Delta vs AA

[arubabob]

We have flown American air lines every trip we have taken to Aruba(14). We live in the Tulsa, Ok area and have to connect through DFW and MIA. Many of our flights have been paid for with frequent flyer points over the years so the costs have been minimal. The main problem we have with AA is that we cant get from here to Miami on the same day to catch the morning flight to AUA Every trip we have taken though is TUL-MIA-AUA so we usually leave around 10am and arrive in Aruba between 8-10pm depending on when AA has the evening flight scheduled. The other problem is we have to leave AUA on the morning flight which is between 7am and 9am depending and due to connections does not gey us to Tulsa until 11:30pm.
We have enough FF miles to get 2 tickets to AUA again this year but evidently AA is tightening up their schedules for FF tickets. I had been checking for those same flights since November and they are not available with miles. The only flights available so far leave Tul at either 6am or 7 am to DFW then connect with a flight to either Houston, St Louis, Atlanta, New Orleans or Charlotte, then go to MIA and on to AUA. This makes our total trip time over 14 hours.
I checked prices at other airlines and found that we could actually leave TUL at 6am and arrive in AUA at 2:30pm through ATL on Delta. The return flight leaves at 3:10 pm and arrives in Tul at 9:30.The price is $733 each but by taking out their sky miles card and spending $500 on it I received 30,000 FF miles. I purchased my tickets on the card and used the FF miles to pay for $300 off the ticket price and I get a $50 credit on my bill for using the card to buy the tickets. So the actual cost is $558 each. So we leave at the same time, get there 8 hours earlier, leave there 7 hours later and get home 2 hours earlier. Well worth it I think.
My question is this, is Delta dependable? We have a 59 minute layover in ATL going and a 60 minute layover in ATL on the return. Anyone have any problems with them?

[~Amy~®]

We've been using Delta twice a year to Aruba flying MSP-ATL-AUA. We always have a short layover in the Atlanta Airport around 50 mins to an hour and have never had any problems since it's early enough in the morning and delays haven't set anything back yet.

Coming home we take the 3:10pm flight from AUA-ATL and from there have two choices from ATL-MSP. One gives us an hour layover and the second gives us a two hour layover. After one close call (we made the connection but the luggage arrived the following day), we always book the later flight back to MSP to give us more breathing room for our connection.

I wouldn't be concerned about the layover time on the flight TO Aruba but if there's a later flight from ATL-TUL on the return, in my opinion, I would opt for that one - just in case.

[Arubalisa]

Living in Atlanta, the home of Delta, for the past 10 years, we have been using Delta for all of our travel. We have had a few very minor hiccups, but none of them directly pertaining to our flights and would highly recommend them.

Just heed Amy's advice on the return connection.

[arubabob]

Originally Posted by ~Amy~®

We've been using Delta twice a year to Aruba flying MSP-ATL-AUA. We always have a short layover in the Atlanta Airport around 50 mins to an hour and have never had any problems since it's early enough in the morning and delays haven't set anything back yet.

Coming home we take the 3:10pm flight from AUA-ATL and from there have two choices from ATL-MSP. One gives us an hour layover and the second gives us a two hour layover. After one close call (we made the connection but the luggage arrived the following day), we always book the later flight back to MSP to give us more breathing room for our connection.

I wouldn't be concerned about the layover time on the flight TO Aruba but if there's a later flight from ATL-TUL on the return, in my opinion, I would opt for that one - just in case.

It is the last direct flight of the day from ATL-TUL so we will have to try it.

[~Amy~®]

Originally Posted by arubabob

It is the last direct flight of the day from ATL-TUL so we will have to try it.

I think the odds are in your favor. Their flights are usually on time. Just be aware that if you're cutting it close then your luggage might not make it until the following day (Delta delivered ours to our house the next morning.) But at least you'll be at home and easily get by without your vacation clothes.

Also, if you haven't been in the ATL airport before, they have an easy, quick tram that runs between all of the concourses.