Buster CT1K

TravelerMSY

You would have really liked the former Virgin America recliner seats.

And it�s very Flyertalk of you to fly a bunch of mileage runs on a carrier you like, so that you�ll have higher status to get upgraded on the one you don�t

Aero137

Maybe I�ve been lucky, but my experiences (at least inflight) on AA over the past few months have been good, and in some cases great.

Recently, I flew SNA-SEA round trip, AS F (updated A320) one way, and DL F (A220) the other. Both were good experiences but nothing made them stand out compared to AA.

Now, the Alaska Lounge and SkyClubs in SEA�
those are both far better than any Admirals Club, and almost on par with some Flagship Lounges.

(Obviously, small sample sizes for AS and DL)

RAD_PDX

AS' food offering on SNA-SEA should have been superior to AA and your F seat would have had around 4" more pitch.

Aero137

I noticed a little more legroom, but honestly I didn�t think it was significant (and I�m not short at 6�).

It was a breakfast meal (choice of Egg Salad Sandwich or Protein Box). Granted, I haven�t had a breakfast meal on AA recently, but I�ve been surprised by the AA meals recently. I�ll have to give AS catering another shot on a lunch or dinner service.

AndyPatterson

Agree with Aero137 that the AS lounges make a big difference! I only wish there were more of them, but recognize that the numbers would not work out for the east coast stations (DCA/IAD).

eponymous_coward

My comments are on soft product, which aside from an extra meal service doesn’t change that much between longhaul and whatever. I don’t find soft product service delivery to be massively different between ANY USA or European airline, it’s all marginal differences (maybe AS and WN are better but it’s all tiny stuff). Frankly the only airlines where things consistently go over the top are Asian ones (and even then I’ve had lousy CX shorthaul business class food).

Oh, and while you’re at it do BURNING miles between AA and BA. Enjoy your $300-700 extra YQ on BA while you’re in non-all aisle access seats on BA 789s, some 777s, and A380s.

(And frankly I’ve flown BA shorthaul and would rather fly U2, seriously.)

fly747first

The AS A321s did those routes previously in addition to FLL but now the latter doesn't get them anymore; can't say I'm entirely surprised since all my FLL SEA and FLL SFO flights on A321s went out with empty seats and Y didn't look that full either

Visconti

RE: AA First

For several years post Flagship First launch, I thought their F service from JFK to the West Coast was easily the best in class. The planes were new, the FAs were all excellent, professional and well briefed on their offerings. The JFK FFD & LAX (QF) dining experiences were truly exceptional by airport standards. Perhaps, one's memories gets fonder over time, but during those days, I think AA FAs were truly making an effort to differentiate the soft product. Back then, there was no question their hard product was world class. One of the most knowledgeable and best FAs I've ever experienced was a JFK to SFO flight, and, though rare, I'd say this experience was as good as the Asia int'l F FAs.

It's not bad now, but certainly not what I had remembered. Of course, the A321T is better than anything TCON AS has to offer, but it certainly isn't 10 times better, as its price difference.

Of course, I'd agree that AS's short haul F probably has no peer, when it comes to the soft product. Also, in my experience, AS's GAs, CSRs and lounge dragons all seem a cut above the rest, in terms of friendliness, anyway.

Eastbay1K

While the numbers wouldn't work for a free-standing lounge, the numbers certainly could work for a shared lounge situation, such as AA @ HNL, which is a co-marketed JL and AA space, with AA and JL agents there. This would, at a minimum, trigger lounge access for paid F. As someone who has periodic, but not constant, paid lounge membership, this could serve to drive more business toward AS, and cost AS a whole lot less than its own buildout.

Carolina2Cali

Ha! I didn't know!!! Every AS flight greets you by name, doesn't act like a total B, and you always get food! AA still treats you like basic cattle.

Had I known... aye aye aye!! ANYTIME Alaska flies a route I can actually use now, I'll be using them.

beckoa

AS does a solid job overall.

I flew AA FAI-DFW this summer- got upgraded at the gate (kinda shocked, as I was the last one) but thought the main cabin was more comfy (friend was in PE with empty middle/aisle).

I did get both a blanket and pillow in F (been a while since I've seen those on AS- and was a nicer blanket offering compared to AS)

And... AA offers Glenlivet 12 as well. Miss those... and Diet Dr. Pepper.

<rAAnt off>

metallo

I believe this is my 6th year as 75K and 11th year with top tier AA status (was previously EP, now CK), and I must say, considering domestic flights only, both airlines have their pros and cons.

I remember having the same thoughts as the OP about AS being superior in many ways when I originally status matched EP to 75K, but here are a few counter points:

1. Wide bodies and lie flat seats on AA � I�m heading to Hawaii for my third time in the past couple of months, and there�s no comparison between flying a 777 from DFW to the Islands as opposed to connecting at an AS hub and flying a 737.

2. Flagship lounges, flagship first dining, and even just many of the Admirals Clubs absolutely blow the average AS lounge out of the water (not counting the SEA N gate lounge ).

3. The short haul meals on AS seem better than AA currently, but I didn�t feel that was necessarily the case pre-pandemic, and I suspect AA will improve again as time goes on.

4. Far more routing options on AA, especially outside the west coast, and seemingly more J availability (and also upgrade chances, if you�re interested in that).

5. Speaking of upgrades, you rarely hear of �upgrade processor� issues at AA like you do with AS. I would take EP over MVP100k any day, because the upgrade odds will likely be better with less capacity at AS, and I just can�t imagine AS will get its act together with their upgrade list IT by the time their new top tier level is rolled out.

6. Better discount J purchase options on AA � it seems like every non-west coast flight in J on AS is down to full fare J seats only when I try to book, and the price is usually well over $1000 for a midcon and usually over $1500 for a transcon one way on AS.

7. At outstations, AS seems to have more contract staff than AA, making the overall experience with those agents less predictable.

8. Last point � if you fly/spend enough to get CK on AA, there�s no comparable service available with AS. Even if you�re just comparing EP, from what I�ve read about the new 100k benefits, they just seem disappointing and less than I would have predicted.

Overall, I think AA is better geared toward the higher spend traveler who wants a premium experience. AS is better if you frequently fly mostly west coast routes and want a distance-based mileage program. Service, in my experience, it hit or miss at both airlines.

Eastbay1K

That is one thing that AS, AFAIK, has never excelled with. Unless there's some secret double handshake service for their top top flyers, with private rooms at their hubs that I've never heard of after 35 years as a customer with this airline, AS really drops the ball here. You can't even get proper agent service in the lounges (and there's a reason for that which the airline could fix). I was a UA 1K for nearly a decade, long prior to GS implementation, and the ground support for whatever we needed (within reason and then some), in dedicated hub service rooms just for us was beyond compare. I recall once with some IRROPS on AS, and having the lounge agent telling me I needed to go out to the lost sea of humanity Customer Service Center for assistance.

I've only flown AA as an AS partner member, and then, only generally in paid premium cabins (including international). I give the edge in crew kindness and service to AS. Ok, I take that back. I flew AA with my OC miles after AA bought them and ruined them. If I still have an AAdvantage account, it has been dormant for 25-ish years.

I'll take the current domestic 2 cabin AS F seat over the AA seat - as an aisle seat sitter, the pitch makes a big difference with people getting in and out of the window seats.

AS has no compare to the FLs. But as compared to an AC, it is a closer call.

As a west coast person not subject to a captive hub, I'm glad I'm a west coast person not subject to a captive hub!

jiburi

Agreed that AS Inflight, (aside from lacking lie-flat) is great, but AS does have its weakness, particularly for its network and outpost stations. Not a problem for west coast, but East Coast, there is limited service, not to mention airport amenities. With non-existing political clout and most premium gates taken by major carriers, these outpost stations gets the leftovers.

Jiburi