Star Alliance - Air China or United in Biz Class for Beijing to East Coast US

I'll be traveling to Singapore and China in September on business. I'm set heading out and will go all Singapore Air. But coming home from Beijing I'm struggling with carrier selections. I live near Philly so can do a flight that comes into DC or NY (or any other close locale). My preference is a direct. Really know very little about China Air (747-400) except they have a direct to JFK and the biz class doesn't look bad on the seat map. The United angled lie-flat along with the 2-3-2 seat configuration (777-200) is not my favorite. Also not sure if these planes have new interior updates. Am I missing an option or are these the best of the bunch. Which would you take?

I'm USAIR Chairman if that makes any difference....

Thanks for the advice.

I'll be traveling to Singapore and China in September on business. I'm set heading out and will go all Singapore Air. But coming home from Beijing I'm struggling with carrier selections. I live near Philly so can do a flight that comes into DC or NY (or any other close locale). My preference is a direct. Really know very little about China Air (747-400) except they have a direct to JFK and the biz class doesn't look bad on the seat map. The United angled lie-flat along with the 2-3-2 seat configuration (777-200) is not my favorite. Also not sure if these planes have new interior updates. Am I missing an option or are these the best of the bunch. Which would you take?

I'm USAIR Chairman if that makes any difference....

Thanks for the advice.

Why don't you take UA88 (PEK-EWR)? Full lie-flat in business.

I'll be traveling to Singapore and China in September on business. I'm set heading out and will go all Singapore Air. But coming home from Beijing I'm struggling with carrier selections. I live near Philly so can do a flight that comes into DC or NY (or any other close locale). My preference is a direct. Really know very little about China Air (747-400) except they have a direct to JFK and the biz class doesn't look bad on the seat map. The United angled lie-flat along with the 2-3-2 seat configuration (777-200) is not my favorite. Also not sure if these planes have new interior updates. Am I missing an option or are these the best of the bunch. Which would you take?

I'm USAIR Chairman if that makes any difference....

Thanks for the advice.

United's PEK IAD usually has the new configuration so flat bed as well, though PEK EWR is a pmCO so better flat beds

UA does not have angled lie-flats in C. They have old recliners in a few 777s or the new fully-flat seats on their 767/747/some 777.

CA is not horrible but I'd probably go UA. PEK-EWR will have a legacy CO bird which has better seats than either of the legacy UA seats. Plus getting to PHL from EWR is better than from JFK.

UA does not have angled lie-flats in C. They have old recliners in a few 777s or the new fully-flat seats on their 767/747/some 777.

CA is not horrible but I'd probably go UA. PEK-EWR will have a legacy CO bird which has better seats than either of the legacy UA seats. Plus getting to PHL from EWR is better than from JFK.

This^

Living in PHL, I would rather drive to EWR three times then drive to JFK once. IAD is a little better than JFK, but not much.

Or possibly consider a flight into LAX or SFO and take a connection to PHL/EWR. Breaks up the flight a little bit and you'd have lounge access.

Or possibly consider a flight into LAX or SFO and take a connection to PHL/EWR. Breaks up the flight a little bit and you'd have lounge access.

An international C product would always trump a domestic F product. Take int'l C for as long as you can. This argues for EWR, IAD, or ORD, then drive/connect to Philadelphia. (And in agreement with other posters, I respectfully leave out JFK. The product would have to move heaven and earth for me to justify that drive.)

An international C product would always trump a domestic F product. Take int'l C for as long as you can. This argues for EWR, IAD, or ORD, then drive/connect to Philadelphia. (And in agreement with other posters, I respectfully leave out JFK. The product wold have to move heaven and earth for me to justify that drive.)

^^

Really know very little about China Air (747-400) except they have a direct to JFK and the biz class doesn't look bad on the seat map.

<pedantry mode>The *A member based out of PEK is Air China (CA). There is no carrier named "China Air", but there is a SkyTeam member named China Airlines (CI) based out of TPE.</pedantry mode>

On multiple occasions, I've seen FTers mix these carriers up looking for flights operated by the other alliance's member, so I thought it would be worth pointing out.

No-one has mentioned it, but IMO your best option by a long way is to do PEK-YYZ-PHL with AC ^

An international C product would always trump a domestic F product. Take int'l C for as long as you can. This argues for EWR, IAD, or ORD, then drive/connect to Philadelphia. (And in agreement with other posters, I respectfully leave out JFK. The product wold have to move heaven and earth for me to justify that drive.)

I wouldn't connect our of EWR to PHL, in the 1-2 hours minimum you'd connect to PHL for the >30 minutes flight, you'd be 1/2 way home in that amount of time by car.

IAD I'd connect with, but it's all Barbie jets but a short flight.

If I had a superior C seat and had to transit via ORD to PHL in domestic F, that would be worth it to me, but your point is well taken regarding a trans-con in F vs. longer haul in C.

No-one has mentioned it, but IMO your best option by a long way is to do PEK-YYZ-PHL with AC ^

This is actually quite a reasonable choice, I don't think you even need to go through Canadian immigration. A quick peek at your passport and security is all you need if I remember correctly. Plus you can clear US immigration in YYZ and walk straight out at PHL. I'd say AC is definitely superior to legacy UA and somewhat better than legacy CO as far as the seat is concerned.

Thank you for all the advice. I'm intrigued by the idea of doing Air Canada. Didn't really consider that but might be worth checking those flight options.

Totally agree that JFK is awful and I would far prefer EWR. I can get car service and in fact will do that traveling Singapore Air on my outbound flight.

So sounds like i need to choose between UA 88 to EWR or AC...:confused:

Thank you for all the advice. I'm intrigued by the idea of doing Air Canada. Didn't really consider that but might be worth checking those flight options.

Totally agree that JFK is awful and I would far prefer EWR. I can get car service and in fact will do that traveling Singapore Air on my outbound flight.

So sounds like i need to choose between UA 88 to EWR or AC...:confused:

Take the UA n/s. AC is marginally better, but not so good as to justify adding a few hours to the journey. Outbound connection at YYZ isn't bad (not relevant, I know), but the inbound bag reclaim can take over an hour (as happened to me.)

Take the UA n/s. AC is marginally better, but not so good as to justify adding a few hours to the journey.

The AC connection means a trip duration of 16:40 (fastest way to get to PHL apart from UA via IAD which is 9mins faster) and means you end up straight back at PHL. By the time you fly the 13.5hr flight to EWR and get ground transportation back to PHL you are looking at a similar time.

The AC connection means a trip duration of 16:40 (fastest way to get to PHL apart from UA via IAD which is 9mins faster) and means you end up straight back at PHL. By the time you fly the 13.5hr flight to EWR and get ground transportation back to PHL you are looking at a similar time.
I agree with you but it depends on the connection time at YYZ. If OP has checked bags, I think anyone who's travelled through Canada knows the woes of baggage handling at Canadian airports. With that being said, there are long minimum connect times for Intl-US connections at YYZ for a reason.

I think the 1-2-1 configuration on AC is great. Once flew the UA 2-4-2 and felt like a sardine. I suppose if you are traveling with someone it's different but I always appreciate those single pods when I'm on my own. I don't want to climb over anyone and don't want anyone climbing over me! :) Anyone flown this plane to offer a comparison overall with UA?

My hesitancy is the baggage issue i'm hearing about (yes I'm checking). This flight gets in at 6:45pm and it will be a Monday. Does this make it better or worse?? I have pretty lmited familiarity with Toronto airport unless flying from Philly.

Thanks to all for input.

I think the 1-2-1 configuration on AC is great. Once flew the UA 2-4-2 and felt like a sardine. I suppose if you are traveling with someone it's different but I always appreciate those single pods when I'm on my own. I don't want to climb over anyone and don't want anyone climbing over me! :) Anyone flown this plane to offer a comparison overall with UA?

My hesitancy is the baggage issue i'm hearing about (yes I'm checking). This flight gets in at 6:45pm and it will be a Monday. Does this make it better or worse?? I have pretty lmited familiarity with Toronto airport unless flying from Philly.

Thanks to all for input.

Clearing US Customs in YYZ is a major major pain in the a*&. Plus secondary security before Customs is a long hassle, would definitely recommend avoiding YYZ, and take a direct flight to IAD or EWR.

I think the 1-2-1 configuration on AC is great. Once flew the UA 2-4-2 and felt like a sardine. I suppose if you are traveling with someone it's different but I always appreciate those single pods when I'm on my own. I don't want to climb over anyone and don't want anyone climbing over me! :) Anyone flown this plane to offer a comparison overall with UA?

My hesitancy is the baggage issue i'm hearing about (yes I'm checking). This flight gets in at 6:45pm and it will be a Monday. Does this make it better or worse?? I have pretty lmited familiarity with Toronto airport unless flying from Philly.

Thanks to all for input.

The PEK-EWR flight is legacy CO BF, 2-2-2 seating. You can get one of the middle pair and no one will be climbing over you.

Clearing US Customs in YYZ is a major major pain in the a*&. Plus secondary security before Customs is a long hassle, would definitely recommend avoiding YYZ, and take a direct flight to IAD or EWR.
Preclearance at YYZ is no different from clearing at EWR except that Canadians aren't separated from Americans (Canadians are often permitted to use US resident lanes at US immigration checkpoints anyway) and there are Nexus kiosks instead of GE. If OP has Nexus, it'll be a breeze. If not she'll just have to wait, but how busy are Monday evening TB flights anyway? It's not like it's Monday morning.

The real problem is that the PEK-YYZ flight gets in at 18:45 which limits OP to one connection to PHL, the last AC flight of the night to PHL at 21:20. She will almost certainly make the connection but if the plane goes mx or if there's some wx/labour issues she might end up staying the night in YYZ. So despite saving at least an hour and a half on the road and being able to depart PEK later, UA88 will still get OP home faster.

Thank you! What a helpful group! Had no idea this plane was 2-2-2. That seals it. Oh and I have Global Entry..