AA really has given up on SFO-based flyers
Jul 24, 2022, 5:45 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2000
Programs: UA 1k, AA EXPLT, NZ GE, VA PLT Hyatt Diam, Marr Plat, HH Diam
Posts: 3,445
AA really has given up on SFO-based flyers
Was checking, out of curiosity, AA’s sked SFO-ORD. Down to just 2 flights in October, both at god-awful times: 6am and 1145pm. Returns at 830am and 145pm, with nothing later. So much for serving business travelers/commuters wanting to travel between SFO and the upper Midwest.
Jul 24, 2022, 6:00 am
#2
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: DCA
Programs: AA EXP 1MM, WOH Globalist
Posts: 1,160
AA can't realistically compete for O/D traffic on a route between two of UA's largest hubs. Now that ORD is basically just a domestic hub, AA can just as easily route connecting pax via DFW, even if it adds a some travel time.
At least the partnership with AS provides quite a few nonstops that previously were unavailable to AAdvantage loyalists.
At least the partnership with AS provides quite a few nonstops that previously were unavailable to AAdvantage loyalists.
Jul 24, 2022, 10:00 am
#3
Join Date: May 2022
Location: Arlington, Virginia
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Posts: 195
I have an aunt that spent her entire career based in Chicago and would always have millions of AA miles from constant work travel to all over Europe during her working years (she was in international finance). Guess this wouldn't have been possible for her a generation later; just browsed the O'Hare Wikipedia article to look at the airlines & destinations section and sure enough, London is the only listed year-round non-North American destination for AA, contra United.
Jul 24, 2022, 10:20 am
#4
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: BOS
Programs: AA PP, DL PM
Posts: 2,086
My bet is that AA drops from 3x to 2x on SFO-ORD because they are resuming 1x SJC-ORD in October. AS also flies 1x SFO-ORD, but AA does not codeshare on it. It does seem hard to compete with UA, who has 9x on that route with half on widebodies.
Jul 24, 2022, 10:27 am
#5
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AA can't realistically compete for O/D traffic on a route between two of UA's largest hubs. Now that ORD is basically just a domestic hub, AA can just as easily route connecting pax via DFW, even if it adds a some travel time.
At least the partnership with AS provides quite a few nonstops that previously were unavailable to AAdvantage loyalists.
At least the partnership with AS provides quite a few nonstops that previously were unavailable to AAdvantage loyalists.
Jul 24, 2022, 10:33 am
#6
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SFOSJCOAK
Programs: AA-EXP & 1MM+, AS, MR-LTT, HH Gold
Posts: 7,581
I do think AA is giving up SFO-ORD route.
I originally had a mid-day non-stop booked, then was cancelled. AA rerouted me via PHX.
Debating if I should switch to the late night non-stop. Painful either way!
I originally had a mid-day non-stop booked, then was cancelled. AA rerouted me via PHX.
Debating if I should switch to the late night non-stop. Painful either way!
Jul 24, 2022, 10:43 am
#8
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Location: PHX
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It's pretty tough to compete with UA at SFO, and it's not like AA has any really compelling advantages to overcome the built-in UA advantages, except arguably on the premium t-cons. AA has also given up on SFO-LAX, and they're falling further behind on SFO-PHX. In fact, I've pretty much given up on AA for PHX-SFO - the schedule sucks, they're flying mostly the old 319s and 320s with 8/12 F, and I much prefer PHX T3 to T4.
We might see an uptick in AA volume with further Asia reopenings, leading to more feed to CX and JL.
We might see an uptick in AA volume with further Asia reopenings, leading to more feed to CX and JL.
Jul 24, 2022, 10:44 am
#9
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ORDeals such as this will drive most everyone to UA or WN (MDW), and the fares absurdly high on AA or AS for those who must or insist on flying those two carriers.
Jul 24, 2022, 11:13 am
#12
Join Date: May 2022
Location: Arlington, Virginia
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Can speak to the years I frequented between Chicago and South Florida, UA indeed only runs two turns a day between ORD and MIA -- but there's also if memory serves three turns a day between ORD and FLL and where I was near downtown Miami, that was convenient enough. I would guess maybe similar for PHL given proximity to EWR and even BWI, not sure what the true O-and-D market is between Chicago and North Texas to speak to how much capacity UA would put on ORD<>DFW against AA (or even against WN between MDW<>DAL)
Jul 24, 2022, 11:17 am
#13
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: MSP/BUF/BNA/LFT
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SFO traffic is still down 25% vs. 2019 and is probably the capital of workers fleeing to work remotely so we should not be surprised by light schedules.
Jul 24, 2022, 11:36 am
#14
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: DCA
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Jul 24, 2022, 11:38 am
#15
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: PHL and LAS
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Posts: 144
Just picking random days, UA's schedule looks to be typically 9 nonstops on a mix of 739's, 753's and 772's. - some days having 3-4 777 flights. Guessing the juice just ins't worth the squeeze for AA when you're up against that.