Aug 14, 2019, 2:51 pm
Should I switch to UA from AA? What differences to expect?
May 24, 2018, 9:37 am
#61
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Bay Area - East Bay
Programs: UA 1k, AS 75k, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 641
I've been doing sort of the opposite thing this year, as I status matched from Plat to 75k on AS. I think I'll probably be sticking with UA next year. My flights on AS have been great, and upgrades are waaaay easier, but it's not great flying them out of SFO. Besides the fact that there's no AS lounge available when flying domestic in SFO, I pretty much always have to connect in SEA. SFO-SEA is a short flight, so it bears the brunt of delays when SFO has the dreaded CLOUDS AND FOG. If I then miss my connection, there aren't a lot of options for rebooking, and I have to stand in line at the tiny customer service counter. The ability to SDC for free in the app is really the best thing about UA for me, that added flexibility makes all the difference. Those factors might not be as important out of PDX, but something to consider.
The tl;dr : AS is a better in flight product, UA is better for scheduling flexibility
The tl;dr : AS is a better in flight product, UA is better for scheduling flexibility
May 24, 2018, 10:10 am
#62
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,419
The US airlines have collectively decided not to offer that kind of mileage rebate anymore. (Well, WN and then DL started it, and everyone else followed suit). That’s the crux of the issue between AS and AA, incidentally. AS has been holding out hope that it can maintain a mileage-based program instead of a fare-based program, but, to do that, they ended up having to gut the redemption rates for AA, since AA wasn’t interested in paying AS a bunch more for its members than it’s paying for its own.
May 24, 2018, 10:13 am
#63
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: BA Bronze, United 1K, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,477
A few other thoughts:
- I am trying this experiment with UA for this trip and next trip. I will also book a PDX-DEN work trip in coach to check out E- and upgradeability.
- What is going on with award miles? As a PP my next trip to EC in J which I got a screaming $1,200 deal on only nets me 8,000 award miles. Last year on AS/AA a $1,200 J trip netted me over 25,000 award miles.
- I am trying this experiment with UA for this trip and next trip. I will also book a PDX-DEN work trip in coach to check out E- and upgradeability.
- What is going on with award miles? As a PP my next trip to EC in J which I got a screaming $1,200 deal on only nets me 8,000 award miles. Last year on AS/AA a $1,200 J trip netted me over 25,000 award miles.
How much was the base fare of your ticket (fare without taxes and surcharges). As a Platinum you should receive the base fare x 9.
May 24, 2018, 10:24 am
#64
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 3,026
I am PDX based and a current AS75k. I love AS but the loss of long haul partners over the last two years has been brutal including DL and now AA mostly. I travel to Ecuador several times a year and now am trying UA via a status match to PP. I haven't flown UA in 15 years and currently just finished my first F leg (PDX-IAH) on my way to UIO.
1. UA has two flights a day PDX-IAH at 0500 and 1230. Unfortunately the 1230 flight lands 3 minutes after the IAH-UIO flight. So I booked the 0500 ughh
2. PDX-IAH ugh - 3 Hours late arriving due to storms in IAH including a diversion to AUS for fuel
3. Ran out of food choices in F by row 2 and I was row 3....I can't remember my last flight where F was catered for only 12 dishes
4. I am in the United Lounge Term E IAH. No food other than the rather weak buffet. At least Admirals Club has a restaurant, not much but a warm quesadilla beats yogurt for me every time.
5. Asked the lounge lizards in Term E United Club for meal info in F on my 6pm flight IAH-UIO - the answer was in F you get dinner. What kind of dinner? No idea. AA and AS have dinner selection for F. Major downgrade.
6. I have 3 more legs on UA this trip and will make my status match but if this is the sum total of UA I may be remembering why I haven't flown them in 15 years.
1. UA has two flights a day PDX-IAH at 0500 and 1230. Unfortunately the 1230 flight lands 3 minutes after the IAH-UIO flight. So I booked the 0500 ughh
2. PDX-IAH ugh - 3 Hours late arriving due to storms in IAH including a diversion to AUS for fuel
3. Ran out of food choices in F by row 2 and I was row 3....I can't remember my last flight where F was catered for only 12 dishes
4. I am in the United Lounge Term E IAH. No food other than the rather weak buffet. At least Admirals Club has a restaurant, not much but a warm quesadilla beats yogurt for me every time.
5. Asked the lounge lizards in Term E United Club for meal info in F on my 6pm flight IAH-UIO - the answer was in F you get dinner. What kind of dinner? No idea. AA and AS have dinner selection for F. Major downgrade.
6. I have 3 more legs on UA this trip and will make my status match but if this is the sum total of UA I may be remembering why I haven't flown them in 15 years.
Funny - I am looking for any reason to jump to AS but they just don't have the network or partners that I need.
My experiences have been good with UA as well as DL. The DL club at PDX is ok and if you have PP you can get a $28 credit at one of the restaurants to supplement the lack of food in the lounge (but perhaps not at 5am)
I think your UA experience can only get better and one trip shouldn't influence your decision.
May 24, 2018, 12:02 pm
#65
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.997MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,859
As a UA Plat, you get 9 * PQDs
May 24, 2018, 1:40 pm
#66
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
Programs: UA lifetime MM / *A Gold
Posts: 14,429
2. It happens, if you were scheduled thru MIA on AA during Hurricane season or PHL during winter doo doo happens, can't outwit mother nature
3. Once you have status (1K) you get first food choice
One other thing, not sure how AA/AS termed this, but for UA this is essentially a domestic flight. It is "Business" but not Polaris, so even when the Polaris lounge opens in IAH you won't have access. That being said there is a Centurion lounge there that is generally not crowded.
3. 1K is SUPPOSED to get first choice (usually but not always does).
As to the other thing, LIM has a 763 with true lie flat Int'l Biz, and with several PMUA three class converted to true Polaris, but I think they fly to Europe / Deep South America.
- My problem with AS is they neutered the AA partnership with domestic legs getting zero anything. I book J for my trips to Ecuador. If I use AA then the domestic half of the trip in paid F gets zero credit. That is wasteful...
- I am trying this experiment with UA for this trip and next trip. I will also book a PDX-DEN work trip in coach to check out E- and upgradeability.
- What is going on with award miles? As a PP my next trip to EC in J which I got a screaming $1,200 deal on only nets me 8,000 award miles. Last year on AS/AA a $1,200 J trip netted me over 25,000 award miles.
AS is the only airline left where you can rack up RDMs, so "a screaming $1,200 deal on only nets me 8,000 award miles."
Yup, recall well buying cheap UA fares when UA would attack AA's DFW hub, and the miles I earned as Gold would pay the miles portion of Ca$h and miles upgrade to lie flat Biz seat. Alas, long gone
May 24, 2018, 6:06 pm
#67
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Portland, OR
Programs: AS 75K, UA Plt
Posts: 226
"Does AS not fly PDX-DFW? (Pretty sure they do). You would get full miies for domestic AS and Int'l AA "
AA only flies DFW-UIO 3 days a week Wed/Fri/Sat. Never seems to work out for me. MIA is the main hub to UIO with 2 flights a day but getting to MIA from PDX is a real pain requiring a red-eye in a 321 on AA. AS doesn't fly to MIA just FLL. Splitting an itinerary is too dangerous when it comes to IRROPS like yesterday for me.
Flying through LIM is a possibility but pricing is usually like $5k crazy and you have to overnight in LIM
AA only flies DFW-UIO 3 days a week Wed/Fri/Sat. Never seems to work out for me. MIA is the main hub to UIO with 2 flights a day but getting to MIA from PDX is a real pain requiring a red-eye in a 321 on AA. AS doesn't fly to MIA just FLL. Splitting an itinerary is too dangerous when it comes to IRROPS like yesterday for me.
Flying through LIM is a possibility but pricing is usually like $5k crazy and you have to overnight in LIM
May 24, 2018, 6:14 pm
#68
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: 3,621
"Does AS not fly PDX-DFW? (Pretty sure they do). You would get full miies for domestic AS and Int'l AA "
AA only flies DFW-UIO 3 days a week Wed/Fri/Sat. Never seems to work out for me. MIA is the main hub to UIO with 2 flights a day but getting to MIA from PDX is a real pain requiring a red-eye in a 321 on AA. AS doesn't fly to MIA just FLL. Splitting an itinerary is too dangerous when it comes to IRROPS like yesterday for me.
Flying through LIM is a possibility but pricing is usually like $5k crazy and you have to overnight in LIM
AA only flies DFW-UIO 3 days a week Wed/Fri/Sat. Never seems to work out for me. MIA is the main hub to UIO with 2 flights a day but getting to MIA from PDX is a real pain requiring a red-eye in a 321 on AA. AS doesn't fly to MIA just FLL. Splitting an itinerary is too dangerous when it comes to IRROPS like yesterday for me.
Flying through LIM is a possibility but pricing is usually like $5k crazy and you have to overnight in LIM
May 24, 2018, 6:19 pm
#69
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.035MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis
Posts: 52,140
May 24, 2018, 8:21 pm
#70
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
Programs: UA lifetime MM / *A Gold
Posts: 14,429
If your main issue is the getting down to UIO then again I would consider UA/Copa out of SFO. I take UA through IAH as I don't want to go through PTY (never have and it may be ok I'll let others respond to that). Copa F class is supposedly actually pretty good and relative to UA cheap but again that is not first hand knowledge as I use UA. They have at least a couple of flights a day with one around 10am (and some latter) so you don't have to knock yourself out by getting to PDX for a 5am flight into IAH and wait hours. Check it out.
And the dutyfree is cheap 
Don't know if Copa ever went to E+ and they have bidding for FC upgrades, though you can technically use UA's RPUs (and GPUs).
May 25, 2018, 6:58 am
#72
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 1,620
If your main issue is the getting down to UIO then again I would consider UA/Copa out of SFO. I take UA through IAH as I don't want to go through PTY (never have and it may be ok I'll let others respond to that). Copa F class is supposedly actually pretty good and relative to UA cheap but again that is not first hand knowledge as I use UA. They have at least a couple of flights a day with one around 10am (and some latter) so you don't have to knock yourself out by getting to PDX for a 5am flight into IAH and wait hours. Check it out.
May 29, 2018, 11:27 am
#73
Used to be 'g_leyser'
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Brandon Johnson International Airport (expect delays)
Programs: AA PlatPro, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold, IHG Plat, Reno Air MEGA Platinum
Posts: 10,039
Wouldn't DL be a better choice out of PDX?
PDX-ATL-UIO
PDX-ATL-UIO
Last edited by aisleorwindow; May 29, 2018 at 9:51 pm
May 29, 2018, 11:43 am
#74
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: ASE
Programs: UA 1MM, AA1MM PLTPRO, Hertz PC, National EXC, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton/Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 3,357
I'd say your experience is pretty par for the course with UA. Their hubs, especially the sCO hubs, have inferior clubs to the Admiral's Clubs and surly agents.
May 30, 2018, 6:45 pm
#75
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Portland, OR
Programs: AS 75K, UA Plt
Posts: 226
DL charges much more for their UIO flights and flies the same old planes that everyone else flies to UIO.. No lie-flats on any carrier to UIO. I just wish someone would start a west coast to UIO service - I'd pay extra for that.
My next flight in early July is on Copa PDX-DEN-PTY-UIO. Now I just need to figure out how to reserve seats on Copa with UA ticket stock. I'm flying business. Oh and after my last trip I'm only 1,300 PQM from completing the status match. Probably should have tried for a 1K match...
My next flight in early July is on Copa PDX-DEN-PTY-UIO. Now I just need to figure out how to reserve seats on Copa with UA ticket stock. I'm flying business. Oh and after my last trip I'm only 1,300 PQM from completing the status match. Probably should have tried for a 1K match...
Last edited by WineCountryUA; May 30, 2018 at 11:36 pm Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member