Never been to ATL. Never flown on AirTran or Delta. Need to head down to ATL from DAY next weekend and am not quite willing to double the time required and fly through IAD on UA.

So... no status... don't really care about the miles... price is all the same... just want an easy, safe, unique experience. FL or DL?

Thanks.

Look at the metal. If it's RJ on DL, stick with AirTran. Otherwise it should be a similar experience.

I hate airtran. The pitch of their seats suck. I'd be catching DAY-ORD-ATL on UA. Just me.


Halothane

for departures next Sat 5/31/8 fares do look same at $204 nonstop Delta or AirTran

most DL flights that weekend are indeed on RJs - better go with AirTran 717 jets

If you want unique, try to get an AirTran 717 before they're all gone.

For the flights I'm looking at it would be:
DL -- MD80 out, CR7 back.
FL -- 737 out, 717 back.

So FL? I'm just looking for an easy, no-hassles flight experience. If I can get that with both, then I'm interested in seeing some interesting planes (as a UA flier, MD80s are interesting) and learning a bit about someone new.

With no status and if miles don't matter, I'd probably take FL and buy the upgrades ($40 or $50 each way). If you can snag an exit seat on the B737 then maybe only upgrade on the B717 coming back.

If you're looking for interesting planes, I'm afraid you're out of luck with all mentioned. The MD80 is a workhorse but about as dull as it gets. B717 is the same (DC9) airframe with different engines/avionics/ect. The B737 is the most ubiquitous plane in the air and the CR7 is just misery with slightly more people on board than a -100 or -200.

Delta and AirTran are the two airlines I fly most frequently, and for a short hop like DAY-ATL AirTran is your best bet.

No RJs, friendly employees, and the business class upgrade for $49 is a great deal, available to anyone on the day of departure as long as the seat is unsold. AirTran in coach is bearable---I'm 6'2" and it's cramped, but not any worse than coach on a Delta RJ and only a couple of inches less pitch than coach on a DL MD88. DAY-ATL is just an hour and a half block time, so if you're worried about legroom just get an aisle seat or ask for an exit row when you check in.

AirTran's frequent flyer program is based on credits, not miles, so you will earn free domestic tickets faster than on DL if your travel is mostly short hops. Four one-way trips get you a free upgrade; 8 one-ways give you a free one-way coach ticket. The biggest drawbacks to the FL program are that there's no option for international business or first class awards, and the program doesn't provide much bang for the buck on longer flights with the credits system.

I think AirTran is the most underrated airline out there...on short flights you get a better product (especially in business class) than you would on the legacy carriers, and the A+ Rewards program is decent.

A friend of mine travels MSP-ATL on a weekly basis and opted for neither DL nor NW but for FL, and has been very happy with them.

10+ years ago I swore I'd never take FL again. However, in the last year I have taken them 3 times. Initially, this was only because they were hundreds of dollars cheaper than any other option. However, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I am pleased with the product, the flights have been on-time, and the staff has been friendly. I would consider flying them again even if there weren't such a major price difference.

In my experience, the problem with DL's RJs is that in my experience, they're more delay-prone than mainline flights. In terms of access at ATL, it's all the same, as the airport is 6 terminals that are linked together. AirTran may be a bit farther, but it would probably only be an extra stop on the train.