If you were running AA, what would you change?
Feb 12, 2026 | 7:49 am
#31
Join Date: Jan 2024
Location: Moita, Portugal
Programs: AS MVP Gold75
Posts: 926
Feb 12, 2026 | 10:07 am
#32
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: New York
Programs: Free Agent!
Posts: 399
Great points being made about culture, I think that would solve a lot of issues on its own especially with frontline employee attitude and passenger treatment. Below are some other things I'd do if I had full control.
Don't fly more than you can handle. I think it's very acceptable to cut flying in certain places to increase reliability especially in some places that are really congested and just outright dysfunctional nowadays. CLT is a great example of this where it used to be a fine airport like a decade ago but is now insufferable because of how ridiculously overcrowded it always is plus the taxi times. Things at CLT are also just an operational mess and there's just too much going on there right now to have a well run operation. There's places like CLT where I think it makes more sense to decrease frequency and emphasize larger aircraft to not flood the airport with more aircraft movement than it can realistically handle. I'll also be really interested to see how the new DFW bank structure will run this year.
Premium push, that's where the big dollars are. You aren't gonna be printing cash like Delta and United are with the Vasu Raja El Paso strategy as convenient as it is for a lot of people including myself. Premium markets are really important, I'm glad to see them finally fighting back at ORD but time will tell if it's too little too late, I hope they do well at ORD as Chicago is a city that needs hubs from both AA and UA. They've retreated a bit in LA and NYC, as for LAX, I'm hopeful they bring some stuff back once they're back at full capacity from renovations, I remember Delta out of there was a dumpster fire when T2 was being renovated but it was very much short term pain and they're excelling out of LAX now, I hope AA can find similar success. NYC is a little harder since it's slot restricted and management has made a lot of poor decisions there, I don't have a solution on how to fix that problem in the present day, but they at least need to serve every important destination they can in the short term even if the schedule options aren't as robust as Delta and United, but more on that in a minute.
Bring back TV screens. I absolutely do not think these are a necessity and I'm perfectly fine with the streaming system I can hook up to my iPad and I don't need an actual screen. What if you don't have an iPad though? You can use your phone and the device holders and it's not the end of the world, but that's also not a very big screen. You can use a laptop, but it's kinda inconvenient for a laptop to be using up your tray table the whole flight for that in my opinion. If I didn't have an iPad, I'd survive with one of the other two options, but the reality is these IFE screens are seen in the US market as a premium offering. Delta and United can have TV screens and everyone will be foaming at the mouth over it, yet the consumer will dog on American because they don't have it. The consumer here fails to mention that the United NEXT cabin on a lot of planes is almost the exact same thing in the back as an American 737-800 or MAX 8. They have the same seats, same legroom, etc. American actually has 3 power ports for each row though while United only has 2. Why are people head over heels for the United cabin though with basically the same specs? United has TVs. First class also has the same legroom on both carriers and one could also argue that United has the worst domestic first offering in the country when it comes to soft product, but the TVs make that big of a difference to the average consumer. The average consumer might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but the line "the customer is always right" actually stems from a point of consumer preferences, and consumers vastly prefer having TVs instead of a streaming system.
The AAdvantage program. Well, this one I actually would be careful with, there are tons of people who fly AA because they have the best loyalty program of the big 3 and feel like they get the best bang for their buck with it. So this isn't exactly something to make major changes to, but you can build on it. The crazy status chasers aren't what AA is making money from though, you have to do the stuff above and then use AAdvantage as a marketing tool. If they did this, they could not only have a solid product, but they'd have a strong loyalty program to match it which I think could easily win over some big spenders. If they added screens, went more premium, and had a culture shift, it would solve a lot of issues and attract customers, yes, but how do you plan on winning over Delta and United customers by offering similar products as them? They aren't going to want to go through the hassle of switching airlines if everything is vastly the same. Keeping AAdvantage as strong as it is while building on it could be a slam dunk opportunity to win people over when SkyPesos is the laughing stock of the big 3 loyalty programs and when MileagePlus still has some great things about it but United is quickly playing a game of "how can we copy Delta in the worst ways possible?" which is currently also happening with how MP is being treated nowadays. This also helps in places like Chicago and NYC where American doesn't have as strong of a schedule. If the program is that good on top of having a competent, well rounded product, it can be a driving factor in winning people over in these big markets. You have to have both though, AA has a relatively very strong program as is, but for most of the big spenders, it's not enough to compensate for the other flaws. The program and the domestic network to an extent plus some small extras are really the only things that could drive someone to AA nowadays.
The marketing. This ties into everything here. AA's marketing has been horrific for years. There's a lot going on at AA that I truly think is actually better than what UA and DL are putting out right now. The loyalty program, the new long haul cabins, the new lounges, you name it. The problem is that AA cannot market any of these positives to save their life. When AA actually tries to be good at something, they do a really good job from my experience. For example, I love the new Admirals Clubs, the new Flagship at PHL is small but I think it's really nice, and I was completely blown away by the 78P in J when I flew it a month and some change ago on a long haul. I really thought it was way better than any long haul product UA or DL has right now and it was really my favorite flight of 2025 because of how much my expectations were surpassed and by how it was by far the best long haul flight I've had on any US carrier. AA does an awful job marketing any of these things though and it's to their own detriment.
I said a lot here, but these are what my main priorities would be. Would love to know what others' thoughts are on this.
Don't fly more than you can handle. I think it's very acceptable to cut flying in certain places to increase reliability especially in some places that are really congested and just outright dysfunctional nowadays. CLT is a great example of this where it used to be a fine airport like a decade ago but is now insufferable because of how ridiculously overcrowded it always is plus the taxi times. Things at CLT are also just an operational mess and there's just too much going on there right now to have a well run operation. There's places like CLT where I think it makes more sense to decrease frequency and emphasize larger aircraft to not flood the airport with more aircraft movement than it can realistically handle. I'll also be really interested to see how the new DFW bank structure will run this year.
Premium push, that's where the big dollars are. You aren't gonna be printing cash like Delta and United are with the Vasu Raja El Paso strategy as convenient as it is for a lot of people including myself. Premium markets are really important, I'm glad to see them finally fighting back at ORD but time will tell if it's too little too late, I hope they do well at ORD as Chicago is a city that needs hubs from both AA and UA. They've retreated a bit in LA and NYC, as for LAX, I'm hopeful they bring some stuff back once they're back at full capacity from renovations, I remember Delta out of there was a dumpster fire when T2 was being renovated but it was very much short term pain and they're excelling out of LAX now, I hope AA can find similar success. NYC is a little harder since it's slot restricted and management has made a lot of poor decisions there, I don't have a solution on how to fix that problem in the present day, but they at least need to serve every important destination they can in the short term even if the schedule options aren't as robust as Delta and United, but more on that in a minute.
Bring back TV screens. I absolutely do not think these are a necessity and I'm perfectly fine with the streaming system I can hook up to my iPad and I don't need an actual screen. What if you don't have an iPad though? You can use your phone and the device holders and it's not the end of the world, but that's also not a very big screen. You can use a laptop, but it's kinda inconvenient for a laptop to be using up your tray table the whole flight for that in my opinion. If I didn't have an iPad, I'd survive with one of the other two options, but the reality is these IFE screens are seen in the US market as a premium offering. Delta and United can have TV screens and everyone will be foaming at the mouth over it, yet the consumer will dog on American because they don't have it. The consumer here fails to mention that the United NEXT cabin on a lot of planes is almost the exact same thing in the back as an American 737-800 or MAX 8. They have the same seats, same legroom, etc. American actually has 3 power ports for each row though while United only has 2. Why are people head over heels for the United cabin though with basically the same specs? United has TVs. First class also has the same legroom on both carriers and one could also argue that United has the worst domestic first offering in the country when it comes to soft product, but the TVs make that big of a difference to the average consumer. The average consumer might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but the line "the customer is always right" actually stems from a point of consumer preferences, and consumers vastly prefer having TVs instead of a streaming system.
The AAdvantage program. Well, this one I actually would be careful with, there are tons of people who fly AA because they have the best loyalty program of the big 3 and feel like they get the best bang for their buck with it. So this isn't exactly something to make major changes to, but you can build on it. The crazy status chasers aren't what AA is making money from though, you have to do the stuff above and then use AAdvantage as a marketing tool. If they did this, they could not only have a solid product, but they'd have a strong loyalty program to match it which I think could easily win over some big spenders. If they added screens, went more premium, and had a culture shift, it would solve a lot of issues and attract customers, yes, but how do you plan on winning over Delta and United customers by offering similar products as them? They aren't going to want to go through the hassle of switching airlines if everything is vastly the same. Keeping AAdvantage as strong as it is while building on it could be a slam dunk opportunity to win people over when SkyPesos is the laughing stock of the big 3 loyalty programs and when MileagePlus still has some great things about it but United is quickly playing a game of "how can we copy Delta in the worst ways possible?" which is currently also happening with how MP is being treated nowadays. This also helps in places like Chicago and NYC where American doesn't have as strong of a schedule. If the program is that good on top of having a competent, well rounded product, it can be a driving factor in winning people over in these big markets. You have to have both though, AA has a relatively very strong program as is, but for most of the big spenders, it's not enough to compensate for the other flaws. The program and the domestic network to an extent plus some small extras are really the only things that could drive someone to AA nowadays.
The marketing. This ties into everything here. AA's marketing has been horrific for years. There's a lot going on at AA that I truly think is actually better than what UA and DL are putting out right now. The loyalty program, the new long haul cabins, the new lounges, you name it. The problem is that AA cannot market any of these positives to save their life. When AA actually tries to be good at something, they do a really good job from my experience. For example, I love the new Admirals Clubs, the new Flagship at PHL is small but I think it's really nice, and I was completely blown away by the 78P in J when I flew it a month and some change ago on a long haul. I really thought it was way better than any long haul product UA or DL has right now and it was really my favorite flight of 2025 because of how much my expectations were surpassed and by how it was by far the best long haul flight I've had on any US carrier. AA does an awful job marketing any of these things though and it's to their own detriment.
I said a lot here, but these are what my main priorities would be. Would love to know what others' thoughts are on this.
Marketing - What part of AA is worth marketing? There is no defining feature at AA and they have no idea what they want to be.
Hub operations - Increase MCT and make it realistic, taking into account time of year and expected delays. When you rank near the bottom of on-time performance, don't schedule assuming flights arrive 10 minutes early and your connection is the gate next door. This is doable (e.g. other major airlines don't have this issue to the same extent) but I haven't really seen a focus at AA in recent months on this.
Feb 12, 2026 | 10:29 am
#33
Join Date: Feb 2022
Programs: AAdvantage
Posts: 1,442
Since every airline has jammed more seats in coach that's not going away. Maybe more MCE but that would take years to complete. AVOD/IFE would be hugely expensive and it would be hard to achieve a direct ROI although it helps with overall brand image. More realistic turn times are surely needed. I have a SAN/CLT A321 flight next week and the turn is scheduled at 50 minutes. No way to turn a plane that quick that's coming in from a five hour flight. Therefore on the other end you would not want to take a connection less than one hour, preferably 1.5 hours.
Feb 12, 2026 | 10:33 am
#34
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Auburn, AL/Jacksonville, FL/Senoia, GA
Programs: BA Gold, DL PM, AA PPro, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Radisson Premium
Posts: 1,064
You are completely right though that there's a lot of conflicting visions though which does make this hard, which is why they need to just embrace a premium strategy.
Feb 12, 2026 | 10:52 am
#35
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: New York
Programs: Free Agent!
Posts: 399
Some things that come to mind for me are the loyalty program, value for miles, oneworld alliance affiliation, the new lounges, the 78P was really good from my experience, I think they actually have a more consistently good premium cabin soft product than UA and DL which is controversial but it's been my experience. I could name more but these are all things I've found great value in at the present moment. I think on top of that there's tons of potential things like the new lounges and the 78P are proof to me that AA can be really good when they try to be. The XLR on the other hand I haven't flown on yet myself but have heard very mixed things, but I'd be interested to see how UA's XLRs is and DL's transcon 321neos will be in comparison.
You are completely right though that there's a lot of conflicting visions though which does make this hard, which is why they need to just embrace a premium strategy.
You are completely right though that there's a lot of conflicting visions though which does make this hard, which is why they need to just embrace a premium strategy.
Value for miles - This gets tricky since most of the value is on OneWorld partners or high cost low mile awards on regional flights. There are so many points chasing so few awards that the average consumer looking to book peak period vacations will struggle to find value.
OneWorld - Not really AA related and goes back to the route map is our selling point that put El Paso on the map.
New lounges - Def worth marketing but also very crowded and have been eclipsed by UA and DL, along with the bank lounges.
New planes - This is worth marketing, especially as more planes join the fleet. It would be nice to have a soft product component to include in the marketing (new amenity kits, food collaboration, etc)
Feb 12, 2026 | 11:17 am
#36
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Auburn, AL/Jacksonville, FL/Senoia, GA
Programs: BA Gold, DL PM, AA PPro, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Radisson Premium
Posts: 1,064
Loyalty program is now about pitching credit cards, not actual flying benefits. The old days of marketing 25k is a RT flight anywhere in the US are long gone. Complimentary upgrades are difficult with all the upselling, so what aspect of the loyalty program are you marketing to the masses?
Value for miles - This gets tricky since most of the value is on OneWorld partners or high cost low mile awards on regional flights. There are so many points chasing so few awards that the average consumer looking to book peak period vacations will struggle to find value.
OneWorld - Not really AA related and goes back to the route map is our selling point that put El Paso on the map.
New lounges - Def worth marketing but also very crowded and have been eclipsed by UA and DL, along with the bank lounges.
New planes - This is worth marketing, especially as more planes join the fleet. It would be nice to have a soft product component to include in the marketing (new amenity kits, food collaboration, etc)
Value for miles - This gets tricky since most of the value is on OneWorld partners or high cost low mile awards on regional flights. There are so many points chasing so few awards that the average consumer looking to book peak period vacations will struggle to find value.
OneWorld - Not really AA related and goes back to the route map is our selling point that put El Paso on the map.
New lounges - Def worth marketing but also very crowded and have been eclipsed by UA and DL, along with the bank lounges.
New planes - This is worth marketing, especially as more planes join the fleet. It would be nice to have a soft product component to include in the marketing (new amenity kits, food collaboration, etc)
The oneworld thing also ties in a bit to the loyalty program for me, yes the network it provides is one thing, but I also think the service and benefits you get as a oneworld elite (especially OWE) are better than what Star and SkyTeam are putting out nowadays. There's good airlines and bad airlines in each alliance too but I think oneworld overall has a very well rounded group for the most part. I think BA has gotten a little better in their defense but BA is an airline in oneworld I don't love. With that said though, the grass is not greener with Lufthansa Group and Air France/KLM can be great if everything goes to plan but when things don't go to plan, they have had the worst customer service I've experienced from any major airline(s) on multiple occasions.
The new lounges I think are really nice and while I'm not the most qualified to speak to United Clubs and Polaris Lounges since I don't do a ton of United, the last times I've been in United Clubs it wasn't too impressive and I think these new Admirals Clubs are pretty sleek lounges and the food at a lot of them, like the new DCA E one, have been surprisingly pleasant. As for the Delta SkyClubs and the bank lounges, those have been plagued with overcrowding way worse than the Admirals Clubs have in my experience even if they're really nice lounges. The SkyClubs at ATL are always packed to the gills but I haven't seen any lines recently thankfully. Lounges like Centurion though I pass frequently in ATL and CLT and I can count on one hand the number of times I haven't seen a line at these two in the past couple years. CLT C/D Admirals is nowhere near the crown jewel of lounges, but I can appreciate that I don't have to wait in a long line to enter and I can always find a good seat in the back by the windows. I'm excited though to see more new lounges come online.
We're in full agreement on the new planes, so much potential to be had there and I'm really excited to fly the 78P again at some point. Thought the amenity kit was nicer than it used to be too and I'm hopeful that AA's limited edition centennial food menu will be a hit, but the soft product is still a huge part of the experience for sure.
Feb 12, 2026 | 11:27 am
#37
Fontaine d'honneur du Flyertalk
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Morbihan, France
Programs: Reine des Muccis de Pucci; Foreign Elitist (according to others)
Posts: 20,662
Its the soft product, stupid !!!!
My recent EZE-DFW flight in Flagship Business got me thinking about how little things that dont cost significant $$$ make a huge difference. American is investing relevant amounts of capital on improving the hard product, but it is super clear that staff morale is at an all time low. When Pursers with 39 years of flying make basic service mistakes it is clear something needs to be done about motivating staff and getting interests aligned in the same direction. Yes, getting FA's a decent new contract is part of this, but money alone doesnt get a service company where it needs to be to compete and thrive.... its like geopolitics and "soft power", a cultural change isnt achieved by only throwing money at issues, its a lot more elaborate than that. Of the big three american carriers, AA seems to me is having the most problems with the average FA's quality of service.... and without a serious improvement in its soft product, all that capital's ROI is hugely diminished.
My recent EZE-DFW flight in Flagship Business got me thinking about how little things that dont cost significant $$$ make a huge difference. American is investing relevant amounts of capital on improving the hard product, but it is super clear that staff morale is at an all time low. When Pursers with 39 years of flying make basic service mistakes it is clear something needs to be done about motivating staff and getting interests aligned in the same direction. Yes, getting FA's a decent new contract is part of this, but money alone doesnt get a service company where it needs to be to compete and thrive.... its like geopolitics and "soft power", a cultural change isnt achieved by only throwing money at issues, its a lot more elaborate than that. Of the big three american carriers, AA seems to me is having the most problems with the average FA's quality of service.... and without a serious improvement in its soft product, all that capital's ROI is hugely diminished.
It might bankrupt the airline and cause a major strike but you did ask what I would change. not whether it was feasible or not.
Feb 12, 2026 | 2:52 pm
#38
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: DAY
Programs: Rapid Rewards, Skymiles, Hilton HHonors, SPG/Marriott Rewards
Posts: 6,481
Feb 13, 2026 | 7:51 am
#39
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, HH DIA, Hertz PC, GE + Pre✓, Amazon Super Special Prime
Posts: 1,068
Company Wide Changes:
I could go on and on, but those are my off the cuff / monday morning quarterback suggestions!
- As others have stated, get back to the "Something Special in the Air" era where the event of flying was just that - an event, and usually a good one. Not a chore, as it would be seen as today.
- Empower front line staff via training and performance tied compensation to make customer positive decisions when working.
- Shift culture from trying to compete with both ULCC's and Big3's/Majors to more Big3 type styled business planning.
- Upgrade of IT systems for both back end use and customer facing applications.
- Order an additional 20 787-9's and 20 78X's to augment the ageing 772 fleet.
- Get Boeing on the phone and strike a deal for 75 frames of the NMA/797 bird... I know there is not a published plan for that aircraft as of yet, but I would imagine Boeing would build it if they got enough firm commitments.
- Set seat pitch at 31" for Basic Economy Seats (last 4 rows), 32" for regular economy (Extra $10 per flight, or free for Gold and up) , MCE at 35" (Extra $25 per flight, free for PLT and up), and PE/Domestic First style seats at 38+" - Adding some breathing room on the flights and charging marginally more per pax would solve a ton of the "This feels like a bus in the sky" type conversations.
- Int'l Hard product is good, so keep chugging along there.
- Domestic Hard product - keep that upgrade program running along.
- Get the WiFi program rolled out fleet wide and working well.
- Increase buffer of spare/available frames at DFW/ORD/CLT/MIA to help prevent delays for MX.
- With the increase of T-45 boarding time, need to make a commensurate increase in MCT.... 35 min is laughable. Should just make it an hour for Eagle/Mainline to Mainline, and 45 minutes for Mainline to Eagle....
- Improve bank system commensurate with MCT changes.
- Pepper in more widebody use domestically ... showcase your new shiny international planes to create some excitement and buzz for the domestic traveler who might be inclined to fly AA on a trip to EU or Asia after trying the new 789 Prem!
- Continue and expedite the upgrading of the network of lounges in AA.... need more capacity there if you are going to keep selling access and credit cards to the masses. CLT I am looking at you.
- Domestic onboard service needs a swift kick in the A$$ - occasionally good, but consistently low average service levels. It doesn't make me feel special as a customer. I am just another warm body in the seat.
- Int'l service is usually good - but the typically senior staff on those flights can be jaded at times.... want to remove that complacency factor.
- Food products.... increase quality spend on dishes by 25% minimum. I don't mind paying an extra $ on my F ticket if I know for certain that the food I pre-order will: 1. Be on Board. 2. Be tasty.
- Wifi as mentioned above, get it rolling.
- Try and create an onboard atmosphere where everyone is not sitting on pins and needles waiting for a fight or pissing match between FA's, customers, gate agents, other customers, etc. .... I can palpably taste the tension on some flights where there is delays or some mixup of some variety.
- Train lead FA's on some good conflict resolution strategies.
- Increase qualification thresholds on LP's by 25% to thin the herd.
- I like the Loyalty Rewards for the most part.
- Add some reward option where you can get a classic sAAver level/cost award for up to 4 pax on any round trip you want. Could be domestic, could be int'l, could be in Y (level 1 reward) or J (level 2 reward).
- Improve bonus categories of spend on AA branded cards.... the most premium card has no bonus for gas, grocery, dining?
- Tune the dynamic pricing model to be a little less greedy, get people to use the miles you sold them.
I could go on and on, but those are my off the cuff / monday morning quarterback suggestions!
Feb 13, 2026 | 9:02 am
#40
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Minnesota
Programs: AA EXP; United 1K, Delta, IHG Plat Amb, PE, Marriott/Hilton Gold
Posts: 937
A simplistic but not simple change. Service needs to be trained and rewarded. Union rules can make it more difficult to reward performance but not impossible. Customers judge the airline by the front line employees - the ones they interact with.
You can provide all the premium physical bells and whistles you want (and I love that they are starting to invest in physical items) but the service and empathy with which it is delivered needs to be positive and consistent.
Management needs to understand that even the worst day of delays, mechanical issues or failures in the physical product on the ground or in the air can be made to feel premium if the people have service nailed. Bad days WILL happen and good service and empathy on the front lines goes a long way to customer satisfaction
You can provide all the premium physical bells and whistles you want (and I love that they are starting to invest in physical items) but the service and empathy with which it is delivered needs to be positive and consistent.
Management needs to understand that even the worst day of delays, mechanical issues or failures in the physical product on the ground or in the air can be made to feel premium if the people have service nailed. Bad days WILL happen and good service and empathy on the front lines goes a long way to customer satisfaction
Feb 13, 2026 | 10:16 am
#41
formerly plenTpak
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Washington DC
Programs: AA
Posts: 143
I would love the company to figure out their transatlantic strategy out of PHL.
I would work on a three-way with PHL and Amtrak on a new inter-modal terminal and experience. If they make the airport accessible to the NEC, seamlessly (aka moving the line so that it stops in the station), it would potentially pull more O/D traffic from NYC and DC. They need a whole new setup in PHL as the current terminal is a dump.
I would work on a three-way with PHL and Amtrak on a new inter-modal terminal and experience. If they make the airport accessible to the NEC, seamlessly (aka moving the line so that it stops in the station), it would potentially pull more O/D traffic from NYC and DC. They need a whole new setup in PHL as the current terminal is a dump.
Feb 13, 2026 | 2:04 pm
#43
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: New York
Programs: Free Agent!
Posts: 399
I would love the company to figure out their transatlantic strategy out of PHL.
I would work on a three-way with PHL and Amtrak on a new inter-modal terminal and experience. If they make the airport accessible to the NEC, seamlessly (aka moving the line so that it stops in the station), it would potentially pull more O/D traffic from NYC and DC. They need a whole new setup in PHL as the current terminal is a dump.
I would work on a three-way with PHL and Amtrak on a new inter-modal terminal and experience. If they make the airport accessible to the NEC, seamlessly (aka moving the line so that it stops in the station), it would potentially pull more O/D traffic from NYC and DC. They need a whole new setup in PHL as the current terminal is a dump.
As a side note - I don't understand PHL as an international hub model at all. This article tries to explain the rationale but I'm not convinced.
https://simpleflying.com/philly-rise...n-phl-gateway/
Feb 13, 2026 | 2:07 pm
#44
Join Date: Jul 1999
Programs: QF WP, AA EXP
Posts: 3,653
Get checked baggage out onto the carousel within 20 minutes of landing (like AS and DL do). Not the normal 30-60 minutes that I usually experience.
And actually honor the priority tags on the bags. Currently they mean nothing.
And actually honor the priority tags on the bags. Currently they mean nothing.
Feb 14, 2026 | 1:04 pm
#45
formerly plenTpak
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Washington DC
Programs: AA
Posts: 143
No one from NY is taking a 90 minute Amtrak to catch a flight out of PHL. There are too many nonstop options from NY airports for anyone to go to PHL. As someone who lived in NY and NJ, I will note that PHL is a more convenient airport for a large part of NJ and competes more with EWR than JFK/LGA. The fact that EWR commands such high fares is because people choose the more convenient airport over price (going from NJ to LGA/JFK is both expensive with tolls and cab fare, and requires a big time buffer for traffic). NY'ers are spoiled for choice and aren't going to PHL to catch a flight.
As a side note - I don't understand PHL as an international hub model at all. This article tries to explain the rationale but I'm not convinced.
https://simpleflying.com/philly-rise...n-phl-gateway/
As a side note - I don't understand PHL as an international hub model at all. This article tries to explain the rationale but I'm not convinced.
https://simpleflying.com/philly-rise...n-phl-gateway/