Flying American Airlines instead of Delta

Hi,

I need to book airfare for Escape cruise leaving 11/25/2017. I'm flying from Detroit to either Miami or Ft. Lauderdale on 11/24 and returning home on 12/2.

I prefer to fly Delta because I get 1st checked bag free and have a Delta Amex card.

But Delta would run about 450 round trip and American Airlines is about 300 round trip.

Does anyone have any experience with American Airlines? Are they better than Spirit?

Thanks

Sue

Hi,

 

I need to book airfare for Escape cruise leaving 11/25/2017. I'm flying from Detroit to either Miami or Ft. Lauderdale on 11/24 and returning home on 12/2.

 

I prefer to fly Delta because I get 1st checked bag free and have a Delta Amex card.

 

But Delta would run about 450 round trip and American Airlines is about 300 round trip.

 

Does anyone have any experience with American Airlines? Are they better than Spirit?

 

Thanks

 

Sue

I would not recommend Spirit at all!!!

My personal preference is Delta rather than American.

Nothing wrong with spirit if you know what you're getting in to. You pay for everything and seats don't recline. If you manage your expectations, the flight is fine. It will get you from A to B.

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I also have an American Express for Delta and prefer to fly them when I can for the free baggage. But my husband flies American Airlines every week out of Miami and he doesn't really have many problems with it. Sometimes some delays. If you don't mind flying into Fort Lauderdale though my guess is Southwest would be a lot cheaper and you don't have to worry about baggage fees.

I've moved a lot and flown Delta a lot when we lived in Minnesota and American when we lived in Texas. There isn't much difference between the 2. If the price was the same, I'd pick Delta, but at $150 ($100 after check bag fees on both flights), take American. Some people will say they had a horrible experience on American or Delta, but those are rare. It's not a long international flight, you'll get a free soda or coffee on either, the seats on both have the same amount of legroom, and the seats are about the same in terms of comfort. Save the $100, it's not worth the extra amount at all.

Hi,

I need to book airfare for Escape cruise leaving 11/25/2017. I'm flying from Detroit to either Miami or Ft. Lauderdale on 11/24 and returning home on 12/2.

I prefer to fly Delta because I get 1st checked bag free and have a Delta Amex card.

But Delta would run about 450 round trip and American Airlines is about 300 round trip.

Does anyone have any experience with American Airlines? Are they better than Spirit?

Thanks

Sue

Are you comparing all the oranges and apples ?

American is big time business in Florida - Delta in Michigan

Is the fare the same at FLL (Fort Lauderdale) as it is at MIA (Miami) non-stop - one stop - change of plane ?

A variety of coach fares from Comfort to real cheapo Economy (no leg room - seat selection limited)

Time of the day makes a difference in the fare - the lowest fares are just when the ship is docking - darn !

Later in the day the fares go as high as the planes fly.

You have an affinity card - got any miles built up with it ?

Booking several weeks in advance - lower fares - last minute bad idea.

As for Spirit airlines you may have to pay for a DIY boarding pass and every other function checking baggage -

seat selection - priority boarding and lastly what is their on time record how do they handle their customers

in a delay cancellation situation. I'll go with the big airlines with a fleet of airplanes and options getting to and

from the ship !

Delta and American Airlines are like Coke and Pepsi, spirit is the budget non-brand soda.

Seriously though...American, United, Delta, Southwest are all full service airlines. None are perfect, but they all do a pretty good job. I wouldn't send my worst enemy on Spirit.

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The real problem with Spirit is that they have few flights AND plan very tight: if a pilot or flight attendant gets sick or the plane has some issues, that may result in a flight cancellation more often than on AA or DL.

And with less flights rescheduling a cancelled flight is harder and translates to a bigger delay.

On the other hand, FLL is Spirit hub.

They're better than Spirit, 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. Spirit is a very low cost airline with extremely uncomfortable cardboard-like seats. If you're small and can be comfortable in tighter than normal airline seats that are also paper thin, take the $150 savings. Otherwise, fly American and build in extra time for any connections you might have.

EDIT: I just realized you aren't deciding between American and Spirit. I agree with others that American and Delta are coke & Pepsi. I personally don't love American because of their poor on-time rate, but I do fly them when I travel internationally and southwest doesn't go where I want, but otherwise I avoid them.

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AA is much better than Spirit and Delta.

I would go by the number of stop overs, the time, and then the price IMO over the actual carrier (but I have no brand loyalty to any airlines). I fly American most of the time because they just typically have cheaper flights at times that I like. I rarely have encountered problems. I've heard Spirit regularly has super long delays. Unless a Spirit flight was that cheap I would try to get a different airline.

Don't use Spirit. You didn't say if the prices you quoted were for non stop or connecting flights and whether they included bag costs or not. There is a one way on Southwest on 12/2 from FLL to DTW that connects for 124.00 including bags. It's at 515 pm. If you're deciding between the Delta and American flights, take American.

I agree with the others. The one thing I will add is you are planning on flying around Thanksgiving. Look at how many flights both Delta and AA have on the day you want to travel. I would go with the one that offers the best chance of getting out if something were to go wrong with the weather and/or crew. That can be an expensive and busy time to fly.

Also, check in online 24 hours out. I doubt with all the issues lately that they would over sell but when a cruise is in place and you need to be there just do what you can to ensure that you aren't left behind.

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Hi,

This is the comparison today:

On American it is direct flight both ways. Leave Detroit 11/24 at 10:50 am and arrive Miami at 1:50 pm. Leave Miami on 12/2 at 1:35 pm and arrive Detroit at 4:41 pm. The cost is 303 and I can take a carry on and personal item. We will probably both need a checked back so 328 pp.

On Delta it is also direct flight both ways. But need to fly into FLL and fly out of Miami. Leave Detroit 11/24 at 11:30 and arrive FLL at 11:28. Leave Miami on 12/2 at 11:30 and arrive Detroit at 2:44 pm. The total cost is 227 + 179 = 406. I wouldn't pay extra for the checked baggage.

So for 2 of us with AA = 656 (includes 2 checked bags) and Delta 812 (includes 2 checked bags). Also, with AA I get little later departure time which alleviates worry of not making it to the airport in time.

So as along as they are both comparable with being on time I should book with AA. It's just my comfort level has been with Delta.

Thank you for all the great feedback.

Delta and American Airlines are like Coke and Pepsi, spirit is the budget non-brand soda.

Exactly!

I've flown American 9 times in the last two years, not only have them been on time by twice we were one hour early into Vegas. Never had any issues with them.

Hi,

 

This is the comparison today:

 

On American it is direct flight both ways. Leave Detroit 11/24 at 10:50 am and arrive Miami at 1:50 pm. Leave Miami on 12/2 at 1:35 pm and arrive Detroit at 4:41 pm. The cost is 303 and I can take a carry on and personal item. We will probably both need a checked back so 328 pp.

 

On Delta it is also direct flight both ways. But need to fly into FLL and fly out of Miami. Leave Detroit 11/24 at 11:30 and arrive FLL at 11:28. Leave Miami on 12/2 at 11:30 and arrive Detroit at 2:44 pm. The total cost is 227 + 179 = 406. I wouldn't pay extra for the checked baggage.

 

So for 2 of us with AA = 656 (includes 2 checked bags) and Delta 812 (includes 2 checked bags). Also, with AA I get little later departure time which alleviates worry of not making it to the airport in time.

 

So as along as they are both comparable with being on time I should book with AA. It's just my comfort level has been with Delta.

 

Thank you for all the great feedback.

In this case, I would fly American (though they really grate on my nerves -- especially in Miami). If Southwest is an option, I highly recommend them. They are fun, on-time, and they don't charge for up to 2 checked bags per person. You have to fly into FLL, but that's not a big deal at all; we did just that on June 2. We arranged our own transportation from there, but NCL had busses picking people up.

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.

Hi,

 

This is the comparison today:

 

On American it is direct flight both ways. Leave Detroit 11/24 at 10:50 am and arrive Miami at 1:50 pm. Leave Miami on 12/2 at 1:35 pm and arrive Detroit at 4:41 pm. The cost is 303 and I can take a carry on and personal item. We will probably both need a checked back so 328 pp.

 

On Delta it is also direct flight both ways. But need to fly into FLL and fly out of Miami. Leave Detroit 11/24 at 11:30 and arrive FLL at 11:28. Leave Miami on 12/2 at 11:30 and arrive Detroit at 2:44 pm. The total cost is 227 + 179 = 406. I wouldn't pay extra for the checked baggage.

 

So for 2 of us with AA = 656 (includes 2 checked bags) and Delta 812 (includes 2 checked bags). Also, with AA I get little later departure time which alleviates worry of not making it to the airport in time.

 

So as along as they are both comparable with being on time I should book with AA. It's just my comfort level has been with Delta.

 

Thank you for all the great feedback.

I think that your calculation is off slightly. You need to add another $25 for each person on American because the bag fee is each way, not round trip.

For me even though the cost is more I would take Delta, just because I like them better than American

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....

nmn

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....

They are non-stop and I am flying in the day before the cruise. I will need to check out the AA credit card. Thanks.

They are non-stop and I am flying in the day before the cruise. I will need to check out the AA credit card. Thanks.

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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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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I like Southwest for all the reasons you noted. The only thing I don't like about Southwest is there are hardly any non stop flights from Detroit to almost all cities I have checked.

They are non-stop and I am flying in the day before the cruise. I will need to check out the AA credit card. Thanks.

I keep both cards and I'm from the Detroit area also. Used the sign up points and points earned for some cheap R/T flights to Spain. The Citi card gives back 10% of the miles back on redemption. There are also more low mile options to Europe on AA. AA also does some nice point purchase sales that can make sense when booking a business class saver flight or one ways (bought some of those and managed business class back from Seoul this past spring).

The AA Citicard has some limited trip cancellation benefits (but not as good as some of the Chase cards) which can save you money on insurance. It also did a nice promo this past quarter where they gave 3x points on grocery or fuel after promotion sign up.

While I view DL my go-to airline because of all the options provided by being in a hub city, I have no problem flying AA, or United for that matter.

Note...just checked, sign up is 60K miles right now.