Aug 14, 2019, 2:51 pm
Should I switch to UA from AA? What differences to expect?
Aug 30, 2021, 4:38 pm
#121
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Although - at least with Southwest (during normal operations), one knows what to expect and one is not often disappointed/surprised (relative to expectations). The gap between expectations and reality provides more opportunities for the legacies to disappoint.
Aug 30, 2021, 5:43 pm
#123
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Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AS 75K, DL Silver, UA Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Platinum + LT Gold
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I have been flying AA quite a bit lately (about 1/3 of my 89 flights so far this year), and I am liking AA more and more. You can see a lot of its employees and contractors take pride in what they do, and treat passengers like humans (vs. United only if you have VIP status). Yesterday I was onboard an AA flight, and the lead GA gave a moving speech about service members, including those on board.
Aug 30, 2021, 6:09 pm
#124
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Yeah, except with WN these days what you should expect is a completely full flight, a flight delay, and possibly a cancel.
Aug 31, 2021, 12:59 am
#125
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP, Hyatt Glob, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, Total Wine & More Reserve
Posts: 4,531
Generally agree with all the recent comments, especially about UAs more reliable operation as well as far superior IT.
That said, I've also had many pleasant AA flights this year, and my upgrade percentage is still a lot higher on AA (probably not unexpected out of SFO).
I'll echo the comment about AA offering good redemption value though. They often offer sub-25k one-way domestic awards in F, while UA wants >25k for SFO-LAX/PHX???
That said, I've also had many pleasant AA flights this year, and my upgrade percentage is still a lot higher on AA (probably not unexpected out of SFO).
I'll echo the comment about AA offering good redemption value though. They often offer sub-25k one-way domestic awards in F, while UA wants >25k for SFO-LAX/PHX???
Aug 31, 2021, 5:28 am
#126
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: UA MM
Posts: 4,130
Generally agree with all the recent comments, especially about UAs more reliable operation as well as far superior IT.
That said, I've also had many pleasant AA flights this year, and my upgrade percentage is still a lot higher on AA (probably not unexpected out of SFO).
I'll echo the comment about AA offering good redemption value though. They often offer sub-25k one-way domestic awards in F, while UA wants >25k for SFO-LAX/PHX???
That said, I've also had many pleasant AA flights this year, and my upgrade percentage is still a lot higher on AA (probably not unexpected out of SFO).
I'll echo the comment about AA offering good redemption value though. They often offer sub-25k one-way domestic awards in F, while UA wants >25k for SFO-LAX/PHX???
Several years ago I ran into some guys in a UC participating in one of those Mega DO junkets. In chatting with one, he told me to not spend any miles on a domestic ticket… you can always find cheap ones to buy if you dig just a little. Instead, he said save your miles for where they really count: INTL J. It’s been commented *A has more to offer in that regard (historically) than OW but everyone has to examine that against their own needs and wants.
Last edited by JimInOhio; Aug 31, 2021 at 6:13 am
Aug 31, 2021, 6:30 am
#127
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Aug 31, 2021, 6:32 am
#128
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This brings up a question every frequent flyer has to answer for themselves: What award travel is important to me?
Several years ago I ran into some guys in a UC participating in one of those Mega DO junkets. In chatting with one, he told me to not spend any miles on a domestic ticket… you can always find cheap ones to buy if you dig just a little. Instead, he said save your miles for where they really count: INTL J. It’s been commented *A has more to offer in that regard (historically) than OW but everyone has to examine that against their own needs and wants.
Several years ago I ran into some guys in a UC participating in one of those Mega DO junkets. In chatting with one, he told me to not spend any miles on a domestic ticket… you can always find cheap ones to buy if you dig just a little. Instead, he said save your miles for where they really count: INTL J. It’s been commented *A has more to offer in that regard (historically) than OW but everyone has to examine that against their own needs and wants.
UA award options suck bigly after it has moved to dynamic.
If I see an award with good value relative to its cash fare, I'll grab it, regardless of the carrier. Miles devalue over time, and I am not hoarding them just waiting for INTL J saver space.
Aug 31, 2021, 7:51 am
#129
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Aug 31, 2021, 10:36 am
#130
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Miami & Leon, MX
Programs: UA 1K, DL GOLD, IHG LIFE PLAT, BONVOY'ED GOLD
Posts: 552
I recently made the switch from AA to UA, mostly influenced by the whole UnitedNext initiative they got going on. As a former AA PlatPro, its quite sad to see the state the airline was in, having experienced multiple times in which non revs would push me off the upgrade list, the service cutbacks, and overall, the Oasis experience. Of course its harder for me living in Miami to fly united anywhere convenient, but the IAH/ORD layovers make it so much more worth it.
Aug 31, 2021, 10:55 am
#131
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: ASE
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IME there's been a big shift the past three to six months. AA has killed advance upgrade space on the premium t-cons and my upgrades have stopped clearing at T-100.
Overall, I put AA just barely ahead of WN on the "truly unpleasant to fly" scale. UA is much better (with AS the clear winner IMO).
Overall, I put AA just barely ahead of WN on the "truly unpleasant to fly" scale. UA is much better (with AS the clear winner IMO).
Aug 31, 2021, 11:35 am
#132
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Chicago
Programs: AAdvantage EXP | United Silver | HH Diamond | Bonvoy Platinum | Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 718
I recently made the switch from AA to UA, mostly influenced by the whole UnitedNext initiative they got going on. As a former AA PlatPro, its quite sad to see the state the airline was in, having experienced multiple times in which non revs would push me off the upgrade list, the service cutbacks, and overall, the Oasis experience. Of course its harder for me living in Miami to fly united anywhere convenient, but the IAH/ORD layovers make it so much more worth it.
Aug 31, 2021, 3:30 pm
#133
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Location: Saipan, MP 96950 USA (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands = the CNMI)
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Aug 31, 2021, 4:12 pm
#134
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton ♦ , Hyatt Carbonado, Wyndham ♦, Marriott PE, "Stinking Bum" elsewhere.
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I recently made the switch from AA to UA, mostly influenced by the whole UnitedNext initiative they got going on. As a former AA PlatPro, its quite sad to see the state the airline was in, having experienced multiple times in which non revs would push me off the upgrade list, the service cutbacks, and overall, the Oasis experience. Of course its harder for me living in Miami to fly united anywhere convenient, but the IAH/ORD layovers make it so much more worth it.
Aug 31, 2021, 9:11 pm
#135
Join Date: Jan 2005
Programs: SQ, QF, UA, CO, DL
Posts: 2,893
This brings up a question every frequent flyer has to answer for themselves: What award travel is important to me?
Several years ago I ran into some guys in a UC participating in one of those Mega DO junkets. In chatting with one, he told me to not spend any miles on a domestic ticket… you can always find cheap ones to buy if you dig just a little. Instead, he said save your miles for where they really count: INTL J. It’s been commented *A has more to offer in that regard (historically) than OW but everyone has to examine that against their own needs and wants.
Several years ago I ran into some guys in a UC participating in one of those Mega DO junkets. In chatting with one, he told me to not spend any miles on a domestic ticket… you can always find cheap ones to buy if you dig just a little. Instead, he said save your miles for where they really count: INTL J. It’s been commented *A has more to offer in that regard (historically) than OW but everyone has to examine that against their own needs and wants.
Agreed. DL was really bad with premium award inventory pre-pandemic but during the pandemic UA has been giving DL a run for their money. Hopefully we will see soon how things shake out post-pandemic. Either program can be useful if you are flexible in your travel dates. But if not, hard to find any decent redemptions in classes above Y. On UA from this month on availability is loosening up a bit.
Just don't expect to catch CPUs on UA for hub-to-hub routes. They are non-existent. Even using PlusPoints on transcon routes is impossible. I imagine that the same is true at AA, so likely no difference between them in that regard. Sometimes, I think those leaving other carriers believe that they will be treated better as a 1K on UA than as a ExecPlat or Diamond Medallion. This is not the case.