Best Frequent Flyer Program out of SFO?
 

Hi all. I need some advice from other traveling locals. I'm an elite member on the United Airlines frequent flyer program, but because of changes due to the merger, I'm considering a change...

Some background. I travel an intermediate amount of miles a year (25k-50k) mostly for work. I initially picked UA because:
1) Only UA uses SFO as a hub, so are were more direct flights to more destinations
2) Economy Plus seating at a low frequent flyer level
3) The occasional complimentary upgrade to first class

Are there any other airlines that
1) Fly a reasonable number of places from SFO
2) Allow access to premium seats (i.e. exit rows) at a low frequent flyer level
3) Allow complimentary upgrades to at a low frequent flyer level

Thanks for the suggestions!

Where are you flying? You might consider the AS Mileage Plan if you aren't looking forward to too many upgrades because

(1) You get benefits on DL which will give you preferred seating and almost alliance-type benefits, plus some (not much) status on the upgrade list, and luggage allowance

(2) Your AS miles are good on almost everyone that your UA miles aren't good on (AA, DL, and a hodgepodge of good international carriers)

(3) AA may get some additional partner benefits soon. Now there are essentially none.

Between AS and DL, you have a fair # of nonstop - not as good as UA alone, but nothing comes close to UA here. AA is a sorry shadow of its former self here.

Consider your travel pattern. If you're flying transcons frequently, Virgin America might make sense. If you're traveling mostly around the Western US, Southwest is a good choice. On Southwest even GMs can get access to preferred seats (just get a low BP number!) and always get free upgrades to their highest class of service.

Good point to consider. Thanks for the reminder.

Mostly domestic, practically everywhere (conferences get put both near big cities on the east coast and the middle of nowhere southwest). Also about two international flights a year...

That might eliminate Southwest and Virgin? Are there options better than Alaska+Delta?

At 25k miles on UA, you do get complimentary E+ seat selection. And with the announcement that CO will also have E+ seating in the future, that gives many more options for E+ seating on various routes (providing the schedules are not reduced significantly).

At 25k-50k miles, complimentary upgrades on UA are difficult - especially on hub-to-hub flights. However, if you keep building your miles on UA, then you have a good option for using miles to upgrade on international flights.

If you will only fly less than 50k miles per year, you might consider using UA to get to Premier status to keep E+ and use VX for other flights where you can pay a fee to upgrade to MCS or F (providing seats are available).

Really depends on where you're flying to and how open you are to connecting from time to time

this is not really about destination San Francisco
 

so I am moving it to MilesBuzz where it will likely get the attention it deserves.
thanks

squeakr
MOD SFO Forum

What makes you unhappy with UA?

What changes have you seen that are so bad? I haven't seen anything in any of the emails from them that is bad. The one thing that I didn't like with CO is that they don't have E+ for the time being but will be upgrading it soon.

Now that you've made me think about it, maybe these changes aren't directly linked to the merger, but are at least recent impressions.

1) I feel as if customer service keeps getting worse and worse... Unfriendly and unhelpful compared to some other airlines I've flown.
2) Half of my flights are delayed.
3) Flying out of a hub all the flights are packed and the airport experience is more frustrating.

Ah yes, well... Having been AA Plat and DL Gold recently, flying mostly from SFO, I can tell you, in my experience, the grass isn't greener.

AA has somewhat better customer service but then you're dealing with the rapidly deteriorating schedule options. Plus you don't have UDU or E+.

DL planes are generally packed and their concourse is a barren wasteland. UDU odds are perhaps better but again, no E+.

As a low level elite, especially in any kind of irregular ops, your chance of a bulkhead/exit row is painfully low on AA or DL.

The delays are most likely weather related (fog) or ATC (flow into LA-area especially), which will be the same on any airline. At least with UA you'll have more routing options from SFO to get around it. And when you switch to your new flight, you probably get E+.

Personally, I wouldn't go back to AA. If there weren't a bodyscanner at the DL gates, I'd be considering them as a backup airline but honestly I don't really miss them much.

If you're looking for a better experience (which seems to be your focus) I'd look at VX assuming they go to where you want to go.

I don't think any of the other carriers at SFO will solve for your issues, if anything the fact that SFO isn't their hub may work against you. Also have you been to T1 (the AS/SW pier)? it is a zoo compared to UA's terminal

I see you really like lists of 3...

No other carriers are going to fit all 3 of your criteria better than UA. If you insist on switching I would go with whichever airlines (VX, DL/AS, AA) that can get you to their hubs most conveniently. But I believe half of all flights out of SFO are delayed either due to fog or slowdowns from routing through the country. The customer service thing I think shouldn't be that big a deal as I don't see any other airlines being significantly better.

Flying out of a hub does perhaps reduce your chances of upgrades since so many other elites will be flying out as well. But if you are only get to the lowest tier UA is probably going to be a better choice than others.