prestonh

It's not about the traffic, it's about the yields. They likely did not have enough corporate contracts on either end of the route to keep it mainline year-round and DEN is near zero for international connections.

DenverBrian

You said "even AA runs a 757 to MIA." Well, of course they would; MIA is a hub for AA.

MIA is not a hub for UA.

Not sure why my response wasn't clear.

iquitos

where they have no hubs. they usually fly from a hub and back to a hub. ual had a miami hub but let it go. now they are buying cal to get back in to sa when it is too late aa owns it.

d3van

LOL. What's the difference? MIA is an AA hub, DEN is not. DEN is a UA hub, MIA is not.

Both carriers fly from hub to large city destination. AA is using a 757, but UA is using a regional jet. I understand the leisure-route argument for UA not flying mainline into Florida, I am only clarifying the earlier post regarding AA flying 757 vs UA using express carriers.

GoPUBoilers

That's what I meant...thanks d3van

And for the comparison...at this point in the year AA is using a 757 and UA is using NOTHING

DenverBrian

Sigh. UA would be going from DEN-MIA as an out-and-back proposition, with only destination leisure travelers as their market. They gave up on MIA as any kind of continuing hub long ago.

AA, on the other hand, would be routing pax DEN-MIA with the idea that many of them would continue on AA to Carribbean and South American destinations in the AA network. Because of AA's strength in these areas, it's natural that there would be more overall demand for DEN-MIA, because a large portion of travel itineraries would actually be DEN-MIA-xxx, with other destinations being final.

In UA's case, MIA would always be the final for pax from DEN.

Does this help explain why "even AA is running a 757 to MIA"?

prestonh

Explained except that DEN also works as a hub in reverse, but without any international connecting destinations.

DenverBrian

Translation: Explained.

UpInTheSky

AA's hub in Miami connects Denver to destinations in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. UA's hub in Denver connects Miami to the Western US. Compare the yields and you may have answered your own question.

JLaw725

was just in MIA last week again, go again tomorrow via IAD/ORD. GA told me she doesn't get it either. She said their were/are a lot of SEA/SFO/LAX business passengers who were using DEN-MIA-DEN to connect. Flights were always full. I've had 757's most of the winter and some A320's. She also said last year they said DEN-MIA would start in December and pushed it up to November. So we'll see. Once I hit 1k again this year, I may use F9 for the non-stop to FLL. For now, it's IAD or ORD connecting.

hobo13

This is actually an interesting question beyond just MIA and / or AA hubs. Anecdotally, it seems that UA tends to fly RJ's to other carriers hubs, while they return the favor with mainline. Consider:

UA serves DTW with RJ's while DL serves DEN with mainline.
UA serves CLE with RJ's while CO serves DEN with mainline.
UA serves ATL with RJ's while DL serves DEN with mainline.

Cities that both airlines fly mostly mainline:
DEN-PHX
DEN-IAH
DEN-MSP
DEN-EWR

Cities where both airlines fly mostly RJ's:
DEN-SLC
DEN-MEM

But can you name one hub of another airline that UA flies mainline too more than the other airline flies mainline to DEN? I cannot, and to me that's an interesting question. Why does UA always end up backing down (or playing it even) with the competition?