SFO to NYC, AA or UA
 

Hi, I apologize if this has been discussed before.

I have been flying UA exclusively, got AA Platinum executive because of the match but never flied AA before.
I have a trip from SFO to NYC in early december and thougth of burning a couple of RPU for the ps to JFK or lie flat to NWR, but the upgrade doesn't look good and the price is very expensive too (compared to AA, around $200 more).
Then I noticed AA has a few 763 or 762 to JFK and the seats look good too. I want to know:
1. Are the seats (in both coach and business/first) comparable to ps flight?
2. How is my chance of getting upgraded?

Many thanks in advance.

I fly JFK-SFO/LAX quite a bit on both UA/AA.

As far as coach product goes, coach seats are coach seats. United is nominally all E+ in the back, but it's not a full-fledged E+ product (it has the lowest pitch across the entire E+ fleet). As an AA Plat, you'd be able to get an exit row on the 767's AA is flying.

As far as business class goes, the seat is slightly wider on United (JFK-SFO on UA)than AA 762 (My review for JFK-SFO on an AA 762). Otherwise, my preference is for AA (in terms of service, food, friendliness of staff, etc.). UA works the business class cabin with 2 flight attendants; AA works their cabin with a small army. The AA 763 flies with their now-old next-generation business class product (an angled lie-flat; my commentary with respect to the product for JFK-LHR).