Where is the SWU available? (Are SWU usable / useful?)
#61
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: COU
Programs: AA EXP, Bonvoy Ambassador, Hertz PC
Posts: 499
Yeah, I sometimes do a miles+copay to "skip the line" on those transcons (or even midcon lie-flat like DFW-LAX on the 789), even if I have SWUs available. The $75+15k is worth less than the SWU to me; I'll save it for a route where miles+copay is $350+25k.
#62
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: CLT
Programs: AA EXP, 2 Million Miler
Posts: 815
I have been receiving 8 SWUs for the last few years. I have not been able to use them myself, so I have been upgrading my sons (they have no status on AA), and their gf's, for a few domestic flights each year (typically when they fly in to visit us). This is certainly not a high value use of the SWUs, but it's better then the SWU just expiring.
#64
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#65
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Dallas/Orlando
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 2,716
For us, personally, SWUs have lost value due to paucity of C availability at time of booking. We are flexible with dates. We will even select a destination based on C availability, like a weekend hop down to Santiago, Chile last year.
Despite many international leg EF alerts set, thus far, this year, SWUs have been used only for our domestic commuting hops. A significant decrease in perceived value to us.
90% of our flying is not for pleasure, but its technically not for work, either. When we are able to travel for pleasure, we dont want to take a gamble of being in Y, even if the gamble isnt necessarily super risky.
AAs tightening of advanced C availability has simply changed our purchasing behavior. We will shop away from AA based on price and timing.
We get that they are a business and have no beef with their tactics. But we also dont send as many dollars their way as we did in the past.
#66
Join Date: May 2011
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP, LT Gold
Posts: 3,143
+1.
Or burn them J to F and use the excellent Flagship First dining at DFW, LAX or JFK now.
You cannot rightly compare using an SWU in 2011 vs 2019. As Antarius said above... sure, C space in 2011 was plenty, but you upgraded into a NGBC seat that was a ski slope with limited privacy. I'm at peace with having to waitlist my SWUs to get into the excellent new INTL biz class AA has on a majority of their fleet. And I've never missed an SWU in the past 5 years as EXP. Not once.
Or burn them J to F and use the excellent Flagship First dining at DFW, LAX or JFK now.
You cannot rightly compare using an SWU in 2011 vs 2019. As Antarius said above... sure, C space in 2011 was plenty, but you upgraded into a NGBC seat that was a ski slope with limited privacy. I'm at peace with having to waitlist my SWUs to get into the excellent new INTL biz class AA has on a majority of their fleet. And I've never missed an SWU in the past 5 years as EXP. Not once.
#67
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SLC/HEL/Anywhere with a Beach
Programs: Marriott Ambassador; AA EXP 3MM; AS MVP, Hilton Gold, CH-47/UH-60/C-23/C-130 VET
Posts: 5,234
+1.
Or burn them J to F and use the excellent Flagship First dining at DFW, LAX or JFK now.
You cannot rightly compare using an SWU in 2011 vs 2019. As Antarius said above... sure, C space in 2011 was plenty, but you upgraded into a NGBC seat that was a ski slope with limited privacy. I'm at peace with having to waitlist my SWUs to get into the excellent new INTL biz class AA has on a majority of their fleet. And I've never missed an SWU in the past 5 years as EXP. Not once.
Or burn them J to F and use the excellent Flagship First dining at DFW, LAX or JFK now.
You cannot rightly compare using an SWU in 2011 vs 2019. As Antarius said above... sure, C space in 2011 was plenty, but you upgraded into a NGBC seat that was a ski slope with limited privacy. I'm at peace with having to waitlist my SWUs to get into the excellent new INTL biz class AA has on a majority of their fleet. And I've never missed an SWU in the past 5 years as EXP. Not once.
#68
Join Date: May 2011
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP, LT Gold
Posts: 3,143
#69
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SLC/HEL/Anywhere with a Beach
Programs: Marriott Ambassador; AA EXP 3MM; AS MVP, Hilton Gold, CH-47/UH-60/C-23/C-130 VET
Posts: 5,234
#70
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: COU
Programs: AA EXP, Bonvoy Ambassador, Hertz PC
Posts: 499
For us, personally, SWUs have lost value due to paucity of C availability at time of booking. We are flexible with dates. We will even select a destination based on C availability, like a weekend hop down to Santiago, Chile last year.
Despite many international leg EF alerts set, thus far, this year, SWUs have been used only for our domestic commuting hops. A significant decrease in perceived value to us.
...
We get that they are a business and have no beef with their tactics. But we also dont send as many dollars their way as we did in the past.
Despite many international leg EF alerts set, thus far, this year, SWUs have been used only for our domestic commuting hops. A significant decrease in perceived value to us.
...
We get that they are a business and have no beef with their tactics. But we also dont send as many dollars their way as we did in the past.
#71
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SLC/HEL/Anywhere with a Beach
Programs: Marriott Ambassador; AA EXP 3MM; AS MVP, Hilton Gold, CH-47/UH-60/C-23/C-130 VET
Posts: 5,234
<redacted>
Thankfully, as someone who has the freedom to occasionally work remotely, AA is part of that and when I have a week free of meetings, I can occasionally start on a Saturday at the CX lounge in SFO, the Qantas First Lounge at LAX, or the Flagship Lounge in Miami and head off to another continent with reasonable (but not absolute) certainly that I'll be sitting in business and able to arrive in Barcelona, Budapest, Buenos Aires, Hong Kong, London, Madrid, Santiago, Sydney or other places well rested and ready to enjoy life. I'll still buy some biz seats over the year (sometimes on AA, other times of QR) but SWU's allow me more trips over the year. Of course, building a great team, keeping connectivity and a flexible sleep schedule, and being comfortable in different cultures helps too.
FTers can really help on that journey.
Thankfully, as someone who has the freedom to occasionally work remotely, AA is part of that and when I have a week free of meetings, I can occasionally start on a Saturday at the CX lounge in SFO, the Qantas First Lounge at LAX, or the Flagship Lounge in Miami and head off to another continent with reasonable (but not absolute) certainly that I'll be sitting in business and able to arrive in Barcelona, Budapest, Buenos Aires, Hong Kong, London, Madrid, Santiago, Sydney or other places well rested and ready to enjoy life. I'll still buy some biz seats over the year (sometimes on AA, other times of QR) but SWU's allow me more trips over the year. Of course, building a great team, keeping connectivity and a flexible sleep schedule, and being comfortable in different cultures helps too.
FTers can really help on that journey.
Last edited by C17PSGR; May 18, 2019 at 1:07 pm Reason: Redacted previously deleted post content and reply
#72
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#73
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