American Airlines or Jetblue - JFK to DFW one way

[kaz]

Hi

I need to fly from New York to DFW (to board a QF flight home that I booked months ago - which is an award booking)

Now, I have a few options, but I've narrowed it down to the following - I can either use up some of my QFF points and fly American Airlines direct from LaGuardia to DFW, total of 36,000 points for 2 pax, flying in an old MD-80 with no inflight entertainment at all, and from reading reviews of AA not a fun airline to fly with - even if it is only a 4 hour flight and will charge us $25.00 ea per suitcase
Or,
I can pay for a flight with Jetblue @ $160.00 USD each but the flight has 1 stop in Boston for 1.15 hours and we will have to change planes.

I'm in a quandry as to what to do. I have read that AA is not all that good and that Jetblue are great and have inflight entertainment, serve a snack and allow 1 suitcase each at no charge per pax.

We intend to fly into DFW 24 hours before we are due to board our QF flight home just to be on the safe side (don't want to miss the QF flight home)

Is 36,000 points too much to burn for what seems will be a lousy AA flight but has one good point....being a direct flight, OR should I spend the $320.00 USD and not worry about the 1 stopover with JetBlue and the possibility of missing the connecting flight if the 1st flight is delayed and save my points.

Your thoughts and opinions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[dajop]

AA not a fun airline to fly with - even if it is only a 4 hour flight and will charge us $25.00 ea per suitcase

Hard choice, MD80s are not very pleasant (in Y, especially at the rear of the plane which can be really noisy), but connections can also be a PITA. If you are Silver on QF - ie oneworld Ruby - you will not need to pay the $25/suitcase fee. But using 36K pts does not seem good value to save just $310 AUD...

 

[kaz]

AA must really view their direct flights as the drawcard. They are asking $1083.00 AUD each for the one way fare and this is with no entertainment, no snack/food and on the MD80 and the fare does not change from a flight in 1 months time or in 4 months time.

 

[Alanslegal]

IMO 36K points for $300 odd dollars of flights is not good value.

I would fork the money and buy a direct flight using cash. As you have QF PS then I would choose the most direct, least cost option ... however if JetBlue is the choice, then you will enjoy the new JetBlue Terminal at JFK which I think is one of the better terminals out there. [Also enjoy the Blue Chips onboard]!

 

[serfty]

It's a premium route for AA. More so as it's hub to hub.

Try flying via a lessor airport - that can often be less expensive.

When it is all said and done, I'd take the cheaper $160 option.

Posted on a wing and a prayer ...

 

[kaz]

I would fork the money and buy a direct flight using cash.QUOTE]

Yeah but as I mentioned in my 2nd post the direct flight with AA is $1083.00 ea. The only other airline that flies direct from either JFK or LGA is Delta and they are also asking around $1000.00 ea for one way

 

[serfty]

BTW, as oneworld Ruby, you don't have to pay for luggage on AA.

Posted on a wing and a prayer ...

 

[TimB]

I'd definitely take JetBlue. If I'm not on a YUPP fare with AA or DL, then JetBlue is the next option I look for, with Virgin America not far behind. If you're tall like me, the 34" seat pitch which is standard on JetBlue is a big win. (I prefer JetBlue because their upgrade to Even More Space (which is 38" seat pitch) is cheaper than VX's Main Cabin Select, although MCS does offer more than just extra legroom.) For a flight of over an hour or two, I'll make some effort to avoid flying Y on AA.

Although they're considered a low-cost carrier, their cabin crew actually seem to care about service - and of course the first bag is free. The one time my flight was delayed 3 hours for a technical issue, I had an email a day or two later apologising for the delay, with a $50 voucher for my next flight.

The only thing I find annoying is the amount of ads shown on the IFE when looking at the route map - but since it's a free service, I understand why they need to do it.

In your case, I think you'll find JetBlue a far nicer experience than Y on AA, and as others have noted, it's probably better to pay cash for B6 than the points required for the AA flights.

 

[kaz]

In your case, I think you'll find JetBlue a far nicer experience than Y on AA, and as others have noted, it's probably better to pay cash for B6 than the points required for the AA flights.

Thanks for all the input it certainly was helpful.
TimByour reply tipped me in the right direction. I'm going to book with JetBlue.
In the event that their 1st flight does not make their connecting flight in Boston I'd be hopeful that JetBlue would get us on their next flight out of boston which is a Few hours later.

Also, looking at jetblue's website it says "Customers can earn American advantage miles when traveling on JetBlue" so I can Then transfer the AA miles to QFF. ???

 

[TimB]

Also, looking at jetblue's website it says "Customers can earn American advantage miles when traveling on JetBlue" so I can transfer the AA miles to QFF. ???

You can earn AAdvantage Miles, but only on certain JetBlue routes, which don't include the ones you're looking at: American Airlines and JetBlue Airways Expand Relationship


And in any case, you can't transfer AA miles to QFF.

 

[kaz]

You can earn AAdvantage Miles, but only on certain JetBlue routes, which don't include the ones you're looking at: American Airlines and JetBlue Airways Expand Relationship


And in any case, you can't transfer AA miles to QFF.

Thanks again TimB, I didn't see the route info on AA website.

 

[serfty]

Getting back to this - when are you flying?

Anyway, in May you can fly on AA from LGA via ORD for $360 and ex JFK via RDU for $342. As you are PS, luggage is free. You would pick a few QFF points for the G/N class travel as well as SC's.

... or ... since you are travelling one-way, you can book a flight to AUS Tx. for USD172, some of these route via DFW, so you simply don't take the second sector ... It would be wise to not have checked luggage in this case.

Note these are Q class fares so don't earn with QFF.

 

[kaz]

Getting back to this - when are you flying?

Anyway, in May you can fly on AA from LGA via ORD for $360 and ex JFK via RDU for $342. As you are PS, luggage is free. You would pick a few QFF points for the G/N class travel as well as SC's.

... or ... since you are travelling one-way, you can book a flight to AUS Tx. for USD172, some of these route via DFW, so you simply don't take the second sector ... It would be wise to not have checked luggage in this case.

Note these are Q class fares so don't earn with QFF.

thanks so much Serfty for looking into that for me. To answer your questiion, I'm travelling in August and flying into DFW to board QF back to sydney 24 hours later, so we will have checked luggage and therefore can't use your second option (flight to AUS Tx)

I'll check what AA are offering closer to when I make my booking, but Jetblue at the moment is my choice and likely will get my cash @ $160.00 pax one way.

I fly most days now with DJ and DJ partners so concentrating on maintaining my gold status with them rather than QF (hence I've been dropped to silver with QF)
My QF flight from DFW to Syd is an Award booking in J.

 

[RB]

Kaz I would certainly recommend Jetblue after my experience with them. Not sure how much it might be on your flights, but I would certainly look at the "even more space" seats, we found them great value.

 

[docjames]

At those prices I'd take JetBlue with the 24hr connection as a safeguard.

If same day connection, I'd be going AA.

 

[kaz]

At those prices I'd take JetBlue with the 24hr connection as a safeguard.

If same day connection, I'd be going AA.

Yes I definately agree and that was always part of my plan regardless of who we flew into DFW with. The Jetblue flight arrives into DFW at 5.30pm and the QF flight home departs at 10pm the following night.

 

[Passport Premiere]

Well, we are in NYC and it may have been a quandry for you but for us a NO BRAINER

B6 (Jetblue) all the way!!!


Nothing to think about really..


Looks like you decided that already and hopefully you will be happy you did