US Airways

Check out our US Airlines deals from the smallest legacy carrier in the US. It is the 8th largest airline, by number of passengers, in the country this past year. The airline was acquired by America West Airlines in 2005, but retained its name because of brand recognition. US Airways has struggled with customer service in recent years. It consistently ranks at the bottom of customer satisfaction surveys (including the well respected Skytrax and Consumer Reports surveys).

Recently, US Airways has seemd to adopt a budget carrier business model. It maintains hubs at smaller major airports, and it was one of the first airlines to offer a la carte pricing including fees for blankets and food. That said, the carrier has managed to remain in business when larger carriers have been forced to merge or go out of business. The airline was commended for the skills of one of its pilots, who was able to safely land a plane in the Hudson River in early 2009 after birds hit the engines and caused them to fail after take-off.

US Airways recently launched a unique service called FastPath. It allows passengers on flights between Philadelphia and Boston to use dedicated check-in lines and security checkpoints. The airline may expand this service to other major routes in the future.

Important Information

Hubs: Charlotte:CLT , Phoenix Sky Harbor: PHX, Philadelphia International:PHL

Where to find deals: eSaver fares

Fleet: Airbus A320, A330; Boeing aircraft include 737, 757 and 767

Most popular destinations: Charlotte, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Orlando, Washington, and many destinations in Central America and the Caribbean

On-time performance: 83%

Extra fees: a la carte pricing means extra fees for checked baggage and in-flight amenities

Awards program: Dividend Miles, Star Alliance member

Cabin features and services: An extra fee is charged for many basic services. Newer planes (Airbus A330 and Boeing 767) are much nicer with seat-back video and leather seat cushions.