Virgin America tentatively approved. Effect on AA out of SFO?
Jul 19, 2007, 9:05 pm
#46
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 5,748
I suspect based on routing (i.e., the alternatives satisfy your needs) AA will lose a non-trivial amount of PLTs too let alone GLDs and many more after thay have already made that level and cannot make it to next. Upgrades are rare unless EXP on those routes and the coach product difference is just too much to ignore. With online checking, at the airport benefits aren't all that enticing.
One thing that will keep some people on AA (or UA for that matter) is that the FF programs are just about the only way to leverage company's money for personal use later on. Same reason why business travelers keep paying huge amounts of company money to hotel stays.
Just like it has happened in large brand hotel stays, for self-employed people the cost savings from not flying legacies can often be used to get the same rewards and often more by paying for it (i.e., run your own loyalty program - one loyal to yourself
)
Jul 19, 2007, 10:15 pm
#47
Join Date: Aug 2006
Programs: AA PLAT; Hilton Gold; Hertz #1 Gold
Posts: 252
AA has now matched the JFK-SFO-JFK. ^
$298 all in
$298 all in
Jul 19, 2007, 11:24 pm
#48
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London, United Kingdom
Programs: OW/AA, DL, UA; Marriott Titanium
Posts: 4,936
Jul 20, 2007, 1:13 am
#49
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,097
Not true. VX (Virgin America) charges $40 if you want to do a change, while AA charges $100. This is not a match in my book.
Also, AA did not match VX's promo business class fare, and its version of matching VX's lowest business class fare ($449++) requires 14 days advance purchase.
Also, AA did not match VX's promo business class fare, and its version of matching VX's lowest business class fare ($449++) requires 14 days advance purchase.
Jul 20, 2007, 4:07 am
#50
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Potomac Falls, VA
Programs: AA Plat 2MM, MR Gold, Avis Pref
Posts: 41,109
I used UA for $149.80 all inc RT for a F/Su
Just to keep my UA miles from expiring and add a little to the measly balance that I have.. I booked IAD-SFO-IAD for $149.80 for my family to go to the Cal game. Leaving Friday evening returning Sunday morning.. perfect times and everything.. I'll give up some EXP miles when the competing fare on AA was in excess of $300 each.. in essence this fare will be less than half of what I'd pay on UA.
Jul 20, 2007, 7:03 am
#51
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: NJ
Programs: UA LTG, AA LTG, Bonvoy LTP, IHG Plat, LHW Sterling
Posts: 2,405
Jul 20, 2007, 9:53 am
#52
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Central New Jersey
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat 2MM
Posts: 691
Jul 20, 2007, 11:20 am
#53
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New York
Programs: AA Plat, CO Gold
Posts: 1,598
Jul 20, 2007, 12:38 pm
#54
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, BA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 33,535
Cheers.
Jul 20, 2007, 12:53 pm
#55
Join Date: May 2000
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA
Posts: 1,960
Have two flights SFO-LAX coming up. AA: no bonus miles. VA: Two tickets bought. If I were AA, I'd start competing with SOMETHING. The novelty alone will drive some of us over for a while (I have NO chance of making EXP this year).
Jul 20, 2007, 1:12 pm
#56
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London, United Kingdom
Programs: OW/AA, DL, UA; Marriott Titanium
Posts: 4,936
One can hope. We saw what AA was able to do in this arena with the Dallas Fly3/Fly6 promos & how their fares, AAdvantage miles, & even their AAdmirals Clubs hopped into play. But, if SFO is not now nor ever will be a major contender for them, they probably won't do much.
Jul 20, 2007, 1:14 pm
#57
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Seattle
Programs: AA 2MM
Posts: 260
They will probably throw some bonus miles at it if United does.
Jul 20, 2007, 1:21 pm
#58
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
Other than a double mile promotion don't see much. At least for Y paxs, AA cannot compete with new 320s with state of the art technology/entertainment (AA with their 20 year plus 767s). On the F/J side, AA never attempted to really compete against UA's premium product. But again I think that VX is really chasing the B6 crowd.
Jul 20, 2007, 6:29 pm
#60
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: Some more than others
Posts: 774
AA has also matched VX in business for LAX-JFK (eff 8/29) with fares starting as low as $389 OW.
Since I've already requalified for EXP this year, I'm giving VX a try, see how their F compares with AA's J and F on the trans-cons.
Since I've already requalified for EXP this year, I'm giving VX a try, see how their F compares with AA's J and F on the trans-cons.