Flying American Airlines instead of Delta

[TruckerDave]

The Southwest Airlines card gives you 60,000 points right now (if you spend $2,000 in the first 3 months of having the card).

 

Southwest always gives you 2 free checked bags, as well as having a slightly more generous carry-on size limit (you can bring 2 bags on board free as well as long as it's within the 22" limit).

 

Also, with southwest, if the price drops on your flight, they give you a credit on your account that you can use for up to a year from the purchase date of the original ticket, and you can switch flights at any time up to 15 minutes before take off. The only fee you pay for this is if the cost of the new ticket is more, in which case you pay the price difference. If the cost is the same you pay nothing. If it's less they give you a credit.

 

American will charge you like $400 just to change your flight, plus charge you whatever the additional cost is.

 

 

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How are those southwest first class seats? Or how many cites in Europe or Asia can you get to with them? :confused:

[TruckerDave]

Delta and American are pretty much the same.

You can get a AA credit card and pick up 25,000 miles easy, and get checked bags.

 

Be careful of the term DIRECT - sometimes it includes a stop, sometimes it is NONSTOP which is a better term.

 

I may have missed it, but are you flying in on the same day as the cruise? Detroit and November... well....

 

 

The new AA card is offering 50k miles. (I just got home from Hawaii a couple hrs ago and they were hawking the card)

[TruckerDave]

I just got home a couple hrs ago from Hawaii. Flew form CHS-DFW-KOA then HNL-DFW-CHS and EVERYTHING was fine. (Ironically the only "late" flight I had was on Hawaiian Air between KOA-HNL) AA/DL/UA are all pretty much the same these days. (Just look at their FF programs. They all basically mirror each other these days). The only real difference is where their hubs are. (Which is a benefit when bad weather hits for example). UA is pretty weak in the southeast but AA and DL have it locked up. Also, nothing says you have to only pick one. Fly down on DL and home on AA if that works better for you.

[zdcatc12]

There are also more low mile options to Europe on AA.

 

However, most of the ones that I see are on BA, where you pay around a $400 "fuel" surcharge.

[buggins0402]

However, most of the ones that I see are on BA, where you pay around a $400 "fuel" surcharge.

 

Call and see what Iberia has.:)

[fbgd]

but American SUCKS for being on time. There's always a long line at the American desk full of people trying to re-book missed connections.

 

This is such a ridiculous exaggeration...

 

On average I fly AA more than once a week, often involving some of the most congested airports and hubs in the US. Their on-time record, IME, across years of similar travel patterns is nothing exceptional, certainly nothing close to your hyperbole.

[ColoradoGurl]

This is such a ridiculous exaggeration...

 

 

 

On average I fly AA more than once a week, often involving some of the most congested airports and hubs in the US. Their on-time record, IME, across years of similar travel patterns is nothing exceptional, certainly nothing close to your hyperbole.

 

 

Ok [emoji57]

 

 

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[ColoradoGurl]

How are those southwest first class seats? Or how many cites in Europe or Asia can you get to with them? :confused:

 

 

There are definitely some drawbacks, but for me I care more about the perks for the domestic travel (although they do fly to a lot of Caribbean and Mexican cities too). I fly over 35 round -trips a year domestically just for work (not counting vacations), so the perks on Southwest work well for me.

 

I just earned the free companion pass which allows me to bring someone along with me for free every time I fly. And we could care less about first class. I don't need the extra room (I'm quite thin and quite short). The free bags, the free companion pass, and the fact that they fly to almost everywhere I need to go for work is great. When I need (or want) to go somewhere they don't fly, I use United or American, or really anybody. As much as I hate American I do have quite a few miles collected with them, but my flights have been delayed or late every single time. I've gotten several meal and hotel vouchers because of it (and actually they've credited me over 17,000 free miles for it as well) and have waited in more than a couple hour long lines to reschedule a flight at the airport. Just my experience. But it hasn't been good.

 

And anyhow, OP, with southwest, if you book a flight that's a little risky (like trying to fly out early after you debark because the flight is cheaper) and it doesn't look like you'll make it. You can just change your ticket, no problem.

 

 

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[waterbug123]

AA is much better than Spirit and Delta.

 

With no supporting information as to WHY you find American better than Delta, this post isn't very helpful to the OP. (Others have already pointed out the deficiencies of Spirit). Overall the legacy airlines (DL, AA, UA) are far more similar than different, especially when compared to the likes of Spirit.

 

 

Hi,

On Delta....The total cost is 227 + 179 = 406. I wouldn't pay extra for the checked baggage.

 

 

It looks like you are pricing Delta as two, separate one-way tickets. Did you try booking it as one ticket using the multi-city feature? That lets you price it as one ticket, flying into FLL but back home out of MIA.

[waterbug123]

It all depends on what else you would get with your Delta AMEX. I get up to 9 free bags, upgrades to Economy comfort or F/C and free drinks (alcoholic) with my Delta AMEX. So it depends on your other potential benefits as well. It would also possibly depend on if that trip would put you at a higher status level on either airline or get you enough miles for an award ticket.

 

You only get the 9 free bags if you have that many people on your reservation, and the OP appears to only be a party of 2 and has already factored in the 2 checked bags that they'll have.

 

And just so as not to confuse someone who isn't familiar with the benefit, the upgrades to EC/F that you are eligible for are just that- upgrades one is ELIGIBLE for with the card; they are not automatic, and depending on the route can be VERY rare, as upgrades go first to Delta medallion members.

 

I wasn't aware that DL amex holders got free drinks. ???

Are you sure it wasn't because you were ug'd to C+?

[taylortime05]

With no supporting information as to WHY you find American better than Delta, this post isn't very helpful to the OP. (Others have already pointed out the deficiencies of Spirit). Overall the legacy airlines (DL, AA, UA) are far more similar than different, especially when compared to the likes of Spirit.

 

 

 

 

It looks like you are pricing Delta as two, separate one-way tickets. Did you try booking it as one ticket using the multi-city feature? That lets you price it as one ticket, flying into FLL but back home out of MIA.

 

I tried it with multi-city feature and I get the same price. I would of preferred to just fly in and out of Miami but I did it this way to get it as cheap as I could. I have a flight on AA on hold but I can't even get 2 seats together unless I pay extra. I like for us to sit together so I'm not sure if I'm going to keep this reservation. I'm not sure if they have seats reserved that might open up but I'd be taking a chance.

[ColoradoGurl]

I can't even get 2 seats together unless I pay extra. I like for us to sit together so I'm not sure if I'm going to keep this reservation. I'm not sure if they have seats reserved that might open up but I'd be taking a chance.

 

 

Forget everything I've said about Southwest then, you will hate them, lol!!! I could care less about where I sit, and while my daughter and I prefer to sit next to each other, we're totally fine if we don't. No assigned seats does bother some people though, which is one of the concessions you make in order to get the other perks on SW.

 

 

 

 

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[taylortime05]

I need to make a decision tonight. My hold expires at midnight. The cost on AA has already went up another 30.00. I was approved for the credit card so I do not have to pay for the 1st checked bag. So good fare and good times. The only thing I don't like is I can't get 2 seats next to each other. Does anyone know if this will could change at some point where some of the higher priced seat will open up for anyone? If I don't make this decision tonight I might cancel my cruise.

[ColoradoGurl]

I need to make a decision tonight. My hold expires at midnight. The cost on AA has already went up another 30.00. I was approved for the credit card so I do not have to pay for the 1st checked bag. So good fare and good times. The only thing I don't like is I can't get 2 seats next to each other. Does anyone know if this will could change at some point where some of the higher priced seat will open up for anyone? If I don't make this decision tonight I might cancel my cruise.

 

 

It's always possible that someone will change their flight plans and a seat will open up, and you can also try to call the airline because maybe they have the ability to move someone around, but I wouldn't count on they happening and I also most definitely would not let it ruin your vacation. Book the flight so you don't end up missing out and having to cancel your cruise and just let this be an opportunity for you guys to learn to be more comfortable in your temporary independence if need be. Bring a book, download a movie, you won't even notice that you're not right next to each other. Planes are loud, it's hard to hold a conversation on them, and people around you will be annoyed anyway. I can't think of any other reasons sitting next to each other would be necessary. Roll with it and have fun.

 

 

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[taylortime05]

It's always possible that someone will change their flight plans and a seat will open up, and you can also try to call the airline because maybe they have the ability to move someone around, but I wouldn't count on they happening and I also most definitely would not let it ruin your vacation. Book the flight so you don't end up missing out and having to cancel your cruise and just let this be an opportunity for you guys to learn to be more comfortable in your temporary independence if need be. Bring a book, download a movie, you won't even notice that you're not right next to each other. Planes are loud, it's hard to hold a conversation on them, and people around you will be annoyed anyway. I can't think of any other reasons sitting next to each other would be necessary. Roll with it and have fun.

 

 

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I confirmed the reservation. I hope we are able to change our seats to be able to sit together but it will be ok either way. Also hope we like AA as much as Delta. We're going on 1st NCL cruise on Nov 25th.

[cruisin lady ca]

Enjoy your cruise! And don't stress too much about your seats on the plane. It may be possible to get seats next to each other when you get to the gate. I did check on our seats prior to flying and noticed that the aisle seats near the front of the plane frequently required an additional charge as they were considered "preferred" (or whatever terminology AA uses).

 

We flew AA to/from Rome and the fares dropped substantially a month before our cruise. In fact,, the new fare was so low that even after paying a change fee ($300 per ticket), we still received vouchers of $150 each. So, when it came time to book flights to/from Miami for our last cruise, we were back on AA. As AA citi card holders, we each checked one piece of luggage for free. By the way, AA codeshares some flights with Alaska Airlines and the seats on their planes are nicer than the ones on the AA planes.

 

 

Helpful hint: if you want to avoid overweight issues with your suitcases, take advantage of the scale that is available near the check-in area. You have to look for it since it is not totally visible unless you are looking for it (no sign pointing to it).

[BirdTravels]

I need to make a decision tonight. My hold expires at midnight. The cost on AA has already went up another 30.00. I was approved for the credit card so I do not have to pay for the 1st checked bag. So good fare and good times. The only thing I don't like is I can't get 2 seats next to each other. Does anyone know if this will could change at some point where some of the higher priced seat will open up for anyone? If I don't make this decision tonight I might cancel my cruise.

 

AA, like most airlines, charge extra for many aisle and window seats. This leaves the center seats available for free. Log into your reservation and see if seats together are available for a fee.

[ColoradoGurl]

I confirmed the reservation. I hope we are able to change our seats to be able to sit together but it will be ok either way. Also hope we like AA as much as Delta. We're going on 1st NCL cruise on Nov 25th.

 

 

Oh good. You guys will have a great time. Hopefully they will get your seats moved around for you.

 

 

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[Cruisercl]

I confirmed the reservation. I hope we are able to change our seats to be able to sit together but it will be ok either way. Also hope we like AA as much as Delta. We're going on 1st NCL cruise on Nov 25th.

 

My advice to you is to look at your reservation online every once in a while (I some times have looked very day but that is my OCD) to see if there are seats available next to each other.

 

Sometimes travel companies have blocks of seats tied up and they may let them 'go' but make sure you have an assigned seat somewhere. Waiting for a seat 'at the airport' sets you up for a bump from the flight. Better to fly separate than not at all... :)

 

I also live in a Delta hub (MSP) and always look at Delta and our local airline Sun Country first for flights. AA is next as Sun Country can be a bit limited.

 

IMHO Delta and AA are very much alike but Delta flies non-stop on more flights from MSP so we book with them. No issues with AA for me either domestic or international.

 

Have a great time on NCL; try the pretzel rolls!! :cool:

JMHO.

Edited July 9, 2017 by Cruisercl
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