Is the American Airlines "more room in coach" really much of a difference? Is it worth paying an extra 200$ as opposed to any other US carrier?

I work for American so I'm just a little biased, but alot of our PAX that are 5'9" and taller say it makes a big difference. I guess it depends on the distance your going as well as your budget.

Yeah, there's a difference. I'm a big guy and I'm definitely more comfortable with "more room." Don't understand the part about the "extra $200" however. American's prices are just about the same as everyone else's.

Unless you are really tall, I don't think it's worth an extra $200 to fly American. However, if you were flying coast to coast or to Hawaii, it might be. The leg room does actually make quite a bit of difference.

Forget paying the extra $200...why is AA $200 more? I wouldn't pay it. Shop around and see if you can't get another airline and an aisle seat. I hate American Airlines. Service stinks.

I fly American on a regular basis but sometimes also Continental and in the past made many trips on US Air. I'm a "big guy" (about 6' 2" and 220 lbs) - the extra room they've added in coach makes a huge difference in comfort, especially on trips of more than two hours duration. I also don't understand where the $200 difference comes from. It's possible that if you're tryign to book a flight they have few seats left on or you're in an area where they are not one of the dominant carriers, they may be pricer but I fly from newark and AA is always neck and neck in price with the other majors, sometimes cheaper.

I too am large (6'3") and believe it or not, the extra leg room is quite noticeable on American Airlines....still too tight for me, but what do you do! Like others, not sure what this $200 extra is about?? Ken

I'm with the majority of the people on here. I know it doesn't seem like 2 inches would make a big difference, but it does. I am 6'0 and heavy set. I wouldn't say it's exactly comfortable, but it is better.

It makes a huge difference but I don't think they are charging $200 extra for the legroom. Your flight maybe more sold out than another airline which would cause the fare to go up.

What I mean by the extra 200$ is that for my particular flight it would cost me an extra 200$ to fly American as opposed to Air France, Continental or most of the other US airlines. I am flying from JFK-Paris.

Fly Air France! The service will more than make up for the 2inches less room. American Airlines is just a Glorified Greyhound. Besides if they are gonna highjack a plane it is gonna be a U.S. carrier. When I fly int'l I always avoid US airlines. bad food, bad service, old planes.

I agree that Air France is your better bet to Paris. I have to fly AA all the time because I have no choice since they have a virtual monopoly on my hub. The leg room is definitely noticeable, but I preferred the service of Air France when I flew them to Paris. If you are very concerened about leg room, opt for a business class ticket. I don't think it's all that much more expensive.

Is everyone here tall? Does American only cater to the tall? (Based on the curves of the seats, I'd say yes. Is it worth $200? Your call, but I'd wonder why. Finally, is American charging $200 more because they have more room, or are they charging more because a)they can and b)THEY aren't the ones going out of business.

If you want to know why it's bad when a big carrier goes out of business, look at what American does: more expensive tickets, stingiest FreqFlyer policies, and least interest in passengers flying for non-business (and, apparently, non-tall) reasons.

"Stingiest Frequent Flyer policies"????
I stick with American partly because of their FF policies. Not many airlines will let you book a $350 super saver fare round trip for Europe and still let you use points to upgrade to Business class. My miles mostly have no expiration date. The rest of them won't expire until 2005. I can book a flight with FF miles up to 330 days ahead -- even just booking one way and they will hold that reservation until I book the return up to a couple of months later. Once I have claimed an award and book a flight, I can change it an any time with no penalty or charge! They have as many ways and partners to earn miles as any airline I know of. These are some of the most generous rules available to frequent flyers!
And I question too what you mean by charging $200 extra for the legroom. Just today I started checking American flights for October to California. Checking the same itinerary the fare can vary by as much as $200 depending on which days I fly.

Dan,

I am an American Airlines frequent flier, and there is a definite difference in legroom compared to the other carriers. For a long flight, such as yours from JFK to Paris, it will make a big difference. I would try to find another flight on American which costs less. In terms of their service, I have been very pleased with it. I would not say it is a glorified Greyhound. On the transcontinental and transpacific flights I have been on, we were always given plenty to eat and drink, etc. American will always accomodate any special dietary needs you may have if you mention this when booking the ticket.

To KenCT, Owen, xxx, Dan and the rest who had something positive to say, thank you for your support. As a reminder to the rest of you, service is variable no matter which airline you fly, and as a flight attendant, one of our sayings is, "I'm here to save your ass, not kiss it!" If you've had bad service write a comment letter to the airline, that's the only way things will change. I'd like to see Greyhound get you from JFK to Paris. You've obviously never had to take the bus for a long distance if you compare ANY airline with that particular mode of transportation!

Not only are the Air France (747) seats 2-4 inches closer together, they're an inch narrower than American's. I recall a survey made a couple of years ago which showed AF's seats offered less personal space than that offered on the New Jersey commuter trains into NYC.

We just flew American from D.C. to Maui, and my husband who is 6'5" definitely noticed a difference compared to United and USAirways that we fly most often. Though for a $200 price difference, I'd definitely consider another airline.

Enjoy Paris however you make it there!

Thanks for all your advice.