I feel like I won the lottery: SFO-JFK in AA"s new lie flat first: 37500 Avios +$2.50
Jun 16, 2014, 8:33 am
#1
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Original Poster
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Location: California
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I feel like I won the lottery: SFO-JFK in AA"s new lie flat first: 37500 Avios +$2.50
This is one of those moments that makes the FF game so addictive.
A family member needed a flight from SFO to JFK on short notice. JetBlue had a $377 nonstop fare, Virgin American was similar, UA and AA had nonstops available at double miles (25k and 30k respectively), and there were some other less attractive options. I chose to pay UA $9.99 to "fare lock" a 25k mile ticket for 3 days.
Near the end of my 3 days I noticed that UA had saver space on the flight I wanted one day later than the date I needed. I decided to pay another $9.99 to hold a new reservation for 3 more days in the hope that something better would appear.
Was I ever surprised to find midnight Sunday night (Pacific Time) that BAEC had not one but 3 AA nonstops available on my date. I had seen nothing at all available checking every day, and suddenly there they were!
The AA flights were all available in first class only, but I value 37500 Avios about the same as 25000 UA miles, and the BA booking would not incur UA's fees of $75 for late booking and $25 for a bag. On net it was a similar or better price for a much better seat.
I recalled reading something about a new first class product on selected transcons. I eagerly checked the AA website and discovered that yes indeed these flights were A321's with 1+1 lie flat seating in First Class. They look like the equal of international first class seats.
This was my first opportunity to pay the 3x Avios rate for first class and get a truly first class product for domestic travel. I jumped on it.
My only worry is setting a precedent for this particular family member, if you know what I mean...
P.S. Not that I would ever pay it, but the cash fare on this ticket is over $3300. Wow.
A family member needed a flight from SFO to JFK on short notice. JetBlue had a $377 nonstop fare, Virgin American was similar, UA and AA had nonstops available at double miles (25k and 30k respectively), and there were some other less attractive options. I chose to pay UA $9.99 to "fare lock" a 25k mile ticket for 3 days.
Near the end of my 3 days I noticed that UA had saver space on the flight I wanted one day later than the date I needed. I decided to pay another $9.99 to hold a new reservation for 3 more days in the hope that something better would appear.
Was I ever surprised to find midnight Sunday night (Pacific Time) that BAEC had not one but 3 AA nonstops available on my date. I had seen nothing at all available checking every day, and suddenly there they were!
The AA flights were all available in first class only, but I value 37500 Avios about the same as 25000 UA miles, and the BA booking would not incur UA's fees of $75 for late booking and $25 for a bag. On net it was a similar or better price for a much better seat.
I recalled reading something about a new first class product on selected transcons. I eagerly checked the AA website and discovered that yes indeed these flights were A321's with 1+1 lie flat seating in First Class. They look like the equal of international first class seats.
This was my first opportunity to pay the 3x Avios rate for first class and get a truly first class product for domestic travel. I jumped on it.
My only worry is setting a precedent for this particular family member, if you know what I mean...
P.S. Not that I would ever pay it, but the cash fare on this ticket is over $3300. Wow.
Last edited by nsx; Jun 16, 2014 at 8:40 am
Jun 16, 2014, 8:41 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,097
They are not; they are the same seat that CX and now AA (in its 77W) have for business class. However, it is is an excellent seat.
Yes, at 35,000 points it is a bit less than the 40,000 points needed for business class LHR-JFK, but so is the distance. As far as the lack of a fuel fine co-pay, I still can't understand how it could be legal in the UK.
Yes, at 35,000 points it is a bit less than the 40,000 points needed for business class LHR-JFK, but so is the distance. As far as the lack of a fuel fine co-pay, I still can't understand how it could be legal in the UK.
Jun 16, 2014, 8:47 am
#3
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The analogy really only makes sense if every lottery ticket on sale results in a prize!
You received the product that you paid for, and at the advertised price/going rate. That doesn't really seem to involve any element of luck or fortune.
But I'm glad you're happy with the transaction!
You received the product that you paid for, and at the advertised price/going rate. That doesn't really seem to involve any element of luck or fortune.
But I'm glad you're happy with the transaction!
Jun 16, 2014, 8:58 am
#4
Join Date: Aug 2010
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And coincidentally for the holders of the Chase BA card, the $30,000 spending required to qualify for a 2-4-1 yields the 37,500 Avios needed for a JFK-LAX or JFK-SFO First seat in AA. I've done an overnight from SFO-JFK in coach; I'd happily pay 37,500 Avios to get a lie-flat seat instead.
Jun 16, 2014, 9:20 am
#5
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Flatland
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold 1MM, BA Gold, UA Peon
Posts: 6,105
Was I ever surprised to find midnight Sunday night (Pacific Time) that BAEC had not one but 3 AA nonstops available on my date. I had seen nothing at all available checking every day, and suddenly there they were!
The AA flights were all available in first class only, but I value 37500 Avios about the same as 25000 UA miles, and the BA booking would not incur UA's fees of $75 for late booking and $25 for a bag. On net it was a similar or better price for a much better seat.
I recalled reading something about a new first class product on selected transcons. I eagerly checked the AA website and discovered that yes indeed these flights were A321's with 1+1 lie flat seating in First Class. They look like the equal of international first class seats.
The AA flights were all available in first class only, but I value 37500 Avios about the same as 25000 UA miles, and the BA booking would not incur UA's fees of $75 for late booking and $25 for a bag. On net it was a similar or better price for a much better seat.
I recalled reading something about a new first class product on selected transcons. I eagerly checked the AA website and discovered that yes indeed these flights were A321's with 1+1 lie flat seating in First Class. They look like the equal of international first class seats.
The A321T seat is exactly the same seat as the new AA 777-300ER business class seat, not quite the equal of a current top-flight F seat but still one of the nicest seats in the air (nicer, in my opinion, than BA CW).
(I'm trying it later in the year but I had to pay, via an AONEx)
Jun 16, 2014, 9:21 am
#6
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Swings and roundabouts.
Jun 16, 2014, 9:33 am
#8
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Original Poster
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Maybe lottery was the wrong analogy. Maybe I should have said it was like going into a store in Venezuela and finding a popular consumer product on the shelf that I could buy using my bolivars.
Jun 16, 2014, 1:12 pm
#9
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Jun 16, 2014, 4:54 pm
#10
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 2,649
Having flown once in these seats (LAX-JFK recently) I would characterize it as a "best-of-the-best" business seat, or a reasonable (but not extraordinary) 3-cabin First seat. Given what's on offer in domestic US (where First is usually much worse than what you'd normally call business), this is still miles above most other options on the same route.
Why do I feel it's better than most Business seats? As a narrow body, you get guaranteed window and direct aisle access, a comfortable convenience that I usually only see in First.
AA also has a lot of pretty poor Business seats out there on long haul runs... which is why I often avoid Business on AA if there's an option for First. The brand new 77W business seats are apparently the best of the batch, but I've not been in one unless you count it to be equivalent to what I flew in F on the LAX-JFK route.
Finally, AA has changed their scheme (and their availability) but you used to be able to book SFO-JFK-EZE (for example) in F, with stopovers and free changes, for 62,500 AAdvantage miles. I think you can still do the same (subject to availability) but they no longer let you do a stopover without paying miles for both legs. The F product prior to the new Transcon planes coming online wasn't quite as good, but 62,500 miles for one transcon in F and another longhaul in F was extremely good value the way I looked at it!
Why do I feel it's better than most Business seats? As a narrow body, you get guaranteed window and direct aisle access, a comfortable convenience that I usually only see in First.
AA also has a lot of pretty poor Business seats out there on long haul runs... which is why I often avoid Business on AA if there's an option for First. The brand new 77W business seats are apparently the best of the batch, but I've not been in one unless you count it to be equivalent to what I flew in F on the LAX-JFK route.
Finally, AA has changed their scheme (and their availability) but you used to be able to book SFO-JFK-EZE (for example) in F, with stopovers and free changes, for 62,500 AAdvantage miles. I think you can still do the same (subject to availability) but they no longer let you do a stopover without paying miles for both legs. The F product prior to the new Transcon planes coming online wasn't quite as good, but 62,500 miles for one transcon in F and another longhaul in F was extremely good value the way I looked at it!
