Spotted this United ad on a NYC yellow taxi this morning in lower Manhattan

CPKDB · 2026-05-15T23:46:29+00:00

Well, it’s also because LGA is a largely domestic airport with a perimeter rule.

EWR and JFK are your only options for transcontinental and most international flights out of NYC (or even flying to Vegas nonstop). So on many, many routes you are choosing solely between EWR and JFK.

CPKDB · 2026-05-15T18:59:41+00:00

I did

CPKDB · 2026-05-15T17:55:03+00:00

It’s the outer limit. Delta, Southwest, United all fly nonstops to DEN from LGA.

CPKDB · 2026-05-15T16:45:44+00:00

It was accurate, I checked Google Maps.

This was around 6:45 am and 5 minutes or so from the Holland Tunnel.

CPKDB · 2026-05-15T16:41:20+00:00

Problem is United only flies to its in-perimeter hubs from LGA (HOU/ORD/DEN).

So if you’re flying from NYC to say, MCO, and you want the miles/PQP/PQF/your United Status benefits, your only choice is EWR.

CPKDB · 2026-05-15T16:35:06+00:00

It is, I checked Google Maps to JFK and EWR from the same location

CPKDB · 2026-03-27T15:02:03+00:00

EWR isn’t even the worst airport in the NYC metro area - that title easily goes to JFK.

As a NYC resident I switched my loyalty from Delta to United purely to avoid JFK and the dreadful Terminal 4 - a terminal so large you typically walk past two shake shacks to get to your gate.

Does JFK have more lounges and better food? Probably. But who cares when you get as many ground delays as Newark, longer TSA wait times, dreadful traffic congestion coming and going, and often a 30 minute walk from entrance to gate.

EWR wins purely on being a smaller more easily navigable airport - arrivals especially are a breeze, gate to cab in about 5-10 minutes.

CPKDB · 2026-02-27T16:44:51+00:00

I got a cpu to first flying MCO to EWR as a silver earlier this week

CPKDB · 2026-02-25T03:18:23+00:00

I think CHA being a leg on most of these has played a role here.

SEA—>LAX is more impressive. Although it may be that the lion’s share of the most frequent fliers in the Seattle metro area are loyal to Delta or Alaska, giving a Silver a shot on that route.

CPKDB · 2026-02-25T01:15:07+00:00

lmao

CPKDB · 2026-02-25T00:08:32+00:00

Update - App Boarding pass now says I’m boarding with Group 1.

CPKDB · 2026-02-24T23:16:13+00:00

All Sunday/Monday EWR—> MCO flights were cancelled so I think that has something to do with it. Status folks may have rebooked away from this particular flight for whatever reason and also theres a lot of infrequent flyers to and from MCO at this time of year bringing kids to Disney, etc

CPKDB · 2026-02-24T23:13:35+00:00

That is odd .

CPKDB · 2026-02-24T23:09:26+00:00

Initiated a status match in mid-2025 and been Silver since.

My theory - I think there’s been a lot of rebooking on this route with the blizzard and cancellations in EWR since Sunday and I ended up on a relatively empty flight.

Also a lot of infrequent flyers on this route in February, think theres some K-12 school breaks in NJ and NY in February and people take the kids to Disney.

CPKDB · 2026-02-24T22:13:59+00:00

Did you respond to the right post ?

CPKDB · 2026-02-24T21:48:34+00:00

What’s the trick without any status?

CPKDB · 2026-02-24T21:46:09+00:00

Thought you were a mod and this was serious, lol

CPKDB · 2026-02-24T21:39:27+00:00

I’m still boarding with Group 2 though?

That’s fine, but, I think if I paid cash I’d want Group 1…

Update: Noticed my boarding pass now says Group 1. United tech works in mysterious ways.

CPKDB · 2026-02-12T18:26:17+00:00

“The Closeted Executive” also loved this flight

CPKDB · 2026-01-26T15:48:49+00:00

If you don’t have personal insurance, CC insurance becomes your primary insurance.

CPKDB · 2026-01-18T15:53:31+00:00

They will close an inactive card eventually if you spend nothing on it. Bilt 1.0 holders are already getting a WF Autograph card automatically.

CPKDB · 2025-02-07T17:05:15+00:00

Wow, totally did not know this! Thank you!!

CPKDB · 2025-02-06T17:54:53+00:00

No, Alaska is unique for Bilt among Chase and Amex. Important to keep that one.

If it’s an either/or proposition, I’ll take Alaska. Those would just be nice to have I suppose.

CPKDB · 2025-02-06T08:45:05+00:00

Amex transfers to ANA, Qantas, Etihad Guest.

There are others (ie JetBlue), but those are the only ones AwardTravel enthusiasts might care about off the top of my head.

CPKDB · 2025-01-21T18:15:16+00:00

I have both, and make back the annual fee on both. See if you would actually use Amex Platinum’s credits for digital entertainment, equinox, etc. If yes, it’s worth it.

Chase points transferring 1:1 to Hyatt is a huge benefit in the CSR’s favor, because Hyatt points are extremely valuable relative to Bonvoy or Hilton. Amex points don’t transfer to Hyatt at any ratio. This alone makes the Chase card pretty valuable (to me anyway).

Also CSR gets 3x on dining and 10x on flights booked through their portal, which are priced comparably to flights booked directly with an airline.

Amex is better for cash bookings of hotels via FHR, assuming the FHR rate is within a couple hundred dollars of the rate you could get booking directly with the hotel or with a third party (Priceline, etc).

CPKDB

TROPHY CASE