New flight to LGA

[ben says]

Ben, if I were to request to transfer all or as many of my miles as possible to another airline, what would you recommend?  Keep in mind I'm likely to stay in San Francisco for a while, and if I ever moved, I would only accept a move to NYC, London, or perhaps Hong Kong (where I once already tried to get a job and didn't make the cut).  I would not move to Chicago at this point, and I wouldn't even consider a move to DC/Boston/Philly or anywhere in the South.  Very NYC-SF lifestyle/job focused here.  I'm very open to switching airlines and have some status already with United, Southwest, and Virgin America (the latter of which is so easy to get status and it is hubbed in SFO).  I've had bad experiences losing luggage on AA, though may be just a fluke (2 for 2, literally).

If I lived in SFO (as MANY of my friends/colleagues do), I'd concentrate almost exclusively on United and American. Both of those airlines are compatible with all the cities you mentioned, especially Hong Kong (one of the world's biggest OneWorld hub - Cathay Pacific).

I hate hate hate United, but the miles are amazing and can be used on some of the best airlines in the world. IE, Swiss, Thai, Singapore, Lufthansa, among others.... (even someone who doesn't fly knows about Thai and Singapore Airlines).

I love AA and make it no secret, but Etihad and Cathay Pacific are the two best airlines in the world...and getting status on AA gives you eight systemwide upgrade per year for international tix. Impeccable value.

But between UA and AA, fly AA for one reason and one reason only: it's the only major airline in America that isn't on a revenue-base frequent flyer program. For AA, you get miles based on how far you fly. For UA/DL, you get miles based on the cost of your ticket and class of svc.

One things for sure: stop pooling miles to Delta. Stop flying them too!

It's gotten so bad I pool my Delta flights to ALASKA....that's right, Alaska. Why? Because you can use Alaska points on Delta, American, Korean, Emirates, and more. Best points in the system.

What AA miles get you (keep in mind these products range from $7k-25k per seat:

Cathay Pacific JFK - Hong Kong

A first class seat on CX can easily go for $17k...











Etihad JFK - Abu Dhabi







What DL miles get you: don't even bother....a marginally decent AirFrance/KLM/DL business class product. Not complaining but NOTHING like taking a far eastern/middle eastern carrier....

**I guess this is where I drop the plug and remind everyone I am a luxury travel consultant. That is my *actual* profession (to the point I do very, very minimal legal work).

I do a hell of a lot of points/miles consulting, credit card consulting, and airline work. Just this morning I saved a client $7k on a LON-HKG flight. Felt good!!

I do everything a travel agent does plus more. If you like to travel well - stay at nice places (Four Seasons, St. Regis, Aman, etc) - let me know...I can get you VERY good value-added perks and I can get you VIP'd via the GM.

Plug over 

[ProjectMaximus]

Let me start by saying: I find LGA to be the best option for NYC. It's not the best option for needing to connect to an international flight of course, but it is the best option for convenience - getting to/from the city is much easier than to/from JFK.

Secondly: I ONLY care about international flights. ONLY. Reason being: most of my flights are in the 8-16 hour range. I need to be in first class when possible. Call me a snob, it is what it is.

Why no Delta?

Gotcha. Your entire reasoning is based on rewards/intl flights. Makes sense and I'm in total agreement. I was thinking about the flying experience to NYC specifically. (except that I fly coach internationally  )

Ben, someday I will reach out to you. At the moment though my wife and I still travel like backpackers. I would rather fly to Asia three times than once in luxury lol

[simms3]

I should point out that all business classes on DL Transcon between SFO/LAX and JFK are flatbed style as shown above, though obvi not as fancy looking and with typical DL service, not Etihad service.  This is a new development of <12-18 months, and just recently UA has followed suit and is also getting rid of all flights from SFO/LAX to JFK and keeping all of their transcon flights (perhaps consolidating all flights in general) to Newark.

So like I said before, my experience on Delta, even domestically, is going to be on average far different from someone living in Jax or Atlanta.  But for other shortcomings, of course there is no excuse.

AA operates a hub out of LAX, I believe.  But for codeshare, SFO has most of the world airlines, as well.  I'll PM you if I switch.  I fly coach internationally, FYI.  All my money goes to rent, booze/party supplies, costumes, and Napa/Tahoe trips out here.  No money for fancy furniture, mortgages, or first class tix not on a company's dime. 

Question, though.  I'm surprised to hear you know so many people in SF.  I've been here quite a while and almost never run into anyone from FL, let alone Jacksonville (what's kind of cool about that is in Atlanta, people got really snobbish about Jax and always had to poke fun, so it was like even though you were still in the Deep South, somehow Jax was even more redneck...people in SF are actually quite knowledgeable and know it is in northern FL, but that's the extent of their knowledge or impression of the place).  Are you from Jacksonville or elsewhere?  My social circle in Jax was very "private school" and NYC/Boston was about the furthest people got out, with maybe 2-3 making it to London (awesomely) and a few coming out west, but everyone I knew (again like 2-3 people) that made it west went to LA or Denver.  I really like being completely removed from Jax/South.  This forum is what keeps me connected.  I'd actually be disappointed to hear that there is some huge Jacksonville contingency out here.

[Adam White]

I should point out that all business classes on DL Transcon between SFO/LAX and JFK are flatbed style as shown above, though obvi not as fancy looking and with typical DL service, not Etihad service.  This is a new development of <12-18 months, and just recently UA has followed suit and is also getting rid of all flights from SFO/LAX to JFK and keeping all of their transcon flights (perhaps consolidating all flights in general) to Newark.

So like I said before, my experience on Delta, even domestically, is going to be on average far different from someone living in Jax or Atlanta.  But for other shortcomings, of course there is no excuse.

AA operates a hub out of LAX, I believe.  But for codeshare, SFO has most of the world airlines, as well.  I'll PM you if I switch.  I fly coach internationally, FYI.  All my money goes to rent, booze/party supplies, costumes, and Napa/Tahoe trips out here.  No money for fancy furniture, mortgages, or first class tix not on a company's dime. 

Question, though.  I'm surprised to hear you know so many people in SF.  I've been here quite a while and almost never run into anyone from FL, let alone Jacksonville (what's kind of cool about that is in Atlanta, people got really snobbish about Jax and always had to poke fun, so it was like even though you were still in the Deep South, somehow Jax was even more redneck...people in SF are actually quite knowledgeable and know it is in northern FL, but that's the extent of their knowledge or impression of the place).  Are you from Jacksonville or elsewhere?  My social circle in Jax was very "private school" and NYC/Boston was about the furthest people got out, with maybe 2-3 making it to London (awesomely) and a few coming out west, but everyone I knew (again like 2-3 people) that made it west went to LA or Denver.  I really like being completely removed from Jax/South.  This forum is what keeps me connected.  I'd actually be disappointed to hear that there is some huge Jacksonville contingency out here.

I know about 6 people from Jax that now live in the Bay area - all of them moved there within the past 6 or 7 years.

[ProjectMaximus]

^Your post got me to look at my Facebook (so some folks may have fallen through the cracks)

Anyway, I only have 25 friends in NorCal according to FB and 5 of them are from Jax...actually all 5 are friends from HS (Stanton) and 4/5 are in tech (though only one programmer)

[ben says]

Gotcha. Your entire reasoning is based on rewards/intl flights. Makes sense and I'm in total agreement. I was thinking about the flying experience to NYC specifically. (except that I fly coach internationally  )

Ben, someday I will reach out to you. At the moment though my wife and I still travel like backpackers. I would rather fly to Asia three times than once in luxury lol

My reason is largely based on rewards/international flights. But...not entirely.

I look at flying as a 'return on investment' scenario. If I'm paying cash to fly an airline, and I go out of my way to participate in their fee structure and reward program, I want the miles earned to be worth something (and useable). By definition, frequent flyer miles are a currency....I want that currency to mean something.

So yeah - it pisses me off that flying DL is a colossal waste of time.

BUT, my reason isn't ALL based on frequent flyer miles and redemptions. I want a quality product, whether I'm flying coach, coach+, business, or first.

I don't think Delta offers a competitive product. The seats aren't that great...the staff hasn't been as friendly as they used to be...and I've had an abnormal amount of unexplained screw-ups with them over the past few years.

The list goes on...so yeah - largely miles-based reasoning, but not entirely.

As for 'someday needing me' - let me explain this to EVERYONE. Traveling in luxury (flights at least) do not have to be expensive.

I repeat: flying first and business class does not have to be expensive. The two flights above collectively cost $250.

And let's go beyond miles... by watching trends and staying in tune with the right news feeds, sites, and bloggers, you can nab biz/first tix that are CHEAPER THAN COACH.  (Yes, you read that right.)

Flash sales are key. Last year I nabbed 2 business class seats on Air Canada, MCO to Rome, onward to Sicily. $1650 per person... $200 less than the coach seats were.

Another example, this bit came out today (LAN flights to S. America....and biz flights to EU. In both scenarios, cheaper than economy):

LAN: Another Crazy-Quilt South America Business-Class Sale
With premium-class flight deals to South America rare, we should always be thankful for the bargains from LAN, the pan-Latin powerhouse that is part of the Oneworld Alliance. Yes, the deals are scattershot, with varying restrictions, several infuriating regulations and odd travel windows. But you'll find some fabulous bargains, especially from Miami. Samples: Miami-Bogota for $797 roundtrip and Miami-Quito for $599 roundtrip; Los Angeles-Lima for $2,588 and New York to Mendoza, Argentina, for $2,999. But beware: Restrictions and travel dates vary by route and tickets to some destinations must be purchased by next week.

STAR ALLIANCE: It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like the End-of-Year Business-Class Sale
As usual, the best deals are out of Newark and New York/Kennedy, where Star carriers have the most Europe flights. But you'll also find similar deals via the United and Air Canada hubs as well as from Lufthansa's North American gateways. Sample roundtrip prices from Newark: $2,066 to Amsterdam; $2,085 to Paris/CDG; $2,157 to Brussels; $2,220 to Munich; $2,311 to London; $2,270 to Madrid; and $2,268 to Milan. Travel this year for Thanksgiving is permitted November 21-27 (outbound) and November 26-December 2 (return). For the end-of-the-year holidays, outbound travel is permitted between December 14 and January 2 with returns allowed between December 21 and January 6. The minimum stay is only three days and the maximum stay is ten days. Tickets must be purchased by August 31.

So yeah - take your backpacker trips in style next time!!!

[ben says]

AA operates a hub out of LAX, I believe.  But for codeshare, SFO has most of the world airlines, as well.  I'll PM you if I switch.  I fly coach internationally, FYI.  All my money goes to rent, booze/party supplies, costumes, and Napa/Tahoe trips out here.  No money for fancy furniture, mortgages, or first class tix not on a company's dime. 

Question, though.  I'm surprised to hear you know so many people in SF.  I've been here quite a while and almost never run into anyone from FL, let alone Jacksonville (what's kind of cool about that is in Atlanta, people got really snobbish about Jax and always had to poke fun, so it was like even though you were still in the Deep South, somehow Jax was even more redneck...people in SF are actually quite knowledgeable and know it is in northern FL, but that's the extent of their knowledge or impression of the place).  Are you from Jacksonville or elsewhere?  My social circle in Jax was very "private school" and NYC/Boston was about the furthest people got out, with maybe 2-3 making it to London (awesomely) and a few coming out west, but everyone I knew (again like 2-3 people) that made it west went to LA or Denver.  I really like being completely removed from Jax/South.  This forum is what keeps me connected.  I'd actually be disappointed to hear that there is some huge Jacksonville contingency out here.

1. I fly coach internationally. Fine...but pay attention. You'd be surprised how often airlines run sales where business class is the same, if not cheaper, than economy. Not kidding (see my post above). The last three paid business class flights I nabbed? All priced under what the airlines were selling coach for.

In other words, the misconception is: "oh, you fly in the front of the plane? You must have paid a lot!".... Not true.

2. I know a LOT of SFO people (Oakland too). But they aren't JAX people that are there...being in the travel industry, I know dozens of people who work at local agencies in SFO (Casto is the name of the company). I even have colleagues there...Next time I'm out your way I'll def give you a ring.


*PS, not really a business plug, but more of a 'lets connect'....if you're on FB, friend me, as I post business/first class (and hotel) deals every damn day. Also post on Instagram (@isserprice). FB: https://www.facebook.com/isserprice

[fsquid]

AA operates a hub out of LAX, I believe.  But for codeshare, SFO has most of the world airlines, as well.  I'll PM you if I switch.  I fly coach internationally, FYI.  All my money goes to rent, booze/party supplies, costumes, and Napa/Tahoe trips out here.  No money for fancy furniture, mortgages, or first class tix not on a company's dime. 

Question, though.  I'm surprised to hear you know so many people in SF.  I've been here quite a while and almost never run into anyone from FL, let alone Jacksonville (what's kind of cool about that is in Atlanta, people got really snobbish about Jax and always had to poke fun, so it was like even though you were still in the Deep South, somehow Jax was even more redneck...people in SF are actually quite knowledgeable and know it is in northern FL, but that's the extent of their knowledge or impression of the place).  Are you from Jacksonville or elsewhere?  My social circle in Jax was very "private school" and NYC/Boston was about the furthest people got out, with maybe 2-3 making it to London (awesomely) and a few coming out west, but everyone I knew (again like 2-3 people) that made it west went to LA or Denver.  I really like being completely removed from Jax/South.  This forum is what keeps me connected.  I'd actually be disappointed to hear that there is some huge Jacksonville contingency out here.

1. I fly coach internationally. Fine...but pay attention. You'd be surprised how often airlines run sales where business class is the same, if not cheaper, than economy. Not kidding (see my post above). The last three paid business class flights I nabbed? All priced under what the airlines were selling coach for.

In other words, the misconception is: "oh, you fly in the front of the plane? You must have paid a lot!".... Not true.

2. I know a LOT of SFO people (Oakland too). But they aren't JAX people that are there...being in the travel industry, I know dozens of people who work at local agencies in SFO (Casto is the name of the company). I even have colleagues there...Next time I'm out your way I'll def give you a ring.


*PS, not really a business plug, but more of a 'lets connect'....if you're on FB, friend me, as I post business/first class (and hotel) deals every damn day. Also post on Instagram (@isserprice). FB: https://www.facebook.com/isserprice

sent, I may take you up on your Charleston options as we have a wedding to go to there.