AA miles so much more useful than UA miles?
Jun 9, 2015, 10:25 am
#63
Join Date: Jan 2006
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Since the UA devaluation last year I don't find them very useful. I refuse to fly UA metal unless there is no other choice. So partners cost a lot more than they used to.
AA miles are still great for me flying to Asia on CX or JL.
For availability I typically use AwardNexus and then call AA to book.
AA miles are still great for me flying to Asia on CX or JL.
For availability I typically use AwardNexus and then call AA to book.
Jun 9, 2015, 1:19 pm
#64
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I fly almost zero Delta...literally, 1-2 business trips a year when I have no other choice except Greyhound. I'm generally with the FT community when it comes to the consensus that DL miles are pretty useless, but I don't earn enough of them to lose any sleep over it.
But...on one of these threads, a DL elite said (to paraphrase) "I find them very useful because DL opens up a ton of last-minute availability and I can book with no fees." (Don't recall details such as routes, whether the context was DL metal only, or whether premium cabins were readily available.)
So my question is: is this still true? Could DL occupy a niche in your portfolio for spontaneous trips, whereas AA is your source for well-planned-out trips? Or is this perspective on DL no longer really accurate?
But...on one of these threads, a DL elite said (to paraphrase) "I find them very useful because DL opens up a ton of last-minute availability and I can book with no fees." (Don't recall details such as routes, whether the context was DL metal only, or whether premium cabins were readily available.)
So my question is: is this still true? Could DL occupy a niche in your portfolio for spontaneous trips, whereas AA is your source for well-planned-out trips? Or is this perspective on DL no longer really accurate?
Jun 9, 2015, 1:43 pm
#65
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: FL
Programs: AA, BA, HH
Posts: 173
UA miles are so easy to come by that has to account for something in this conversation. By easy I am referring to UR points. I don't fly enough BIS revenue to have an opinion one way or the other on what the airline will give you for your ticket.
One World is a tough sell for Europe. I used USAir miles on TAP before the merger but after the departure from *Alliance for this summer. A week in Europe 9/10 months out and nothing was available from OW without wasting time connecting on both sides of the pond.....and now I have an excuse to finally see Lisbon
One World is a tough sell for Europe. I used USAir miles on TAP before the merger but after the departure from *Alliance for this summer. A week in Europe 9/10 months out and nothing was available from OW without wasting time connecting on both sides of the pond.....and now I have an excuse to finally see Lisbon
Jun 9, 2015, 10:33 pm
#66
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Seattle, WA. USA
Programs: MR, AA, UA, DL, AVIS and growing
Posts: 1,172
I fly almost zero Delta...literally, 1-2 business trips a year when I have no other choice except Greyhound. I'm generally with the FT community when it comes to the consensus that DL miles are pretty useless, but I don't earn enough of them to lose any sleep over it.
But...on one of these threads, a DL elite said (to paraphrase) "I find them very useful because DL opens up a ton of last-minute availability and I can book with no fees." (Don't recall details such as routes, whether the context was DL metal only, or whether premium cabins were readily available.)
So my question is: is this still true? Could DL occupy a niche in your portfolio for spontaneous trips, whereas AA is your source for well-planned-out trips? Or is this perspective on DL no longer really accurate?
But...on one of these threads, a DL elite said (to paraphrase) "I find them very useful because DL opens up a ton of last-minute availability and I can book with no fees." (Don't recall details such as routes, whether the context was DL metal only, or whether premium cabins were readily available.)
So my question is: is this still true? Could DL occupy a niche in your portfolio for spontaneous trips, whereas AA is your source for well-planned-out trips? Or is this perspective on DL no longer really accurate?
Jun 16, 2015, 10:40 pm
#67
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Cuenca, Ecuador
Programs: UA, AA, DL, SPG, Hyatt
Posts: 844
Hi,
Am I alone in thinking that it is much easier to use AA miles than UA miles and there are so many more saver award seats available.
I normally use my award miles for NYC - LHR/MAN flights and with AA there is nearly always seats available including over the xmas period and it is only 20,000 AA miles . Where as with united they are much harder to find and need about 50% more miles.
I'm really impressed with AA's generosity in this regard..
Am I alone in thinking that it is much easier to use AA miles than UA miles and there are so many more saver award seats available.
I normally use my award miles for NYC - LHR/MAN flights and with AA there is nearly always seats available including over the xmas period and it is only 20,000 AA miles . Where as with united they are much harder to find and need about 50% more miles.
I'm really impressed with AA's generosity in this regard..
Let me give a glaring example of United's massively greater value and ease of use: I'm currently living in the northern South America region (Ecuador) for a year, and I'm looking to travel from this region to the South Asia region later this year. It's 45k one way in Y! (75k in C on UA; 85k in C on *A).
By contrast AA has a big blank between these regions. It would take a redemption from here to Europe or North America, plus another redemption from there to Asia. That would probably be more than double on AA, and certainly will be on DL, at 105k for Y. And . . . there is a lot of availability on united.com for a variety of routings, using 45k in Y (or 75/85k for C, though not much in F).
What's funny is a one way from here to Europe is 50k UA miles in Y; yet if I transit Europe and fly on to South Asia, the whole trip is 45k. Heh.
Basically, I'm gagging for more United miles. Can't get enough of them.
Jun 16, 2015, 11:04 pm
#68
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Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
"By contrast AA has a big blank between these regions. It would take a redemption from here to Europe or North America, plus another redemption from there to Asia. That would probably be more than double on AA, and certainly will be on DL, at 105k for Y."
Ecuador (South America 1) to North America (including Hawaii) in Y is either 15K or 17.5K AA miles one-way, depending on season and carrier, as a SAAver award. North America to Asia 2 in Y is 35K AA miles year-round as a SAAver award. J would cost 30K plus 55K. So AA would be a little more expensive than UA in Y, and would be the same in J if you were to fly a Star A carrier on the UA award. (Of course, if you hold a qualifying Citi/AA credit card, you'd get a 10% mileage rebate on redemptions -- up to a maximum rebate of 10K miles/year.)
Also, since you would be redeeming for two separate AAdvantage awards, you could have an unlimited stopover in North America. You would not have that option with a single UA award.
"By contrast AA has a big blank between these regions. It would take a redemption from here to Europe or North America, plus another redemption from there to Asia. That would probably be more than double on AA, and certainly will be on DL, at 105k for Y."
Ecuador (South America 1) to North America (including Hawaii) in Y is either 15K or 17.5K AA miles one-way, depending on season and carrier, as a SAAver award. North America to Asia 2 in Y is 35K AA miles year-round as a SAAver award. J would cost 30K plus 55K. So AA would be a little more expensive than UA in Y, and would be the same in J if you were to fly a Star A carrier on the UA award. (Of course, if you hold a qualifying Citi/AA credit card, you'd get a 10% mileage rebate on redemptions -- up to a maximum rebate of 10K miles/year.)
Also, since you would be redeeming for two separate AAdvantage awards, you could have an unlimited stopover in North America. You would not have that option with a single UA award.
Last edited by guv1976; Jun 16, 2015 at 11:14 pm
Jun 16, 2015, 11:06 pm
#69
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Jun 16, 2015, 11:13 pm
#70
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True, but DullesJason appeared to be talking about a one-way redemption. And on a roundtrip, using two AA awards in each direction would entitle the traveler to a stopover in North America coming and going.
True, but DullesJason appeared to be talking about a one-way redemption. And on a roundtrip, using two AA awards in each direction would entitle the traveler to a stopover in North America coming and going.
Jun 16, 2015, 11:21 pm
#71
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
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True. I recently picked up a DL Amex with 50k bonus precisely for last-minute US domestic award travel.
Jun 17, 2015, 3:26 am
#72
Join Date: Jan 2006
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Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
"By contrast AA has a big blank between these regions. It would take a redemption from here to Europe or North America, plus another redemption from there to Asia. That would probably be more than double on AA, and certainly will be on DL, at 105k for Y."
Ecuador (South America 1) to North America (including Hawaii) in Y is either 15K or 17.5K AA miles one-way, depending on season and carrier, as a SAAver award. North America to Asia 2 in Y is 35K AA miles year-round as a SAAver award. J would cost 30K plus 55K. So AA would be a little more expensive than UA in Y, and would be the same in J if you were to fly a Star A carrier on the UA award. (Of course, if you hold a qualifying Citi/AA credit card, you'd get a 10% mileage rebate on redemptions -- up to a maximum rebate of 10K miles/year.)
Also, since you would be redeeming for two separate AAdvantage awards, you could have an unlimited stopover in North America. You would not have that option with a single UA award.
"By contrast AA has a big blank between these regions. It would take a redemption from here to Europe or North America, plus another redemption from there to Asia. That would probably be more than double on AA, and certainly will be on DL, at 105k for Y."
Ecuador (South America 1) to North America (including Hawaii) in Y is either 15K or 17.5K AA miles one-way, depending on season and carrier, as a SAAver award. North America to Asia 2 in Y is 35K AA miles year-round as a SAAver award. J would cost 30K plus 55K. So AA would be a little more expensive than UA in Y, and would be the same in J if you were to fly a Star A carrier on the UA award. (Of course, if you hold a qualifying Citi/AA credit card, you'd get a 10% mileage rebate on redemptions -- up to a maximum rebate of 10K miles/year.)
Also, since you would be redeeming for two separate AAdvantage awards, you could have an unlimited stopover in North America. You would not have that option with a single UA award.
Still, if I were buying tickets today, I'd be obviously choosing to collect AA miles from flying if fares were similar because of UA's revenue earnings. But I still find a lot of value in UA miles.
I'm curious to see if AA will go revenue next year, so for the rest of 2015, I'm burning all my miles except short hops in South America and Asia, where I can't credit miles to either airline.
Jun 17, 2015, 7:42 am
#73
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I just booked 4 award seats together for MCI-VIE for 1 month from right now. AA had my exact dates, but a bit of a wonky routing. (When was the last time you connected in Dusseldorf?!?) UA had a better routing 1 day before or after my desired date.
Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised by both, given the short-ish notice, desire for 4 seats together (2 kids), and summer dates. I opted for the AA routing since I'm currently deeper mileage-wise there.
Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised by both, given the short-ish notice, desire for 4 seats together (2 kids), and summer dates. I opted for the AA routing since I'm currently deeper mileage-wise there.