All Nippon Airways Mileage Club - IAD-NRT-SIN in Y on NH for award tickets; when to ticket?

My wife and I are planning to head back to SIN and KUL to visit family (grandparents, relatives, etc.) with our two young kids during Chinese New Year next year (as posted on the Traveling with Kids thread http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travel-children/974992-first-time-flying-w-kids-ua-iad-sin-w-2-kids-17-mo-3-yrs-11-mo-tips.html. We're planning on traveling sometime the week of 2/8 with a return on 3/8 (4 weeks). This will be the first time we're flying with kids, so that alone I'm sure by itself will be an adventure! :D

As my wife and I no longer have status on UA (ex-1P's during the days before kids), we're thinking of flying NH over UA and giving it a try. Neither one of us have flown NH before, and am I right to understand that NH's Y class provides an overall better experience and service (e.g. food, IFE, etc.) over UA's standard Y product (not withstanding E+ in UA)?

Since this will be an award travel, how far out in advance should I do the ticketing with UA's Star Alliance desk? They are able to only check availability and it only shows 4 seats at a time, but when I checked earlier today, the UA CS agent did say that she is showing availability for the dates that we were considering and suggested I book within a week.

Thanks,
David

My wife and I are planning to head back to SIN and KUL to visit family (grandparents, relatives, etc.) with our two young kids during Chinese New Year next year (as posted on the Traveling with Kids thread http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travel-children/974992-first-time-flying-w-kids-ua-iad-sin-w-2-kids-17-mo-3-yrs-11-mo-tips.html. We're planning on traveling sometime the week of 2/8 with a return on 3/8 (4 weeks). This will be the first time we're flying with kids, so that alone I'm sure by itself will be an adventure! :D

As my wife and I no longer have status on UA (ex-1P's during the days before kids), we're thinking of flying NH over UA and giving it a try. Neither one of us have flown NH before, and am I right to understand that NH's Y class provides an overall better experience and service (e.g. food, IFE, etc.) over UA's standard Y product (not withstanding E+ in UA)?

Since this will be an award travel, how far out in advance should I do the ticketing with UA's Star Alliance desk? They are able to only check availability and it only shows 4 seats at a time, but when I checked earlier today, the UA CS agent did say that she is showing availability for the dates that we were considering and suggested I book within a week.

Thanks,
David

You should book those tickets now because award tickets can be hard to come by during Chinese New Year. So if you wait, there is a very good chance those seats would be gone.

I have never flown NH Y before, only First/Business class; however, the feedbacks I heard from others is that the legroom in NH Y is inadequate for many people. For the kids, this will not likely make a difference. For you and your wife, if you are tall and/or big, it will likely be very uncomfortable for you due to the lack of legroom. I'd guess if you are taller than 5'7 or 170 cm and a BMI greater than 25, which keep in mind, most Japanese are shorter and smaller than this standard - you will likely feel uncomfortable for such long trip in Y.

If you can accept the more narrow legroom on NH Y, then, yes go for NH Y. Otherwise, go for UA. SQ's direct flight from NYC is another option and SQ Y will likely be better than both but availability can be hard to come by.

According to SeatGuru:

UA 747 Economy: (http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/United_Airlines/United_Airlines_Boeing_747-400_B.php)
31" pitch, 17" width (3-4-3 config)

UA 777 Economy: (http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/United_Airlines/United_Airlines_Boeing_777-200_2.php)
31" pitch, 18" width (2-5-2 config)

ANA 777 Economy: (http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/ANA/ANA_Boeing_777-300.php)
31" pitch, 16.5" width (3-3-3 config)

I'm 5'10" and have a typically lean Asian build, and I haven't noticed a significant comfort difference flying SFO-NRT between UA and ANA. Especially if you can get adjacent seats with kids, the seat width will be less of an issue because you can lift the dividers and intrude on your kids' space =).

In terms of other things, I vastly prefer ANA over UA for service, aircraft condition, food. I can't remember whether the ANA IFE is fully on-demand in economy, but I know for sure that UA is NOT.

According to SeatGuru:

UA 747 Economy: (http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/United_Airlines/United_Airlines_Boeing_747-400_B.php)
31" pitch, 17" width (3-4-3 config)

UA 777 Economy: (http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/United_Airlines/United_Airlines_Boeing_777-200_2.php)
31" pitch, 18" width (2-5-2 config)

ANA 777 Economy: (http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/ANA/ANA_Boeing_777-300.php)
31" pitch, 16.5" width (3-3-3 config)

I'm 5'10" and have a typically lean Asian build, and I haven't noticed a significant comfort difference flying SFO-NRT between UA and ANA. Especially if you can get adjacent seats with kids, the seat width will be less of an issue because you can lift the dividers and intrude on your kids' space =).



I think you also have to consider OP is going to have 4 seats, which NH is impossible for all 4 seats together, but UA can. NH IAD-NRT is 77W, NRT-SIN is 763. 77W is 3-3-3, 763 is 2-3-2. On UA both ways would be 777 at 2-5-2. No matter what seatguru said, I have been on NH 77W and 763 in Y, seats are very narrow and not much legroom (I am 5"9" and 140lbs, have flown a lot in UA long haul Y E+ and E-), unless I can get bulkhead or exit, basically I avoid NH Y. Btw, bulkhead basically reserve for NH elites. *S and *G can also ask for them at checkin, but if you are not either, agent would just simply say they are occupied.

I do agree if you don't care for the cramp seats, NH Y does offer better IFE and food than UA.

In terms of other things, I vastly prefer ANA over UA for service, aircraft condition, food. I can't remember whether the ANA IFE is fully on-demand in economy, but I know for sure that UA is NOT.

ANA IFE is fully on-demand and quite good. You can check what's on for the IAD-NRT leg right over here (http://www.ana.co.jp/int/service/0907/movie/y/IAD_NRT/index_ge.html), though be sure to check it before you go, since the options change every month. They have movies, TV, a sky map/camera and even info for going through immigration/re-check when you get to the airport.

On UA both ways would be 777 at 2-5-2. No matter what seatguru said, I have been on NH 77W and 763 in Y, seats are very narrow and not much legroom (I am 5"9" and 140lbs, have flown a lot in UA long haul Y E+ and E-), unless I can get bulkhead or exit, basically I avoid NH Y.

Doesn't UA automatically upgrade you to E+ as a UA*G? :confused: How come you still had to fly E- on UA long haul?

Doesn't UA automatically upgrade you to E+ as a UA*G? :confused: How come you still had to fly E- on UA long haul?

Those are days long before I have status with UA, the first few years when I join MP, they were just about to introduce E+. There are also times when all E+ aisle are filled (I don't sit in window for long haul, unless it is bulkhead), then I would look for aisle in E-.

You should book those tickets now because award tickets can be hard to come by during Chinese New Year. So if you wait, there is a very good chance those seats would be gone.

I have never flown NH Y before, only First/Business class; however, the feedbacks I heard from others is that the legroom in NH Y is inadequate for many people. For the kids, this will not likely make a difference. For you and your wife, if you are tall and/or big, it will likely be very uncomfortable for you due to the lack of legroom. I'd guess if you are taller than 5'7 or 170 cm and a BMI greater than 25, which keep in mind, most Japanese are shorter and smaller than this standard - you will likely feel uncomfortable for such long trip in Y.

If you can accept the more narrow legroom on NH Y, then, yes go for NH Y. Otherwise, go for UA. SQ's direct flight from NYC is another option and SQ Y will likely be better than both but availability can be hard to come by.

I'd love to take SQ (only times I've flown SQ in the past was their shuttle flights between SIN and KUL) for the long-haul transpac, but that would mean getting to NYC from IAD to catch the flight.

I'm 5'10" (Asian) but I'm sure I'll survive NH's Y seat. :p Hopefully the food, IFE, and service makes up for it.

I think you also have to consider OP is going to have 4 seats, which NH is impossible for all 4 seats together, but UA can. NH IAD-NRT is 77W, NRT-SIN is 763. 77W is 3-3-3, 763 is 2-3-2. On UA both ways would be 777 at 2-5-2. No matter what seatguru said, I have been on NH 77W and 763 in Y, seats are very narrow and not much legroom (I am 5"9" and 140lbs, have flown a lot in UA long haul Y E+ and E-), unless I can get bulkhead or exit, basically I avoid NH Y. Btw, bulkhead basically reserve for NH elites. *S and *G can also ask for them at checkin, but if you are not either, agent would just simply say they are occupied.

I do agree if you don't care for the cramp seats, NH Y does offer better IFE and food than UA.

Actually, I'll be needing 3 seats; myself, my wife, and my 3 year old daughter will each occupy a seat. My 1.5 year old son will be a "lap infant" but I was told that I can request a bassinet for him from NH according to UA CSR's. I did checked what it would cost for a seat for him, even on an infant fare, and the price was astronomical! :p

If you have a bassinet, you will probably be at the bulkhead on the center block of Y, which is probably the best place to sit in Y on a 773. Although the exit row (24) has more legroom, all the seats suck: the aisles stick out in the middle of the aisle next to the galley so that your feet will get run over if you stretch out your legs, while the windows are blocked by the exit door slide, and the middles are middles.

767s are a bit better in terms of Y seating, although none of the international 767s come close to the glory that is exit row seating on a domestic 767 -- enough legroom for a giraffe.

As far as food, having just come off a JFK-NRT flight, here's what you can expect. First course was a choice of salmon or macaroni with salad, bread, and dessert (the ubiquitous Haagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream, my favorite part of flying ANA). Over Alaska they came around with little sandwiches, half tuna salad, half ham and lettuce. Before landing they served "breakfast," which was actually lunch in disguise: lasagna, salad and a Milano cookie, with coffee only available well after the meal had ended. All meals came with real silverware and a choice of decent complimentary wines or beers, although the quality of the sparkling wine has slipped quite a bit (they used to have South American Cava and now they are serving some French faux-champagne which is not as good).

In my experience the ANA cabin crews take a hell of a long time to get the Y meals together on transpacs, so if you have a large appetite, you should probably eat something before boarding. Special meals come out very quickly, though, and those who order them are usually finished before the other passengers are even served.

As a vegetarian, I can vouch for that last line. Yum.