Review: American Airlines PHL-CLT-DEN

My American Airlines flight from Philadelphia to Charlotte departed at 8:20 a.m. The constant worrier that I am, I arrived at the airport at about 6 a.m., to insure I had plenty of time to get through security. As always, it took no time at all.

Boarding went smoothly and the Airbus aircraft was the same you’ll see on any short-haul American Airlines flight — a bit older, but not bad for a few hours in the air. Though there was WiFi available, I chose to enjoy the pre-downloaded content from my Amazon Prime account instead.

While the flight was smooth and arrived on time, I discovered an unhappy surprise at my connection. Originally, my flights were about an hour apart, but due to two delays, I ended up waiting about three hours in the airport. Unfortunately, the airport in Charlotte is crowded, small and does not offer much to keep waiting passengers busy.

Finally, I boarded a similar but newer Airbus for Denver. I had booked a middle seat in order to sit further toward the front of the aircraft and it thankfully wasn’t as bad as I expected. The typical array of in-flight lunchtime meals were available, but I kept to the complimentary snacks and a soda, having eaten at the airport before departure.

There was no wait to disembark once we reached Denver and the flight seemed to last much less than the time projected. It was my first time flying into Denver, and I will admit the airport isn’t the easiest to get around. Finding my Uber required trips down two escalators, a shuttle ride and then a few more escalators. Some additional signage would have made my experience easier.

Overall, my in-flight time with American Airlines was up to par with what I expect from a non-budget, economy-class flight. While the inexplicable delay in Charlotte was frustrating, I didn’t allow it to overshadow my mood for the rest of the day.