Best Option for weekly commute Burbank-Palo Alto (Calif)
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: LAX
Posts: 211
Best Option for weekly commute Burbank-Palo Alto (Calif)
I recently got an assignment in Palo Alto that I will need to fly into most weeks for the next year or so. I am currently UA Gold based in the LA area with BUR as my preferred airport. This assignment will easily push me into Plat and potentially 1K. I'm trying to min/max upgrades on this assignment and looking for feedback before I start booking. I see three routes:
1. Fly BUR-SFO on the 738/A319.
2. Fly LAX-SFO on the 739s
3. Switch to Alaska on BUR-SJC
#1 offers limited competition and staying away from LAX; but only 28 J seats daily to go around
#2 offers much better scheduling opportunities and much higher volume of J seats; but much more competition
#3 is the most convenient airport combination and probably the least competition; but I would have to start over on an unknown airline (never flown Alaska before)
I'm guessing the most convenient flights on LAX-SFO will have stiff competition even as a 1K? Is it even worth it to look at LAX flights?
1. Fly BUR-SFO on the 738/A319.
2. Fly LAX-SFO on the 739s
3. Switch to Alaska on BUR-SJC
#1 offers limited competition and staying away from LAX; but only 28 J seats daily to go around
#2 offers much better scheduling opportunities and much higher volume of J seats; but much more competition
#3 is the most convenient airport combination and probably the least competition; but I would have to start over on an unknown airline (never flown Alaska before)
I'm guessing the most convenient flights on LAX-SFO will have stiff competition even as a 1K? Is it even worth it to look at LAX flights?
#2
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On my own money, I would fly WN on BUR-SJC. For a regular intra-California commute, I just don't think the hassle of getting to LAX and/or SFO is really worth it. BUR-SFO had a lot of CR2s also, not sure to what degree that will permanently stay away.
BUR is going to be the easier upgrade, but the schedule is poor compared to LAX. Not sure I see that much value in a sub-500 mile CPU.. you'll spend more time getting to/from the airport than on a plane anyway.
BUR is going to be the easier upgrade, but the schedule is poor compared to LAX. Not sure I see that much value in a sub-500 mile CPU.. you'll spend more time getting to/from the airport than on a plane anyway.
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: LAX
Posts: 211
On my own money, I would fly WN on BUR-SJC. For a regular intra-California commute, I just don't think the hassle of getting to LAX and/or SFO is really worth it. BUR-SFO had a lot of CR2s also, not sure to what degree that will permanently stay away.
BUR is going to be the easier upgrade, but the schedule is poor compared to LAX. Not sure I see that much value in a sub-500 mile CPU.. you'll spend more time getting to/from the airport than on a plane anyway.
BUR is going to be the easier upgrade, but the schedule is poor compared to LAX. Not sure I see that much value in a sub-500 mile CPU.. you'll spend more time getting to/from the airport than on a plane anyway.
My only concern is after this assignment I will probably end up flying back to NYC again, so the potential 1K status would help with LAX-EWR a ton. Not to mention status on Alaska or Southwest wouldn't be of much use in that situation other than for personal flights. I'll have to map it out but I think the sweet spot might be BUR-SFO so I can maintain my status with UA for future assignments.
#4
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA 1K 1MMer & LT UC (when flying UA); Hyatt Credit Cardist; HHonors Diamond; Marriott Gold via UA 1K
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If I were in your situation, for a weekly commute, if I lived in the San Fernando Valley I would do BUR-SFO in a New York minute. Even the pain of a CR2 pales in comparison to the pain of sitting in rush hour traffic on the 405 trying to get from LAX to North Hollywood.
#5
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Good points, thanks. I'm used to flying LAX-EWR so the thought of (relatively) easy upgrades made me greedy. You're right that the convenience of BUR/SJC is probably worth more than a free upgrade on a 1 hour flight.
My only concern is after this assignment I will probably end up flying back to NYC again, so the potential 1K status would help with LAX-EWR a ton. Not to mention status on Alaska or Southwest wouldn't be of much use in that situation other than for personal flights. I'll have to map it out but I think the sweet spot might be BUR-SFO so I can maintain my status with UA for future assignments.
My only concern is after this assignment I will probably end up flying back to NYC again, so the potential 1K status would help with LAX-EWR a ton. Not to mention status on Alaska or Southwest wouldn't be of much use in that situation other than for personal flights. I'll have to map it out but I think the sweet spot might be BUR-SFO so I can maintain my status with UA for future assignments.
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: LAX
Posts: 211
I would avoid the CR2's at all cost since I am 6'5" and can be relatively flexible with my schedule. I would rather buy a J ticket with my own money on a mainline flight than travel for free on a CR2.
#7
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Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,349
How are you doing on PQDs? It takes a lot of LA-Bay Area flights to get to $15K in fares, especially if your schedule is regular enough that you can book in advance.
Avoiding SFO is a huge win if you would actually like to get where you're going on time. Delays at SFO are legendary.
Not really. As a 1K, you'd get four RPUs plus at least 6 GPUs. While those can all theoretically be used on LAX-EWR, if you're flying at peak business times, you'll find the certificates almost impossible to use.
Alaska operates both LAX-JFK and LAX-EWR, although admittedly not as frequently as UA does.
IMO, there are two questions to ask. 1 - would you reach 1K? (Platinum is not better enough than Gold to matter), and 2 - could you use your GPUs? There's a massive thread about GPUs being relatively useless; for the long-haul markets where you'd really want to use them, they can't be used on the least expensive fares, and they often fail to clear. Are you able to travel midweek to take advantage of available upgrade space? Can you be flexible in terms of schedule, stops, and destination?
If the answer to both of these is yes, then UA might make sense. If not, I would strongly recommend Alaska. MVP Gold 75K is an excellent status level.
Avoiding SFO is a huge win if you would actually like to get where you're going on time. Delays at SFO are legendary.
IMO, there are two questions to ask. 1 - would you reach 1K? (Platinum is not better enough than Gold to matter), and 2 - could you use your GPUs? There's a massive thread about GPUs being relatively useless; for the long-haul markets where you'd really want to use them, they can't be used on the least expensive fares, and they often fail to clear. Are you able to travel midweek to take advantage of available upgrade space? Can you be flexible in terms of schedule, stops, and destination?
If the answer to both of these is yes, then UA might make sense. If not, I would strongly recommend Alaska. MVP Gold 75K is an excellent status level.
#8
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Join Date: Apr 2013
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I assume you mean the free drinks in economy. If you're counting on upgrades, suggest you recalibrate.
And if you choose to fly UA in/out of SFO, suggest you also factor in the cost of a UC membership, so you have a comfortable place to wait out the delays.
And if you choose to fly UA in/out of SFO, suggest you also factor in the cost of a UC membership, so you have a comfortable place to wait out the delays.
#9
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA 1K 1MMer & LT UC (when flying UA); Hyatt Credit Cardist; HHonors Diamond; Marriott Gold via UA 1K
Posts: 6,955
In that case it would be a no-brainer. I actually live a bit more central to both airports in Fairfax. On a good day I can get to LAX in about 35-40 mins, on a bad day, well....we all know how that goes. BUR is more consistently around 30 mins unless the 101 is really screwed.
I would avoid the CR2's at all cost since I am 6'5" and can be relatively flexible with my schedule. I would rather buy a J ticket with my own money on a mainline flight than travel for free on a CR2.
I would avoid the CR2's at all cost since I am 6'5" and can be relatively flexible with my schedule. I would rather buy a J ticket with my own money on a mainline flight than travel for free on a CR2.
#10
Join Date: Mar 2013
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Good points, thanks. I'm used to flying LAX-EWR so the thought of (relatively) easy upgrades made me greedy. You're right that the convenience of BUR/SJC is probably worth more than a free upgrade on a 1 hour flight.
My only concern is after this assignment I will probably end up flying back to NYC again, so the potential 1K status would help with LAX-EWR a ton. Not to mention status on Alaska or Southwest wouldn't be of much use in that situation other than for personal flights. I'll have to map it out but I think the sweet spot might be BUR-SFO so I can maintain my status with UA for future assignments.
My only concern is after this assignment I will probably end up flying back to NYC again, so the potential 1K status would help with LAX-EWR a ton. Not to mention status on Alaska or Southwest wouldn't be of much use in that situation other than for personal flights. I'll have to map it out but I think the sweet spot might be BUR-SFO so I can maintain my status with UA for future assignments.
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
I recently got an assignment in Palo Alto that I will need to fly into most weeks for the next year or so. I am currently UA Gold based in the LA area with BUR as my preferred airport. This assignment will easily push me into Plat and potentially 1K. I'm trying to min/max upgrades on this assignment and looking for feedback before I start booking. I see three routes:
1. Fly BUR-SFO on the 738/A319.
2. Fly LAX-SFO on the 739s
3. Switch to Alaska on BUR-SJC
#1 offers limited competition and staying away from LAX; but only 28 J seats daily to go around
#2 offers much better scheduling opportunities and much higher volume of J seats; but much more competition
#3 is the most convenient airport combination and probably the least competition; but I would have to start over on an unknown airline (never flown Alaska before)
I'm guessing the most convenient flights on LAX-SFO will have stiff competition even as a 1K? Is it even worth it to look at LAX flights?
1. Fly BUR-SFO on the 738/A319.
2. Fly LAX-SFO on the 739s
3. Switch to Alaska on BUR-SJC
#1 offers limited competition and staying away from LAX; but only 28 J seats daily to go around
#2 offers much better scheduling opportunities and much higher volume of J seats; but much more competition
#3 is the most convenient airport combination and probably the least competition; but I would have to start over on an unknown airline (never flown Alaska before)
I'm guessing the most convenient flights on LAX-SFO will have stiff competition even as a 1K? Is it even worth it to look at LAX flights?
#12
Moderator: United Airlines
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Maybe legroom is not the reason for valuing the front cabin. Each of us have different parts of the overall experience we value.
#13
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Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
I'm just questioning the prioritization for such a short flight. Certainly, we each prioritize things differently, so there are no wrong answers, but it's worth asking.
Personally (and, again, there are no wrong answers -- I'm not saying that anyone else should prioritize the same way that I do) I would prioritize avoiding LAX and minimizing time in Bay Area traffic.
It's also worth mentioning that if you status match to AS you will get gold status (no challenge), a minimum of 1,000 (rather valuable) RDM per segment, significant flexibility as long as you don't buy basic economy (all change fees waived, and co-terminals valid for SDCs, giving you 3 airports on one end and 4 on the other), and significantly easier upgrades (as compared to UA on those routes). F service on UA is generally better, though AS has more pitch.
Personally, I generally prefer UA to AS for their network, first class service and first class hard product (when lie-flats are available). For shuttling around the west coast, though, I feel that AS is superior. They have a better west-coast network (more small airports) and no airline earns miles like AS when flying on cheap economy tickets.
Another option (not mentioned in the original post) is JetSuiteX. However, the commute from OAK or CCR to Palo Alto and back may offset the convenience in this case -- especially during rush hour times.
#14
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: San Francisco
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Posts: 3,614
Hey, I love F and I especially love F on UA.
I'm just questioning the prioritization for such a short flight. Certainly, we each prioritize things differently, so there are no wrong answers, but it's worth asking.
Personally (and, again, there are no wrong answers -- I'm not saying that anyone else should prioritize the same way that I do) I would prioritize avoiding LAX and minimizing time in Bay Area traffic.
It's also worth mentioning that if you status match to AS you will get gold status (no challenge), a minimum of 1,000 (rather valuable) RDM per segment, significant flexibility as long as you don't buy basic economy (all change fees waived, and co-terminals valid for SDCs, giving you 3 airports on one end and 4 on the other), and significantly easier upgrades (as compared to UA on those routes). F service on UA is generally better, though AS has more pitch.
Personally, I generally prefer UA to AS for their network, first class service and first class hard product (when lie-flats are available). For shuttling around the west coast, though, I feel that AS is superior. They have a better west-coast network (more small airports) and no airline earns miles like AS when flying on cheap economy tickets.
Another option (not mentioned in the original post) is JetSuiteX. However, the commute from OAK or CCR to Palo Alto and back may offset the convenience in this case -- especially during rush hour times.
I'm just questioning the prioritization for such a short flight. Certainly, we each prioritize things differently, so there are no wrong answers, but it's worth asking.
Personally (and, again, there are no wrong answers -- I'm not saying that anyone else should prioritize the same way that I do) I would prioritize avoiding LAX and minimizing time in Bay Area traffic.
It's also worth mentioning that if you status match to AS you will get gold status (no challenge), a minimum of 1,000 (rather valuable) RDM per segment, significant flexibility as long as you don't buy basic economy (all change fees waived, and co-terminals valid for SDCs, giving you 3 airports on one end and 4 on the other), and significantly easier upgrades (as compared to UA on those routes). F service on UA is generally better, though AS has more pitch.
Personally, I generally prefer UA to AS for their network, first class service and first class hard product (when lie-flats are available). For shuttling around the west coast, though, I feel that AS is superior. They have a better west-coast network (more small airports) and no airline earns miles like AS when flying on cheap economy tickets.
Another option (not mentioned in the original post) is JetSuiteX. However, the commute from OAK or CCR to Palo Alto and back may offset the convenience in this case -- especially during rush hour times.
Off topic but as far as getting around the various Bay Area airports given the horrific traffic situation that is about to change soon with the arrival of Voom, they are backed by Air Bus and look like they are in the heli shuttle business to stay. I understand they will first like the Bay Area airports and with Sacramento and Santa Rosa to follow. Probably will look into pick up spots in Sausalito at the Heli port, Napa airport, and I suspect somewhere in the far East Bay.
#15
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It's also worth mentioning that if you status match to AS you will get gold status (no challenge), a minimum of 1,000 (rather valuable) RDM per segment, significant flexibility as long as you don't buy basic economy (all change fees waived, and co-terminals valid for SDCs, giving you 3 airports on one end and 4 on the other), and significantly easier upgrades (as compared to UA on those routes). F service on UA is generally better, though AS has more pitch.
(1) This only applies if you are flying within their network, which is still quite limited even after the VX acquisition.
(2) Not true on the small number of routes where they compete directly with regularly scheduled lie-flat aircraft
(3) This one is controversial, but for the non-status Y pax, I continue to think that WN is light-years ahead of any other airline, assuming competitive price and schedule. I still utilize them almost exclusively for intra-California travel.
Off topic but as far as getting around the various Bay Area airports given the horrific traffic situation that is about to change soon with the arrival of Voom, they are backed by Air Bus and look like they are in the heli shuttle business to stay. I understand they will first like the Bay Area airports and with Sacramento and Santa Rosa to follow. Probably will look into pick up spots in Sausalito at the Heli port, Napa airport, and I suspect somewhere in the far East Bay.
Currently booked on SFO-IAH at 11:55pm Mon Nov 25, connecting to IAH-CUN at 8am.
I'm booked in S class. I can upfare to P for $239 (paid $662 RT; $901 for RT with outbound in P and same return -- my understanding is there there is no additional change fee for an upfare, so long as flights are not changed?) It's worth noting that SFO-IAH is on a 772.
I'm booked in S class. I can upfare to P for $239 (paid $662 RT; $901 for RT with outbound in P and same return -- my understanding is there there is no additional change fee for an upfare, so long as flights are not changed?) It's worth noting that SFO-IAH is on a 772.