What is your favorite airline?

[uro55]

Originally Posted by DMBluedevils

You guys hear about Delta's new frequent flyer policy?

Turrible, took them from the best/my fav to vary annoyed.

SW is the worst though.

[pathetic]

Originally Posted by gocubsgo3822

I find southwest to be the most overrated thing about American society. OOOOOHHHHH WE CAN CHECK BAG FOR FREE. Not that important. Never need to check.

flew to chicago and back a few times for college. round trip with southwest as a poor college kid i never paid more than $120. Free checked bags is an awesome deal. especially if you're flying with a hard guitar case or more than one carry on

your post is inaccuarate

[coldengrey12]

Originally Posted by Lee3691

I wasn't being sarcastic with the comment that SW was the best - as I reread it, it sounds like I might of been. I fly them 90% of the time. Just wanted to point out they aren't perfect, just better.

I agree SW is best, although I'd say expecting perfection all of the time is unreasonable.

[Lee3691]

The Delta FF policy makes a lot of business sense, and is just following what SW (and I believe JetBlue) already do. The rest of the big airlines will soon follow.

[ExistenceNow]

What is the old/new Delta policy?

[uro55]

Originally Posted by ExistenceNow

What is the old/new Delta policy?

It's more "expensive ticket buyer program" than a "frequent flyer program".

Pisses me off

[ExistenceNow]

So points for the number of dollars you spend vs the number of flights you take?


Makes sense.

[Lee3691]

Originally Posted by ExistenceNow

So points for the number of dollars you spend vs the number of flights you take?


Makes sense.

Points for the dollars you spend vs the number of miles you fly.

For a business, why would you reward customers who buy cheap, long distance flights more than customers who buy expensive, short distance flights?

[ExistenceNow]

Ah, okay.

Yea, still makes sense.

[neumdogg]

Originally Posted by Lee3691

Points for the dollars you spend vs the number of miles you fly.

For a business, why would you reward customers who buy cheap, long distance flights more than customers who buy expensive, short distance flights?

Agreed. I actually like this better.

[uro55]

Originally Posted by ExistenceNow

So points for the number of dollars you spend vs the number of flights you take?


Makes sense.

Makes sense from their perspective.

Originally Posted by neumdogg

Agreed. I actually like this better.

I do not, not at all

[UCFish]

Originally Posted by daveshookme

http://coreyluvstravel.wordpress.com...fly-southwest/

12 reasons Why I fly Southwest. There are some incredibly good points here.

I agree with most everything here except #3. If used properly miles can be much more valuable on other airlines. I am using 80k miles on United to go internationally first class later this month. The cost for that itin if paying cash when I booked was $11k. 80,000 Southwest points is only $1,333 on current values and $1142 after the devaluation on March 31st. I love that you can book it at anytime though. Still a great program.

[SqueeBaBooSquee]

I have never sat in a chair in the sky.

[neumdogg]

Originally Posted by SqueeBaBooSquee

I have never sat in a chair in the sky.

Is this true? Never been on a plane?

[daveshookme]

Originally Posted by UCFish

I agree with most everything here except #3. If used properly miles can be much more valuable on other airlines. I am using 80k miles on United to go internationally first class later this month. The cost for that itin if paying cash when I booked was $11k. 80,000 Southwest points is only $1,333 on current values and $1142 after the devaluation on March 31st. I love that you can book it at anytime though. Still a great program.

I will say, the biggest disappointment is that SW doesn't have international flights under them. Can't use my points to fly internationally.

[SqueeBaBooSquee]

Originally Posted by neumdogg

Is this true? Never been on a plane?

Nope never and I'm about to turn 28

[lockman21]

Never understood being a "loyal" SW customer.

They're great for last minute domestic flights when there are no other options, but racking up miles on SW seems idiotic to me.

[neumdogg]

Originally Posted by SqueeBaBooSquee

Nope never and I'm about to turn 28

Any reason for this?

[lockman21]

Also, most of the points on that 12 reasons link are dumb.

Comparing SW to airlines like AA, UAL, and Delta is apples and oranges. Two completely different business models. #4 is extremely dumb, since a 737 is by definition a small aircraft. #1 is somewhat true, but what if your flight is cancelled but operating on another airline? My buddy was stranded in Chicago for a week because SW was cancelling all his flights to Austin. If he was flying AA or United though? He could have tried standby on another carrier and just got himself home. With SW, you're stuck with whatever SW is operating.

[lockman21]

Originally Posted by UCFish

I agree with most everything here except #3. If used properly miles can be much more valuable on other airlines. I am using 80k miles on United to go internationally first class later this month. The cost for that itin if paying cash when I booked was $11k. 80,000 Southwest points is only $1,333 on current values and $1142 after the devaluation on March 31st. I love that you can book it at anytime though. Still a great program.

Plus, you can't fly internationally on SW.

[thebridge15]

Southwest doesn't have all the same plane cause they're bigger, it's because it's WAY easier to run operations when it doesn't matter what type of plane you're waiting on.

[lockman21]

Originally Posted by thebridge15

Southwest doesn't have all the same plane cause they're bigger, it's because it's WAY easier to run operations when it doesn't matter what type of plane you're waiting on.

Exactly. Those planes can fly into the vast majority of commercial airports in the 48 states, and can handle any flight domestically. It makes sense.

Aircraft maintenance? Just swap it out for a different 37 and work on the busted one later. No biggie.

Aircraft maintenance on a 777 from LAX > PEK? ENTIRELY different story.

[daveshookme]

Originally Posted by lockman21

Never understood being a "loyal" SW customer.

They're great for last minute domestic flights when there are no other options, but racking up miles on SW seems idiotic to me.

I'm a loyal SW flyer because they're loyal to me. Never had a problem that wasn't resolved. I have no reason to fly anybody else.

[UCFish]

Originally Posted by lockman21

Plus, you can't fly internationally on SW.

Working on it but to shitty Mexico. I think you can redeem for Aruba though.

[gocubsgo3822]

Flew united today. 6 hours from bwi to sfo with no wee fee sucks. Got ten mini bottles through security though so didn't have to pay for booze

[SqueeBaBooSquee]

Originally Posted by neumdogg

Any reason for this?

Just never needed to fly anywhere. Haven't really travelled too much in my life.

[lockman21]

Originally Posted by daveshookme

I'm a loyal SW flyer because they're loyal to me. Never had a problem that wasn't resolved. I have no reason to fly anybody else.

I can think of...how many other countries are on this planet? 196? 195 reasons why.

[newscane]

Originally Posted by DMBluedevils

You guys hear about Delta's new frequent flyer policy?

Originally Posted by ExistenceNow

Delta is the worst.


Frontier is a close second.

Delta was the first airline I signed up with as a frequent flyer (in 1996... I was still in HS). I've probably booked 4 or 5 frequent flyer tickets with them over the years... and I don't even fly that much these days, most of my miles come from the (free) Delta Amex Options card. (One of my best FF tickets was first class to Seattle for Gorge, actually was fewer miles than coach.)

I'm not a fan of the new mileage policy, as I'm sure my accrued miles will shrink. Of course, most of my miles are coming from my credit card these days, so I don't know how much it will affect me.

It probably won't change my travel habits much, though. I have FF accounts with United, Southwest and American (although I haven't flown them in YEARS), and in many cases, Delta gives you the most options flying out of here. Free bags are great on Southwest, but their fares keep creeping higher. And, they just don't have the volume of flights that other airlines do. Flying cross-country with Southwest can be a bear for that reason.

It will be interesting to see if United and/or American follow Delta's lead.

[UCFish]

Originally Posted by lockman21

I can think of...how many other countries are on this planet? 196? 195 reasons why.

Well said

[Lee3691]

SW does have some international flights with their acquisition of AirTran, will begin using their own planed to fly to Jamaica, Aruba & the Bahamas in July, and is building an international terminal (as in paying for most of the cost itself) @ Houston Hobby for South American travel.