Disappearing DCA to PHL route?
Feb 15, 2020, 3:32 pm
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,584
Unfortunately, the other lesson that you might learn when you are planning your next trip is that connecting-flight travel like DCA-PHL-XXX sometimes costs less than a PHL-XXX nonstop -- whether you're paying with cash or with AAdvantage miles.
Feb 15, 2020, 4:42 pm
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: PHL, NYC
Programs: AA PLT, DL SLV, UA SLV, MR LTT, HH DIA
Posts: 10,066
While there's always someone who would suggest rebooking all together on another carrier, this suggestion has a few issues:
1.) The DL aircraft from JFK-VCE is an older 767 without Premium Economy. The OP states that they purchased AA PE, which would put them on an A330-200 from PHL-VCE. Not a bad ride compared to an older 767.
2.) If the OP wishes to request a full refund and find other means of transport to VCE, AA will likely give them the refund due to this schedule change but they may not find comparable pricing on a carrier with PE from DC to VCE for their travel dates.
3.) DCA to JFK could also be prone to delays just as easily as DCA to PHL would have been, had the AA route continued to operate.
I like the two scenarios given:
Scenario 1:
1.) Call and ask AA to drop the first leg together so they can fly PHL-VCE-PHL. After they make the change, keep them on the phone. Log out and back into your AA.COM account and make sure the flights are correctly updated. The last thing you need is to show up in Philly with a canceled flight because you didn't show up at DCA at 630am that day for your first leg.
2.) Take one of the many ground options from DC to PHL. I second, third and fourth the vote for Amtrak. On a Saturday, the Amtrak Acela is about 1hr45min and the <much> less costly Amtrak regional service is about 2 hrs. The good news is - once you get to PHL, an Uber to the airport is ~15 minutes ride. The cost of an Uber would probably be about the same as the cost for the local train from Philly 30th street station to Airport for multiple riders (~$7 per person).
Scenario 2:
Call and ask AA to put you on DCA-ORD-VCE routing. The layover in Chicago is ~4 1/2 hours, though. The only benefit here is you will be flying on a 787, which is a nice, new(er) aircraft. The downside is the routing is a little bit out of the way.
1.) The DL aircraft from JFK-VCE is an older 767 without Premium Economy. The OP states that they purchased AA PE, which would put them on an A330-200 from PHL-VCE. Not a bad ride compared to an older 767.
2.) If the OP wishes to request a full refund and find other means of transport to VCE, AA will likely give them the refund due to this schedule change but they may not find comparable pricing on a carrier with PE from DC to VCE for their travel dates.
3.) DCA to JFK could also be prone to delays just as easily as DCA to PHL would have been, had the AA route continued to operate.
I like the two scenarios given:
Scenario 1:
1.) Call and ask AA to drop the first leg together so they can fly PHL-VCE-PHL. After they make the change, keep them on the phone. Log out and back into your AA.COM account and make sure the flights are correctly updated. The last thing you need is to show up in Philly with a canceled flight because you didn't show up at DCA at 630am that day for your first leg.
2.) Take one of the many ground options from DC to PHL. I second, third and fourth the vote for Amtrak. On a Saturday, the Amtrak Acela is about 1hr45min and the <much> less costly Amtrak regional service is about 2 hrs. The good news is - once you get to PHL, an Uber to the airport is ~15 minutes ride. The cost of an Uber would probably be about the same as the cost for the local train from Philly 30th street station to Airport for multiple riders (~$7 per person).
Scenario 2:
Call and ask AA to put you on DCA-ORD-VCE routing. The layover in Chicago is ~4 1/2 hours, though. The only benefit here is you will be flying on a 787, which is a nice, new(er) aircraft. The downside is the routing is a little bit out of the way.
Feb 15, 2020, 5:18 pm
#19
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: DCA/IAD/WAS
Programs: MAR AMB, WOH Explorist, AA EXP, UA 2P
Posts: 2,138
I've noticed that the connections from DCA to AA European routes (across the other hubs) are generally in the "not great" category. My hunch is that they would rather travelers to Europe in the DC metro area utilize a major revenue sharing partner of theirs that happens to have two flights a day to a major hub in the European area with frequent flights from that hub all over Europe.
Feb 15, 2020, 6:59 pm
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,231
While there's always someone who would suggest rebooking all together on another carrier, this suggestion has a few issues:
1.) The DL aircraft from JFK-VCE is an older 767 without Premium Economy. The OP states that they purchased AA PE, which would put them on an A330-200 from PHL-VCE. Not a bad ride compared to an older 767.
1.) The DL aircraft from JFK-VCE is an older 767 without Premium Economy. The OP states that they purchased AA PE, which would put them on an A330-200 from PHL-VCE. Not a bad ride compared to an older 767.
Feb 15, 2020, 10:22 pm
#21
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: TPA / JFK / LAX
Programs: DL 360, UA 1K, AA EXP, Bonvoy Ambassador
Posts: 304
The easiest reroute here is Amtrak. There is no way that I would fly DCA-PHL (and even less so, BWI-PHL). Those flights are the first to be cancelled / delayed when inevitable weather, ATC, and other issues arise in the corridor between RIC & BOS. Even Amtrak has a reduced Saturday schedule, but there is still at least one train per hour.
Your profile shows you as based in DC itself. Thus, Amtrak to PHL followed by either Uber or SEPTA to the airport is likely faster, less prone to delay, and more certain. It's certainly nicer than DCA-ORD-VCE which involves additional flight time on both segments.
Your profile shows you as based in DC itself. Thus, Amtrak to PHL followed by either Uber or SEPTA to the airport is likely faster, less prone to delay, and more certain. It's certainly nicer than DCA-ORD-VCE which involves additional flight time on both segments.