Late last year, I penned a couple of posts about experimenting with US Airways here in Atlanta. I concluded then that I could live with the AA/US network, but I wasn’t likely to just start flying them exclusively from Delta’s biggest hub. Then, things happened. Believe me, I haven’t stopped flying Delta, but Southwest is now in my travel mix too. A confluence of events came together, and suddenly I found myself with seven American Airlines itineraries booked in the next few weeks.

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For a few weeks, I’ll be flying American more than any other airline, and that’s going to create some interesting wrinkles in my travels. It will also make for some unique blogs about flying a non-hub airline from Delta’s biggest hub. That can be both good – a bit less elite competition and a quieter airport lounge most days, and bad – I’m going to be connecting more than I normally do.

I’m starting things off with a 2-hour delay, but there is one phenomena you will never see with Delta, as an AAdvantage Gold member, I’m #1 on the upgrade list for 1 seat. Not counting on that to happen, but I’m not number 32 of 68 on the list, and that gives me hope.

Any other “hub captives” out there that are finding yourselves flying the non-hub airlines more than you used to?

-MJ, April 17, 2015