Which Airline? Vote...

[amakhosidlo]

I'm booking a flight, and the cheapest options are all the same price, but on different carriers.

My choices are Alaska, American, Delta and Jetblue.

Which would you pick? What's the best in-flight meal you've had while traveling for interviews, and which carrier were you flying with?

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[brooklynblunder]

i have never had an in flight meal traveling to my interviews

but jet blue is your best bet here

 

[BlueElmo]

delta apparently has in-flight wi-fi. I never used it though. BTW, I really don't like American.

 

[amakhosidlo]

delta apparently has in-flight wi-fi. I never used it though. BTW, I really don't like American.

Free?

 

[BlueElmo]

Free?

i believe so.

 

[lstone13]

Delta's wi-fi is free only temporarily, and it is only offered on some flights. It's a whole promo thing to get patrons used to using in-flight wi-fi.

Regardless, Delta is by far my favorite airline.

 

[BlueElmo]

ROFLMAO! There is never in-flight meal for domestic coach flights...there hasn't been one for several years. Delta has given me a choice of cookies/crackers/pretzels each time, however, so I would go with them.

Oh yeah! Delta gives cookies, pretzels, or peanuts for free! Others don't.

 

[jla314]

jetblue gives free snacks too! chips, cookies, animal crackers, cashews, doritos 'munchie mix'...

plus, they have individual tv's on all of their seats that you can watch for free.

EDIT: i forgot to mention that jetblue will give you AS MANY SNACKS AS YOU WANT.

 

[lstone13]

Oh yeah! Delta gives cookies, pretzels, or peanuts for free! Others don't.

The pretzel packs have 3 pretzels and the peanut packs have 6 peanuts. Very generous...

Still, Delta is the best.

 

[BlueElmo]

The pretzel packs have 3 pretzels and the peanut packs have 6 peanuts. Very generous...

Still, Delta is the best.

mine had several pretzels and lots of peanuts. which delta are you riding?

 

[brooklynblunder]

jetblue gives free snacks too! chips, cookies, animal crackers, cashews, doritos 'munchie mix'...

plus, they have individual tv's on all of their seats that you can watch for free.

EDIT: i forgot to mention that jetblue will give you AS MANY SNACKS AS YOU WANT.

this is why i said jet blue.

you get live TV on jetblue so, if you are going during sunday or monday night (which i always am) best airline to go.

 

[lstone13]

mine had several pretzels and lots of peanuts. which delta are you riding?

Okay okay... so maybe I exaggerated a little...

 

[flip26]

Jetblue has the best seats (roomy).

Not sure about checked baggage fees. Delta charges for sure.

 

[amakhosidlo]

ROFLMAO! There is never in-flight meal for domestic coach flights...there hasn't been one for several years. Delta has given me a choice of cookies/crackers/pretzels each time, however, so I would go with them.

. Dang. Shows how long it's been since I've flown domestic. Ah well..

 

[brooklynblunder]

but in all honesty, i would go with the airline that has a hub in your airport. more flights, the better

 

[foster033]

Delta has some decent food options if you want to pay for it. Meals go for around $8, salads, fruit/cheese plates, etc. and they have some larger snack options (besides the free ones). Just remember when you're ordering that everything has been refrigerated and they have no way to heat it up...so while some of the sandwiches sound good they're kind of hard to eat when the bread is cold.

They will usually give you more of the free snacks too if you ask. the cookies are the best

 

[SN2ed]

I try to fly Jet Blue as often as possible. Plus, one of the airports they fly out of is 10 minutes away. Too bad it's a small airport, so your flight destinations are limited compared to a large airport like LAX or Dulles.

 

[BlueElmo]

who voted for american? So lame.

 

[Narmerguy]

Delta

 

[lstone13]

Whoa... someone actually likes American Airlines??

 

[randombetch]

JetBlue is AMAZING.

 

[bigal40]

ROFLMAO! There is never in-flight meal for domestic coach flights...there hasn't been one for several years. Delta has given me a choice of cookies/crackers/pretzels each time, however, so I would go with them.

Actually Continental is the only airline that still gives in flight meals for domestic flights. Too bad it not an option for the OP though

 

[amakhosidlo]

Actually Continental is the only airline that still gives in flight meals for domestic flights. Too bad it not an option for the OP though

Heh. Oh, they are. A $2,306 option. From Seattle to JFK. If I went with them, just for the meal, it'd have to be the best damn meal I'd ever had. It'd also apparently involve a random flight on a helicopter for one leg of the journey .

 

[brooklynblunder]

2300? does it go through australia?

 

[JJMrK]

If you can fly on Southwest, I would always recommend it. Their prices are like half as much as other airlines if you book early enough. Just be sure to do the online check in or you'll be sitting in a middle seat for sure.

 

[BlueElmo]

I heard Virgin airlines is amazing.

 

[amakhosidlo]

2300? does it go through australia?

Unfortunately, no. It's some random itinerary Orbitz came up with. I think it's just the helicopter portion that adds the extra $$. And I guess that leg isn't even a direct flight. I'd have to take the helicopter (personally chartered, I'm assuming) from JFK to JRB(?) and from JRB to Newark. Guess they don't offer direct helicopter flights from JFK to Newark. Pretty inconvenient if you ask me.

 

[gibbons482]

Jetblue is definitely the best. I like the roomy seats and the personal TV's. Bring your own headphones or earbuds or you'll have to buy some for $1.

 

[chman]

If it is anywhere on the west-coast then I like Alaska. I know you are in Seattle from our previous discussions, and Sea-Tac is the "HUB" for Alaska so there are some good deals to be had. If you are going to the East coast then I am not too sure.

 

[lstone13]

How much success have you guys had with flying standby?

 

[Optimalsauce]

Go with the airline that has more flights out per day to your destination. Less chance of getting screwed by being bumped and/or flight delay/cancellation as you can more likely get out the same day.

 

[scooter02]

If it is anywhere on the west-cost then I like Alaska. I know you are in Seattle from our previous discussions, and Sea-Tac is the "HUB" for Alaska so there are some good deals to be had. If you are going to the East coast then I am not too sure.

I LOVE Alaska Airlines!! My mom is a flight attendant for them (went back to work when I was in college... I guess she is a non-trad flight attendant )

I grew up in Seattle and flew them all the time, plus now I live in AK so it's pretty much my main option for going anywhere.

 

[chman]

I LOVE Alaska Airlines!! My mom is a flight attendant for them (went back to work when I was in college... I guess she is a non-trad flight attendant )

I grew up in Seattle and flew them all the time, plus now I live in AK so it's pretty much my main option for going anywhere.

I did not realize how much I liked them until I flew another airline. What part of SEA did you grow up in? You can PM me if you want.

 

[jtimmer1]

Jetblue has always been really awesome to me. I would go with them.

 

[CardioPlus]

Def go with Jetblue! the seats are pretty roomy and the main perk is that each seat has its own TV, which streams live TV (40 channels). This definitely made the long flight wayyy more enjoyable and relaxing!

 

[bannie22]

cathay pacific.

but recently their service has been on the downside.

but i had a fabulous experience with them once.

i would have already switched to singapore airlines if not for its star alliance partner air canada, which i am not the biggest fan of.

thus in the future, i would probably switch to JAL because of its one world relationship with cathay pacific.

i dont know. they are all world class carriers. but for now, CX i guess because JAL doesnt fly to toronto.

 

[Freezer]

ha! DELTA... Doesnt Ever Leave The Airport

 

[Longshanks]

Oh yeah! Delta gives cookies, pretzels, or peanuts for free! Others don't.

But JetBlue has Blue Chips and organic chocolate chip cookies!

 

[JJMrK]

ha! DELTA... Doesnt Ever Leave The Airport

Delta is terrible. I had 2 flights canceled on the same trip the last time I flew with them.

 

[Longshanks]

Delta is terrible. I had 2 flights canceled on the same trip the last time I flew with them.

And most of the time you end up getting stuck in their Atlanta "hub". And who ever wants to be in Atlanta?

 

[BBender716]

Let's just all be thankful that United isn't even an option in this poll...

I've had to fly United on multiple occasions and let me just say that they're terrible.

 

[BBender716]

How much success have you guys had with flying standby?

Mucho success. I always schedule my initial flight home for like... 7 or 8ish, ensuring I have enough time after my interview day to get there. I've gotten lucky to get to the airport in the past a lot earlier so I caught standbys on two separate occasions with much ease!

 

[lstone13]

Let's just all be thankful that United isn't even an option in this poll...

I've had to fly United on multiple occasions and let me just say that they're terrible.

Agreed. The only time I was ever "randomly searched" was on their flights. I flew with them to and from St. Louis. The flight on the way home was cancelled, so I had to fly out the next day. So all of the 3 times I was scheduled to fly with them (to SL, from SL, and rescheduled from SL), they pulled me aside to "randomly search" me. And then, one of those 3 times, they made me sing the national anthem. I am not even kidding.

 

[BBender716]

Agreed. The only time I was ever "randomly searched" was on their flights. I flew with them to and from St. Louis. The flight on the way home was cancelled, so I had to fly out the next day. So all of the 3 times I was scheduled to fly with them (to SL, from SL, and rescheduled from SL), they pulled me aside to "randomly search" me. And then, one of those 3 times, they made me sing the national anthem. I am not even kidding.

Wow. That's insane. United was the only time I was randomly searched also. Needless to say, the only time I was randomly searched I was also transporting my girlfriend's toiletries and I was meeting her after the flight...

 

[silverhorse84]

I always go with JetBlue when I can. They're stewards and stewardesses seem to be the happiest (which is helpful when you want more food/drink) - I've even overheard them talking about how their counterparts in other airlines aren't as taken care of/happy as them.

Also, JetBlue has treated me the best. Not just with amenities on the plane, but also if there's a problem. This may not apply to many of you, but my mother has a wheelchair, and we've never had a problem with JetBlue, but we've had numerous problems with other airlines.

JetBlue also seems to be, comparatively, cheaper for some flights, which I don't know if that's a result of others prices going up or JetBlue going down, but when I fly home for Christmas, JetBlue was the actually the cheapest by far.

 

[BBender716]

I always go with JetBlue when I can. They're stewards and stewardesses seem to be the happiest (which is helpful when you want more food/drink) - I've even overheard them talking about how their counterparts in other airlines aren't as taken care of/happy as them.

Also, JetBlue has treated me the best. Not just with amenities on the plane, but also if there's a problem. This may not apply to many of you, but my mother has a wheelchair, and we've never had a problem with JetBlue, but we've had numerous problems with other airlines.

JetBlue also seems to be, comparatively, cheaper for some flights, which I don't know if that's a result of others prices going up or JetBlue going down, but when I fly home for Christmas, JetBlue was the actually the cheapest by far.

If you're ever curious, read about how JetBlue started up. It's a genius company created by a crazy business-savvy guy.

 

[ucladoc2b]

As someone who flies about 250k miles a year, I offer this advice.

The differences between the airline companies are pretty minimal. The in flight amenities are all pretty equal. The leg room is the same. Customer service is no different. Sure, each airline loyalty program has its perks. However, don't forget that you are flying to get somewhere. These perks aren't very useful when your stuck at JFK ORD IAH DEN with a missed connecting flight. I would choose your airline based on a couple of factors.

1. Connections. Direct is always better even if it might be a bit more expensive. Try to fly non-stop direct. Think about it, if you fly directly, the airline has only once chance to screw up your flight, not two (or more). Additionally, they are less likely to lose your bag if it only has one hop to make. Also, if you must connect, look for better airports. NYC airports suck at rush hour, O'Hare gets bad tstorms/snow storms (but is actually pretty good in fall and spring to connect), Dulles is usually ok, Denver is ok, and I've never had a delay out of LAX.

2. Time. As convienient as possible to what you need. However, earlier flights have fewer problems overall. Also, if something happens with your first flight, they have more options with which to help you out.

3. Price. Don't pay more for additional perks above safe, reliable transportation. But, if JetBlue is $10 more and all else being equal and you want that direct TV, go for it.

 

[flip26]

The leg room is the same.

No way. JetBlue and Southwest offer much more legroom than the other carriers...and it also depends on the aircraft they use...Southwest flies nothing but 737s, an older plane but more comfortable seating arrangement...

There are also huge differences in customer service between the airlines. Again, I have found JetBlue and Southwest to be the best...and their customer service ratings reflect this.

 

[JJMrK]

Agreed. The only time I was ever "randomly searched" was on their flights. I flew with them to and from St. Louis. The flight on the way home was cancelled, so I had to fly out the next day. So all of the 3 times I was scheduled to fly with them (to SL, from SL, and rescheduled from SL), they pulled me aside to "randomly search" me. And then, one of those 3 times, they made me sing the national anthem. I am not even kidding.

What?

 

[ucladoc2b]

No way. JetBlue and Southwest offer much more legroom than the other carriers...and it also depends on the aircraft they use...Southwest flies nothing but 737s, an older plane but more comfortable seating arrangement...

There are also huge differences in customer service between the airlines. Again, I have found JetBlue and Southwest to be the best...and their customer service ratings reflect this.

Depends on the airline and configuration. On average, an economy seat is 31" of pitch or so.

Customer service is a huge hit or miss, too.