US Airways’ upcoming departure from Star Alliance on March 30, 2014 is a huge loss for the airline alliance and a particular burden for North American flyers using United MileagePlus miles.
My most-requested award redemptions are business class to Italy or France, often from the U.S. west coast. Trying to put together award space is a tall task and US Airways via Charlotte or Philadelphia to some east coast or departure point is my go-to solution. The back-up is via Phoenix to a Midwest European gateway like Chicago or Detroit or Dallas, again on US Airways.
Next week, that will be gone and Star Alliance redeemers will be faced with a harsh reality: you are going to have to fly economy, add stops, or have to buy your domestic connections separately on an international award redemption.
Try getting from Los Angeles to Chicago on most days—United has no space despite being a hub-hub route with several flights. Instead, award space is on US Airways via Phoenix. How about from San Francisco to Boston? The several daily non-stops on United have no saver award seats, but US does via Philadelphia or Charlotte.
US Airways also has a powerful presence in the Southeast where United is particularly weak. All this adds up to noticeable gaps in award availability and a hole that cannot be plugged by other carriers.
Does Star Alliance have any other options? I proposed Alaska Airlines not for the added value to United Airlines (there would be very little, if any) but for the added value to the Star Alliance network and those trying to redeem miles within North America. My proposition was just a pipedream—Alaska would never join Star Alliance—but there is nothing left except for tiny carriers like Sun Country or Frontier. Everyone else is spoken for, so award availability within North America will soon fall exclusively on Air Canada and primarily United.
United has no incentive to release more award space with flights as full as they are, so I can only warn Star Alliance travelers and particular MileagePlus redeemers that getting you from Point A to Point B within North America, particularly in a premium cabin, is about to become much harder.
As a rather noteworthy footnote, let’s also not forget that US Airways has a superb international business class seat on its A330s and an extensive route network to Europe. It also serves Tel Aviv, Rio, and Sao Paulo and often offers generous award space on these international routes (even in premium cabins if you book 335 days in advance). Further, they have a darn good domestic product with good first class food on flights with meal service and wi-fi on almost all flights.
I will miss US Airways tremendously.
Related posts:
Should I Burn my US Airways Dividend Miles Now or Later?
Diagnosing a Problem: Booking Lufthansa Award Space with US Airways Dividend Miles
Frequently Asked Questions About the American Airlines – US Airways Merger
Simplicity: The Key to a Smooth US Airways Award Booking
Why the US Airways Dividend Miles MasterCard is Still Worthwhile
Midwest hasn’t existed for several years.
Hi James, Thanks, I meant Frontier.
It’s also a loss for US Airways customers who fly to the upper Rocky Mountain states/Dakotas and most of Canada. American doesn’t serve those markets very well or at all, and I used United and Air Canada to get US Airways miles.
I hate to see them go, they were my elite qualification backup for when United’s prices were too high as I fly out of RIC. But, the award space like Matthew mentioned (to get to an international terminal like JFK & SFO), cheap miles, and low award redemption to Asia is going to hurt. My wife is Japanese and I’ve not flown international coach in years and will have to work harder/smarter now to keep that string going. I guess I was fortunate to have flown numerous 1st & B-Class flights on US Air Miles. While this is a short list compared to others, I was able to fly Asiana’s OZ-Suite, Turkish, EVA, and of course many United flights on US Air miles. Ironically, the one airline I didn’t fly internationally was US as I couldn’t make a trip work out on their metal to Europe.
I hate to see them go as I’ve used them for elite qualification backup when United didn’t work out. As Matthew mentioned, their domestic award space was crucial in getting me & my wife to International gateways like SFO & JFK when United either had no space or just coach for cross country as I fly out of RIC. I will miss their cheap miles as we fly to Japan often to visit my wife’s family and haven’t flown international coach in years. While this is a short list compared to others, I’ve flown Asiana’s OZ Suite, EVA’s new B-Class, Turkish, and numerous United 1st & B-Class on US Air miles. I guess I have to work harder/smarter going forward though I still have plenty to try out with One-World,…. hopefully.
If Alaska Airlines would join an “alliance” it would have to be SkyTeam.
Alaska Airlines and Delta Airlines (SkyTeam member) are very close partners with miles reward and EQM’s being able to be transfer between Alaska and Delta.
@Kevin
Pointing to the weakness Sean points out above in the US/AA route map and the fact that Delta and Alaska have gone to war with each other in Seattle, I think oneworld would be the most likely candidate. Still, Alaska is happy to play the field right now and I foresee it remaining independent for the time being and foreseeable future.
@Barry: United domestic award space has really become bad lately, so I fear that things are going to be much worse than many imagine.
I just booked four tickets from San Luis Obispo to Chicago–via Phoenix on US Airways. Nothing via San Francisco or LA on United, even in coach.
Well said, a big loss, indeed. I will miss USAir. Just bought DM 100% bonus miles to top up AA/US J class intl. saver award to having enough miles for a F saver award. I found in searching AA/US awards that some times you’ll find the 50K J award unavailable, but the F 62.5K is available. For 12.5K more miles it’s worth it (especially if you can get AA’s new 777 Flagship seat) if only being able to get the date that you want/need.
I received an email today that one of my imminent United flights will have wi-fi. I was a bit surprised — this is the only time I remember having wi-fi on a United flight.