China - ***Most comfortable airline to China in COACH- recommendations please

***

Looking for recommendations for the most comfy airline to China in COACH, please and those to avoid


Xie xie!!!
;););)

Where are you coming from? It makes a difference. If you're coming from North America, Australia or Europe I'd say Air China purely based upon seat pitch. If you are coming from Southeast Asia or Middle East/Africa then you have more options.

Where are you coming from? It makes a difference. If you're coming from North America, Australia or Europe I'd say Air China purely based upon seat pitch. If you are coming from Southeast Asia or Middle East/Africa then you have more options.



From USA/No America

Someone had recommended Emirates. Thoughts?

When we ask "where", we're talking about the city (both ends), rather than the country. In most cases, DXB is enough out of the way to table the EK option.

ANA is nice if you're picky about more than seat pitch.

When we ask "where", we're talking about the city (both ends), rather than the country. In most cases, DXB is enough out of the way to table the EK option.



Oh sorry, newbie mistake,

Looking at Houston, Texas (IAH) and Shnaghai PVG

SORRY!:(:(:(

Oh sorry, newbie mistake,

Looking at Houston, Texas (IAH) and Shnaghai PVG

SORRY!:(:(:(

You are doomed to a miserable experience, no matter how you slice it.

On the bright side, even if you have to endure United, you will get to China... we're only talking about 18 hours of your life.

But, if you can get the money up front, we might be able offer some better advice.

On the bright side, even if you have to endure United, you will get to China... we're only talking about 18 hours of your life.

Are you willing to pay or able for free to get into Economy Plus on United? That makes it more bearable. Flights from IAH to PVG on United are through ORD, LAX, or NRT, all of which use 777s, but I think the NRT route is a CO 777 so may not have E+. E+ on a United 777 is better than on a United 747, where there's not much extra leg room.

There's also American and Delta
Air Canada is an option through Toronto
And China Eastern has flights through Vancouver or LAX.

When we ask "where", we're talking about the city (both ends), rather than the country. In most cases, DXB is enough out of the way to table the EK option.

Actually, a good Beijing-based US friend who travels to/from New York and always in economy class, swears by the Emirates JFK-DXB-PEK product and service in both directions. She actually enjoys the stopover in DXB and doesn't mind the slightly longer overall travel time. So if OP is willing to position IAH to JFK, this might indeed be an option. My friend often is able to get good pricing on this flight, like USD 800 round-trip. There is an IAH-DXB nonstop option which would be heavenly, but it is almost always quite expensive since full of oil industry people on company-paid tickets. Generally, foreign carriers that are not mainland Chinese will be more pleasant than anything on a US carrier going transpac in economy. In the last two years, I've done quite a bit on TPAC Y into LAX or SFO connecting to IAH (then to JAN)--and vice versa--and it's surviveable. If you're not tall, even UA Economy minus in the 747 is workable (at 5'-3", I do OK in the center section aisle seat). If you can get a TPAC leg on Asiana, ANA, JAL, etc. you'll have a better experience than United, AA, DL.

Buy up to UA E+ seating
bulk head, aisle , exit row.


Outbound
IAH-SFO UA 883 8:48AM - 11:05AM
SFO-PVG UA 857 1:16PM - 5:25PM

Return
PVG-SFO UA 858 12:10PM -7:54AM
SFO-IAH UA 1229 10:44AM - 4:33PM


Apply for UA explorer card - 50K miles
+ IAH-PVG r/t miles = Enough miles for free TPAC economy ticket.

Someone had recommended Emirates. Thoughts?

While I heard EK's service and entertainment is superb, their 777 has 10 seat across instead of 9 for most other airlines, so it might be uncomfortable if you have a large build. If you have a budget in mind, that would narrow down the choices. If you are tall, and don't care about entertainment too much, then UA E+ is the way to go!

While I heard EK's service and entertainment is superb, their 777 has 10 seat across instead of 9 for most other airlines, so it might be uncomfortable if you have a large build. If you have a budge in mind, that would narrow down the choices. If you are tall, and don't care about entertainment too much, then UA E+ is the way to go!

I'm 6'2" so always looking for legroom, and E+ is a good option.

I've flown EK and the 10 across didn't bother me, but it may if you are a little on the wide side. Short flight, but still decent service on a COMPLETELY full aircraft.

If you can spend a little more, Eva Air and others have Economy Plus - basically US domestic FC seats, so a much better experience. You'd connect on West Coast and Taipei, but it's a great way to fly for a few hundred dollars more.

EmailKid

From IAH to PEK, flying EK or QR means 22 hours in the air vs about 18 hours connecting in N. America or NRT, plus a long 7+ hour connection in DXB or DOH. The difference in flying time is even more on the return trip.

Korean air is really nice in coach.
All their seats have 34" pitch.

Good food, On demand IFE, very nice service.
ICN is a very nice airport for connections.

Are you willing to pay or able for free to get into Economy Plus on United? That makes it more bearable. Flights from IAH to PVG on United are through ORD, LAX, or NRT, all of which use 777s, but I think the NRT route is a CO 777 so may not have E+. E+ on a United 777 is better than on a United 747, where there's not much extra leg room.

There's also American and Delta
Air Canada is an option through Toronto
And China Eastern has flights through Vancouver or LAX.
As a wide body/tall person myself, UA's Economy Plus makes a huge difference.

According to wikipedia, Qatar Airways serves both Houston and Shanghai, so this could be a viable one stop option.

OP, do you have status in any airline? FF earning preference? Is coach the only criteria, or is cost as well?

There are so many different options from North America to China and it is really difficult to discuss which is "best' without also discussing the cost and other variables.

for example I would much prefer OZ/KE over AA/UA , but not if OZ/KE involved doubling connecting/nasty LAX transit/bad departure times etc. Similarly DL is fine on 777 in coach but terrible on 747. The slightly nicer product on EK would involve close to double the transit time etc.

Maybe run down prices on Kayak or similar and post your most realistic options here for people to review. Otherwise the question is just too broad imo.

Given Economy is always bad - just slightly worse on some than on others - I would suggest CA. Direct connections to PEK (and PVG), most planes by now do have a rather good IFE, food is good (In comparison with European carriers, and on level of TG etc.) for Economy, seat pitch is ok (depends on airplane, again, but in general rather good) and the crews I had on the last flights were pleasant, didn't mind giving out the 5th beer or any other requests for drinks ^

That, and the direct connection to China and the usual very good fares clearly make CA a good choice for me. Their lounge in PEK (If you're *G) is also pretty decent.

34" in Economy?! That's about the best everyday seat pitch I've heard of.

Korean air is really nice in coach.
All their seats have 34" pitch.

Good food, On demand IFE, very nice service.
ICN is a very nice airport for connections.

NH has it too, if you're on one of their "Inspiration of Japan" planes (in other words, not China-Japan, but most likely on the Japan-US leg).

34" in Economy?! That's about the best everyday seat pitch I've heard of.

Depending on the row, it's either 33 or 34 inch on Korean.
See seatguru.com.

Btw I can't believe anyone suggesting connecting at Mideast for US to China.that adds almost 4000 miles, or 8 hours in economy. No amount of amenities in Y can make that tolerable.

34" in Economy?! That's about the best everyday seat pitch I've heard of.

What's sold as E+ or Economy Comfort by UA / DL are pretty much standard pitch on OZ / KE.

Not to mention the better food, seat back video and FAs who don't scowl at you if you have a request.

OT: It's a shame US airspace is not open to foreign competition. Imagine what cars in the US would still be like if Detroit hadn't been forced to improve by Toyota, VW, et al.

Depending on the row, it's either 33 or 34 inch on Korean.
See seatguru.com.


According to korean air (http://www.koreanair.com/local/na/gd/eng/au/of/au_of_01.jsp), it's either 32-33 or 33-34 in. So take your tape measures and report back to us.

Actually, a good Beijing-based US friend who travels to/from New York and always in economy class, swears by the Emirates JFK-DXB-PEK product and service in both directions. She actually enjoys the stopover in DXB and doesn't mind the slightly longer overall travel time. So if OP is willing to position IAH to JFK, this might indeed be an option. My friend often is able to get good pricing on this flight, like USD 800 round-trip. There is an IAH-DXB nonstop option which would be heavenly, but it is almost always quite expensive since full of oil industry people on company-paid tickets. Generally, foreign carriers that are not mainland Chinese will be more pleasant than anything on a US carrier going transpac in economy. In the last two years, I've done quite a bit on TPAC Y into LAX or SFO connecting to IAH (then to JAN)--and vice versa--and it's surviveable. If you're not tall, even UA Economy minus in the 747 is workable (at 5'-3", I do OK in the center section aisle seat). If you can get a TPAC leg on Asiana, ANA, JAL, etc. you'll have a better experience than United, AA, DL.


A friend of mine who have lived in / trveld to-from Shanghai / US for the past 12 years also SWEARS by this as well, although she said it took her 5-6 years of trying other routes.

So I have decided to go with this! IAH/Dubai/PVG and will actually do a 3 day stop over, which will give some rest/recoup time in the middle w/ the benefit of getting to explore Dubai. My daughter had been to Taipei 101, when it was at the time was the tallest in the world and will now get to go to the current tallest building. This may be our once in a lifetime chance to get to explore Dubai. Not sure when else or why we would be going here otherwise. I think this is a really good choice for us this trip.

Thanks for all of the ideas! I will be needing another one-way trip home next summer and will seek your advice for other options then. THANKS SOOOOOO much!!!! :):)