on American. I know Yahoo Travel isn't a terribly cutthroat medium for journalism, but I found it interesting that this route was included in a national article amongst flights between far more exotic and/or bigger cities. I guess Jax-NYC is getting popular (as evident by the new service as well)
QuoteJacksonville from New York City via American
image
Photo: Jacksonville, Florida via Shutterstock
December 17 is set to be a big day of exciting new routes for American. Though not as ground-breaking as the previously mentioned Los Angeles-to-Sydney route, American is also scheduled to launch a New York (LaGuardia)-to-Jacksonville route on that same day—perfect timing for holiday travel.
https://www.yahoo.com/travel/these-11-new-airline-routes-will-make-flying-125789438362.html
Deutsche, BAC, JPMC, Fidelity Investments and now Macquarrie.
Those are 5 pretty good reasons supporting JAX/LGA flights.
This is actually huge news in my world.... anything to stop taking DL somewhere. JAX is considered a 'hub captive' to DL flights, and absent JB to JFK and UA to EWR we really don't have a non-DL option to the greater NY area.
I fly to NYC at least 6 times a year and AA will absolutely get my business.
^Out of curiosity, why is that? Is DL a much worse airline experience than AA? (My impression is worse, but not by much)
And what was the problem with having JB and UA as options? I've used all three to fly into NYC and never thought one was noticeably more convenient than another. And from my experience DL always price matched JB so they were already at the LCC's mercy in that regard.
Quote from: ProjectMaximus on August 06, 2015, 09:33:41 AM
^Out of curiosity, why is that? Is DL a much worse airline experience than AA? (My impression is worse, but not by much)
And what was the problem with having JB and UA as options? I've used all three to fly into NYC and never thought one was noticeably more convenient than another. And from my experience DL always price matched JB so they were already at the LCC's mercy in that regard.
On JAX-LGA AA won't have a superior hard product, but AA's FF program is better than Sky Pesos which Delta continues to devalue.
Ben travels much more than I do, so I too am curious what he has to say on the subject.
There are a couple United flights to EWR, and Jet Blue also goes direct to JFK. Delta has the most flights though, so they are often the cheapest. LGA is just hard to get anywhere from unless you are driving. And then it is hard to get anywhere anyway. And the LGA rental car setup is the worst I've ever experienced.
Yea Ben, why no Delta? As a legacy thing I kept my rewards/points with Delta when I moved to SFO, which is a United and the Virgin hub, but I prefer DL to UA, easily (and I do have a lot of experience with UA now here in SF). I understand AA has newer planes on average? But being in Jax, I would think planes outa Jax are typically smaller, older, and not of the same quality of style as planes out of an SFO or similar airport. For instance, my flights to NYC (and I don't have an LGA option, only Newark or JFK, choosing the latter to get up to CT) are 25+% business class, and the business class is 100% flatbed on all flights. Of course, larger planes. Pretty sure in Jax there are very few if any wide bodies or large planes with large business classes flying anywhere, right?
Peejay...LGA is hard to get anywhere from? Where are you going when you get to NYC? I find LGA to be the most convenient, but it doesn't handle W Coast flights so much. I get put into JFK Terminal 4 (the best, largest, and newest terminal at JFK...with 2 Shakeshacks even tho Shakeshack is vastly inferior to Super Duper where I live I just gotta throw that out there since it resonates with E Coasters), which means I am getting on the Van Wyck at least for a little to get anywhere and T4 can be crowded, and it is longggg. Traffic to get out of JFK or there is a nightmare. LGA and through LIC and into the Midtown Tunnel is perfect.
Quote from: simms3 on August 06, 2015, 11:47:17 AM
Yea Ben, why no Delta? As a legacy thing I kept my rewards/points with Delta when I moved to SFO, which is a United and the Virgin hub, but I prefer DL to UA, easily (and I do have a lot of experience with UA now here in SF). I understand AA has newer planes on average? But being in Jax, I would think planes outa Jax are typically smaller, older, and not of the same quality of style as planes out of an SFO or similar airport. For instance, my flights to NYC (and I don't have an LGA option, only Newark or JFK, choosing the latter to get up to CT) are 25+% business class, and the business class is 100% flatbed on all flights. Of course, larger planes. Pretty sure in Jax there are very few if any wide bodies or large planes with large business classes flying anywhere, right?
Peejay...LGA is hard to get anywhere from? Where are you going when you get to NYC? I find LGA to be the most convenient, but it doesn't handle W Coast flights so much. I get put into JFK Terminal 4 (the best, largest, and newest terminal at JFK...with 2 Shakeshacks even tho Shakeshack is vastly inferior to Super Duper where I live I just gotta throw that out there since it resonates with E Coasters), which means I am getting on the Van Wyck at least for a little to get anywhere and T4 can be crowded, and it is longggg. Traffic to get out of JFK or there is a nightmare. LGA and through LIC and into the Midtown Tunnel is perfect.
I really don't care for Delta. It's better than USAirways, but not by much. After enough bad experiences, I basically decided to fly Virgin to Orlando and deal with the drive to Jax rather than flying on Delta or USAirways.
^^^You're international right? I wouldn't be caught dead on a Delta International transAtlantic flight, especially if the int'l option has codeshare with Delta. But I wouldn't judge any of these airlines by flights out of JIA. The last time I flew between NYC and Jax, it was Delta of course (well some small airline operated by Delta), and I felt like it was a private jet converted to haul 50 people. I was in first (if that's what you could call it on this flight), and even then the air conditioning was all but broke and the lone flight attendant could not do her job because the plane was too small and had too many people. Plus there were babies. Lots of them. It was a disaster. My mom and sister don't travel much and don't care about loyalty and they fly Jetblue to New York.
My Delta flights from SFO to JFK are literally the exact opposite. I think JIA is akin to a "discount airport" like Southwest is a discount airline (without the actual discount).
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?
1. You cannot use their miles to get international first class tix on partner airlines. Yes, you can use them to get business class, but I want first. Restrictive...
2. In the same vein, Delta runs a 3 class product (econ, econ+, and biz). The lack of a legitimate first class is a negative in my book. Restrictive...
3. Limited partnerships. Sky Team is a small alliance compared to One World and Star Alliance. Your options with DL are VERY limited - and in all likelihood, your only flight options besides DL are KLM and Air France. If you're lucky, you can find some availability on Korean or Virgin Australia, but it's becoming quite rare. I want options, and DL doesn't provide them. Restrictive...
4. Not only are the miles hard to use, but they're hard to earn. Delta's revenue based flying program means you'll almost NEVER get enough miles for an *actual* good award ticket. One with limited to no stops, good seats, etc. Furthermore, DL is secretive to a fault, as they refuse to even publish an award chart now.
5. It's almost moot that the miles are hard to use/earn, as Delta miles are f'ing worthless (that's putting it nicely). To call them SkyPesos is being WAY too nice.
6. Statistically speaking, Delta miles are the least valuable in the whole industry (they're worth less than Hilton points, and that's saying something). Not only are they not valuable anymore, but they lose value daily...
A few good articles, in layman speak, on how bad Delta has gotten recently...
http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2015/07/17/deltas-latest-devaluation-is-even-worse-than-i-thought/
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/01/your-money/in-deltas-frequent-flier-magic-trick-not-just-rabbits-disappear.html?_r=1
I like American, despite their dated domestic product, because their miles are worth something, they have a great partner network, and they aren't secretive.
For instance, I just used 120k AA miles for fly Etihad, JAX - JFK - Abu Dhabi - Cairo (and return). I used another 115k for JAX - JFK - Hong Kong - Bangkok and return. IN FIRST CLASS.
Try doing that in Delta....LOL. What a joke.
Quote from: simms3 on August 06, 2015, 12:09:21 PM
^^^You're international right? I wouldn't be caught dead on a Delta International transAtlantic flight, especially if the int'l option has codeshare with Delta. But I wouldn't judge any of these airlines by flights out of JIA. The last time I flew between NYC and Jax, it was Delta of course (well some small airline operated by Delta), and I felt like it was a private jet converted to haul 50 people. I was in first (if that's what you could call it on this flight), and even then the air conditioning was all but broke and the lone flight attendant could not do her job because the plane was too small and had too many people. Plus there were babies. Lots of them. It was a disaster. My mom and sister don't travel much and don't care about loyalty and they fly Jetblue to New York.
My Delta flights from SFO to JFK are literally the exact opposite. I think JIA is akin to a "discount airport" like Southwest is a discount airline (without the actual discount).
Yeah, they were international flights. One was a Lufthansa codeshare. The upside of that flight (if there was one) was that David Miliband was on our flight and my wife saw Chilli from TLC at the Atlanta airport.
Quote from: ben says on August 06, 2015, 01:40:27 PM
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?
1. You cannot use their miles to get international first class tix on partner airlines. Yes, you can use them to get business class, but I want first. Restrictive...
2. In the same vein, Delta runs a 3 class product (econ, econ+, and biz). The lack of a legitimate first class is a negative in my book. Restrictive...
3. Limited partnerships. Sky Team is a small alliance compared to One World and Star Alliance. Your options with DL are VERY limited - and in all likelihood, your only flight options besides DL are KLM and Air France. If you're lucky, you can find some availability on Korean or Virgin Australia, but it's becoming quite rare. I want options, and DL doesn't provide them. Restrictive...
4. Not only are the miles hard to use, but they're hard to earn. Delta's revenue based flying program means you'll almost NEVER get enough miles for an *actual* good award ticket. One with limited to no stops, good seats, etc. Furthermore, DL is secretive to a fault, as they refuse to even publish an award chart now.
5. It's almost moot that the miles are hard to use/earn, as Delta miles are f'ing worthless (that's putting it nicely). To call them SkyPesos is being WAY too nice.
6. Statistically speaking, Delta miles are the least valuable in the whole industry (they're worth less than Hilton points, and that's saying something). Not only are they not valuable anymore, but they lose value daily...
A few good articles, in layman speak, on how bad Delta has gotten recently...
http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2015/07/17/deltas-latest-devaluation-is-even-worse-than-i-thought/
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/01/your-money/in-deltas-frequent-flier-magic-trick-not-just-rabbits-disappear.html?_r=1
I like American, despite their dated domestic product, because their miles are worth something, they have a great partner network, and they aren't secretive.
For instance, I just used 120k AA miles for fly Etihad, JAX - JFK - Abu Dhabi - Cairo (and return). I used another 115k for JAX - JFK - Hong Kong - Bangkok and return. IN FIRST CLASS.
Try doing that in Delta....LOL. What a joke.
Hmmm, very interesting. I admittedly don't know much at all beyond what my status gets me, the limited flights I take (for instance, I actually never fly to Jax, so I'm on transcon flights only between major business centers where the planes/service are likely to be quite different than what the average person would experience, especially from Jax where flights are probably on regional planes with limited service/class delineations...last time I flew to Jax I flew through Orlando and drove up), and I've never ever used any of my miles, so I actually don't know anything about what they get you with Delta.
I have run into restrictions on their alliance before (as I am now with my next trip).
The one advantage I will say Delta has with its domestic network is its hub cities. It is super focused on New York and uses the best terminal, arguably, at JFK (I wish transcons went to LGA, as stated before...way more convenient, but worst airport in America). I actually really like the Minneapolis airport as well, for connections that aren't too far out of the way. From SFO, a non-hub, Delta goes to NYC, LA, Seattle, Atlanta, and a all the other hubs + some, which is no United (where SFO is a hub), but it works for me. The only places I go repeatedly that DL doesn't get me to direct are Denver and Chicago (both United hubs as well), and Orange County (which has a United flight to SFO, but is mostly Southwest oriented to Oakland).
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).
Quote from: ben says on August 06, 2015, 01:40:27 PM
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?
1. You cannot use their miles to get international first class tix on partner airlines. Yes, you can use them to get business class, but I want first. Restrictive...
2. In the same vein, Delta runs a 3 class product (econ, econ+, and biz). The lack of a legitimate first class is a negative in my book. Restrictive...
3. Limited partnerships. Sky Team is a small alliance compared to One World and Star Alliance. Your options with DL are VERY limited - and in all likelihood, your only flight options besides DL are KLM and Air France. If you're lucky, you can find some availability on Korean or Virgin Australia, but it's becoming quite rare. I want options, and DL doesn't provide them. Restrictive...
4. Not only are the miles hard to use, but they're hard to earn. Delta's revenue based flying program means you'll almost NEVER get enough miles for an *actual* good award ticket. One with limited to no stops, good seats, etc. Furthermore, DL is secretive to a fault, as they refuse to even publish an award chart now.
5. It's almost moot that the miles are hard to use/earn, as Delta miles are f'ing worthless (that's putting it nicely). To call them SkyPesos is being WAY too nice.
6. Statistically speaking, Delta miles are the least valuable in the whole industry (they're worth less than Hilton points, and that's saying something). Not only are they not valuable anymore, but they lose value daily...
A few good articles, in layman speak, on how bad Delta has gotten recently...
http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2015/07/17/deltas-latest-devaluation-is-even-worse-than-i-thought/
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/01/your-money/in-deltas-frequent-flier-magic-trick-not-just-rabbits-disappear.html?_r=1
I like American, despite their dated domestic product, because their miles are worth something, they have a great partner network, and they aren't secretive.
For instance, I just used 120k AA miles for fly Etihad, JAX - JFK - Abu Dhabi - Cairo (and return). I used another 115k for JAX - JFK - Hong Kong - Bangkok and return. IN FIRST CLASS.
Try doing that in Delta....LOL. What a joke.
can't say I disagree, I only keep my Delta medallion status because my company will bump me up a level every year which makes travel a bit more comfortable.
I love flying direct into LGA. Take the ground shuttle to Manhattan, 13 bucks, bada bing bada boom, you're there. The view of the city when you're flying in and out is nice as well.
We never use DL for international. They use coach style seat pitches for long (8+) flights. Not acceptable.
We will use DL for connection choices through ATL, but we hate ATL, especially in the summertime due to constant power outages due to weather. So its a case by case deal.
For International I will take Jet Blue to JFK or drive to OIA.
For cheapie domestic I have been testing Allegiant Air over Southwest. Requires a drive to Sanford.
I just used AA miles for a trip out of Jax to Seattle and it was the most hassle free experience I have ever had. Recommended.
We have been using Marriott points more than Hilton.
Use Virgin Atlantic for London flights. I use Lufthansa for European or African destinations.
United still owns the rights for the old Pan Am route to South Africa via Miami to Buenos Aires but they arent using it. Have to use SAA out of Dulles or Lufthansa out of Frankfort.
Quote from: simms3 on August 06, 2015, 02:48:14 PM
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 KongA first class seat on CX can easily go for $17k...
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/472/19729030854_1a72b92fbd_c.jpg)
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/555/20325439076_936822d080_c.jpg)
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/339/20325440166_8aac42f362_c.jpg)
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3692/20165052559_ae9b14eb5c_c.jpg)
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/438/20163688088_5f17389d26_c.jpg)
Etihad JFK - Abu Dhabi(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8578/15917994080_dcf59c4238_c.jpg)
(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8596/16105263875_afca9e0282_c.jpg)
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7541/15919521077_b35dd96e0a_c.jpg)
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 ;D
Quote from: ben says on August 06, 2015, 01:40:27 PM
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 :o)
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
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.
Quote from: simms3 on August 06, 2015, 05:47:03 PM
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.
^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)
Quote from: ProjectMaximus on August 06, 2015, 04:38:18 PM
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 :o)
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 SaleWith 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 SaleAs 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!!!
Quote from: simms3 on August 06, 2015, 05:47:03 PM
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
Quote from: ben says on August 06, 2015, 07:45:35 PM
Quote from: simms3 on August 06, 2015, 05:47:03 PM
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.