Go Back  Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Travel Topics > Air Travel
Reload this Page >

Continental or American

Search

Continental or American

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Nov 8th, 2010, 05:39 PM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 391
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Continental or American

Any opinions out there regarding whether it is better to fly on American or Continental between San Francisco and Buenos Aires?
jag1jag1 is offline  
Old Nov 9th, 2010, 01:48 AM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 26,778
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Assuming you are in coach, there is not much of a difference between them, IMO. Both have looped videos on the long-haul portion, and neither will set your world on fire with service.

I would choose based upon any mileage considerations (i.e. if you have an account with one, or if you are elite). Otherwise, I would choose very strictly on price, even if the difference were only a few dollars.
travelgourmet is offline  
Old Nov 10th, 2010, 10:37 AM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 4,080
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Agree to an extent with "travelgourmet" but more info would be helpful. I would prefer to connect thru IAH (Continental) than DFW or ORD (American) although AA has a connection thru MIA on a 777. I have flown on the 777 in both classes and think it is one of the better long haul airplanes out there.

With the merger of CO and UA you might end going thru ORD anyway. Not a bad idea to avoid connections in the Midwest and Northeast in winter.

Good luck, heading to EZE myself at the end of the month, probably on AA out of MIA.
DMBTraveler is offline  
Old Nov 12th, 2010, 02:43 PM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 18,050
Received 22 Likes on 4 Posts
I have flown American internationally many times but the flight from DFW to Buenos Aires in Coach was not pleasant. The seat was in a much more cramped space than in the original connecting domestic flight.
It was eleven hours of being very uncomfortable. On a recent international Continental flight I had much more room in Economy.
As far as traveling to South America, next time I will fly LAN Airlines as everyone I talked to was happy with their flight down unlike those of us on American.
HappyTrvlr is offline  
Old Nov 12th, 2010, 03:19 PM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,514
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I'm a CO loyalist so biased, but find AA's planes to be showing their age whereas CO has a newer fleet. The merger with UA does give you more options - there is SFO-LAX-EZE which actually stops and changes planes in IAH but sells for several hundered $ less than SFO-IAH-EZE. There is even SFO-IAD-EZE. I have flown IAH - EZE on CO in the front cabin and it was great.
Seamus is offline  
Old Nov 12th, 2010, 04:07 PM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 19,397
Received 79 Likes on 8 Posts
Lan has a new service, nonstop SFO-Lima, connecting easily through LIM to EZE.
Gardyloo is offline  
Old Nov 12th, 2010, 09:31 PM
  #7  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 391
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I have miles on United, but the route through DC takes longer, and, of course, it's impossible to get a ticket with my miles. So, I'm thinking that CO is probably the best option.
jag1jag1 is offline  
Old Nov 13th, 2010, 02:56 AM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,347
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
AND flying Continental will give you United FF miles to add to the ones you already have.
JaneB is offline  
Old Nov 13th, 2010, 05:52 PM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 816
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Unless there were a big disparity in price or the flight times/connections were bad, I would take Continental just to stock up on the miles. Otherwise, I can't imagine there's a huge difference in coach.
andrews98682 is offline  
Old Nov 14th, 2010, 08:59 AM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,126
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I have flown both and prefer CO any time. I just flew AA to Rome, from JFK. Seats were somewhat cramped. I have not flown Co to Europe but to Aruba and the seats were more with more room, and comfortable. I went AA this time due to schedule and fares.
diann24 is offline  
Old Nov 15th, 2010, 05:00 AM
  #11  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 451
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Assuming fares and schedules are equal, I would choose Continental every time because I find them to have awesome customer service in general.
usernameistaken is offline  
Old Nov 15th, 2010, 07:45 PM
  #12  
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 4,238
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Check www.seatguru.com to see any seat differences.

One issue that could occur, as it did to me early 2009, I went to EZE but my baf went to ZHR (Zurich).

took 5 days to get back.
Rastaguytoday is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
twiggers
Air Travel
13
Jun 12th, 2010 03:16 AM
Ryansean
Europe
26
Apr 18th, 2006 11:47 AM
lynn100
Air Travel
5
Nov 16th, 2005 10:42 PM
Dan0501
Air Travel
6
May 20th, 2004 04:36 AM
Mel
Europe
28
Apr 25th, 2002 07:58 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On



Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -