Why Fly UA?
Jun 13, 13, 12:21 pm
#76
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 252
1. The main reason for me is UA's routes ex-PVG, and the arrival time in SFO/ORD/EWR allows for easy connection to almost everywhere in US. I do miss PVG-NRT that allows for intra-Asia travel.
2. The SWU is great, but it is always a struggle to pay the $2K+ W fare China-US. I have to convince myself each time it is worth it.
3. At least 100% EQM earnings on UA metal as AA only allows 50% even on its own metal with discount fares.
4. Credit cards with accumulated miles make it harder to switch.
2. The SWU is great, but it is always a struggle to pay the $2K+ W fare China-US. I have to convince myself each time it is worth it.
3. At least 100% EQM earnings on UA metal as AA only allows 50% even on its own metal with discount fares.
4. Credit cards with accumulated miles make it harder to switch.
Jun 13, 13, 12:31 pm
#77
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: BA Gold, AF Gold Emirates Gold, LH Senator *Gold, AA LT PLT 2mm
Posts: 21,168
Jun 13, 13, 12:39 pm
#78
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: BNE
Programs: VA Gold
Posts: 54
1) Delta
2) US Airways
3) American (see 2)
4) Spirit
5) Southwest
6) Hawaiian
7) international carriers not allowed domestic routes
8) Airtran
9) Alaska
10) Frontier
11) Delta (sorry, already said that one)
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2) US Airways
3) American (see 2)
4) Spirit
5) Southwest
6) Hawaiian
7) international carriers not allowed domestic routes
8) Airtran
9) Alaska
10) Frontier
11) Delta (sorry, already said that one)
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12) Amtrak. Over 10 hours on the Coast Starlight between San Jose and Los Angeles. Impractically slow.
Jun 13, 13, 12:54 pm
#79
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: CoUniHound 1K 1MM, AA EXP 2MM, DL Plat, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 1,574
I fly enough segments each year to quality as an AA EXP and a UA 1K. Since award redemption is critical to me, Delta is a non-starter. Both AA and UA have plus and minuses, and neither is so bad to cause me to walk away and neither is good enough to win all my business. So I keep flying both until one wins all my business or loses it. And I'm especially interested in keeping my 1K status as I evaluate the US-AA merger.
Jun 13, 13, 1:08 pm
#80
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: US CP ; LH FTL ; *G
Posts: 1,630
1. SDC is huge for me, it's allowed me to get home earlier from a trip on business travel and has also allowed me to extend vacation on personal travel (especially around holidays when I've booked a cheap fare for say Sunday of Memorial Day weekend and then been able to SDC it to Monday evening)...I fly DL enough to be silver and their 3 hour limitation is a killer
3. Customer Facing Technology Interface: This might be a little more disputed but in my experience once I knew all the tricks and tips to navigate .bomb/mobile.bomb/.bombMobileApp, they actually provide much more information (fare classes, plane tracking, etc.) vs. the other majors, which can make a huge difference as often this information comes in handy during IRROPS when dealing with the 1K line (the flip side being the 1K line should have this knowledge without me force feeding it to them but that's another thread)
Jun 13, 13, 1:32 pm
#83
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 8,626
Priority definitely helps with SDCing, but it's hard to have a window advantage compared to Golds, unless you're SDCing to a series of flights more than 24 hours long.
Jun 13, 13, 1:36 pm
#84
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,784
Like many previous posters, I'm a hub captive (DCA and IAD), and with US being in the *A, at least in the short term, I don't really have much choice. I already do 100+ segs a year, so I'm not interested in making even more connections. SDC is a nice perk, too.
Aside from the above, I have zero loyalty to UA and may well match over to the new AA, assuming it isn't the biggest clusterf^ck in history, as the AA DCA-LAX nonstop would be perfect for me.
Aside from the above, I have zero loyalty to UA and may well match over to the new AA, assuming it isn't the biggest clusterf^ck in history, as the AA DCA-LAX nonstop would be perfect for me.
Jun 13, 13, 2:08 pm
#87
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 8,626
Unless I'm misunderstanding what you mean, the SDC + SDC (+ SDC + SDC and so on) situation does not give rise to a difference between elite levels, other than Silvers. From Gold on up, there is no SDC fee, and SDC can be done as many times as desired. Because Golds and up have at least a 48-hour window, and because SDC can only be used at a given moment to push a flight up to 24 hours forward from that moment, there is no way to push a flight out of the Gold CPU window. Sure, you can do SDC again, but by the time you do, you're within the Gold (and Silver, for that matter) window again. I simply do not understand how Golds and Plats are disadvantaged in SDC other than by upgrade priority.
Jun 13, 13, 3:48 pm
#88
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Tulsa, OK
Programs: AA EXP, UA Silver, SPG Plat, Marriott Plat
Posts: 1,264
Award Travel is the only reason. I generally fly 100+segments a year and must connect no matter what so DL, AA and UA are all in play. UA flies small planes mostly (for where I go) so I'm less inclined to fly them.
Jun 13, 13, 3:56 pm
#89
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Austin,TX (AUS)
Programs: AA, UA
Posts: 767
1) lowest price
2) best routing
3) best times
2) best routing
3) best times
Jun 13, 13, 4:41 pm
#90
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: IAH/EWR-LGA/MIA
Programs: UA Global Services 3.0 MM, Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium Elite, AA Platinum
Posts: 2,168
1) IAH
2) IAH
3) IAH
4) E+ in theory; never had to use it, because ...
5) CPUs/M-B-ups (100%)
6) GPUs, especially gifting them to GM friends (100% success 2011-2013) and ability to use for LH F
7) Network
8) Global Services (helps with first part of #6 above, among other things)
9) GF (especially cheap buy-ups from C) and, as a result, GFL, *A F lounges and *A partner F lounges
10) Nostalgia for CO
11) MileagePlus generally (especially Saver frequently available)
2) IAH
3) IAH
4) E+ in theory; never had to use it, because ...
5) CPUs/M-B-ups (100%)
6) GPUs, especially gifting them to GM friends (100% success 2011-2013) and ability to use for LH F
7) Network
8) Global Services (helps with first part of #6 above, among other things)
9) GF (especially cheap buy-ups from C) and, as a result, GFL, *A F lounges and *A partner F lounges
10) Nostalgia for CO
11) MileagePlus generally (especially Saver frequently available)
