I am a big fan of UA and *A but I was wondering if there are dangers to it becoming to big. I was prompted to think this way when reflecting upon the prices of flights in Canada and Oz where it seems so much more expensive than the US and beyond belief with EU. In the former Canadian Airlines went bankrupt and was bought out by Air Canada while in the latter Ansett went bankrupt. Fares and services have been -ve affected ever since. I was really annoyed with AC giving only 50% of miles of domestic flights when on an RTW. It looks like the only way for me to fly within Oz is thru award tickets. I am know thinking that the other two alliances should increase in size and always present a threat to *A so that we can get the best from competition. I think EU is suffocated by *A and hope no other airline joins it but the middle east, ind, china and Oz could use some. Thanks

I don't think that the issue is that the *A is too large, but rather that there isn't much in the way of competition those markets. In Canada, other than Air Canada your choices are very limited, and none of those choices have alliances with the other major alliances.

I am sure the other alliances probably have areas where they alone fly and can control the market in RTW situations (for example, when I flew to Tanzania, I had to use my Amex points to get a Continential / KLM flight because of lack of choice).

Greg

Is the Amex card really worth it? How abt other cards that offer airline tickets like Citi. I always thot that getting tickets thru such cards is very difficult given how difficult it is for the airline itself to give to their own members. I have never been able to get the itenary I wanted.

It thought RTWs on AC were booked in H class (which I would assume gets 100% miles). Only Tango flights get the 50%. Maybe check the FAQs in the AC forum.