FiveMileFinal

Don’t sweat none of these ratchet airlines, chief. Fly the one that gets you there the fastest, offers the best times, for the cheapest price, that allows for the changes you need in your current situation, with a big seat, preferably lie flat. Loyalty is all the way played out, just like these lounges.

dll

The Business Extra program is changing. It won't affect members who were enrolled prior to October until 2023, but it will require 3 unique travelers on the account and 5k in spend to maintain it. But the BXP1 remain a great value and I've used them many times in the past. They can even be used to go from J to F on premium 3-cabin transcons.

AMflier

I live approximately equidistant from all 3 NYC airports so I pretty much have the run of the major airlines. I also haven't qualified for any meaningful status since MQD's came along so upgrades, lounges, PDB's and any seat other than economy have little bearing on my choice.
In general, I've become agnostic so it's all up to schedule and price.

That said, If schedule, price and duration were all equal:

International
1) Most international carriers
2) Most domestic carriers

Domestic:
1) B6
2) WN --really
3) AS
4) DL
5) Tie AA, UA
7) any ULCC

rucksack

I'd edit this slightly to say:
1) Most Asian/ME carriers
2) All other carriers

European carriers have perhaps slightly better F&B offerings than U.S. carriers on average, but with the privatisation of many flagship carriers and the rise of European ULCCs, many European carriers have outdated hard products and are plagued by labor issues. Most South American carriers don't have enough business / luxury travel to justify much investment in their onboard product/service. It's really just Middle East and APAC carriers that have superior products/onboard service.

GW McLintock

Surprised you would pick B6 given their abysmal on-time performance.

AS is certainly the most pleasant IMHO, but I have been treated the best by (very surprisingly) AA.

-J.

MSPeconomist

With the Asian and ME carriers, IMO it's also partly a matter of whether one wants extremely deferential and subservient FAs. Not everyone like this style or finds it comfortable. Similarly, a number of European carriers have more formal/businesslike FAs, while USA carriers tend to strive toward "friendly" service.

Catbert10

I've been a CO/UA sorta top tier elite since 1995, CO Gold in the bronze/silver/gold age then CO Plat then UA 1K. I've been an AA EXP since 2005. I've earned both each year because it was easy enough given my travel patterns. With the transition to spend based vs mileage based thresholds, that's becoming less so, so 2022 may be the last year I requalify for this level on both carriers. My observation and advice to the OP is things run in cycles. For a few years CO or UA provided the better experience, then AA, then back again. Luckily both carriers haven't experienced an extended period of operational incompetence at the same time. Overall, there's very little to differentiate the carriers that much these days. The upgrade situation is bad on both airlines. The award situation is bad on both airlines. Right now, UA employee morale and customer service is somewhat better, but it wasn't a few years ago and who knows what it will be a few years from now.

born sleepy

Same. I would never make more than maybe gold on DL because almost all N. American destinations are non-stops. I have made Plat on AA solely on segments since about 2015, then this year my travel exploded and I made EXP on segments -- though I would have made it on miles a little later, and probably would be stuck at PPro under the non-pandemic qualification targets.

As a new EXP I've been upgraded 100%, so far.

I don't see EXP happening again under the new LP system... I won't throw that much personal spend on a CC and I have to use a corporate Amex for everything on a work trip. We'll see how it goes once it starts.

My few flights on DL have been fine, but back of bus.

fotographer

I dont think anyone really understands the new AA program... something that I will have to look at in detail.. when I can find the time.. which maybe next September

cova

The new LP system isn't that hard to understand. You need to get in the coupon mode if you want to maximize LP points earning.

LP miles earn = what you currently earn for RDM.
ie for EXP on a $100 ticket value - you earn 11 x 100 = 1100 miles - before RDM and now in LP.
For non-elites it is 5x. and number in between for other Elite levels. Nothing changes

The difference is you now need to earn 200,000 LP points;
And going forward, no EQDs, and EQM don't count.
If currently EXP - spend $18,200 and you will get EXP. Spend more if not EXP.
Spend $0 on tickets - but lots on CC and coupons offers - get EXP.

Coupons:
1. Get an AA Credit card
2. Join eshopping
3. Join edining
4. Join Simplymiles
5. Join fuelrewards
6. Sign up for text alerts on all of the above

Example on eshopping. Macys sometimes alerts a 12x earnings day
So spend $100 at Macy's - get 12x = 1,200 points. That gives you more LP points than what $100 ticket gives an EXP in the new system (1,100).

Spend the cheapest you can on AA ticket and use that extra money to buy stuff at retailers.

txpenny

Maybe, maybe if I moved to Guam, I would fly UA.

This year I split my flights between DL and AA. I had terrible luck with AA this year, so much so, on average, it was quicker to fly DFW-ATL-TPA on DL than direct with AA. I like the SkyClub better than Admirals Club.

JSprague24

There's talk of CMH getting a common use lounge which would be open to all airlines' passengers.

FrankMorris

I don't think those bonus points count for LP - just dollar spend (e..g, spend $100 get 100 LP's)

xliioper

In addition to PBI, DL has Sky Clubs in MKE, MEM, ANC (just added this summer) which are all smaller than PBI. MEM is actually the smallest airport with a club in terms of enplanements as holdover from it's NW hub days.

nineworldseries

That's odd, as the lounge would have to be landside to accommodate it. There are three different concourses, each for DL/AS/Misc., AA, and WN, each with its own security. It would be annoying to not have it after security