Question for SEA based flyers
Jan 12, 2019, 6:08 pm
#16
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: SJC
Programs: DL PM MM, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 3,276
IMO, if you are able to fly just about everywhere you need to on non-stops from AS, fly them. If you need to fly internationally or to smaller east coast destinations that require a connection no matter who you fly, fly DL.
One advantage to AS is that flights to places like SJC and SNA are mostly mainline on AS, are all on DL Connection. That means if it is foggy out, AS will go and the DL Connection E175s are stuck on the ground.
One advantage to AS is that flights to places like SJC and SNA are mostly mainline on AS, are all on DL Connection. That means if it is foggy out, AS will go and the DL Connection E175s are stuck on the ground.
Jan 13, 2019, 7:36 am
#17
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SEA / FLN
Programs: DL DM 2MM, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Glb, Hilton Gold, Marriott AMB, National EE
Posts: 121
If am flying SFO-SEA-AMS. Need to choose between a 1 hour 4 minute connection or a 5.5 hour connection. I really don't want to spend over five hours at the airport, though I understand the new lounge is nice, nor do I think I will want to leave the airport, but for obvious reasons a 1 hour connection to intl makes me nervous, especially out of SFO. What would you do? Flying in F/J if that matters.
Jan 13, 2019, 10:04 am
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Back in Reds Country (DAY/CVG). Previously: SEA & SAT.
Programs: DL PM 1MM, AA PLAT, UA Silver, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 10,353
Hoping it is OK to stick a different SEA question in this thread as it seems like there are some folks who know it well and are following:
If am flying SFO-SEA-AMS. Need to choose between a 1 hour 4 minute connection or a 5.5 hour connection. I really don't want to spend over five hours at the airport, though I understand the new lounge is nice, nor do I think I will want to leave the airport, but for obvious reasons a 1 hour connection to intl makes me nervous, especially out of SFO. What would you do? Flying in F/J if that matters.
If am flying SFO-SEA-AMS. Need to choose between a 1 hour 4 minute connection or a 5.5 hour connection. I really don't want to spend over five hours at the airport, though I understand the new lounge is nice, nor do I think I will want to leave the airport, but for obvious reasons a 1 hour connection to intl makes me nervous, especially out of SFO. What would you do? Flying in F/J if that matters.
Jan 13, 2019, 11:08 am
#19
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Seattle
Programs: Delta Silver Medallion, BA Executive Blue, IHG Platinum Elite,Kimpton.
Posts: 739
IMO, if you are able to fly just about everywhere you need to on non-stops from AS, fly them. If you need to fly internationally or to smaller east coast destinations that require a connection no matter who you fly, fly DL.
One advantage to AS is that flights to places like SJC and SNA are mostly mainline on AS, are all on DL Connection. That means if it is foggy out, AS will go and the DL Connection E175s are stuck on the ground.
One advantage to AS is that flights to places like SJC and SNA are mostly mainline on AS, are all on DL Connection. That means if it is foggy out, AS will go and the DL Connection E175s are stuck on the ground.
Really ?
Jan 13, 2019, 12:04 pm
#20
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: SJC
Programs: DL PM MM, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 3,276
Yep. When Seattle was fogged in last fall, there were 5+ hour delays and cancellations on the Compass E175 flights while the mainline flights on AS and DL performed better. Part of that is the fact that regionals take the toll of flow control. Another part is the mainline aircraft have more capable radar than regional jets. It's the same reason why DL needs to fly mainline to JNU. AS could land in the fog, CP and OO can not.
Jan 13, 2019, 1:09 pm
#22
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SEA
Programs: AS MVPG, DL FO, Marriott Gold, Hertz 5 Whatevers
Posts: 1,099
Yeah starts this summer in June. Still haven't figured out where the A220s are coming from because that's currently the only route that I can see loaded in DL's S19 schedule for SEA using the A220.
They have to be rotating the plane from another station or base or it's just a placeholder for something else.
They have to be rotating the plane from another station or base or it's just a placeholder for something else.
Jan 13, 2019, 1:12 pm
#23
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: SJC
Programs: DL PM MM, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 3,276
Yeah starts this summer in June. Still haven't figured out where the A220s are coming from because that's currently the only route that I can see loaded in DL's S19 schedule for SEA using the A220.
They have to be rotating the plane from another station or base or it's just a placeholder for something else.
They have to be rotating the plane from another station or base or it's just a placeholder for something else.
Jan 13, 2019, 1:13 pm
#24
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SEA
Programs: AS MVPG, DL FO, Marriott Gold, Hertz 5 Whatevers
Posts: 1,099
Yep. When Seattle was fogged in last fall, there were 5+ hour delays and cancellations on the Compass E175 flights while the mainline flights on AS and DL performed better. Part of that is the fact that regionals take the toll of flow control. Another part is the mainline aircraft have more capable radar than regional jets. It's the same reason why DL needs to fly mainline to JNU. AS could land in the fog, CP and OO can not.
Jan 13, 2019, 1:17 pm
#25
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SEA
Programs: AS MVPG, DL FO, Marriott Gold, Hertz 5 Whatevers
Posts: 1,099
I find it a bit strange that LAX-SJC is still all RJ - would think that that would get upgauged before SEA-SJC.
Jan 13, 2019, 1:17 pm
#26
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: SJC
Programs: DL PM MM, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 3,276
True, but I would assume that any flight that is DL mainline that AS would use QX or OO exclusively. Other than flying to DL's other hubs, I don't think there is a domestic route out of SEA where DL has more capacity.
Jan 13, 2019, 3:30 pm
#27
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: Delta Diamond , Marriott Ambassador, Alaska MVP Gold, American Airlines Gold
Posts: 77
If am flying SFO-SEA-AMS. Need to choose between a 1 hour 4 minute connection or a 5.5 hour connection. I really don't want to spend over five hours at the airport, though I understand the new lounge is nice, nor do I think I will want to leave the airport, but for obvious reasons a 1 hour connection to intl makes me nervous, especially out of SFO. What would you do? Flying in F/J if that matters.
You could always book the later flight and then see if you could get standby on the earlier one (assuming a J seat is still available), b/c the alternative of having to take the later standby (possibly in a lower-class cabin) might suck.
If if you do the longer layover, the club in A is really nice — the one in S is small and serviceable but it’s not the nice club. If you have an Amex Platnium, the Centurion Lounge is also very nice.
Jan 13, 2019, 3:34 pm
#28
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SEA
Programs: AS MVPG, DL FO, Marriott Gold, Hertz 5 Whatevers
Posts: 1,099
DL still trails AS in capacity on pretty much every non-hub route to/from SEA... and some focus cities/hubs (SEA-BOS/RDU/LAX) too.
Jan 13, 2019, 3:39 pm
#29
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SEA
Programs: AS MVPG, DL FO, Marriott Gold, Hertz 5 Whatevers
Posts: 1,099
If your flight isn’t delayed out, you should make that flight easy. SEA isn’t a large airport and even if you have to change terminals (the SFO flights sometimes come in S and sometimes A, the AMS is usually out of S), the train is fast. I’ve made more tight connections out of SEA than any other airport, including times it was totally my fault. I would honestly worry more about my bags making it to AMS more than you, assuming you’re checking.
You could always book the later flight and then see if you could get standby on the earlier one (assuming a J seat is still available), b/c the alternative of having to take the later standby (possibly in a lower-class cabin) might suck.
If if you do the longer layover, the club in A is really nice — the one in S is small and serviceable but it’s not the nice club. If you have an Amex Platnium, the Centurion Lounge is also very nice.
Jan 14, 2019, 9:48 am
#30
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL PM, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 8,414
Thanks. The backstory is that the flight is the one I purchased with the 98K miles flash sale, and this was the only routing available for that price. I had been hoping for a schedule change to allow me to fix it but as the date gets closer that seeming less likely, though I still have 60 days.
I know that technically I can't make any changes without incurring penalties/fare change, but I also I know that if I push hard enough and find the right person that someone might do me a favor. The more accurate question is, is it worth the time and energy and probably more than a few HUCAs to get this done?