I fly to the DC area three to six times a year. Right now, I am Platinum on AA and usually take the early AM flight changing in DFW or ORD. I try to choose so that I have an hour to connect. The new AA schedule favors STL and offers 30-40 minute connect times. Is AA disfavoring SJC? How often do the schedules change - is this something temporary? Might I choose a different preferred airline? (I've avoided UA since they requires going outdoors and managing my carry-ons up a flight of stairs.)

I also sometimes fly to LAX and SAN and those schedules too have been cut way back. So international connections through LAX have now a four hour layover to SJC.

(I live in Santa Cruz, so SFO and OAK, while options I occasionally use, add another hour on to travel time.)

Sylvia

AA has had a variable relationship with SJC over the years - it buys airlines that fly there, then dismantles the route structure, builds up a hub, then cuts back the flights. Although I don't fly AA, the last time I flew out of SJC, from the time I left downtown SJ (for business) to the time I actually walked into the terminal, after dealing with long term parking and so on, I could have actually driven to OAK, parked in the economy lot, and walked into terminal 1.

Eastbay1K: I could have actually driven to OAK.

If I were to switch my base to OAK (and I would have to consider the 880 traffic for the returns), who would be my major carrier?

I do like to have a reserved seat; when I fly Southwest I get there *so* early, to get a low boarding number.

Sylvia

AA has some more flights out of there (but that seems to come and go, too), UA can get you through DEN or ORD to anywhere and to ORD you will at least sometimes go on an A320 or 319 and have a "full service" plane (whereas I think AA will put you on an MDeathtrap 80) - Also you may check out just what FFP that Jetblue is going to start, as they are starting OAK/IAD nonstops. Also, UA was about to start such a nonstop but it hasn't reappeared on the schedules as of yet. Also, if you like DCA, a UA connection at ORD seems better than AA at DFW. Unfortunately there is no OAK/ORD redeye now, which made for a nice early AM conx to DCA, arriving in the AM.

Eastbay1K: Jetblue ... OAK/IAD nonstops.

They start May 1, 11:15 AM and 11:50 PM, advertised at $104 each way.

I'll surely keep that in mind. It's less than the current SJC-BWI fares.

Thanks,

Sylvia

UA is going to be starting 2 OAK/IAD flights soon... YAY! One redeye, one timed for connections to Europe. I didn't catch the start date.