Best Option for weekly commute Burbank-Palo Alto (Calif)
Jun 19, 2019, 4:37 pm
#31
Senior Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: UA Plat/2MM [23-yr. 1K, now emeritus] clawing way back to WN-A List; MR LT Titanium; HY Whateverist.
Posts: 12,396
I'm less than 15 mins. from SFO, so am partial to that airport. BUT after decades of delays with most of my flying -- short-haul by numbers of flights -- and after hitting 2MM on UA, I finally reached the unassailable point made upthread by several, that SFO is far too delay-prone to support a heavy SoCal to NorCal schedule as the OP is looking at.
I vote for the choice suggested by several: BUR to SJC on WN. It has about 12 N/s a day each way, between the two points, whereas AS has only 3 N/S RTs.
I've moved almost all of my intra-Calif. flying from UA to WN and am much happier doing it. Their greater reliability and faster flight times (say OAK to LAX) makes up for the lack of the United Club and First seats. With WN flight times sub one-hour, I can easily tolerate the less seat pitch than UA E+ and I notice that before I finish most of the work or more fun reading to do on board, I'm about to land. WN often has a status match program pending for legacy airline status holders to match to A-list. As a WN "low level" elite (basic A-list), I find I'm on the plane faster than with UA's 6 or 7 pre-boarding groups before my group 1. And there's none of the drama I regularly experience in flying UA (gate's blocked, paperwork isn't ready, mechanic has to look at this or that before we push, etc., etc.), especially when you're counting on getting to your destination airport in an hour or less.
I vote for the choice suggested by several: BUR to SJC on WN. It has about 12 N/s a day each way, between the two points, whereas AS has only 3 N/S RTs.
I've moved almost all of my intra-Calif. flying from UA to WN and am much happier doing it. Their greater reliability and faster flight times (say OAK to LAX) makes up for the lack of the United Club and First seats. With WN flight times sub one-hour, I can easily tolerate the less seat pitch than UA E+ and I notice that before I finish most of the work or more fun reading to do on board, I'm about to land. WN often has a status match program pending for legacy airline status holders to match to A-list. As a WN "low level" elite (basic A-list), I find I'm on the plane faster than with UA's 6 or 7 pre-boarding groups before my group 1. And there's none of the drama I regularly experience in flying UA (gate's blocked, paperwork isn't ready, mechanic has to look at this or that before we push, etc., etc.), especially when you're counting on getting to your destination airport in an hour or less.
Jun 19, 2019, 4:41 pm
#32
Join Date: Feb 2008
Programs: 6 year GS, now 2MM Jeff-ugee, *wood LTPlt, SkyPeso PLT
Posts: 6,526
Agree with much of what you state, having recently flown F on AS quite a few times (another story) I prefer AS seats which I fell are more comfortable and as you state greater pitch. Of course I'll take a lie flat any day over a seat for a TCON flight but apart from that I like the AS F product..
Jun 19, 2019, 5:22 pm
#33
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA MM Plat, UA 1MM, Hilton Lifetime Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold, CLEAR, AS MVP Gold
Posts: 3,622
I find it hard to believe that a company who is not ok paying to fly you in first class from LAX (usually less -- sometimes much less -- than a $100 upcharge over E) is going to be ok shelling out $300 each way for transportation to the airport.
Also there is a 0% chance that I'm getting into a helicopter, but that's just me.
Also there is a 0% chance that I'm getting into a helicopter, but that's just me.
Jun 19, 2019, 5:39 pm
#34
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K MM, Marriott Gold
Posts: 4,770
OP, not sure if BUR-SJC is flown by AS mainline, but given your description of yourself as 6'5" avoid WN, all they fly is aweful 737s with their narrow seats and 31" pitch. I will just highlight that AS has 41" pitch in its domestic F on new birds, and gives more room than any other US carrier. I would go with them for that alone. See if they will status match you from UA (they should) and fly them.
Jun 19, 2019, 5:42 pm
#35
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K, UA Gold, Marriott LTT, Avis President's Club
Posts: 1,539
I flew SFO-BUR every week for ~2.5 years when consulting. Morning flights were typically always on time. The afternoon flight once in a while got delayed due to flow control (due to fog). I only had a handful of really bad delays. When I did the route it was all CRJ200s with the occasional CRJ700. However, it seems they have a mainline leg here and there now.
Jun 19, 2019, 8:23 pm
#37
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Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 12,599
You can also fly JetsuiteX BUR-OAK. Getting through BUR security is so fast that I don't know that it offers you much at that end, but it would speed things up from the Bay Area end. But for Palo Alto you're much better off sticking with SJC, both for distance from your destination and airport ease.