Why Fly UA?
Jun 13, 13, 6:07 pm
#91
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: PDX
Programs: Free agent!
Posts: 1,387
1) *A. Still the best alliance out there, especially for my travel patterns (East Asia & Europe)
2) Route network.
3) MP miles actually have value and are pretty easy to redeem
That being said, I always do my best to avoid UA when doing intercontinental trips and never recommend that my friends fly them.
2) Route network.
3) MP miles actually have value and are pretty easy to redeem
That being said, I always do my best to avoid UA when doing intercontinental trips and never recommend that my friends fly them.
Jun 13, 13, 7:40 pm
#92
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 9,442
I quit UA 2 years ago (I was an 8 year 1K) when the merger went down and moved all my travel to AA. My lady still stuck with UA as a 1K. We've recently been looking for award travel to the US and Europe from Asia and I have to say that UA in this regard is miles better than AA. I'm actually thinking of switching back once I hit 1M miles on AA just because of the award functionality.
Jun 14, 13, 1:14 am
#93
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: UA GS>1K>Nothing; DL GM 2MM; AS 75K>Nothing
Posts: 9,189
I have updated the OP with the compiled results up to this point.
I don't know. Maybe the 99.9999% of the flying public who don't fly the LAX to SYD route?
why fly UA? IDK, thats a very good question. I mean, who in the world would want to fly UA from LAX to SYD on their dumpy 747's when with a little hiccup in the weather, they have to divert the queen of the skies... DL and Virgin fly 777's and can make it NS without the diversion in the event of bad WX.
Last edited by iluv2fly; Jun 14, 13 at 5:44 am Reason: merge
Jun 14, 13, 2:14 am
#94
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Syd
Programs: UA 1k 1MM, VA G
Posts: 886
Use UA because
1. Only airline to offer elite members in Y 3 bags at 70lb each fo free
2. Award redmeption, Sky Peso, Pay YQ with QF, VA does not fly where I go
3. DL and UA are only airlines still giving full credit for cheap fares
4. The food on UA in Y is better then the others IMHO
5. I have an Ipad and a Nexus 10... I could give a FARK about IFE
6. UA is always the cheapest in any class of service
7. When delays happen UA puts me on NZ ^^^^^ every time
Jun 14, 13, 5:15 am
#95
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: At home in the PNW
Posts: 51,806
Jun 14, 13, 7:33 am
#96
Join Date: Jul 2005
Programs: UA Gold, Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 562
United flies to 81 of the 95. And non-stop from EWR to 64 of them.
Jun 14, 13, 7:35 am
#97
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: UA PP, AA, DL, BA, CX, SPG, HHonors
Posts: 2,002
Jun 14, 13, 8:37 am
#98
Join Date: Jul 2005
Programs: UA Gold, Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 562
UA: Flies to 81. Non-stop from EWR to 64.
DL: Flies to 72. Non-stop from NYC to 49.
AA: Flies to 58. Non-stop from NYC to 32.
These DL / AA numbers include quite a few destinations where the frequency is far inferior to UA from EWR... including a lot of once a day destinations timed for the JFK international banks, making them basically useless for a NYC-based business traveler.
Of course these are only my destinations, so YMMV.
DL: Flies to 72. Non-stop from NYC to 49.
AA: Flies to 58. Non-stop from NYC to 32.
These DL / AA numbers include quite a few destinations where the frequency is far inferior to UA from EWR... including a lot of once a day destinations timed for the JFK international banks, making them basically useless for a NYC-based business traveler.
Of course these are only my destinations, so YMMV.
Jun 14, 13, 10:27 am
#99
Ambassador: Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: BWI
Posts: 7,376
I want to point out, while the below are the reasons I picked UA as my primary carrier... HOWEVER, all of the below is crap if UA cannot run a reliable on-time operation.
I sure hope they swap the aircraft for my PIT-IAD flight tonight [check UA.com flight status page and keep clicking "where is this aircraft coming from" and you will see why] and the cause is "delayed due to crew"
I sure hope they swap the aircraft for my PIT-IAD flight tonight [check UA.com flight status page and keep clicking "where is this aircraft coming from" and you will see why] and the cause is "delayed due to crew"
Jun 14, 13, 10:35 am
#101
Ambassador: Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: BWI
Posts: 7,376
Keep in mind, while merger talks were starting to heat up sCO moved to *A and added in SWUs, and sUA began UDU and stopped *Net Blocking. Technically, both had those benefits before the merger, but those changes were strongly influenced by one other.
[B]UPDATED WITH RESULTS AFTER 90 POSTS (*See notes at bottom of post.)
1. E+ 103
2. Award availability 94
3. Hub Captive (Near airport or convenient routes from home airport) 80
4. Overall Route Network 69
5. *A 54
6. Int'l UGs (GPUs) 42
7. SDC 32
8. Domestic UG (CPUs) 31
9. Good website for booking and awards 20
9. Price 20
10. GF 19
11. Award Flexibilty 12
12. Front Line Employees 12
1. E+ 103
2. Award availability 94
3. Hub Captive (Near airport or convenient routes from home airport) 80
4. Overall Route Network 69
5. *A 54
6. Int'l UGs (GPUs) 42
7. SDC 32
8. Domestic UG (CPUs) 31
9. Good website for booking and awards 20
9. Price 20
10. GF 19
11. Award Flexibilty 12
12. Front Line Employees 12
Last edited by golfingboy; Jun 14, 13 at 10:59 am
Jun 14, 13, 2:54 pm
#102
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 4,187
My top reasons to fly UA: (I'm Platinum).
1. Price (which IMO should be everyone's #1. FF plans ought make the difference between airlines when price is the same.)
2. Bonus miles as an elite member
3. WN & DL FF programs suck (WN is $$ based and DL has high award levels). BTW, I used to include UA's FF program in the "suck" category owing to *blocking.
4. Fee waivers (SDC, award change/redeposit, baggage)
5. Network allows multiple connections to maximize flying experience and earnings
6. Front-end (and back office) staff
7. Great hubs (esp. EWR, CLE, ORD)
8. Loyalty to the memory of CO and remaining staff from the good-old-days
9. Good intra-Europe earning opportunities; don't have to fly AF
10. Partnership (for the moment) with US
11. Ch 9.
12. Friendly web interface
13. Can generally avoid JFK, DFW & ATL
14. Good VDB history
Things which have absolutely ZERO impact in airline selection:
1. Lounges
2. E+
3. Upgrades
4. Global entry
5. F/C product
6. Frequency
7. New fleet
8. Payoffs for IRROPS
9. Jeff
1. Price (which IMO should be everyone's #1. FF plans ought make the difference between airlines when price is the same.)
2. Bonus miles as an elite member
3. WN & DL FF programs suck (WN is $$ based and DL has high award levels). BTW, I used to include UA's FF program in the "suck" category owing to *blocking.
4. Fee waivers (SDC, award change/redeposit, baggage)
5. Network allows multiple connections to maximize flying experience and earnings
6. Front-end (and back office) staff
7. Great hubs (esp. EWR, CLE, ORD)
8. Loyalty to the memory of CO and remaining staff from the good-old-days
9. Good intra-Europe earning opportunities; don't have to fly AF
10. Partnership (for the moment) with US
11. Ch 9.
12. Friendly web interface
13. Can generally avoid JFK, DFW & ATL
14. Good VDB history
Things which have absolutely ZERO impact in airline selection:
1. Lounges
2. E+
3. Upgrades
4. Global entry
5. F/C product
6. Frequency
7. New fleet
8. Payoffs for IRROPS
9. Jeff
Jun 14, 13, 5:18 pm
#103
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: At home in the PNW
Posts: 51,806
Jun 14, 13, 8:48 pm
#104
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: SNA and BNA depending on work and time of year
Programs: UA Silver/ AA EXP/Hyatt Globalist/Marriott Lifetime Titanium/Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,184
Well I came back for a few reasons:
Mileage Program - Their miles are easier to use than anyone else's IME
Liberal Same Day Change - Nobody else is going to give me 24 hours in either direction as long as the bucket is there.
E+ - With upgrades getting harder, a comfortable coach product is crucial.
No inflated YQ on international awards.
I've tried them all. I think AA was once good and in some ways it's far superior to UA. However, the things above I value more from UA than the things AA is superior in. I could also add that PMUA terminals are brighter and have better signage. Just compare the AA and UA sides of ORD to see what I mean. I do not like IAH because it's dark and the signage is not in a good place. This is not a key reason for flying UA it is a bonus. It is cancelled out though a bit because the cheaper fares into LAX tend to route through grrrr IAH. It may seem minuscule to some, but to me it really matters.
Mileage Program - Their miles are easier to use than anyone else's IME
Liberal Same Day Change - Nobody else is going to give me 24 hours in either direction as long as the bucket is there.
E+ - With upgrades getting harder, a comfortable coach product is crucial.
No inflated YQ on international awards.
I've tried them all. I think AA was once good and in some ways it's far superior to UA. However, the things above I value more from UA than the things AA is superior in. I could also add that PMUA terminals are brighter and have better signage. Just compare the AA and UA sides of ORD to see what I mean. I do not like IAH because it's dark and the signage is not in a good place. This is not a key reason for flying UA it is a bonus. It is cancelled out though a bit because the cheaper fares into LAX tend to route through grrrr IAH. It may seem minuscule to some, but to me it really matters.
Jun 14, 13, 8:48 pm
#105
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: ORD
Programs: 2015 kettle
Posts: 653
Why Fly UA?
United Center houses the Blackhawks/Bulls. American Airlines is Miami or Dallas. Home town Chicago guy here! And channel 9. That's why I started with UA over American.
