Any other ORD-based flyers struggling with AA's schedule/lack of frequency
#1
Used to be 'g_leyser'
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Brandon Johnson International Airport (expect delays)
Programs: AA PlatPro, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold, IHG Plat, Reno Air MEGA Platinum
Posts: 10,015
Any other ORD-based flyers struggling with AA's schedule/lack of frequency
By way of background, I travel predominantly for business, 100% North America, usually midweek. The majority of my trips are to the West Coast (literally every city AA flies nonstop to from ORD), and Southeast (ATL, Florida, Carolinas, DC area), with a few other random trips once per quarter or so (this year it was MSP, YYZ, and LGA x 2). I am only allowed to book economy, but sometimes I will pay out of pocket to upfare to F if it's reasonable (e.g. my ORD-SFO flight this week was only $62 more). I usually book one-ways, and I'm rarely able to book more than 2 weeks in advance. I spend a LOT of time in exit rows . I switched to AA in 2013 after 830K lifetime UA EQMs after I just couldn't take it anymore with UA. Have been PLT or EXP every year since. I am writing this on an LAX-ORD flight, which will qualify me for Plat Pro.
Lately I have really been struggling with making AA work for many of the itineraries I need. My goal in life right now is to spend as few nights away in hotels as possible. I am loyal to AA, but I absolutely will NOT spend an extra night away just to make sure I fly with AA. I have had to book on other airlines quite a few times this year as a result.
Some examples this year and looking into next year:
Lately I have really been struggling with making AA work for many of the itineraries I need. My goal in life right now is to spend as few nights away in hotels as possible. I am loyal to AA, but I absolutely will NOT spend an extra night away just to make sure I fly with AA. I have had to book on other airlines quite a few times this year as a result.
Some examples this year and looking into next year:
- MIA-ORD on a Wednesday afternoon: Meeting went to about 4pm and wanted to get home same night - only UA had a late enough departure - this is hub-to-hub no less!!
- ATL-ORD on a Tuesday evening - wanted to make a work dinner and get home same night. Last AA flight is ~7pm. At least 3 options on DL to either ORD or MDW
- MSP-ORD on a Monday evening - same as above - last AA flight is ~7pm. 4 options on DL - ended up booking WN into MDW for ~$50
- ORD-SJC any day: Usually only 1 flight a day and it leaves ORD around 10am. Which means to make a lunch meeting I have to fly into SFO and drive
- SJC-ORD and SMF-ORD midweek - only 1 flight a day on Wednesdays and it's ~11am departure meaning the whole day is shot
- ORD-RSW on a Thursday afternoon in Dec: Last flight of the day is at 12 Noon?
- ORD-SEA in the winter: Summer schedule is great, but off-season is brutal. Last outbound from ORD is 10:30am!
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
You're going to need to fly other carriers. That's what happens when even a very large market is split 3 ways: frequency and number of non-stop destinations won't be what you can get out of ATL or DFW. It's good for price competition on the routes that see service. It's better for you, too, to see the issues of AA vs. other carriers' performance.
#4
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Austin, TX - AUS
Programs: AA Platinum, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, Marriott
Posts: 1,622
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: HH Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 10,451
Since you are an AA loyalist, I would send your post verbatim to AA Customer Service. Just copy and paste it into the box. Their midweek schedule reductions are going to bite them in the a**, if they don't do it carefully.
#6
Used to be 'g_leyser'
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Brandon Johnson International Airport (expect delays)
Programs: AA PlatPro, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold, IHG Plat, Reno Air MEGA Platinum
Posts: 10,015
Looks like you are correct. This was not the case earlier in 2017 - glad to see this ^
The only CHI carrier with more departures than AA is UA, and you already said you couldn't put up with UA any more. That's not to say that AA/UA departures are equally distributed across the routes you travel...
You're going to need to fly other carriers. That's what happens when even a very large market is split 3 ways: frequency and number of non-stop destinations won't be what you can get out of ATL or DFW. It's good for price competition on the routes that see service. It's better for you, too, to see the issues of AA vs. other carriers' performance.
You're going to need to fly other carriers. That's what happens when even a very large market is split 3 ways: frequency and number of non-stop destinations won't be what you can get out of ATL or DFW. It's good for price competition on the routes that see service. It's better for you, too, to see the issues of AA vs. other carriers' performance.
Exactly my point. For me the reductions are palpable. Curious if others are having the same experience, or if I've just been a bit unlucky.
#7
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: DCA
Posts: 7,761
If you're sitting in exit rows and upfaring to F out of your own pocket, then why are you so dead set on being loyal? I'm not being hyperbolic when I say that it really doesn't sound like loyalty is getting you very far. You can upfare on any major carrier, regardless of status...
#8
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: St. Louis, MO - AA PLT/2.98MM (Lifetime PLT), Delta PM, SPG Gold, AMEX Plat
Programs: TW Elite (RIP), CO OnePass
Posts: 1,923
There is something wrong with your searches.... looking at this week, AA has:
- 5 daily ORD-SEA, including a 5pm, 8pm & 10pm
- 3 daily SJC-ORD at 7:45am, 1:25pm and 10:45pm
- 3 daily SJC-ORD at 9:55am, 5:10pm & 8:05pm
- 4 daily ORD-RSW including a 3:10pm
- 10 daily MIA-ORD, including a 9:30pm
#9
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: STL/ORD/MCI/SAN
Programs: AA CK MM, AC SE100K, UA 1K, DL Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,985
There is something wrong with your searches.... looking at this week, AA has:
- 5 daily ORD-SEA, including a 5pm, 8pm & 10pm
- 3 daily SJC-ORD at 7:45am, 1:25pm and 10:45pm
- 3 daily SJC-ORD at 9:55am, 5:10pm & 8:05pm
- 4 daily ORD-RSW including a 3:10pm
- 10 daily MIA-ORD, including a 9:30pm
Every airport has seasonal route changes, and I don't think the situation at ORD is as dire as the OP suggests.
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
I don't follow airlineroutes.net nor airliners.net for schedule changes, but I don't believe AA has seen a big reduction in ORD departures year-over-year. But, if AA isn't available where and when you need a flight, your best choice is another carrier vs. a connection.
#12
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: UA Million Mile, Mileage Plus Premier 1K, SkyMiles Gold Medallion, AAdvantage Gold
Posts: 875
This is what I do. I am primarily a UA flyer because I live near a UA hub, but I will fly whoever has the most convenient flight for me. Hence, I have status on UA, AA, and DL.
#13
Moderator: Avis and Rental Cars
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 8,025
- ATL-ORD on a Tuesday evening - wanted to make a work dinner and get home same night. Last AA flight is ~7pm. At least 3 options on DL to either ORD or MDW
- MSP-ORD on a Monday evening - same as above - last AA flight is ~7pm. 4 options on DL - ended up booking WN into MDW for ~$50
There are always exceptions, but this is the general rule.
#14
Used to be 'g_leyser'
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Brandon Johnson International Airport (expect delays)
Programs: AA PlatPro, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold, IHG Plat, Reno Air MEGA Platinum
Posts: 10,015
Well it sounds like others are not having the same experience as I am, lol. Just to clarify a few things:
The only reason I have access to the exit rows in the first place is because of my status. So in fact, loyalty is extremely important for me.
This isn't really a fair comparison, because this week has an unusual schedule due to the holidays coming up. Remember, I travel primarily for business.
Let's look at mid-January and Feb:
ORD-SEA - the 5pm doesn't run on Tue or Wed (my main travel days), and the 8pm and 10pm are gone
ORD-SJC - one flight a day at 5pm - again, this means flying into SFO or spending another night away, which I'm not willing to do
SJC-ORD - one daily flight at 8am
ORD-RSW - my point was that the latest flight was at 3pm, so can't work a full day and still get there same night
You're right about MIA-ORD, it wasn't an option for my specific example, but it could've been that those flights were sold out
Definitely a possibility, and a good point.
Thanks to everyone for their feedback.
If you're sitting in exit rows and upfaring to F out of your own pocket, then why are you so dead set on being loyal? I'm not being hyperbolic when I say that it really doesn't sound like loyalty is getting you very far. You can upfare on any major carrier, regardless of status...
There is something wrong with your searches.... looking at this week, AA has:
- 5 daily ORD-SEA, including a 5pm, 8pm & 10pm
- 3 daily SJC-ORD at 7:45am, 1:25pm and 10:45pm
- 3 daily SJC-ORD at 9:55am, 5:10pm & 8:05pm
- 4 daily ORD-RSW including a 3:10pm
- 10 daily MIA-ORD, including a 9:30pm
Let's look at mid-January and Feb:
ORD-SEA - the 5pm doesn't run on Tue or Wed (my main travel days), and the 8pm and 10pm are gone
ORD-SJC - one flight a day at 5pm - again, this means flying into SFO or spending another night away, which I'm not willing to do
SJC-ORD - one daily flight at 8am
ORD-RSW - my point was that the latest flight was at 3pm, so can't work a full day and still get there same night
You're right about MIA-ORD, it wasn't an option for my specific example, but it could've been that those flights were sold out
Thanks to everyone for their feedback.
#15
Used to be 'g_leyser'
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Brandon Johnson International Airport (expect delays)
Programs: AA PlatPro, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold, IHG Plat, Reno Air MEGA Platinum
Posts: 10,015
Going TO a hub, airlines try to get the flights to arrive in time to make the last bank of connections for the night. So going from a DL hub to an AA hub, I would think DL would have flights that depart later than the AA options, as AA is trying to get you to ORD in time to make a flight out. However, the opposite is also true. I would expect AA to have flights PHL/ORD/CLT - ATL/MSP to depart later than the DL options.
There are always exceptions, but this is the general rule.
There are always exceptions, but this is the general rule.