This will be the start of a new series. My 1v1 series will feature two similar items/companies/etc. competing against each other to decide which one reigns supreme. Since I flew for the first time in my life last week, I figured I would start with the two airlines I flew with. American Airlines and United Airlines. These airlines each had two flights from me, a smaller one from a local airport and a larger one to/from Minneapolis. I have a few categories I will use to rate them and make my decision at the end.
1. Cost
The cost was a close one between the two. Given that I booked the same flight just with two different airlines, there was really no bias on my part here. For a flight through American Airlines, I paid $160. Through United Airlines, I paid $156. So the cost to fly between these two airlines is fairly similar, as is the checked in bag price.
WINNER – United (Saved $4, so not really a big win for United)
2. Online System
The online system is something you would use to check in to your flight, print out your boarding passes, etc. The comparison here is mainly how the websites are organized and set up. Both of the airlines allow for mobile scanning, but which one was easier to navigate? With American Airlines, I needed to give my last name, flight confirmation number and date. With United, I simply needed my last name and confirmation number. Both were fairly similar, but American Airlines made me go through a bunch of unnecessary steps, like asking me if I wanted to upgrade and asking me other questions about applying for a credit card.
WINNER – United (Fast, simple, convenient)
3. Airplane
American Airlines' smaller plane was really, really small. I couldn’t even stand the whole way up on the plane in the aisle as it was that small. However, the smaller plane had more leg room than the smaller United plane. The smaller United plane was one with propellers on the side, no wings. While I could stand the whole way up, the leg room was left to be desired. When it comes to the larger flight with each airline, American Airlines had three seats in each row. United only had two. Not that this matters, but with what American Airlines had, there was surprisingly more room to move around, and I found the seat to be more comfortable.
WINNER – American Airlines (more leg room and more comfortable seats)
4. In Flight Food/Drink Services
Both of the airlines offer a free snack and free soft drinks. When it comes to the actual food menu, American Airlines clearly had more on the table. You could purchase Pringles, Brookside Chocolates and a cheese tray. On United Airlines, there was not really a variety, and what they did have on the menu wasn’t available on the flight.
WINNER – American Airlines (more variety)
5. Wi-Fi and Technology
WiFi is a huge part of flying today. It can be purchased for use throughout the flight. There is also free entertainment that was offered on both flights through GoGo. Keep in mind that the exact same service is offered on both airlines. American Airlines charges $5.50 for a half hour of internet access, or $17.00 for the whole flight. United Airlines only charges $2.99 for an HOUR, and $7.00 THE WHOLE FLIGHT. United is the clear winner here.
WINNER – United (cheaper by a long shot)
6. Staff
I found myself to have a delightful and not delightful trip with each airline. With my first AA ride, there were absolutely no in-flight services. No Wi-Fi, no food or drink, nothing. My second AA flight had very nice staff members -- there were two people handing out food and drinks. The staff was friendly and made frequent trips to check on you. When I flew on the bigger United flight, I had some annoyances with staff. The stewardess would not let me put my carry on underneath the seat in front of me because about two inches was sticking out by my feet. She was also very strict about people holding purses. Not to mention that they only made one trip up the aisle which took almost the whole flight. The second United flight made up for it, as the lone girl working on the small flight was extremely nice. The entire flight she handed out drinks and was so concerned about everyone’s well-being.
WINNER – TIE (both were fairly good)
OVERALL – United Airlines. In the future, I would choose United if I had to pick one. For a cheaper price, I got a better experience. While AA gave the better in-flight experience with the menu and plane size, United gave the better overall experience. The online system was very user-friendly, the Wi-Fi was very friendly cost-wise and the staff was just as nice if not nicer than AA. They even offered $500 in airline credit due to an overbooking on another flight (I declined). Comment below what you think about the two airlines and what your favorite is.
