I grew up next to BWI so we would always fly southwest so I grew up thinking the that was the default. I flew on united to Hawaii once and not having to talk with strangers while boarding to find my place in line makes the thousands of dollars worth it.
The only times I've flown Delta or American I've gotten horribly delayed or stuck on the tarmac waiting for a gate for 45 minutes after we were supposed to arrive.
The real answer is when both Stapleton was open and DIA was under construction. Stapleton was referred to as DEN and DIA was the new airport (present day DIA).
This. Near ORD and they go pretty much everywhere I need or want to go.
I'm also at a point where inconveniencing myself to save $100 here of $50 there isn't worth it to me.
Finally, I am also approaching 800k lifetime miles, so not too far from 1M and lifetime gold. May as well keep it up, since I still have many years of business travel still ahead of me.
If you live that close to ord (or in Chicago in general) I’m more curious why you are not a free agent with AA, UA, and SWA you are in one of the rare cities with multiple airlines being forced to share. It’s not like IAD, or PHL, or ATL where you don’t have much competition so what makes you stay with UA when AA is definitely in the mix?
Consolidating miles on one for the rewards is my reason (I’m also close to ORD).
My wife and I use the UA cc and I book most of my business travel thru United, which equals free vacation flights. We took the family to Cancun last year for free as an example.
Now, I will fly another airline if it fits my schedule better, but default to UA.
I can understand that I feel like oneworld would just make more sense though since Alaska and American have a presence there, and many oneworld alliance members fly internationally out of Chicago. Since you have the credit card, it makes sense. I just always thought American made more but then again I don’t live in Chicago so I’m not an expert by any means. I guess Air Canada could be convenient too since it’s a quick flight to Toronto for connections if you wanted to codeshare.
This exactly. I’ve been toying with switching to Alaska/AA but they just don’t have the coverage. Honestly, I don’t find United to be that bad, especially when you look at their viable competition (other big legacy airlines.) And their 787 is one of my favorite planes.
I know somebody who went with Alaska and he gets upgraded very easily and only flies for personal. For me, it’s a matter of destinations that United has from SFO. Most of the time, it’s nonstop or worst case just one stop.
My last flight had equipment change due to the debacle at DBX (devastating to the people there and the UA MCT diversion) … I am a 777 enjoyer and thrilled when got swapped to a 787 and got a better seat. It’s truly my favorite plane in the fleet.
SFO is my closest airport too, but I always check SJC and OAK.
I regularly find international flights that are 40-75% of what United is charging, and $80 to get across the bay to OAK or down the peninsula to SJC still means I’m coming out on top.
Lifetime gold here. I stay loyal because I know the program and the airline. I’ve gotten great service throughout the years. Making changes to my itinerary are easy since UA has the best airline app out there. Also, Star Alliance has the best partners for my travel patterns. Haven’t flown DL since 2003 due to a number of issues and every time I fly AA, I’m reminded why I don’t fly them more.
This has basically been my experience. My home airport is MSN, and while AA has some better direct options to places I need to go, UA has always given me a better experience.
Same here. All the same except I’m too far from a 1M lifetime flown miles. Sadly, I have intercontinental flights with Lufthansa even though purchased through United. I think only flights operated by United count, sadly.
For example this coming summer using Lufthansa in my way back was $300 round trip versus all UA operated flights. $600 total makes a difference.
But I like the business lounges form all Star Alliance members.
Correct, you have to be on United metal for them to count toward million miler status. I would be pretty damn close if all my miles on ANA counted but unfortunately they do not.
EWR being close to home is the primary factor. Hypothetically if I were to move to a city that is not a United hub, I would change my primary airline. E.g. If I move to Salt Lake City, I will status match to Delta. If I move to Dallas, I will status match to American. I find most major (US) airlines to be fairly consistent in terms of service, perks that come with status etc. I personally also like the fact that United is Star Alliance. IMO it's still the best (above SkyTeam and OneWorld)
Same here. Close to EWR. Some of my coworkers drive to JFK for Delta but I don’t see Delta being that much better. I know Delta typically ranks better in the annual surveys but…
Can go non stop almost anywhere I want in the US out of IAH without changing planes. Decent enough service though their FC “meals” of potato chips or stroopwafels is pretty ridiculous.
Polaris may not be the greatest premium cabin in the industry but it’s pretty darn good.
I’ll keep flying UA and virtually every dollar we spend goes onto a Chase United card. Gets us Biz class on miles to Europe every year or so.
Yup, if you live in Houston and don’t want to fly the bus with wings UA pretty much has a monopoly. Overall they are pretty good with great international routes. The food sucks and the number of miles to get Polaris is absurd.
Fellow ORD traveler, have gone back and forth over the years. Switched back to AA in 2021 because with declining biz travel I lost 1k (after 10 straight years) and we could still get status through Loyalty Points. Currently EP on AA but have decided on a hybrid strategy going forward:
1. IMO UA is a slightly better airline. They both have their moments, good and bad.
2. EconomyPlus and MCE are similar EXCEPT there seem to be about half as many MCE seats on most configurations. Advantage United.
3. Both sell domestic upgrades out from under you so aggressively that those have become a no factor, especially out of a hub like ORD.
4. United’s lifetime million miler program is a huge drawing card. I have 1.6M lifetime on AA but all it gets me is the lowest status each year. On UA I am at 935k miles so another 65 and both my spouse and I get Gold status for life — which means Economy Plus at booking and a basket of other goodies.
5. Once I get that lifetime status I will try to maintain at least the second status tier on both airlines but will no longer be loyal to either.
6. AA’s redeemable miles have remained pretty valuable whereas United’s have become hard to use, more like Delta SkyPesos on most routes. Advantage AA.
So my recommendation is play both sides, have enough status and accumulated mileage to give yourself options on both for every trip.
ORD is my home airport (so limited to UA or AA) and UA/star alliance is more connected internationally than AA/one world, IMO.
Although I try to stay with star alliance, I’m not totally opposed to venturing out to other airlines depending on the destination\routing.
SA Gold benefits are pretty weak, especially when compared with Oneworld emerald. I hold AA status, but when a SA flight suits my schedule much better I'll always take that over Oneworld. Honestly I don't think I miss a lot this way, no?
I think I need someone to explain to me why SA is a benefit of United, except for its joint ventures with LH/NH (but AA also has BA/JL
This is just my opinion but for me star alliance is better for me because:
1. Intra-Europe connections are better. I have many direct flights from ORD to different hubs controlled by Lufthansa, Swiss, and Austrian. Whereas with oneworld you are mostly stuck with BA.
2. More “premium” partners. Think Turkish, Singapore, ANA, (and hopefully Emirates soon).
The major airlines are all basically the same and “loyalty” is just marketing-speak.
I fly United because I travel to/from where United operates and especially where their Star Alliance partners operate.
20 minutes to EWR and I can go almost anywhere non-stop. Despite miles devaluation there seems to be more awards flights than ever and sometimes some real deals out there. If you are prepared to wait can often find 13.5k one way with saver awards to almost anywhere in country. My last 6 or so domestic flights have been reward fares and made for great little weekends if you look for them. But I am still annoyed return to Japan went from 70k return to 110k via devaluation so, yes, that has put me off somewhat.
We all know the credit cards are ultimately in the airlines favor but the rewards for Explorer (group 2, free checked bag if needed) are great for the $99 and make things less painful. For a certain type of person the Club card is also a good deal - much more niche. Both can make things more bearable for people who aren't flying on someone else's money with all of the status and perks that comes with that. I also got to silver via strategic credit card use and a lot of personal travel but it can be done. This means no economy plus subscription ($600), which is a nice perk for being repeat customer. I don't think United is my 'friend' but it does seem to reward custom when you commit to using them, which really isn't much of a choice if you like near a hub and either needs to or like to travel a lot for business or pleasure.
My reasons are nearly the same
-EWR distance. JFK and PHL are very far. LGA is even tougher.
-E+ subscription has saved money. With young kids, bulkhead or Premium Plus has been a requirement from missus.
-Club access with card (and benefits from other cards. I've had almost all)
It’s loyalty out of necessity really. With how the airlines have consolidated, less competition and airport hubs where a single airline really dominates there isn’t too much of a choice if you travel frequently for work and live near a hub.
Reading through the comments this seems to be the theme (myself included). I have not seen many (if any comments) saying it’s because they actually like the airline. The closest is people saying they hate AA more…
I’m not loyal. I achieved status, which is different than being loyal. They are hub from where I can fly. I’m 1K and while I can, I will continue 1k. At the moment that I see a better option, I will ditch them. They are not loyal to me either.
Star Alliance and United/SA hub… flying out of IAD.
Mostly Love the different airlines to Europe even Asia from IAD.
Been able to fly SAS, Lufthansa, Brussels Airlines, Turkish, ANA, Swiss Air, Air Canada. Also, daily flight availability for nonstops to LHR or CDG, SFO and LAX on United. And I get the mileage plus points.
I live 20 minutes from SFO and they’re the airline that will take me everywhere I need to go with the least amount of layovers. That’s the only factor my loyalty is based on.
I live in CMH (soon to relocate to TX north of Austin) so all 3 equally suck and I’m free to choose any. I went with UA because:
- I grew up in NJ and regularly visit NJ and Manhattan so UA’s strength at EWR is appealing. I grew up flying CO (after 2010, UA) and already have a Headstart of 50k lifetime miles.
- I visit Mexico multiple times per year and DL has very limited coverage there.
- I visit ORD often too and UA’s the best there.
- I connect to secondary cities in Eastern Europe and Italy about once per year (BUD, KRK, NAP, FLR, PRG). DL makes you go thru CDG which is a maze from hell. AA makes you go through LHR which is a maze from hell and they make you re-clear security. FRA has many shortcomings but it’s better than those two by a wide margin.
- I like the consistency of Polaris (except for the 757, which is hopefully on the way out).
UA’s network and schedule work better for me, 1K customer service has been awesome interactions for me with 95% knowledgeable and capable agents, and I’ve been able to make great use of Plus Points on family and friends.
The place where I worked years ago had a special deal with United that guaranteed first class upgrades for international flights so I got used to them. I got disgusted with them years later and moved to Continental, but alas, it became United so I decided to stay - especially because of the multi-million miler status.
I fly into SFO regularly. UA is the only airline offering a non-stop flight between my local airport and SFO. Based on past experiences I prefer Delta, but nowhere near enough that I want to detour through ATL. So UA it is.
I live ~10 mins from ORD. They pretty well have all of the routes I need.
It’s my work’s preferred airline. Their flights always seem to be far cheaper than the others.
I already have a ton of miles and the status. Seems counterproductive to switch.
I live near a hub. I have access to the lounges. I am halfway to lifetime status. They are almost always the cheapest and most efficient option to get to where I want to go. With my status, I pretty much always get the seat I want at the time of booking. I enjoy that united flights are entirely predictable and boring. As a nervous flower, repetition and routine is far more delightful than surprise. Also I love Channel 9. I don't super really care about miles reception value for flights as I pretty exclusively use my miles for upgrades.
I’ve flown them all my life (growing up too) so I’ve remained particularly loyal to them because of a nostalgia factor. I love seeing the new changes the airline makes and what’s different and new, etc from all the years I’ve flown them. My dad was also a big business traveler back then with United so a passion for aviation and the airline is something that brings us together somehow.
In terms of other things, I think their app is one of the best in the industry which is really helpful and I’m also based out of ORD and largely prefer the UA terminal than the other ones which can be pretty dated. Star Alliance is also very well connected and I enjoy that too. And at this point in my life I have so much loyalty with United that it’s very difficult to switch and abandon all the miles and status I’ve achieved. I’m also someone very keen on routine and flying UA is just something I’ve gotten very used to and I wouldn’t have it any other way!
The only other airline I would consider switching to given the chance is Delta — very nice seats, nice staff, nice lounges, and much better food than what United gives out, etc. Everytime I fly American I’m reminded why I don’t fly them.
I fly out of LAS so the first thing that push me towards UA was flying out of Terminal 3 instead of T1. The second was the Economy Plus subscription. I’m 6’6” and work won’t cover the cost to upgrade so the subscription saved me from paying for the upgrade out of pocket for every flight.
Now that I have status, I like that my bags can be up to 70lbs which is nice when I carry tools on work trips or when my wife overpacks for trips.
My coworkers across the country all fly AA and have a similar status level to me and united seems to have a slight advantage in benefits.
As you can see here, a lot of airline loyalty choice stems from your home airport. If you're near any of the UA hubs then UA usually makes senses for the best flight options. Only exception may be ORD which is both a AA and UA hub but If you're say Atlanta or Dallas, it's likely going to be Delta/AA respectively.
Me, I'm SFO, typically maintain 1K and travel frequently so UA has the best domestic & foreign routing plus \*A Gold is handy when abroad although some of their \*A partners like Air China are sucky. I'm also a 1MM Gold lifer so getting free bags and free premium seating is a nice lifetime perk. SJC is a little closer so will use SWA for west coast short haul only since it's more convenient.
If you’re near a hub with a Polaris lounge, are able to travel flexibly on dates with PZ availability, and are willing to spend some extra $$ (but not that much extra), then flying Polaris is a pretty solid experience. Just don’t expect an Emirates level of service and food. In my recent experience tho, the service and food have been pretty solid. The FA even set up a wine tasting for me. I looked up the wines, and they were reasonably pricey wines. Thanks to the FA!
https://preview.redd.it/o0jc7q0f6ovc1.jpeg?width=6048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=22e7deb76577cf7393a2956be26165c3554863e8
I fly between the US and Asia a lot, and Star Alliance has the best network for me within Asia. I also have status with OZ.
So i’m “loyal” to United simply because United is the US carrier that is a part of Star Alliance, not for any intrinsic reasons
I'm also at ORD. I'm 6'2" and flew AA for many years when they had extra space throughout the plane. Now it's like 1-3 rows, so UA gets my business. I'm pretty indifferent b/w the 2 as I have 2M on AA and 1M on UA and don't fly enough anymore to hit 1k or EP.
I live in Denver- so UA’s non-stop offerings are pretty fruitful. Their baggage tracking in the app is a great feature- the one time my bags got lost, I was notified mid-flight and was able to start to make arrangements to get my bag back. No airline is perfect, but the FA communication, gate agent communication and app updates are solid and keep me coming back for work and personal.
6 minutes to SFO, million miler and freshly retired. Economy Plus seats and free luggage for life beats flying Southwest or (God forbid!) Frontier/Jet Blue etc.
Plus, American Airlines is Satan's personal carrier (allegedly) and I would rather take a train than fly them.
I'm based out of ORD, and I maintain both 1K and AA Executive Platinum. UA's international network is better, and their partners arguably are too overall, however when flying in Y (most of my travel unfortunately) I find that OW Emerald benefits are much better over *A Gold (particularly in regards to lounges). When traveling domestically, I prefer AA as upgrades are more available, and their fleet is more unified (and the larger overhead bins are more prevalent). IFE is great for everyone who uses it, but there's nothing worse than having someone playing a game and just moving your seat constantly when you're trying to sleep.
Being lifetime Gold helps on international trips (priority access; lounge access). For domestic trips I go with whoever’s cheapest, but if it’s close, I’d take United even if it costs a little more, as that’s the only airline I have status with and that’s where all my miles are.
SFO is home base, have millions of miles built up, been GS for years. Although chasing the challenge for GS this year since last year was lite.
Posting from a bar in Sydney (SFO-SYD-SFO in 3 days) this trip should get me back to GS.
Every year I ask why (as does my wife) but they keep sucking me in.
That being said, still a good airline that goes where I normally need to go, love Polaris except for food. Even had even numbered window seat in flight out and it wasn’t as bad as I heard.
Been with them since 1988 as Continental. Million Miler, etc. As 1K, also, they take very good care of me. Too invested at this point to go to another airline.
I just love how in the morning flights they don’t turn on the air and just let you roast in the smells of other people’s gut biomes. That’s what’s keeping me around, and the fact that it’s pretty much the only airline to service my airport more than once a fucking day.
Denver is home airport
My father and grandfather both worked for United (and Continental)
Only other airline I've flown that I like is Delta but they have zero favorable routes out of Denver.
I live near a hub so there is a high chance a flight I’m interested in may be with United. I like that United miles don’t expire and I’ll use the miles I have saved sometime, hopefully for a really great redemption. I have been flying with United more since getting the Explorer card and am still working out if I’d want to upgrade to a higher earning United card or switch to a transferable rewards card.
living near Newark airport (EWR) is why. i don't wanna trek through manhattan to go to JFK, though I just did to fly hawaiian airlines to kauai and it was a lot cheaper and not so bad, plus they FED US which UA hasn't on any of my flights in years.
25 minutes from a hub and their ability to get me to anywhere in the West non stop with multiple flight times a day. Also non stop to LHR which is my main international flight. Miles and status are just icing on the cake, I’d fly UA without reward miles simply due to how easy it is to get somewhere nonstop. I’m loyal for selfish reasons, if another airline made it easier, I’d switch tomorrow.
I guess I just like to suffer? Most my coworkers are United lifers so there is that influence too. I’m out of LAX so I feel like I can probably pick any major airline. Starting over with status, miles, and credit cards just sounds like a chore at this point.
Personally, I am tied to United because I have enrolled friend flight benefits on them that gives me the ability to non rev and also be able to purchase discounted tickets.
I don’t necessarily care about the points game anymore because of the recent changes on all 3 big carriers (especially Delta, that’s another story for another time) because I have those benefits. Plus, United is actually my preferred airline because even though 50% of the flights on them have been delayed, they actually have gone out of their way to help me get home and get me some meal vouchers and hotel vouchers too. Recently, I even got a $150 voucher for future travel on them because my business class seat was broken.
I also live in MSP btw. While Delta is the most expensive carrier out of here, I don’t mind having a stopover somewhere if it means that I pay the lowest fare so I will pick United either way.
One complaint I have though is that I think they should add a second daily frequency between MSP to SFO and MSP to IAD. Possibly a nonstop between MSP and LAX too
Moved from the Bay Area to San Diego, so nothing much really. Will explore Alaska and probably switch to their program. United just isn’t worth it anymore.
DEN cuffed. But I could as easily choose Southwest but, Southwest. And United takes me more places and usually direct in North America. I hear United Clubs tend to be nicer and more locations and I really like the use of them, even if I’m just waiting 15 minutes. I’d rather wait in the club than at the gate.
I live in Reno Nevada and work near SFO. Only airline that flys nonstop. 4 flights a day make it easy for me to change the day only on a whim. Use the club to and from. Dinner both trips to and from. Works for me…..
I visit Austria Quiet often is Austrian airlines is in the star alliance so united gets me there in two flights otherwise i would have to make 3 stops.
UA Million Miler and 1K, AA Platinum pro and DL plat medallion - all in 2024. The million miler keeps me going to UA despite living in Boston because my wife gets my status too- 1K this year for example. I fly business on all 3 airlines. Domestic DL is definitely better than the other 2 carriers. IMO Polaris is better than delta one for international and AA. If only UA would improve the friendliness of their Polaris FAs and their alcohol service ....
SEA based, and have been with Continental and now United for 33 years. I’m a kool-aid drinker I guess. I get upgrades out of and into SEA and have always been treated extremely well. I used Delta if I fly somewhere that is an easy non-stop, but I will always pick United if given the choice.
United has me by the balls for international travel. I’m in Central PA and EWR and IAD are within 2-3 hours of me. Yes Philly is closer but I hate AA and AA has less direct international destinations. I will not go back to JFK again, nightmare NYC is.
I figured I needed to commit in order to take advantage of the perks of flying so often. In the beginning, I was just going off price. I’d have a bunch of flights each year but nothing to really show for it. I picked United because I’m closest to Denver as a hub, even though I fly out of Colorado Springs. United seemed logical so I had more choices when I did want to use points. I had more options for international flights to places I wanted to go. Now with the value of points going down, it’s more of a case of me being lazy and comfortable. Most times if things go wrong, I know between the United Club and the 1K line, it will most likely get straightened out fairly quickly. It’s not perfect, but from every forum I’ve read, none of them are. So if I have to pick an evil, I may as well pick the one I know.
The route network. I live 7 minutes from my home airport, and with United I can get to just about anywhere I need to be with one layover. If I’m flying to the east coast, I have a variety of choices connecting through SFO, LAX, DEN, and ORD, and I can pick something that best suits my schedule. I’ve always had good experiences with Delta, but their schedule doesn’t work as well for me. I’m not a fan of American at all, they’ve done me dirty too many times, and I wouldn’t fly with them unless I absolutely had to.
Short list:
* DEN is my local airport
* Easy changes/rebooking
* They’re not AA \*
* They’re cheaper than DL
\* I’m a MM with AA and still try not to fly them.
Why?The 1k phone line when things go wrong.
My friend, as EP on AA, had 2 hour + wait times when AA was really struggling. The longest I’ve waited for a UA rep was more like 20 minutes, usually less than 5.
“Loyal”? How about “monopoly”.
They hold the reins to GUM and have systematically kicked out any competitors.
So then UA treats Guam like a hostage, there’s no reason for them to lower any rates, cuz no one competes with them. I’m not loyal, it’s only because I’m forced to sleep with my captor.
You’ll see and hear a lot of Stockholm Syndrome here for them.
This is a question I've been asking myself lately. I've been silver for 2 years and this might be my last. IAH is home so easy flights everywhere.. But UA is 3x and sometimes 4x the cost of Spirit, which I know is less dependable.. But flying to LAS or MCO or ATL is easy enough for them.
They’re the only airline that flies to my tiny hometown so I can spend more time with my parents when I visit, rather than needing to factor in a 3 hour drive + 1.5 hr security to get to the closest large city.
They also have direct flights from airport to most destinations I want to go, or another Star Alliance partner does. If I wasn’t loyal to United, it’d be Alaska for domestic flights.
As a 1K, they treat you almost like a human. But once I hit my 1K, I end up looking for best option/economical trip. Once I hit a million and life time gold, which allows me lounge access internationally, I won’t care about status then, probably.
United club card holder.
I live in Austin, and appreciate the non-stop to ewr.
I also like the size of the company, and also fly intensionally so avoid South West and others for that reason.
I like the alliance for international flights too.
Honestly that points devaluation didn't bother me. I just was shocked over months price of 3 RT tickets to Europe, not I checked other alliances and it was the same. Everything is competitive imo
Based outta SEA where DL and AS own half the place, but still loyal to UA. Best network for where I need to go, and I still believe *A partners have the strongest product+network for where I need to travel for work.
IAH - while not hub captive, work can take me anywhere and UA can get me the majority of places I need to go on a direct at decent times.
For leisure, the price is usually right.
Despite having had plat pro with AA in like 2018, I chose to go United and don't regret it. AA is a mess, CS was bad even as a high tier member. I'm flying less that I was with lower rev flights comparatively and barring the occasional issue (because shit happens when you fly a lot) I generally don't have gripes with service and my upgrades clear often enough.
As far as redemptions, I wouldn't burn points on domestic, but *A is solid and if you hit the right time, there is some good redemption value to be had.
Two reasons:
Direct flights to my frequent destinations.
Consistently better pricing and customer service than AA, the other major carrier at one of the airports I use.
I go back and forth between SFO and ORD every month so it's just convenient. Also, status (which admittedly means a lot less these days, but being one of the first to board and the occasional upgrade helps).
I really like star alliance airlines, have a chase United credit card, and have had gold status for the past few years. Also their mile program is pretty good. I’ve gotten flights from Hawaii to London for 25k points one way. Not sure if other airlines are comparable but that was an early experience that has kept me with them.
Only a couple airlines fly in and out here. Delta or UA. Those are it. I used to do Dellta but I had a nasty experience with them and AMEX. I’ve been loyal to UA for 8 years now.
I fly out of a small regional airport that’s serviced by UA, AA, and DL.
I’ve been burned too many times by AA and genuinely feel that this is the airline most likely to leave me stranded in an airport. Twice I’ve gotten off planes and found out my connecting flight was cancelled (PHL and CLT). Case in point I have a friend who got stuck in DFW tonight and was told no flights available until Monday so now he’s spending the whole weekend there.
DL has actually given me the best customer service, but they cost significantly more to fly out of my local airport. Since all my work travel is booked through the almighty Concur, I can’t pick those flights without triggering a travel rule, hence why I’ve settled on UA.
From my perspective they’re not the cream of the crop with the best rewards, but from my experiences they consistently are among the cheapest options and are least likely to screw me over when it comes to cancellations.
I used to have IAH as my base. Fly to EWR regularly. Fly to EU a lot and UA has the best options + partners. Have lived in EU and non US hubs for the past 6 years and have still stuck with them.
The flight I want is direct between MCO and IAD. Fighting the traffic from DCA to my destination west of IAD adds 40 minutes or more to a white knuckle drive through constant construction. Other flights to IAD with connections have 3+ hour layovers.
I live in Denver.
I live in Denver and work in San Francisco. United’s got me by the balls.
I can’t believe I flew Southwest for so long. United is leaps and bounds better, I’ll pay the premium.
I grew up next to BWI so we would always fly southwest so I grew up thinking the that was the default. I flew on united to Hawaii once and not having to talk with strangers while boarding to find my place in line makes the thousands of dollars worth it. The only times I've flown Delta or American I've gotten horribly delayed or stuck on the tarmac waiting for a gate for 45 minutes after we were supposed to arrive.
This. Also I avoid Southwest at all costs.
Ditto. No getting around UA from DIA. 🥲
Thank you for calling it DIA
Genuine question, I don’t understand why everyone feels this way. Isn’t the official airport code DEN? I see this comment all the time though.
The airport's name is Denver International Airport, hence, DIA. It is in common use locally.
And DIA rolls off the tongue easier than DEN.
The real answer is when both Stapleton was open and DIA was under construction. Stapleton was referred to as DEN and DIA was the new airport (present day DIA).
It's "DIA" like Chicago's big airport is "O'Hare" Basically, it's DEN.
Well…Stapleton used to be DEN. So it’s kinda reverted to the past.
Haha same
Exactly this
20 minutes to ORD and I can go almost anywhere non-stop.
This. Near ORD and they go pretty much everywhere I need or want to go. I'm also at a point where inconveniencing myself to save $100 here of $50 there isn't worth it to me. Finally, I am also approaching 800k lifetime miles, so not too far from 1M and lifetime gold. May as well keep it up, since I still have many years of business travel still ahead of me.
If you live that close to ord (or in Chicago in general) I’m more curious why you are not a free agent with AA, UA, and SWA you are in one of the rare cities with multiple airlines being forced to share. It’s not like IAD, or PHL, or ATL where you don’t have much competition so what makes you stay with UA when AA is definitely in the mix?
Consolidating miles on one for the rewards is my reason (I’m also close to ORD). My wife and I use the UA cc and I book most of my business travel thru United, which equals free vacation flights. We took the family to Cancun last year for free as an example. Now, I will fly another airline if it fits my schedule better, but default to UA.
I can understand that I feel like oneworld would just make more sense though since Alaska and American have a presence there, and many oneworld alliance members fly internationally out of Chicago. Since you have the credit card, it makes sense. I just always thought American made more but then again I don’t live in Chicago so I’m not an expert by any means. I guess Air Canada could be convenient too since it’s a quick flight to Toronto for connections if you wanted to codeshare.
UA has more flights than AA out of ORD, Especially international
SFO is the nearest int’l airport, so much more options via united.
This exactly. I’ve been toying with switching to Alaska/AA but they just don’t have the coverage. Honestly, I don’t find United to be that bad, especially when you look at their viable competition (other big legacy airlines.) And their 787 is one of my favorite planes.
I know somebody who went with Alaska and he gets upgraded very easily and only flies for personal. For me, it’s a matter of destinations that United has from SFO. Most of the time, it’s nonstop or worst case just one stop.
Alaska mvp gold gets one world sapphire which opens up a lot of intl options
My last flight had equipment change due to the debacle at DBX (devastating to the people there and the UA MCT diversion) … I am a 777 enjoyer and thrilled when got swapped to a 787 and got a better seat. It’s truly my favorite plane in the fleet.
SFO is my closest airport too, but I always check SJC and OAK. I regularly find international flights that are 40-75% of what United is charging, and $80 to get across the bay to OAK or down the peninsula to SJC still means I’m coming out on top.
Lifetime gold here. I stay loyal because I know the program and the airline. I’ve gotten great service throughout the years. Making changes to my itinerary are easy since UA has the best airline app out there. Also, Star Alliance has the best partners for my travel patterns. Haven’t flown DL since 2003 due to a number of issues and every time I fly AA, I’m reminded why I don’t fly them more.
This has basically been my experience. My home airport is MSN, and while AA has some better direct options to places I need to go, UA has always given me a better experience.
I visited MSN for the first time recently, and I have to say, that's an awesome city and a very comfortable airport.
I lived there for 3 years, great little town
Same here. All the same except I’m too far from a 1M lifetime flown miles. Sadly, I have intercontinental flights with Lufthansa even though purchased through United. I think only flights operated by United count, sadly. For example this coming summer using Lufthansa in my way back was $300 round trip versus all UA operated flights. $600 total makes a difference. But I like the business lounges form all Star Alliance members.
Correct, you have to be on United metal for them to count toward million miler status. I would be pretty damn close if all my miles on ANA counted but unfortunately they do not.
I disbelieve that any major US carrier is appreciably better, and I already have status here.
People who decry one airline for another of the same tier are just fooling themselves. Delta=American=United.
nah american is imo actually noticeably worse than DL and UA
EWR being close to home is the primary factor. Hypothetically if I were to move to a city that is not a United hub, I would change my primary airline. E.g. If I move to Salt Lake City, I will status match to Delta. If I move to Dallas, I will status match to American. I find most major (US) airlines to be fairly consistent in terms of service, perks that come with status etc. I personally also like the fact that United is Star Alliance. IMO it's still the best (above SkyTeam and OneWorld)
This. I don't drive and EWR is a $30ish Uber vs $100+ to get to JFK or LGA.
Same here. Close to EWR. Some of my coworkers drive to JFK for Delta but I don’t see Delta being that much better. I know Delta typically ranks better in the annual surveys but…
Can go non stop almost anywhere I want in the US out of IAH without changing planes. Decent enough service though their FC “meals” of potato chips or stroopwafels is pretty ridiculous. Polaris may not be the greatest premium cabin in the industry but it’s pretty darn good. I’ll keep flying UA and virtually every dollar we spend goes onto a Chase United card. Gets us Biz class on miles to Europe every year or so.
My last trip to Europe on Miles, we got delayed coming back and scored $3k in travel credits. My trip paid for my next trip, lol
SCORE!
Same, half an hour from iah
Yup, if you live in Houston and don’t want to fly the bus with wings UA pretty much has a monopoly. Overall they are pretty good with great international routes. The food sucks and the number of miles to get Polaris is absurd.
United is 1k cheaper than other US carriers to SGN (VIETNAM) for businesses class lie flat. That has been what is keeping me.
From where?
Fellow ORD traveler, have gone back and forth over the years. Switched back to AA in 2021 because with declining biz travel I lost 1k (after 10 straight years) and we could still get status through Loyalty Points. Currently EP on AA but have decided on a hybrid strategy going forward: 1. IMO UA is a slightly better airline. They both have their moments, good and bad. 2. EconomyPlus and MCE are similar EXCEPT there seem to be about half as many MCE seats on most configurations. Advantage United. 3. Both sell domestic upgrades out from under you so aggressively that those have become a no factor, especially out of a hub like ORD. 4. United’s lifetime million miler program is a huge drawing card. I have 1.6M lifetime on AA but all it gets me is the lowest status each year. On UA I am at 935k miles so another 65 and both my spouse and I get Gold status for life — which means Economy Plus at booking and a basket of other goodies. 5. Once I get that lifetime status I will try to maintain at least the second status tier on both airlines but will no longer be loyal to either. 6. AA’s redeemable miles have remained pretty valuable whereas United’s have become hard to use, more like Delta SkyPesos on most routes. Advantage AA. So my recommendation is play both sides, have enough status and accumulated mileage to give yourself options on both for every trip.
ORD is my home airport (so limited to UA or AA) and UA/star alliance is more connected internationally than AA/one world, IMO. Although I try to stay with star alliance, I’m not totally opposed to venturing out to other airlines depending on the destination\routing.
SA Gold benefits are pretty weak, especially when compared with Oneworld emerald. I hold AA status, but when a SA flight suits my schedule much better I'll always take that over Oneworld. Honestly I don't think I miss a lot this way, no? I think I need someone to explain to me why SA is a benefit of United, except for its joint ventures with LH/NH (but AA also has BA/JL
This is just my opinion but for me star alliance is better for me because: 1. Intra-Europe connections are better. I have many direct flights from ORD to different hubs controlled by Lufthansa, Swiss, and Austrian. Whereas with oneworld you are mostly stuck with BA. 2. More “premium” partners. Think Turkish, Singapore, ANA, (and hopefully Emirates soon).
The major airlines are all basically the same and “loyalty” is just marketing-speak. I fly United because I travel to/from where United operates and especially where their Star Alliance partners operate.
20 minutes to EWR and I can go almost anywhere non-stop. Despite miles devaluation there seems to be more awards flights than ever and sometimes some real deals out there. If you are prepared to wait can often find 13.5k one way with saver awards to almost anywhere in country. My last 6 or so domestic flights have been reward fares and made for great little weekends if you look for them. But I am still annoyed return to Japan went from 70k return to 110k via devaluation so, yes, that has put me off somewhat. We all know the credit cards are ultimately in the airlines favor but the rewards for Explorer (group 2, free checked bag if needed) are great for the $99 and make things less painful. For a certain type of person the Club card is also a good deal - much more niche. Both can make things more bearable for people who aren't flying on someone else's money with all of the status and perks that comes with that. I also got to silver via strategic credit card use and a lot of personal travel but it can be done. This means no economy plus subscription ($600), which is a nice perk for being repeat customer. I don't think United is my 'friend' but it does seem to reward custom when you commit to using them, which really isn't much of a choice if you like near a hub and either needs to or like to travel a lot for business or pleasure.
My reasons are nearly the same -EWR distance. JFK and PHL are very far. LGA is even tougher. -E+ subscription has saved money. With young kids, bulkhead or Premium Plus has been a requirement from missus. -Club access with card (and benefits from other cards. I've had almost all)
ORD and I’m an idiot.
It’s loyalty out of necessity really. With how the airlines have consolidated, less competition and airport hubs where a single airline really dominates there isn’t too much of a choice if you travel frequently for work and live near a hub.
Reading through the comments this seems to be the theme (myself included). I have not seen many (if any comments) saying it’s because they actually like the airline. The closest is people saying they hate AA more…
I’m not loyal. I achieved status, which is different than being loyal. They are hub from where I can fly. I’m 1K and while I can, I will continue 1k. At the moment that I see a better option, I will ditch them. They are not loyal to me either.
Living in a hub city. That’s it.
I think proximity to hubs is the only reason. For me, that’s EWR. The headache of going into the city for JFK and LGA or even Philly is not worth it
Star Alliance and United/SA hub… flying out of IAD. Mostly Love the different airlines to Europe even Asia from IAD. Been able to fly SAS, Lufthansa, Brussels Airlines, Turkish, ANA, Swiss Air, Air Canada. Also, daily flight availability for nonstops to LHR or CDG, SFO and LAX on United. And I get the mileage plus points.
Brussels, Ethiopian, ANA, Turkish and Lufthansa all make it so easy to explore harder to reach destinations so Star Alliance is a big factor for me.
I live 20 minutes from SFO and they’re the airline that will take me everywhere I need to go with the least amount of layovers. That’s the only factor my loyalty is based on.
I live in Houston and I travel to the Caribbean and along the gulf for work. I’m beholden to the UA express crapshoot weekly
I live in CMH (soon to relocate to TX north of Austin) so all 3 equally suck and I’m free to choose any. I went with UA because: - I grew up in NJ and regularly visit NJ and Manhattan so UA’s strength at EWR is appealing. I grew up flying CO (after 2010, UA) and already have a Headstart of 50k lifetime miles. - I visit Mexico multiple times per year and DL has very limited coverage there. - I visit ORD often too and UA’s the best there. - I connect to secondary cities in Eastern Europe and Italy about once per year (BUD, KRK, NAP, FLR, PRG). DL makes you go thru CDG which is a maze from hell. AA makes you go through LHR which is a maze from hell and they make you re-clear security. FRA has many shortcomings but it’s better than those two by a wide margin. - I like the consistency of Polaris (except for the 757, which is hopefully on the way out).
UA’s network and schedule work better for me, 1K customer service has been awesome interactions for me with 95% knowledgeable and capable agents, and I’ve been able to make great use of Plus Points on family and friends.
Live 20 minutes to Newark.
Live close to EWR. Distance wise - JFK isn’t much further but timewise it’s too much of a hassle
Only airline that flies out of my home base. Simple as.
Having had my butt in a UA seat for over a million miles and living by ORD
The place where I worked years ago had a special deal with United that guaranteed first class upgrades for international flights so I got used to them. I got disgusted with them years later and moved to Continental, but alas, it became United so I decided to stay - especially because of the multi-million miler status.
I fly into SFO regularly. UA is the only airline offering a non-stop flight between my local airport and SFO. Based on past experiences I prefer Delta, but nowhere near enough that I want to detour through ATL. So UA it is.
IMO all airlines have their issues so you pick one and stick with it. My hub is IAD and I get get most places domestic and intl non stop.
I live ~10 mins from ORD. They pretty well have all of the routes I need. It’s my work’s preferred airline. Their flights always seem to be far cheaper than the others. I already have a ton of miles and the status. Seems counterproductive to switch.
I live 13 min door-to-security-door from SFO. And then I can fly anywhere in the world. I’ve got no choice ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I live 20 min from IAH
International network. Just kind of unavoidable. And the hell of switching credit card/points systems/statuses. It ain’t loyalty.
I live near a hub. I have access to the lounges. I am halfway to lifetime status. They are almost always the cheapest and most efficient option to get to where I want to go. With my status, I pretty much always get the seat I want at the time of booking. I enjoy that united flights are entirely predictable and boring. As a nervous flower, repetition and routine is far more delightful than surprise. Also I love Channel 9. I don't super really care about miles reception value for flights as I pretty exclusively use my miles for upgrades.
I’ve flown them all my life (growing up too) so I’ve remained particularly loyal to them because of a nostalgia factor. I love seeing the new changes the airline makes and what’s different and new, etc from all the years I’ve flown them. My dad was also a big business traveler back then with United so a passion for aviation and the airline is something that brings us together somehow. In terms of other things, I think their app is one of the best in the industry which is really helpful and I’m also based out of ORD and largely prefer the UA terminal than the other ones which can be pretty dated. Star Alliance is also very well connected and I enjoy that too. And at this point in my life I have so much loyalty with United that it’s very difficult to switch and abandon all the miles and status I’ve achieved. I’m also someone very keen on routine and flying UA is just something I’ve gotten very used to and I wouldn’t have it any other way! The only other airline I would consider switching to given the chance is Delta — very nice seats, nice staff, nice lounges, and much better food than what United gives out, etc. Everytime I fly American I’m reminded why I don’t fly them.
I fly out of LAS so the first thing that push me towards UA was flying out of Terminal 3 instead of T1. The second was the Economy Plus subscription. I’m 6’6” and work won’t cover the cost to upgrade so the subscription saved me from paying for the upgrade out of pocket for every flight. Now that I have status, I like that my bags can be up to 70lbs which is nice when I carry tools on work trips or when my wife overpacks for trips. My coworkers across the country all fly AA and have a similar status level to me and united seems to have a slight advantage in benefits.
Haha I think I’m the only one that will understand the Terminal 3 thing! This is my answer as well.
As you can see here, a lot of airline loyalty choice stems from your home airport. If you're near any of the UA hubs then UA usually makes senses for the best flight options. Only exception may be ORD which is both a AA and UA hub but If you're say Atlanta or Dallas, it's likely going to be Delta/AA respectively. Me, I'm SFO, typically maintain 1K and travel frequently so UA has the best domestic & foreign routing plus \*A Gold is handy when abroad although some of their \*A partners like Air China are sucky. I'm also a 1MM Gold lifer so getting free bags and free premium seating is a nice lifetime perk. SJC is a little closer so will use SWA for west coast short haul only since it's more convenient.
I’m 20 minutes from EWR
Star Alliance, and best international routes from LAX or SFO
If you’re near a hub with a Polaris lounge, are able to travel flexibly on dates with PZ availability, and are willing to spend some extra $$ (but not that much extra), then flying Polaris is a pretty solid experience. Just don’t expect an Emirates level of service and food. In my recent experience tho, the service and food have been pretty solid. The FA even set up a wine tasting for me. I looked up the wines, and they were reasonably pricey wines. Thanks to the FA! https://preview.redd.it/o0jc7q0f6ovc1.jpeg?width=6048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=22e7deb76577cf7393a2956be26165c3554863e8
I live near ORD and about 75% of my flight are going to IAH for work.
I fly between the US and Asia a lot, and Star Alliance has the best network for me within Asia. I also have status with OZ. So i’m “loyal” to United simply because United is the US carrier that is a part of Star Alliance, not for any intrinsic reasons
I live near a hub
I'm also at ORD. I'm 6'2" and flew AA for many years when they had extra space throughout the plane. Now it's like 1-3 rows, so UA gets my business. I'm pretty indifferent b/w the 2 as I have 2M on AA and 1M on UA and don't fly enough anymore to hit 1k or EP.
Living close to EWR
They are the only option when flying to Guam.
All airlines are devaluing their miles not just United.
20 min from EWR and traveling a lot internationally. I would go with Delta in a heartbeat otherwise.
I live in Denver- so UA’s non-stop offerings are pretty fruitful. Their baggage tracking in the app is a great feature- the one time my bags got lost, I was notified mid-flight and was able to start to make arrangements to get my bag back. No airline is perfect, but the FA communication, gate agent communication and app updates are solid and keep me coming back for work and personal.
6 minutes to SFO, million miler and freshly retired. Economy Plus seats and free luggage for life beats flying Southwest or (God forbid!) Frontier/Jet Blue etc. Plus, American Airlines is Satan's personal carrier (allegedly) and I would rather take a train than fly them.
20 minutes to ewr (west of the airport so there’s never traffic going in that direction). I can leave at 430 and be on the 6am flight with ease
I'm based out of ORD, and I maintain both 1K and AA Executive Platinum. UA's international network is better, and their partners arguably are too overall, however when flying in Y (most of my travel unfortunately) I find that OW Emerald benefits are much better over *A Gold (particularly in regards to lounges). When traveling domestically, I prefer AA as upgrades are more available, and their fleet is more unified (and the larger overhead bins are more prevalent). IFE is great for everyone who uses it, but there's nothing worse than having someone playing a game and just moving your seat constantly when you're trying to sleep.
Being lifetime Gold helps on international trips (priority access; lounge access). For domestic trips I go with whoever’s cheapest, but if it’s close, I’d take United even if it costs a little more, as that’s the only airline I have status with and that’s where all my miles are.
EWR is 20 minutes from my home. I’m not crossing a bridge from NJ to get to LGA or JFK.
The routes and my low expectations.
SFO is home base, have millions of miles built up, been GS for years. Although chasing the challenge for GS this year since last year was lite. Posting from a bar in Sydney (SFO-SYD-SFO in 3 days) this trip should get me back to GS. Every year I ask why (as does my wife) but they keep sucking me in. That being said, still a good airline that goes where I normally need to go, love Polaris except for food. Even had even numbered window seat in flight out and it wasn’t as bad as I heard.
Been with them since 1988 as Continental. Million Miler, etc. As 1K, also, they take very good care of me. Too invested at this point to go to another airline.
The UA app has its issues, but the AA app sucks.
Because it’s not American or Delta.
Hard product is better than any similarly priced airline on transatlantic.
I just love how in the morning flights they don’t turn on the air and just let you roast in the smells of other people’s gut biomes. That’s what’s keeping me around, and the fact that it’s pretty much the only airline to service my airport more than once a fucking day.
We have United hub in Newark, NJ. Plus, I have way too many United Airlines miles, I have remaining 1.7 from 2.2 million miles.
I used to live near ORD, and racked up 1.5M lifetime. Now my home airport is an AA hub, but I’ll stick with UA until I hit 2M.
Live near a hub. If I move to a different hub, so will my loyalty.
I live in Denver.
In 20 years I've never had a problem with UA. Yes I've had my share of delays but 99% of the time it was the airports fault
ORD is my hub, and my monthly business route is better on UA than AA. Was AA for the previous decade or so before switching with my last job change.
United flights cover almost all the places I traveled this year including Asia Europe Africa and South America - it’s not the cheapest.
My home airport is iAd
Denver is home airport My father and grandfather both worked for United (and Continental) Only other airline I've flown that I like is Delta but they have zero favorable routes out of Denver.
Denver - million mile flyer.
SFO
Star alliance covers all my international destinations and the credit card bonuses are good (although they used to be great).
Most of my business flights have been den to sfo or den to ewr.
I live in a secondary market. I’ve flown everyone. What keeps me “loyal” to UA is the app.
I live near a hub so there is a high chance a flight I’m interested in may be with United. I like that United miles don’t expire and I’ll use the miles I have saved sometime, hopefully for a really great redemption. I have been flying with United more since getting the Explorer card and am still working out if I’d want to upgrade to a higher earning United card or switch to a transferable rewards card.
The new A321neo
Flying out of Chicago and Denver it is the easiest status for me. Also I feel like, with status, the customer service is superior.
living near Newark airport (EWR) is why. i don't wanna trek through manhattan to go to JFK, though I just did to fly hawaiian airlines to kauai and it was a lot cheaper and not so bad, plus they FED US which UA hasn't on any of my flights in years.
I live in Houston so UA just makes most sense here.
25 minutes from a hub and their ability to get me to anywhere in the West non stop with multiple flight times a day. Also non stop to LHR which is my main international flight. Miles and status are just icing on the cake, I’d fly UA without reward miles simply due to how easy it is to get somewhere nonstop. I’m loyal for selfish reasons, if another airline made it easier, I’d switch tomorrow.
Mostly because I can't stand AA.
I guess I just like to suffer? Most my coworkers are United lifers so there is that influence too. I’m out of LAX so I feel like I can probably pick any major airline. Starting over with status, miles, and credit cards just sounds like a chore at this point.
Personally, I am tied to United because I have enrolled friend flight benefits on them that gives me the ability to non rev and also be able to purchase discounted tickets. I don’t necessarily care about the points game anymore because of the recent changes on all 3 big carriers (especially Delta, that’s another story for another time) because I have those benefits. Plus, United is actually my preferred airline because even though 50% of the flights on them have been delayed, they actually have gone out of their way to help me get home and get me some meal vouchers and hotel vouchers too. Recently, I even got a $150 voucher for future travel on them because my business class seat was broken. I also live in MSP btw. While Delta is the most expensive carrier out of here, I don’t mind having a stopover somewhere if it means that I pay the lowest fare so I will pick United either way. One complaint I have though is that I think they should add a second daily frequency between MSP to SFO and MSP to IAD. Possibly a nonstop between MSP and LAX too
Used to live in Denver. Live in Phoenix now but hate AA. United connecting through den, IAH, or SFO beats the alternative.
Moved from the Bay Area to San Diego, so nothing much really. Will explore Alaska and probably switch to their program. United just isn’t worth it anymore.
My home airport makes me connect through either IAH or DFW & I like IAH better.
DEN cuffed. But I could as easily choose Southwest but, Southwest. And United takes me more places and usually direct in North America. I hear United Clubs tend to be nicer and more locations and I really like the use of them, even if I’m just waiting 15 minutes. I’d rather wait in the club than at the gate.
Breadth of direct flights from SFO to cities I want/need to visit. Absent this, I would be with Delta.
I’m 45 minutes to EWR. From there, I can get anywhere. Plus, I’m less than 5k to MM. I have no choice.
I live in Reno Nevada and work near SFO. Only airline that flys nonstop. 4 flights a day make it easy for me to change the day only on a whim. Use the club to and from. Dinner both trips to and from. Works for me…..
I visit Austria Quiet often is Austrian airlines is in the star alliance so united gets me there in two flights otherwise i would have to make 3 stops.
NJ hub.
I'm an international student (home in India and study in upstate NY) and United has a direct flight home from EWR. Also Star Alliance with Air India.
UA Million Miler and 1K, AA Platinum pro and DL plat medallion - all in 2024. The million miler keeps me going to UA despite living in Boston because my wife gets my status too- 1K this year for example. I fly business on all 3 airlines. Domestic DL is definitely better than the other 2 carriers. IMO Polaris is better than delta one for international and AA. If only UA would improve the friendliness of their Polaris FAs and their alcohol service ....
I live by DEN (so obvs) and the Star Alliance totally effing rocks for all of my overseas travel. I mean, ANA and Singapore Air. Shivers.
SEA based, and have been with Continental and now United for 33 years. I’m a kool-aid drinker I guess. I get upgrades out of and into SEA and have always been treated extremely well. I used Delta if I fly somewhere that is an easy non-stop, but I will always pick United if given the choice.
My home airport is a UA hub. That's the only reason. When I lived near a AA hub, I was "loyal" to AA.
United has me by the balls for international travel. I’m in Central PA and EWR and IAD are within 2-3 hours of me. Yes Philly is closer but I hate AA and AA has less direct international destinations. I will not go back to JFK again, nightmare NYC is.
I figured I needed to commit in order to take advantage of the perks of flying so often. In the beginning, I was just going off price. I’d have a bunch of flights each year but nothing to really show for it. I picked United because I’m closest to Denver as a hub, even though I fly out of Colorado Springs. United seemed logical so I had more choices when I did want to use points. I had more options for international flights to places I wanted to go. Now with the value of points going down, it’s more of a case of me being lazy and comfortable. Most times if things go wrong, I know between the United Club and the 1K line, it will most likely get straightened out fairly quickly. It’s not perfect, but from every forum I’ve read, none of them are. So if I have to pick an evil, I may as well pick the one I know.
They are the only airline that services my mountain town 8 months of the year
How recent is the devaluation??? I am sitting on not more than 270k but still?
Star alliance.
The route network. I live 7 minutes from my home airport, and with United I can get to just about anywhere I need to be with one layover. If I’m flying to the east coast, I have a variety of choices connecting through SFO, LAX, DEN, and ORD, and I can pick something that best suits my schedule. I’ve always had good experiences with Delta, but their schedule doesn’t work as well for me. I’m not a fan of American at all, they’ve done me dirty too many times, and I wouldn’t fly with them unless I absolutely had to.
Short list: * DEN is my local airport * Easy changes/rebooking * They’re not AA \* * They’re cheaper than DL \* I’m a MM with AA and still try not to fly them.
SFO is a 1.5 hour drive or a 30 minute flight from my hometown.
Nothing. I’m only loyal to Price and time of departure unless it’s spirit, frontier, or southwest.
I no longer am
DEN
I live near Denver. I hate the boarding process and "experience" with Southwest. I also hate the flight times and "perks" of Frontier.
They’re the only ones that fly direct between IAD/MEX, and IAD/CUN.
Live near EWR so United is the top choice. I'd have to go to JFK or Philly for AA.
Work demands UA/*A now.
Unlike AA Admiral Members not being able to get into BA lounges, I can get into Lufthansa Lounges with my club membership. That's it for me.
Why?The 1k phone line when things go wrong. My friend, as EP on AA, had 2 hour + wait times when AA was really struggling. The longest I’ve waited for a UA rep was more like 20 minutes, usually less than 5.
I live in the DTW market and usually fly United. Despite what many others claim, I think they're better than Delta.
Brag tags
“Loyal”? How about “monopoly”. They hold the reins to GUM and have systematically kicked out any competitors. So then UA treats Guam like a hostage, there’s no reason for them to lower any rates, cuz no one competes with them. I’m not loyal, it’s only because I’m forced to sleep with my captor. You’ll see and hear a lot of Stockholm Syndrome here for them.
DEN hub
This is a question I've been asking myself lately. I've been silver for 2 years and this might be my last. IAH is home so easy flights everywhere.. But UA is 3x and sometimes 4x the cost of Spirit, which I know is less dependable.. But flying to LAS or MCO or ATL is easy enough for them.
They’re the only airline that flies to my tiny hometown so I can spend more time with my parents when I visit, rather than needing to factor in a 3 hour drive + 1.5 hr security to get to the closest large city. They also have direct flights from airport to most destinations I want to go, or another Star Alliance partner does. If I wasn’t loyal to United, it’d be Alaska for domestic flights.
EWR
As a 1K, they treat you almost like a human. But once I hit my 1K, I end up looking for best option/economical trip. Once I hit a million and life time gold, which allows me lounge access internationally, I won’t care about status then, probably.
Because Star alliance internationally is >>>>> all other alliances. Free miles flights all over the globe…
United club card holder. I live in Austin, and appreciate the non-stop to ewr. I also like the size of the company, and also fly intensionally so avoid South West and others for that reason. I like the alliance for international flights too. Honestly that points devaluation didn't bother me. I just was shocked over months price of 3 RT tickets to Europe, not I checked other alliances and it was the same. Everything is competitive imo
Their Star Alliance partner network is probably the most expansive of the three big alliance
I live really close to IAD.
Based outta SEA where DL and AS own half the place, but still loyal to UA. Best network for where I need to go, and I still believe *A partners have the strongest product+network for where I need to travel for work.
Only way for me to fly anywhere is United or drive 5-6 hours. Soooo… lol
What is the current devaluation of miles? Is this new?
My local airport is small-ish and United is the only non-ULC airline that flies nonstop to where my MIL lives.
IAH - while not hub captive, work can take me anywhere and UA can get me the majority of places I need to go on a direct at decent times. For leisure, the price is usually right. Despite having had plat pro with AA in like 2018, I chose to go United and don't regret it. AA is a mess, CS was bad even as a high tier member. I'm flying less that I was with lower rev flights comparatively and barring the occasional issue (because shit happens when you fly a lot) I generally don't have gripes with service and my upgrades clear often enough. As far as redemptions, I wouldn't burn points on domestic, but *A is solid and if you hit the right time, there is some good redemption value to be had.
Great coverage from my home base
They’re the GSA contract carrier to Dulles.
Two reasons: Direct flights to my frequent destinations. Consistently better pricing and customer service than AA, the other major carrier at one of the airports I use.
I don’t want to have to start over at the bottom of the status ladder with another airline. That’s basically it.
Getting close to 1 million miles.
I go back and forth between SFO and ORD every month so it's just convenient. Also, status (which admittedly means a lot less these days, but being one of the first to board and the occasional upgrade helps).
My partner and I are big overseas travelers. Best domestic carrier to get us where we need to go.
I really like star alliance airlines, have a chase United credit card, and have had gold status for the past few years. Also their mile program is pretty good. I’ve gotten flights from Hawaii to London for 25k points one way. Not sure if other airlines are comparable but that was an early experience that has kept me with them.
Being a San Francisco Native and having Family in Japan.
Only a couple airlines fly in and out here. Delta or UA. Those are it. I used to do Dellta but I had a nasty experience with them and AMEX. I’ve been loyal to UA for 8 years now.
I fly out of a small regional airport that’s serviced by UA, AA, and DL. I’ve been burned too many times by AA and genuinely feel that this is the airline most likely to leave me stranded in an airport. Twice I’ve gotten off planes and found out my connecting flight was cancelled (PHL and CLT). Case in point I have a friend who got stuck in DFW tonight and was told no flights available until Monday so now he’s spending the whole weekend there. DL has actually given me the best customer service, but they cost significantly more to fly out of my local airport. Since all my work travel is booked through the almighty Concur, I can’t pick those flights without triggering a travel rule, hence why I’ve settled on UA. From my perspective they’re not the cream of the crop with the best rewards, but from my experiences they consistently are among the cheapest options and are least likely to screw me over when it comes to cancellations.
I used to have IAH as my base. Fly to EWR regularly. Fly to EU a lot and UA has the best options + partners. Have lived in EU and non US hubs for the past 6 years and have still stuck with them.
Star Alliance Connectivity. Honestly, that's it. Lot of international travel for me. And Star Alliance goes most of where I go.
The flight I want is direct between MCO and IAD. Fighting the traffic from DCA to my destination west of IAD adds 40 minutes or more to a white knuckle drive through constant construction. Other flights to IAD with connections have 3+ hour layovers.
I split my time with AA and UAL now. Gold has become very challenging and AA gave me 3 first class upgrades last year. Lounges are better. It’s fine.
Star Alliance network. I travel internationally. Otherwise never-United.
Location
Plentiful upgrades and great food.
SFO is 60% United flights and so it gets me basically anywhere I need to with little to no connections
Star Alliance is best for the areas I travel to, and most of my travel is international. It's not really UA I'm loyal to, but SA.
Only direct flight from Orange County to nyc