Questions and Answers

I live 15 minutes from CLT. I fly about twice a month. I can fly almost anywhere nonstop from Charlotte on American. That means having nearly my entire Sunday at home before traveling that night to arrive for a job on Monday morning. I greatly prefer Delta’s service, planes, employees, and overall philosophies for conducting a business. Flying Delta, however, means losing half my Sunday to connect in Atlanta. Of course, connecting also adds potential for complications (lost bags, missed connections, etc.). I’ve conceded to flying American for the convenience of nonstop flights. But after flying in the “Oasis” twice this week, I’m really timid to see what the future of flying American looks like. Is it worth giving up my Sundays to fly Delta?

Welcome [USER=6025]@Tylerd1232003[/USER] – that’s a very personal decision and not one I’m sure we can answer for you. But some things to consider:
– Do you have a spouse and/or children at home? I certainly read enough about folks who travel a lot and wish they had more time to spend with their families.
– How do you plan to use the miles/status you gain? Which airline has partners that suit your plans best when using those miles/status for leisure travel?
– As you note, there’s a lot to be said for AA’s non-stop service and also a lot to be said for the way Delta meets your other operational preferences. You’ll have to determine which is more important to you.

I think Delta is so overrated. I was with you though , 5 years ago i loved them. Went out of my way to fly them. Last 3 Delta One Lax to JFK/Bos were legit 3 of the worst flights i have ever had, for multiple reasons.

Can Jet Blue help you in any way? Not familiar with what they do out of CLT or where the connection is but they truly are very nice. And if you have the chance to fly Mint its pretty cool..

Goodluck with whatever you decide. I have a few AA flights coming up, hoping for no “mechanical” issues

I’m assuming you fly domestic. For me, a lot would hinge on flying patterns. If I flew year round, encountered weather frequently, flew a lot of transcons these would be the key weighted issues on which I would base my decision. I’ve flown Oasis in economy and for a flight of a few hours, it wasn’t a big deal but if I had to fly these on transcons, I would seriously make the trade off to Delta just for my own comfort. Nonstops trump connections nine times out of ten, especially in weather so in that case, if I flew year round I might lean heavily toward AA, even if Oasis was the only offering to my destinations. I’d rather take a few hours of uncomfortable flying rather than hours longer making connections in a modestly more comfortable economy seat and risking a misconnect. If you are doing any international travel, AA would get the nod by a long shot. Fortunately, Oasis is not in wide use at the moment and you might be able to dodge these planes, at least in the short term. Of course, if elite status isn’t a consideration, try free agency and take the best flight(s) for your comfort and time considerations.

Honestly there’s no resource like time. I’d make the most of it with American. Connecting is always a pain, and while yes, Delta is better with regards to service and onboard product, they more than make up for it with SkyMiles.

As MidSouth says, this is a very personal decision. As someone who used to travel domestic quite a bit, if I have a non-stop option, that’s what I take. It all depends on your preferences and what you value, though. For me, in any kind of weather at all, non-stop means you don’t have to worry about missing connections. And as Gia notes – if I was going to travel internationally, I would take AA.

Good luck.