Best/worst Big 6 program for low-yield flyers?
 

I'm an unabashed low-revenue, low-yield frequent flyer, piling up miles almost exclusively on leisure trips paid from my own limited funds, and at gold or higher status on one airline or another for 11 straight years now.

As others who do this know, many airlines lately are treating us about as well as they treated the travel agents. Suddenly it's time to bash the "seat warmers" (We'll see if they like the revenue from an empty seat better than the revenue they're getting from us!)

And so the question: How would you rank the big 6 U.S. airline programs currently from the view of someone who will almost always be flying on those low-fare categories that airlines now seem to love to hate?

My own attempt would go something like this:

Northwest (least hostile)
Continental
United
American
USAir
Delta (most hostile)

Seems like the biggest battle lines are: Domestic upgrades, ability to requalify for elite status, and mileage-earning ability (both regular and including specials, if they have any that apply) at low fares. If your favorite award is international upgrades it might change the perspective, especially if you have the gall to want to upgrade from a low international fare (I mean, reeeealllllyyyyy.....)

Better times will eventually return for the airlines, but they'll still try to hold onto cuts made now unless competitive pressures and low-rev flyers voting with their feet force changes.

Thoughts?

Thought #1: US Air changed its name to US Airways! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Looking at your list I might move US above AA and UA. US has a (IMHO) better upgrade program than the other two. No other airlines offer TransAtlantic upgrades to the lower level elites the way US does. Of course if you add the general flying experience into the equation, US probably gets bumped right back where it started because it lacks the Economy Plus cabin that UA offers it elites and the MRTC program for AA's coach product.

Just curious, what would the order of that list of 6 airlines be for someone who has no status, and flies quite infrequently for business, mostly for pleasure, and always on the cheapest fare? I've been concentrating the overwhelming majority or my travel (little that it is) with AA because I like their MRTC, and that seems to be the best I can hope for with no status. Any thoughts?

AA would be the big winner under these circumstances because of MRTC (except on the A300 and 757 fleet where it is about to go the way of the dinosaur and dodo bird). Forget about CO and NW entirely because their coach product is crap (and a non-elite won't be getting any complimentary domestic upgrades). But for low yield, infrequent domestic travelers, it would be an oversight to omit WN's Rapid Rewards program from consideration because only four roundtrips earns you a free ticket with very few restrictions.

Indeed. I can fly 4 LAX-OAK or LAX-LAS roundtrips for a total outlay of less than $290, earning a free ticket that's the equivalent of a full-fare coast-to-coast round trip. I can get $200 to $400 of value out of the free ticket. It's like getting an 70% to 130% rebate on your travel expenditures, which is absolutely unbeatable. Only the crazy triple mileage offer of 1988 compares.

And, by dogged persistence of mile accumulation through flying, Kelloggs, OpinionPlace, iDine, etc., you can eventually achieve lifetime Gold status with AA. None of the other majors can match that.

Am I the only one that notice that MRTC is no longer existent on AA. They have moved several of the rows back in on certain aircrafts according to a report I recently read. That is why they are no longer using that slogan or they are just saying "More Room" not "More Room thoughout Coach."

For the infrequent traveller, I think WN offers the best service and FF benefits. Just fly 4 RT in a year and get a free ticket. The RT can be short segments between destinations in FL, TX or longer segments. Try doing this on one of the big carriers where you get a minimum of 500 miles for such a flight. You will never acquire a free ticket and you might as well forget about status. On WN there will be no status but at least you get a free ticket.

Yes, you are the only one to notice because it's not true. AA is PLANNING to get rid of MRTC ONLY on the 757s and A300s. They haven't done it yet and they might not even go through with it.

Please see No more MRTC on 757s and A300s in the AA forum for everything you could want to know about the disappearance of MRTC and then some. To date, AA has only targeted its 757 and A300 fleet for MRTC rollback. And I would be surprised if you have witnessed this process yet because AA has publicly expressed an intent to commence the MRTC removal this Fall, completing the A300 fleet reconfiguration by December and the 757 fleet reconfiguration by February 2004.

[This message has been edited by cAAl (edited 08-28-2003).]

I don't have any experience at all with NW or CO in the past 10 years, probably mostly because this low-revenue frequent flyer (Premier most years, made PremEx last year by the skin of my teeth) has been completely pleased by my experience with United as a leisure traveller. Access to Economy plus seating is a huge perk for making even the lowest-level elite status (which I can do at even the cheapest fares, unlike DL), and since I fly mostly at times when the real road warriors aren't flying, I've had good luck with upgrades as well (I generally use all my upgrade certs). Flying widebodies domestically (with their big premium cabins to increase my upgrade chances) is nice, too...

We flew AA from SFO->DFW->MIA->Quito and back this month, and based on my limited sampling, I would tend to say that on the mainline equipment, UA has better seats, better inflight entertainment, and, of course Channel 9... However, MRTC makes AA my second choice.

Now if it wasn't for that bankruptcy thing...

Dan

The only problem with the WN rapid rewards in this scenario is that credits expire after a year. If the flyer is truly traveling infrequently then that might be a problem.

If that's the case, then the flyer can always sell the rapid rewards voucher for ~ $300 on eBay or Craigslist.

Picking up the necessary extra credits to reach 16 shouldn't be any trouble at all for a true Flyertalker. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Specifically, in the past few months we have had an MCI promo (1 credit per month for 8 months) and triple credits on the 18th of the month (still available for September and October). Half a credit per Hampton stay is also a good value, IMHO. And there's always the Visa card (4 credits for signup plus one per $1250 of purchases). Piece of cake.

Is America West FlightFund a consideration? They do offer a lot of low fares for walk up passengers and have good redemption options within the US. They even have an affordable premier economy (called First class of course).

The question depends to some extent on the status level. No status has already been discussed. RustyC seems to have lower- to mid-level status. I would vote United high for upgrade chances at the Premier Executive and especially 1K levels (as a 1K it's almost assured domestically, I find). UA's first class seats and food are generally better than other carriers, and if by some fluke you don't make it, there's always E+ with 36-inch pitch. Many airports have elite security bypass lines for PEs and 1Ks. This past year, 1Ks have received 10 confirmed international upgrade certs (6 are fare-restricted but transferable), and 8 domestic roundtrip confirmed upgrades if flying is spaced through all the quarters, plus 4 500-mile certs for every 10,000 miles flown on UA.