flying experience.
From a rewards standpoint, FL does not stand a chance.
I don't disagree with anything you say and FL Elite is not even in the same ballpark as EXP. I would however question anyone's sanity who flies 100 RJ segments for EXP, when the domestic upgrades won't do you any good. 100 short-haul segments will get you enough for a SAAver award anywhere in the world AA flies. FL's program will get you a non capacity controlled ticket on any airline. Like I said before, it all depends on your situation/market. Out of ATL, flying ASA/Comair RJs to chase after DL PM status isn't my game.
If I had to choose between 100 segs on DL RJs and FL, FL would be an easy choice.
If i had to choose between 100 segs on AA RJs and FL, I would be a man divided against myself:
FL: Better travel experience because of bigger planes and better seats than RJs.
AA: Access to the EXP desk for instant re-booking when things go wrong (avoiding the long lines), Free alcoholic beverages on Eagle as an EXP benefit, Lounges available at many airports, First Class check-in and security system-wide allowing me to consistently arrive at the airports at the last minute and still make my flights, Non-expiring miles I can earn a thousand different ways, and most importantly, the ability for luxury vacations without busting my budget.
AA EXP gives 8 system-wide upgrades usable for me/family/friends on ultra cheap fares to anywhere AA flies...Japan, China, Brazil, India, Italy, etc.... Buying coach and advance confirming business for my family on cheap tickets to nice places we want to go is worth more than a few dollars or a few RJ flights.
Now, considering where I live, it is very unlikely I would have to ever make a choice like this: AA flies mainline a lot of places, so my choice would more likely be 50 Barby jet segments + 50 grown up jet segments vs 100 FL segs on grown up jets.
Due to the above, AA would easily win in this scenario. Free upgrades on the big jets and some benies on the uncomfortable small ones...with major benies to look forward to with my family.