ijgordon

I guess you have to define "very expensive" because it certainly wouldn't be the first bridge over a highway.

a330boston

I think JetBlue became that airline a while ago

3Cforme

Maybe that's JetBlue. Delta has more JFK non-stop destinations, peak daily flights, domestic passengers and international passengers than does B6. Below is a link to the PANYNJ December '17 YTD traffic report.

http://www.panynj.gov/airports/pdf-t...K_DEC_2017.pdf

controller1

From today's Motley Fool:

American Airlines Scales Back Its Ambitions in New York

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/americ...154000244.html

a330boston

Yeah you have a valid point there. Come to think of it, I've noticed that both the carriers (B6 especially) have been driving AA out of its previous northeast hubs. Remember the days when AA was the largest carrier at BOS? Now B6 is the big guy with DL also having a significant presence. Looks like the same thing is happening down in the Big Apple.

ashill

Does DL have appreciably more connecting traffic at JFK than B6? It wouldn’t shock me if DL has less O&D traffic than B6, at least to North America/Caribbean destinations. But which is bigger is beside the point: both are appreciably larger than AA, and I think it is fair to say that a lot of New Yorkers think of B6 before AA.

a330boston

Well if you include connections onto partner airlines, I think B6 has more of an edge. Here in the Boston area, most people take JetBlue to JFK when they want to make international connections there. But of course, if you mean solely DL connections, then they are far more dominant without doubt. A large part of this can be attributed to the gulf carriers. I'm sure more pax than ever from EY and QR flights will be hopping on B6 connections once AA cuts codeshare ties with them.

Adelphos

Is it actually an advantage for AA O&D fliers based in New York if AA is third or fourth in the market? Emptier planes and shorter upgrade queues

A321T

Adelphos

Due mainly to a more limited AA schedule out of NYC, I’m gonna end March with about 10,000 EQM on Delta and 10,500 EQM on American. AA beats Delta in its total offering on the transcons, but for standard coach and F, Delta is very good. The main reason to fly AA over Delta from NYC is less competiton for upgrades and a better terminal experience at JFK. Obviously Delta is better out of LGA and has more frequency in general. Delta has more international frequencies in total, but AA still has BA, Oneworld and good connectivity to LatAM. Objectively, Delta is in a better position, but AA can work in certain situations (particularly if you are a transcon and OW flyer)

ysolde

We're going through a similar transition. We'll be burning some Advantage miles on a trip to Europe in May. After that, we're shifting most our business over to Delta. Living in Manhattan, we are finding that given our flight patterns (we tend to fly to FRA or CDG internationally or down to Florida or SJU domestically) AA simply no longer works for us. We were willing to put up with a certain amount of expense and inconvenience internationally as long as AA worked for us domestically. These days, trying fo fly down to FLL or SJU on AA is more trouble (and expense) than it's worth. And the service in F on DL has been surprisingly good. It's a shame, because I grew up on AA. SJU's AC was almost a second home to my family for many years. Times change, I suppose, and we must all change with them.

cova

I still view JFK as a connecting hub for International travel from DCA. When you do take off - the flight can be 35 minutes. I have not used PHL yet as a connecting hub. I am just more familiar with JFK and it has a Flagship lounge. I guess I should try PHL - but I have avoided it because up to now - it has the legacy USAir aircraft for international - 330's , the terrible 757, etc.

I prefer the 77W to London with its 52 J seats. IAD is the only option non-stop - but then it is BA with a bad J seat, and then you can't use eVIP's on BA.

Although I may just switch back to UA with all the direct flights from IAD.

The new CX nonstop from IAD-HKG is now a plus for OneWorld to Asia.

ClipperDelta

Well, tonight (March 24) also marks the last AA64 JFK-ZRH after 16 and a half years of continued nonstop service (AA actually started JFK-ZRH way back in the late 80s before suspending it in the late 90s, and then bringing it back in late 2001 when SR was in decline).
The aircraft will turn tomorrow in ZRH to resume the nonstop to PHL as AA93. Interestingly, the JFK-based crews will continue to work the PHL-ZRH flights until November 2018 when the LAA and LUS flight attendants are supposed to be integrated after which the PHL base will take over the flights.

LHSEN

I’ve been flying AA64/65 very frequently for the last 10 years or so, now bus8ness will go to star alliance ...

nova08

PHL has the Hi-J BA 744. Only 2 752 International flights remain (SNN and GLA). There will be 5 763's and the rest on 332/333 this summer. Of course no Flagship Lounge in PHL yet. But with only 3 DCA-PHL flights I've heard that they might not always connect well to international flights.