American AA vs. United UA [Consolidated]
#151
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: MCO
Programs: DL DM/MM, Marriott Plat Premier, HH Diamond, Hyatt Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 4,081
Thanks Pbarnette. Any thoughts on general availability of upgrades on AA? I used to travel AA with my boss who was exec platinum. He was usually upgraded, but I was always amazed at how many other exec platinums there were and felt that status below that didn't get you anywhere. Just a perception? Or same as everywhere?
Any thoughts on the pending merger with US Air and how that might affect the rewards program for the next couple of years?
Any thoughts on the pending merger with US Air and how that might affect the rewards program for the next couple of years?
Some of this might be better asked in the AA forum -- certainly about UG's -- but not surprising, top tiers have more UG success and for others, more dependent on the usual... airport, day of week, time of day, route, etc.
The AA/US merger is a mess at the moment so no one can offer any reliable info about what the merged FF program will look like, much less if it will even happen at all.
#152
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM, DL MM
Posts: 4,240
I will end up this year without about 90K MQM on Delta. My company has re-prioritized its favored airlines with Delta falling to the bottom, unless it is cheaper, which is rarer and rarer. I fly from the NYC area, but prefer not to fly from EWR. My main trips are to SFO (monthly), BNA, MEM, MCI, ORD, MSP. I need to choose a new airline to focus my effort and money on. I should be able to get a status match. What do people recommend? I realize this is odd on a Delta thread, but I like the Delta FF program so I figure those who also like might have a more objective view of UA or AA programs.
EWR is not really a viable choice for me given that I live in Westchester so I have had to make the switch back to AA. Frankly it isn't great, but such is life. AA has so far treated me well, but there are significantly less routes where they fly directly and the $30 x 500 miles to upgrade is VERY annoying
#154
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: CLE
Programs: UA Gold, HH Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,647
I don't fly AA, so I can't comment, but I can say that UA is awful. Every trip I've taken this year has had at least one segment with a substantial delay, including one flight from IST-EWR which was 4 hours late departing and then decided that since one toilet wasn't working, we'd overnight at Heathrow. Since you don't want to fly out of EWR, this isn't an issue, but flights in and out of EWR are almost always late. I'm still flying them because I'm close to 1MM and as soon as I get it, I'm switching to AA to see what that's like.
#155
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: SEA
Programs: UA Silver, BA Gold, DL Gold
Posts: 9,779
Robust reward availability is a symptom of a lack of capacity discipline at an airline, so as long as the airlines are all drinking the same Kool-Aid on that front, I see them all moving in the same direction with regards to reward availability. Maybe if AA goes through with their pie-in-the-sky plan to increase capacity by 20% without a merger then they might have some near-term reward advantage, but my guess is that they won't hit those targets or the increases will be focused on areas of significant unmet demand, such that the impact to reward redemptions would be mooted.
#156
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 246
I'm 1K on UA and EXP on AA. To me, their domestic products are similar -- UA is slightly nicer right now but AA should surpass them in 2014/2015. Upgrade percentage (I'm out of ORD) are also pretty close.
If you're in Manhattan or BK, I would strongly prefer LGA/JFK if I were you, which is heavy AA territory.
As far as applicability of miles, others are right in that Star miles are better for flexible use, but also consider that UA is moving to PQM next year, so you may have issues qualifying if you're a budget traveler.
Ultimately it's up to you though. They should be pretty close. Don't stress about it too much.
If you're in Manhattan or BK, I would strongly prefer LGA/JFK if I were you, which is heavy AA territory.
As far as applicability of miles, others are right in that Star miles are better for flexible use, but also consider that UA is moving to PQM next year, so you may have issues qualifying if you're a budget traveler.
Ultimately it's up to you though. They should be pretty close. Don't stress about it too much.
#157
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 756
If the OP is in this area then I strongly agree that using AA will be much easier and faster with more flights (Delta also for this area).
UA is mainly out of EWR and as OP prefers not to fly out of there then by default AA is the clear winner.
#158
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 774
I'm 1K on UA and EXP on AA. To me, their domestic products are similar -- UA is slightly nicer right now but AA should surpass them in 2014/2015. Upgrade percentage (I'm out of ORD) are also pretty close.
If you're in Manhattan or BK, I would strongly prefer LGA/JFK if I were you, which is heavy AA territory.
As far as applicability of miles, others are right in that Star miles are better for flexible use, but also consider that UA is moving to PQM next year, so you may have issues qualifying if you're a budget traveler.
Ultimately it's up to you though. They should be pretty close. Don't stress about it too much.
If you're in Manhattan or BK, I would strongly prefer LGA/JFK if I were you, which is heavy AA territory.
As far as applicability of miles, others are right in that Star miles are better for flexible use, but also consider that UA is moving to PQM next year, so you may have issues qualifying if you're a budget traveler.
Ultimately it's up to you though. They should be pretty close. Don't stress about it too much.
Although I'm curious what makes you prefer UA domestically. I'm consistently getting better service with AA, there's wifi, and food is much better.
#160
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: Rio de Janeiro, BRAZIL
Programs: AA 4MM EXP; Starwood Lifetime Plt
Posts: 2,498
EWR is actually closer to mid-town Manhattan than even LGA, although taxis can be problematic since it is in a different state. JFK is much more inconvenient to get to from Manhattan than either LGA or EWR and once there it is a nightmare to navigate. Rental cars, for example, require leaving the airline terminal area to go to one central location that often has long rental counter lines.
#161
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: world
Programs: all
Posts: 1,422
EWR is actually closer to mid-town Manhattan than even LGA, although taxis can be problematic since it is in a different state. JFK is much more inconvenient to get to from Manhattan than either LGA or EWR and once there it is a nightmare to navigate. Rental cars, for example, require leaving the airline terminal area to go to one central location that often has long rental counter lines.
depends if you are using taxi/car or public transportation. I never rent a car in NYC
jfk to manhattan via airtrain + lirr is pretty fast for midtown
plus if you are going downtown its easier from jfk to howard beach to canal (airtrain + subway) vs going to penn station and then going downtown
#162
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Chicago
Programs: UA, AA, Marriott
Posts: 5
Advice: UAL vs AA (Challenge/Match)
I'm seriously considering a switch back to AA via challenge/match for Platinum status.
Home Base: ORD
UAL Status: Premier Gold
AA Status: Gold (For Life)
Was always an AA flyer until a few years ago. Switched to UAL for the automatic upgrades (when available of course).
Annually, fly about 50k miles on UAL and only 10k or so on AA.
I rarely get upgraded on UAL. At least with AA, I would often get upgraded when I used upgrades.
I have the AMEX Platinum card which typically provides access to lounge when fying AA.
I fly to Germany typically once a year via LH which is always an awesome experience to Frankfurt.
Need some sound advice. Thanks!
Home Base: ORD
UAL Status: Premier Gold
AA Status: Gold (For Life)
Was always an AA flyer until a few years ago. Switched to UAL for the automatic upgrades (when available of course).
Annually, fly about 50k miles on UAL and only 10k or so on AA.
I rarely get upgraded on UAL. At least with AA, I would often get upgraded when I used upgrades.
I have the AMEX Platinum card which typically provides access to lounge when fying AA.
I fly to Germany typically once a year via LH which is always an awesome experience to Frankfurt.
Need some sound advice. Thanks!
#163
Moderator: CommunityBuzz!, OMNI, OMNI/PR, and OMNI/Games & FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: ORD (MDW stinks)
Programs: UAMM, AAMM & ExPlat, Marriott lifetime Plat, IHG Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 23,464
if a leisure traveler, the spend requirement for UA status would be my biggest concern.
#164
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 6,790
You can fly ORD-DFW-FRA on AA as well, good schedule and when the new planes get on the route, it should be as comfortable as LH (unless you're looking at F).