Philosophy on airline choice, vouchers, rewards etc

[TexasGrunt 72]

Girlfriend likes flying cheap so we use Spirit a lot.  As for delays, past year Spirit has been on time for every flight we have.  Can't say the same for SWA or United.  We always get the first row for a little extra money and we check a bag.  As for the clientele, it is interesting...   And as others as said, I will go out of my way to fly direct.  That is why we also use SWA and United out of Houston.

[Guest]

On 9/18/2023 at 6:05 PM, billfromlaketravis said:

It looks like the only airlines with direct flights from Houston to Newark are Spirit or United. Groan. 
 

Never again flying into JFK. Train doesn’t go to LGA. EWR is a 30 minute train ride directly to Penn Station.

Yep.  This is why SWA is out for me.  Access to multiple airports, one of which is very important to me, EWR.( Grandkid)

Have flown Frontier to Denver multiple times. It's fine  Never have flown Spirit.   The nickel/ dime horseshit is starting not to be an exclusively Discount Carrier thing.

[Brisketexan 105,153]

I've never flown Spirit but my impression from the departure lounge is that it's like the Galveston Wal-Mart, but airborne. 

That fucking Wal-Mart. Years ago, picked up some donuts there to have the next morning for breakfast before fishing. They were inedible. How do you fuck up a glazed donut?
Also, team SWA. My domestic flights are 1) Texas and NM, and 2) California each summer for vacation. SWA offers regular cheap nonstops to all of those destinations, I have lots of points (used to have A-list status, but haven’t flown as much since the pandemic), so I get free flights. Discount airlines have their place.

[texasdago 7,573]

6 hours ago, DaysOff said:

We'll give you a souvenir coin and your picture taken with me.

Since you put it that way 

[Ghost of LL 15,531]

On 9/18/2023 at 4:15 PM, gyroprotagonist said:

as a tall human, i absolutely need to pick my seat, so SW in normally out.  never flown discount other than Ryan Air over in Europe maybe 20 years ago.  Normally fly AA (live in Dallas).  They actually came through after they scrapped our plane to Birmingham for the Bama game (said the brakes did not work, which was sort of an auspicious malady for a plane full of Texas fans) but we had to return back to the gate and then deplane.  We got a new plane with in an hour and were on our way.  They did piss off a lot of people in boarding group 1 by just making it essentially a free for all boarding the 2nd plane and eschewed drink service rather that wait the (they said) 45 extra minutes to load all that stuff up.  But i dngaf as i just wanted to get there at a reasonable time in my bulkhead seat.  

Mrs.LL was at the airport bar with a bunch of y'all.  She was flying AA through CLT, and her flight got a rolling delay.

She did have a funny story of one guy on y'all's flight who was drunkenly hitting on her.

On 9/18/2023 at 4:01 PM, Bozo_Casanova said:

I fly a lot for work, so the choice of American Airlines is driven by keeping my exec platinum status, which gives me more flaxibility and helps get me out of jams that come up during air travel.  

Same.  I'm pretty AA loyal because (1) status and (2) my credit card gets me into the AAdmirals Club.  The Club isn't great (especially at AUS), but if there's a flight cancelation, you can go up there and the very pleasant attendants will take care of rebooking you.

On 9/18/2023 at 6:05 PM, billfromlaketravis said:

It looks like the only airlines with direct flights from Houston to Newark are Spirit or United. Groan. 
 

Never again flying into JFK. Train doesn’t go to LGA. EWR is a 30 minute train ride directly to Penn Station.

JFK is a 10-minute helicopter ride from the 30th Street Heliport.

[Bozo_Casanova 26,473]

6 minutes ago, Ghost of LL said:

Same.  I'm pretty AA loyal because (1) status and (2) my credit card gets me into the AAdmirals Club.  The Club isn't great (especially at AUS), but if there's a flight cancelation, you can go up there and the very pleasant attendants will take care of rebooking you.

Exactly - I always tell people flying AA is a little bit like living in a rigid caste system. It's miserable at the bottom and pretty great at the top. 

[Bozo_Casanova 26,473]

10 minutes ago, Ghost of LL said:

JFK is a 10-minute helicopter ride from the 30th Street Heliport.

Also true with the blade, but since the LIRR now connects Grand Central to the air train terminal at Jamaica it's 45-55mins all-in from your gate at JFK to Midtown. Game changer. 

Edited September 20, 2023 by Bozo_Casanova

[jimmyjazz 45,963]

1 hour ago, Ghost of LL said:

She did have a funny story of one guy on y'all's flight who was drunkenly hitting on her.

Sorry for partying.

[KCMasterpieceof 24]

2 hours ago, Ghost of LL said:

Mrs.LL was at the airport bar with a bunch of y'all.  She was flying AA through CLT, and her flight got a rolling delay.

She did have a funny story of one guy on y'all's flight who was drunkenly hitting on her.

Same.  I'm pretty AA loyal because (1) status and (2) my credit card gets me into the AAdmirals Club.  The Club isn't great (especially at AUS), but if there's a flight cancelation, you can go up there and the very pleasant attendants will take care of rebooking you.

JFK is a 10-minute helicopter ride from the 30th Street Heliport.

Which AA credit card do you have?

I used the CitiBusiness Platinum Select AAdvantage card for work expenses and the Citi Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard for personal. I feel like they've both been neutered and kind of suck now, so curious if there are better options for a fellow Platinum Exec whose only dream is to be concierge key so I don't ever have to worry about hitting the milestones anymore.

[Ghost of LL 15,531]

32 minutes ago, KCMasterpieceof said:

Which AA credit card do you have?

I used the CitiBusiness Platinum Select AAdvantage card for work expenses and the Citi Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard for personal. I feel like they've both been neutered and kind of suck now, so curious if there are better options for a fellow Platinum Exec whose only dream is to be concierge key so I don't ever have to worry about hitting the milestones anymore.

It's actually Mrs.LL's World Elite card; I'm just an additional cardholder.  She uses it to keep her status up; I get club access.  But you're right--it's not a great card.

I would ditch it altogether if AmEx would ever open the Centurion Lounge at AUS.  But I think that has fallen completely by the wayside.

[boilerhorn 1,387]

I have never and will never fly spirit or frontier.  There are far too many stories to share, but ones that stand out are canceled flights that result in you being stuck in your location for another 2-3 days.  Even on SWA, there is a 100% chance you are out of there within 12 hours.

For business, I try to optimize travel time, convenience, and cost - and in that order.  I often will schedule a direct flight out of Austin at 6a to optimize travel time, only to regret it when I have to wake at 3:30a to get there.  However, I arrive on the west coast w/ a full day.  I typically avoid SWA coming from the west coast toward Austin, esp. at the end of the day, as they are notoriously behind schedule out of places like SJC.

A former colleague did tons of flying to SFO and Taiwan - and I did a few times.  His airline of choice was United, as SFO is a United hub and they have a daily direct flight to Taipei.

For family, I use a similar calculus, but a little more biased toward cost.  SWA often gets a lean here with their baggage "leniency" and their availability at some destinations.  A mistake some folks make is saving $$ on tickets by taking a late flight to a destination (or early flight home), not realizing that they are spending the money w/ another day of hotel or a lost day visiting. 

None of the calculus will ever result in Spirit or Frontier.  When the Spirit/Frontier merger was announced a common response was, "They wanted to make the unquestioned worst airline in the world." 

Edited September 20, 2023 by boilerhorn

[jimmyjazz 45,963]

Eh, I'm not sure which airlines are without some horror stories.  In August 2022 it took us 36 hours to get door to door from NYC to Austin on American.  Bonus: we got to spend the night in Oklahoma City.

[Mo Horn 8,848]

All US companies suck, but we're stuck with what we got. I've done AA for years and it's what I know best and most comfortable with. I've had their card for years and had the one that got me in the clubs when I was traveling internationally. I work to get miles and use them to take trips. Mrs Mo and I are flying to Greece tomorrow and it cost us $11.60. I am permanent gold due to being a million miler. I made platinum this year, but don't every year. AA is always my first choice for all these reasons and will pay a little more to fly them, but not a ton more. I never have, and probably never will, fly a discount US airline. 

[NWBuck 8,570]

Flying out of Seattle (SeaTac, south of the city), I typically just go with the flight that is some combination of direct/affordable. Would prefer not to leave at 6 am, although that's the typical case for flights going east. 

But if it's within the parameters allowed, I prefer to fly Alaska out of Paine field (Boeing's campus). They're the only provider at that field at this point, and are limited to primarily flights up and down the west coast. 

But it's super smooth and really convenient to where I live (north Seattle) . Last time I came in from Los Angeles, I just had a carry on: it was 28 minutes from the plane door opening to my car pulling into the driveway.

That kind of convenience is worth paying for. 

[Js1 85,355]

33 minutes ago, BeardIP said:

Flew a family of 4 to Disney a few months ago, round trip. for $44 bucks (taxes) thanks to AA loyalty. Can't beat that.

Last year, i flew to Houston to Paris and Copenhagen to Houston (very short MIA layover on the way there and adequate LHR layover on the way back, thank god, bc fuck Heathrow) for $96 and 40k miles. 

[Mo Horn 8,848]

2 minutes ago, Js1 said:

Last year, i flew to Houston to Paris and Copenhagen to Houston (very short MIA layover on the way there and adequate LHR layover on the way back, thank god, bc fuck Heathrow) for $96 and 40k miles. 

Any flight thru LHR adds tons of tax to award flights. Sometimes $200 or $300 per ticket. I will do an extra stop in the US to avoid it. 

[Js1 85,355]

4 minutes ago, Mo Horn said:

Any flight thru LHR adds tons of tax to award flights. Sometimes $200 or $300 per ticket. I will do an extra stop in the US to avoid it. 

Somehow this one did not - the whole thing was $96 total. I believe because it was an AA flight and not a BA flight. 

[PilotsError 2,287]

How bad Heathrow sucks could be its own thread.  

[Rimbo 25,966]

On 9/18/2023 at 7:29 PM, wild_turkey said:

 

SWA is a discount airline with non-discount fares. No business class, no premium economy, no ability to pick your seat in advance.

I don’t understand the people who are still loyal to them.

This is truth. Flying out of San Diego, SWA is the same price or more expensive than non-discount carriers (Delta, AA, Untied).

I fly them not out of loyalty, but because they often have routes most other airlines (with their hub and spoke model) don't. The trip is shorter if I don't have to fly through Atlanta or Chicago to get to Texas...

 

Edited September 20, 2023 by Rimbo

[SimonBolivar 10,958]

38 minutes ago, NWBuck said:

Flying out of Seattle (SeaTac, south of the city), I typically just go with the flight that is some combination of direct/affordable. Would prefer not to leave at 6 am, although that's the typical case for flights going east. 

But if it's within the parameters allowed, I prefer to fly Alaska out of Paine field (Boeing's campus). They're the only provider at that field at this point, and are limited to primarily flights up and down the west coast. 

But it's super smooth and really convenient to where I live (north Seattle) . Last time I came in from Los Angeles, I just had a carry on: it was 28 minutes from the plane door opening to my car pulling into the driveway.

That kind of convenience is worth paying for. 

Alaska from AUS -> SEA is really nice. In general, we pick Austin over DFW to fly out of almost every time with its ease of access (We live almost smack dab in between the two).

 

The only good thing about flying the budget airlines in Austin is you get to use the South terminal which is super convenient if not slightly hilarious. 

Edited September 20, 2023 by SimonBolivar

[pantone159 719]

Nonstop >> 1 stop >>>> 2+ stops.

Then I look for flights that fit my other travel plans. I don't mind the early flights, even though I am very much not a morning person, as you have less chance of things getting messed up, and more time to do something that day where you are going.

I'd consider the discount airlines if the stops/schedule is good, but I wouldn't pick them just for the low cost. And yes, Southwest is not a discount carrier, but I will happily fly them if they fit my criteria above, which for some routes they do.

[KCMasterpieceof 24]

5 hours ago, PilotsError said:

How bad Heathrow sucks could be its own thread.  

Preach.

[Aqua Buddha 14,598]

11 hours ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

Exactly - I always tell people flying AA is a little bit like living in a rigid caste system. It's miserable at the bottom and pretty great at the top. 

That's a good analogy, actually.  After I hit Platinum Pro on AA, I was stunned how easy everything was.  I've been on flights were people were completely screwed and I could instantly get through and booked.

Had a light and connection once where both legs were either delated or cancelled.  Just through the app, I was able to rebook both onto other flights first class with no problem at all.  

[Firemans4Horn 18,082]

Southwest about 99% of the time. I live 15 minutes from Love field and my clients are all located near airports they fly direct to. I’ve taken 24 hour buses across 3rd world countries so I guess I’m good without first class seat options and lounges. I prefer to spend as little time at an airport as possible.

Always loved how convenient it was to hop on an earlier flight if my meetings ended early (they were doing this way before Covid and the legacy carriers finally got more lenient). Also, any flight credit is super easy to be redeemed unlike the experience I had recently with American which was like pulling out your fingernails. 

[jimmyjazz 45,963]

Y'all consider Southwest as "discount"?  Why, because 737?  

They always seemed pretty major to me.  Maybe a little cheaper on some legs, but not significantly so.

[wild_turkey 3,159]

They board faster. The flights are faster. The people are happier. The prices are better if you plan ahead far enough. They go into less crowded airports. They have a lot of flights per day. They have a lot of direct flights. They don’t have bullshit like carry on fees, baggage fees, ticket use by dates, etc. They’ll provide service with integrity - not withstanding the computer eff ups. They are nothing like Spirit. 

Board faster compared to which other airline? Faster flights compared to which airline? Happier people? Direct flights? Cheaper prices?!?

If your comparison is Spirit or Frontier, that’s a pretty low bar. Also, I rarely see better prices or more direct routes on SWA, but I live in DFW so AA can almost always beat them.

The seating on SWA is a complete joke. It’s hard to believe that is still a thing in 2023 but their computers are too old to understand assigned seating.

I understand the smaller airports for people who care about that, but that’s a vote in favor of an airport and not the actual airline. That’s settling for a subpar airline because you want the airport.

SWA is basically Spirit with better branding.

[Sam Lin 3,559]

10 hours ago, boilerhorn said:

A former colleague did tons of flying to SFO and Taiwan - and I did a few times.  His airline of choice was United, as SFO is a United hub and they have a daily direct flight to Taipei.

Ewww disgusting. Eva Air to Taiwan, and you stay Star Alliance so your United miles and status still help.

[Dbeasy 15,053]

37 minutes ago, wild_turkey said:

 

Board faster compared to which other airline? Faster flights compared to which airline? Happier people? Direct flights? Cheaper prices?!?

If your comparison is Spirit or Frontier, that’s a pretty low bar. Also, I rarely see better prices or more direct routes on SWA, but I live in DFW so AA can almost always beat them.

The seating on SWA is a complete joke. It’s hard to believe that is still a thing in 2023 but their computers are too old to understand assigned seating.

I understand the smaller airports for people who care about that, but that’s a vote in favor of an airport and not the actual airline. That’s settling for a subpar airline because you want the airport.

SWA is basically Spirit with better branding.

 

Go look at the flight times between two cities for swa vs American, united delta. Maybe things have changed but at one point all of those airlines were 20-35 minutes longer flights.  

[pops 6,989]

Newsflash....all us domestic airlines are discount and they all fucking suck. Every one. 

[52-80 19,162]

6 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

Y'all consider Southwest as "discount"?  Why, because 737?  

They always seemed pretty major to me.  Maybe a little cheaper on some legs, but not significantly so.

single cabin, minimal services, mesh network as opposed to spoke-and-hub model,

[DallasGatr 216]

My advice has been consistent. If you are a frequent flyer, pick one major airline and stay committed. It will pay off in miles and status (yes, it makes a difference.) Been AA since moving to DFW in the 90’s and I’ve been moving up their food chain ever since. CK for the last 5 years and while not nearly as good as flying private, it’s as close as the bus lines can get. Even my backup airlines are associated with AA. (Taking Qatar later today to Singapore and will get points and miles as if I was flying American.)

My advice has been consistent. If you are a frequent flyer, pick one major airline and stay committed. It will pay off in miles and status (yes, it makes a difference.) Been AA since moving to DFW in the 90’s and I’ve been moving up their food chain ever since. CK for the last 5 years and while not nearly as good as flying private, it’s as close as the bus lines can get. Even my backup airlines are associated with AA. (Taking Qatar later today to Singapore and will get points and miles as if I was flying American.)

[Ghost of LL 15,531]

17 hours ago, PilotsError said:

How bad Heathrow sucks could be its own thread.  

I actually like LHR, or at least I like T5, which is the only terminal I fly through these days.  It is really easy to navigate between the A, B, and C concourses.  The Galleries Lounges are really very nice with a great view of the ramp and runways.  And if you're not in the lounge, there are a lot of good restaurants and bars.

But the fees charged are just ridiculous.  It can easily be $300 per ticket.  And so yeah--if I have to connect, I'm going to look at other options.

That is one thing I like about American, however.  When I go and look at other options (e.g., LH or KLM out of AUS), those airlines show their fares on the front page without all the fees and taxes.  So you're like "hot damn, I can get to Oslo for just $600."  It's only when you go to the final check-out page that you see there's another $800 in taxes, fees, and surcharges. 

American doesn't do that shit.  The price on the first page is the all-in price.  And I really appreciate that transparency.

11 hours ago, Firemans4Horn said:

Southwest about 99% of the time. I live 15 minutes from Love field and my clients are all located near airports they fly direct to. I’ve taken 24 hour buses across 3rd world countries so I guess I’m good without first class seat options and lounges. I prefer to spend as little time at an airport as possible.

Always loved how convenient it was to hop on an earlier flight if my meetings ended early (they were doing this way before Covid and the legacy carriers finally got more lenient). Also, any flight credit is super easy to be redeemed unlike the experience I had recently with American which was like pulling out your fingernails. 

When I lived in Dallas, I was exactly the same way.  Most of my flights were to Houston or San Antonio or occasionally New York or Chicago.  And you can't beat the convenience of flying Southwest on a route where they have a lot of flights.

9 hours ago, Sam Lin said:

Ewww disgusting. Eva Air to Taiwan, and you stay Star Alliance so your United miles and status still help.

This is right.

Frankly, I don't understand why you would ever fly a US-based carrier overseas if there is an available European or Asian codeshare.  I'll book on the AA website, but you better believe I'm looking for that magical "Flight Operated by Japan Airlines" notation in the flight details.

[creeper 98]

10 hours ago, Sam Lin said:

Ewww disgusting. Eva Air to Taiwan, and you stay Star Alliance so your United miles and status still help.

I couldn't find an Eva Air ticket on miles (no flexibility on dates) but did find a business class seat on China Air SFO to Taipei... any experience?  Recent reviews aren't bad.  Will be flying Eva to Tokyo but haven't booked a return ticket yet.

[Sam Lin 3,559]

China Air is also good. Food not quite as good as Eva. Rest of experience is solid. Both are ages above any US carrier.

[po elvis 2,073]

I am all about value. We have flights to HNL in November on Southwest for 8800 points each. From there in February will be flying Delta to Japan roundtrip for 45,000 points +$50 each (if I don't find something better by then). I really don't give a shit about the airlines. They are just a utility to get me to Hawaii and to Japan. I would rather spend the money on food and entertainment.

[NorthLoop 14,214]

On 9/19/2023 at 2:06 AM, jimmyjazz said:

I put my wife and kids on a discount from Austin to Durango -- man, I won't make that mistake again.  I'm still paying in random chores.

I've been to Durango twice and had no idea they had an airport. Would still prefer to drive that one - I really like that drive. 

[jimmyjazz 45,963]

11 minutes ago, NorthLoop said:

I've been to Durango twice and had no idea they had an airport. Would still prefer to drive that one - I really like that drive. 

I think it's all small regional jets backed by majors (American and United).  

At any rate, they were going for a long ski weekend, driving would have been a non-starter.

[Aqua Buddha 14,598]

4 hours ago, DallasGatr said:

My advice has been consistent. If you are a frequent flyer, pick one major airline and stay committed. It will pay off in miles and status (yes, it makes a difference.) Been AA since moving to DFW in the 90’s and I’ve been moving up their food chain ever since. CK for the last 5 years and while not nearly as good as flying private, it’s as close as the bus lines can get. Even my backup airlines are associated with AA. (Taking Qatar later today to Singapore and will get points and miles as if I was flying American.)

My advice has been consistent. If you are a frequent flyer, pick one major airline and stay committed. It will pay off in miles and status (yes, it makes a difference.) Been AA since moving to DFW in the 90’s and I’ve been moving up their food chain ever since. CK for the last 5 years and while not nearly as good as flying private, it’s as close as the bus lines can get. Even my backup airlines are associated with AA. (Taking Qatar later today to Singapore and will get points and miles as if I was flying American.)

[closetohumping 17,442]

All you AA people, can you point me in the right direction on how I can get proof on a cancelled flight.

[kevwun 15,795]

There are no good US airlines, only ones that haven't fucked you over yet.

[Gil Bang 25,961]

8 hours ago, po elvis said:

I am all about value. We have flights to HNL in November on Southwest for 8800 points each. From there in February will be flying Delta to Japan roundtrip for 45,000 points +$50 each (if I don't find something better by then). I really don't give a shit about the airlines. They are just a utility to get me to Hawaii and to Japan. I would rather spend the money on food and entertainment.

Fuck that shit.  I've done LAX-NRT in the front of a 777, and I've done similar length flights in economy.   I landed at Narita fresh as a fucking spring daisy.  The economy flight I was dead for a day or more after arrival. 

[boilerhorn 1,387]

20 hours ago, Sam Lin said:

Ewww disgusting. Eva Air to Taiwan, and you stay Star Alliance so your United miles and status still help.

Totally agree that EVA > United. Of the 7 or so trips I made to Taipei, I took EVA 2 times.  It is definitely superior to United, but its time/day options were a little more limited than United. Also, I was able to fly business, so the United experience was not as poor as it would have been in coach.

Edited September 22, 2023 by boilerhorn

[Ag with kids 581]

On 9/20/2023 at 9:10 AM, Bozo_Casanova said:

Exactly - I always tell people flying AA is a little bit like living in a rigid caste system. It's miserable at the bottom and pretty great at the top. 

I'm usually Gold or Platinum, so no Brahmin goodies for me, but Vaishya ain't THAT bad...

Plus I've got the MC Exec card to get into the AA Lounges so I've got that going for me.

[DallasGatr 216]

EVA>>>>>United

Been on that SFO-TPE flight twice this year and it blows away United. Great food, service and yes smoking hot, young, sweet FA’s.

My Asian Airline preferences in order:

1-Singapore (Only if you love size zero flight attendants that all look like matching Chinese dolls.)

2-EVA-See above

3-ANA-They seem to only hire hot, young, friendly Japanese girls for cabin crew

4-Korean-Good food, hot, thin FA’s

5-Japan-Great service

6-China Air

7-Cathay-Everything seems off.

(I only rated the airlines I can remember taking since Covid.)

[po elvis 2,073]

4 hours ago, Gil Bang said:

Fuck that shit.  I've done LAX-NRT in the front of a 777, and I've done similar length flights in economy.   I landed at Narita fresh as a fucking spring daisy.  The economy flight I was dead for a day or more after arrival. 

I have 2 months. I don't give a shit about a day. 

[Guest]

Flight on AA oversold so they ask for volunteers to rebook for a voucher.  I have work I can do if it means sitting at the airport instead of the hotel and getting a free ticket down the road.

my arrival at destination today is 4:10 PM.  They offer me $150 to get in at midnight.

I just start laughing and mumble hell no under my breath.  If I spend 8 hours for the airline, I’m getting $400 at a minimum.

Funny but also, ‘Who the fuck would say yes to that?’

[52-80 19,162]

17 hours ago, slorch said:

Flight on AA oversold so they ask for volunteers to rebook for a voucher.  I have work I can do if it means sitting at the airport instead of the hotel and getting a free ticket down the road.

my arrival at destination today is 4:10 PM.  They offer me $150 to get in at midnight.

I just start laughing and mumble hell no under my breath.  If I spend 8 hours for the airline, I’m getting $400 at a minimum.

Funny but also, ‘Who the fuck would say yes to that?’

Lol, $150 offer sounds like spirit/swa levels of generosity. 

In my younger days i would intentionally book the busiest flights for work, to enter the voucher lottery. Job load was light and i had all the time in the world. If i got one i would just sit in the lounge and watch movies. Think the (CO/UA) vouchers had equivalent value of $350 or something like that. 

[CowboyFred 1,151]

Flew Allegiant once to Las Vegas and never again. No AC on the plane for a 2+ hour flight back home was not fun.  

[Wally Fairway 5,550]

Years ago when I lived near Meyerland, I flew SWA because my main travels were to Dallas, New Orleans, SA, El Paso, Kansas City & Corpus. They were great, but that was back in the day.

Now I fly maybe 3 trips a year, and will look for nonstop flights - nearest major airport is Detroit, so that means Delta, and I have a kid in Seattle so they fly nonstop 2-3 times a day. The kiddo booked SWA last year for the holidays, and that was when SWA forgot how to fly. So she rebooked on United out of O'Hare and I got to drive to Chicago; I used them last month for  a golf trip (because 2 bags checked for free ) and they changed my outbound flight and texted me at 7:50am notifying me that my new flight was at 11:20am, instead of 1:40pm. Luckily I had my phone or I could have missed my flight. I plan to give my kids my SWA miles to use, because I am pretty much done with them.

Otherwise - I have heard too many stories about cheapy airlines and I don't want to have the hassles.

[DFWTexEx 276]

Reasonable Price + Convenience (non-stops, lots of flight choices, etc.) + some advantage for loyalty.  I live in Dallas.  I don't do Southwest because of the seat situation.  So, it's American for me and I don't have the complaints that others do.  I am treated well and have good experiences for the most part.  I can fly almost anywhere non-stop.  I can't imaging having to fly a discount airline. It's just not consideration.  I do the math sometimes and it is never significantly cheaper when you add in convenience as a cost.