Airline Expert (sort of)
While I cannot yet claim that I am a weekly or even monthly traveler, over this past year I have flown about six times, if you add up changing planes, lay over times, driving to and from airports... it's a lot of hours. And this from some one who had not stepped foot on an airplane in five years, talk about making up for lost time. So since air travel is expensive and it seems like all these giant taxis in the sky want to do is squeeze you for all you got, I thought I would throw my two cents in.
I have always been a Delta, American Airlines, Us Airways kind of girl. Any family trip we took we went with one of the big guys. So for my first trip out to Denver, Co I picked a mixture of Delta there and American Airlines back. The flights were pleasant enough for being in a tin can thousands of feet above the safety and comfort of solid earth. All of my luggage arrived unharmed. And I didn't get stopped by the TSA (though that's not really an airline issue so much as a government issue).
Here's what I found:
They charge for checked luggage! (And some are contemplating charging for carry one luggage!)
Delta- $23 for the first bag, $32 for the second (this is if they are under 50lbs)
American Airlines- $25 for the first, $35 for the second (and it gets into the 100's after that)
US Airways- $25 for the first, $35 for the second
They charge you to pick your seat!
And feeding you- with all the extra fees you think a bag of peanuts at least!
Well on my Delta flight I know I got peanuts at some point.
Nothing on American Airlines
Basically liquidate your savings if you are planning on becoming a frequent flyer for reasons other than business.
There is a shinning star in all of this SOUTHWEST!!!!
On my second trip out to Colorado in October I got a little crazy and broke from tradition and picked Southwest. I was leery of not having an assigned seat, but decided I could live on the wild side and fight for the best seat on the plane. Here's what I found:
2 free bags!!! (and they are not a stickler about weight! which for someone who is from Florida but is staying out in Colorado for extended periods of time is great!)
Snacks!!! (I think I cracked their code it's a snack per hour of air time, so on my four hour flight from Maryland to Denver 4 snacks baby and refills on my drinks.)
Picking my seat- piece of cake! (hey either pay the $10 bucks for early bird check in or hover over your computer like a starving vulture until it's exactly 24hrs before your flight to get that prime spot in the line up, it's all about being an A)
Crew- By far the most pleasant airline crew experience, they go out of their way to help you out, I have had singing pilots, joke cracking stewards and more. They love their jobs it seems and pour out that love on their passengers.
Layovers- I have not had a layover that lasted over an hour (which while I have always liked airport exploration, not having to lug over 50lbs in carry on luggage for miles is a plus too.)
Timing- They are relatively on time, and have not had any major plan altering changes.
Changes in flight plan- Oh no something happened and I have to change my flight any other airline $75-$150 in charges easy (my one friend when the dust cleared was looking at close to $500 in additional charges.) But Southwest has no such arm requiring fees.
To end my case, I am flying Southwest!!! If you could marry an airline Southwest is at the top of my list! And just in case you are interested 'I'm leaving on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again' on the 10th of January.
I have always been a Delta, American Airlines, Us Airways kind of girl. Any family trip we took we went with one of the big guys. So for my first trip out to Denver, Co I picked a mixture of Delta there and American Airlines back. The flights were pleasant enough for being in a tin can thousands of feet above the safety and comfort of solid earth. All of my luggage arrived unharmed. And I didn't get stopped by the TSA (though that's not really an airline issue so much as a government issue).
Here's what I found:
They charge for checked luggage! (And some are contemplating charging for carry one luggage!)
Delta- $23 for the first bag, $32 for the second (this is if they are under 50lbs)
American Airlines- $25 for the first, $35 for the second (and it gets into the 100's after that)
US Airways- $25 for the first, $35 for the second
They charge you to pick your seat!
And feeding you- with all the extra fees you think a bag of peanuts at least!
Well on my Delta flight I know I got peanuts at some point.
Nothing on American Airlines
Basically liquidate your savings if you are planning on becoming a frequent flyer for reasons other than business.
There is a shinning star in all of this SOUTHWEST!!!!
On my second trip out to Colorado in October I got a little crazy and broke from tradition and picked Southwest. I was leery of not having an assigned seat, but decided I could live on the wild side and fight for the best seat on the plane. Here's what I found:
2 free bags!!! (and they are not a stickler about weight! which for someone who is from Florida but is staying out in Colorado for extended periods of time is great!)
Snacks!!! (I think I cracked their code it's a snack per hour of air time, so on my four hour flight from Maryland to Denver 4 snacks baby and refills on my drinks.)
Picking my seat- piece of cake! (hey either pay the $10 bucks for early bird check in or hover over your computer like a starving vulture until it's exactly 24hrs before your flight to get that prime spot in the line up, it's all about being an A)
Crew- By far the most pleasant airline crew experience, they go out of their way to help you out, I have had singing pilots, joke cracking stewards and more. They love their jobs it seems and pour out that love on their passengers.
Layovers- I have not had a layover that lasted over an hour (which while I have always liked airport exploration, not having to lug over 50lbs in carry on luggage for miles is a plus too.)
Timing- They are relatively on time, and have not had any major plan altering changes.
Changes in flight plan- Oh no something happened and I have to change my flight any other airline $75-$150 in charges easy (my one friend when the dust cleared was looking at close to $500 in additional charges.) But Southwest has no such arm requiring fees.
To end my case, I am flying Southwest!!! If you could marry an airline Southwest is at the top of my list! And just in case you are interested 'I'm leaving on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again' on the 10th of January.
