argolfer

I decided to do a Platinum challenge with AA, despite having only flown a handful of times this year and never with any extras like MCE, lounge access, etc. I’m A-List on WN and will be again next year, along with Companion Pass. But I never use that particular perk.

Simple reason for considering the change: There aren’t enough WN options out of my airport and they don’t go some places I need to go.

So this week, I booked a trip on AA. I called the AAdvantage desk ahead of time and they told me to just wait until the day before departure to sign up for the challenge so I can get extra time to complete it (I have most of my trips already booked on WN with non-refundable fares). That was a cool gesture and I really appreciated it. So I called, and of course, it was after hours — plus, they weren’t open on the weekend. Leaving Monday. Oops. That said, they made it really easy for me. I signed up and they backdated it to include the segment I’d already completed by the time the AAdvantage desk opened. I am choosing to travel without status during the challenge. I just can’t justify the added cost, knowing full-well that I might decide to stick with WN anyway.

Shortly thereafter I looked at my phone: delayed. So I walked up to customer service there in the AC at DFW and they leveled with me: this flight was only officially delayed by 30 minutes, but that’s just automated stuff. It’s mechanical, and the flight might even be cancelled. There were two seats left on the next flight, so I took one. As things turned out, the other flight was delayed an hour and half. It landed 10 minutes before the flight I took, but I appreciated the great customer service because it could have saved me from a bigger delay.

I was in main cabin seating on one of the small Embraer jets. I think an E175? Those seats were pretty terrible. Much worse than WN. I got off with my neck hurting and having not gotten any work done. If the person in front of you reclines, you’re done.

I arrived at my destination two hours late and missed a meeting. Ordinarily I don’t schedule that close, but it was frustrating since it was mechanical.

On the way back home, I connected in CLT. I wanted to check out that airport. It’s truly awful compared to DFW. I get it now. I will be avoiding that airport as much as possible. On this trip, I was in MCE both times. MCE was actually pretty incredible. Tons of legroom (I’m 6’0”) and room to break out the iPad and get some serious work done. I got an enormous amount of work done on both segments. Both were on time, despite a LOOOONG wait for a gate at CLT.

On my next trip, I bought a FC ticket — it was only about $100 extra since I bought so far in advance. So I should get to really compare that experience with DL, which was my backup airline for the most part and was my primary airline at one point.

Overall, this first “real” trip on AA was a good one. The very first trip having a major delay was... concerning. But the people in the AC definitely made it better. The club itself was nice. Since WN doesn’t have them at all, this is a big plus. And though the main cabin seats are absolutely awful, MCE was fantastic. I didn’t even care that I wasn’t in FC. DFW was better than I expected, especially with ACs so close to gates. So overall, it was a good experience.

FlyingEgghead

I'm curious, how did you get AC access?

argolfer

I have the credit card.

genotonda

If you thought the E175 seats were uncomfortable, I don't know what other plane you flew on your return, but the E175 has probably the most comfortable seat left in the AA/American Eagle fleet. 2x2 in coach, wider seats, and more padding.

argolfer

For me it’s all about the space between my face and the seat back in front of me. I fight off panic attacks when they’re tight.

HiAperture

I agree you should make sure you were in face on an E175 with that comment OP. I also find them some of the most comfortable coach seats out there, plus about half the plane is MCE, so easy to score extra legroom making it even better.

Now if you ended up on a CRJ of any stripe I could understand the comment.

jerseytom

Curious - what was awful about CLT?

I've had an instance of a very long taxi time during one of the bursts of arriving flights, that's for sure. But within the terminal itself, I really don't have any complaints. Alternatively - I went through DFW recently and it didn't seem like anything amazing. Though I did like that their Centurion lounge is open, still waiting on CLT's.

argolfer

Nearest AC club was a vast distance from my gate. It’s over-crowded because they have to use those people-movers right in the middle of the gates rather than in big, open hallways as is the case in other hub airports. No train... so everything is a long walk unless your gates are close by. And unless I wanted to walk a pretty good distance, my food options were lacking.

I should clarify that I don’t think it’s an awful airport — it’s just less than ideal as a connecting airport.

zarkov505

The thing about CLT is that all of the "American Eagle" flights go in and out of E concourse, which was obviously an afterthought, added well after the rest of the airport was built.

There is no Admirals Club in E concourse, and it is a long haul from E concourse gates to any Admirals Club and to any active AA mainline metal gate.

jmj9905

I hate to fly through clt. It is way overcrowded, the aforementioned eagle flight connecting issues and there are no real decent food options. YMMV

enpremiere

Indeed, anytime I'm tempted to feel negative about my home airport, I fly through CLT and those feelings just go away

ATLflyer2017

The issues with CLT aren't really issues, more like annoyances. Distance from Admirals Club is obviously different based on where your gates are. Lack of decent food options unless you want to walk?? There are "decent" food options but you just don't want to walk apparently. I have yet to come across a single airport that doesn't feel crowded at one point or another. One hour ATL can feel incredible crowded and then the next it feels like it's empty. Whether or not it's crowded has no bearing on my airport "enjoyment". Let's face it, it's an airport. The goal is to spend as little time as possible in the airport.

jmj9905

jackvogt I walk a lot . I would be interested it the food options you are refering to

Thanks

argolfer

1. If most of your flights are going to be out of the terminal that is far from an AC, I’d say that’s a problem.
2. Most of the time you don’t have time to walk for 30 minutes (15 each way).
3. Honestly, ATL never feels crowded except during weather delays and while people crowd gates.

It’s a preference thing. But IMO, DFW and ATL are many, many times better.

MathMusic

If you end up with status on American you get access to free MCE all the time, which is usually worth the effort of keeping status with AA. As a Gold you would be able to select an MCE seat 24h before your flight, Platinum or higher gets MCE for free at booking. And even as a Gold I get upgraded enough that I usually can't complain, especially on short flights under 500 miles.