I will have a bunch of travel to London coming up next year. I was wondering which airline has the best business class to London.
My main consideration is to have a flat bed seat (and how comfortable that seat is). Also, I am currently PM on Delta, but looking for a different airline to go for status for 2013. So another consideration is if the airline gives an EQM bonus for business class travel. (AA, UA, US -- unlikely to make a run for status on BA or another non-legacy-US airline.)
I'm considering the BA service to LCY because of the convenience getting into the city, but I'm potentially open to going to another airport as well, especially if the product is much nicer. Strongly prefer nonstops.
Thanks!
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They fly from EWR and JFK, mostly JFK, and combined with AA they have the most flight options. I think their seat is very nice, and is arguably the best onboard service.
The CWLCY service is a nice option if you are going to an area near City Airport.
You might want to earn miles with AA, while flying BA. Others can provide more advice on that.
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My preferences in order:
VS
BA (never flown the JFK-LCY)
DL
UA
AA
I'm not hating on AA, I just prefer EWR over JFK, particularly for the LHR-NYC return. If you are going to Canary Wharf or the City, you probably can't beat CWLCY. When I fly NYC-LON I usually go from Hackensack to Southwark so EWR-LHR makes more sense.
Agree with everyone (!). VS and BA about same, and I like will2288's idea of earning AA miles flying BA. Then use AA status/SWU to buy-biz-fly-first on AA later.
BA would be my choice as well, especially because of the potential tie-in on earning with AA. Don't overlook the possibility of earning status with BA. With purchased Club World seats, you'll hit Bronze, the entry level status, after your second NYC-LON segment, earning 25% increased Avios, and after your third NYC-LON segment, you'll hit Silver, earning a 100% Avios bonus and access to BA's Club lounges whether or not you're on a paid Club or First ticket, plus Sapphire status in Oneworld, which gets you Admirals Club lounge access on AA domestic flights no matter the cabin you're flying.
The third level, Gold, is admittedly much harder to reach, and assuming only NYC-LON-NYC flights, you wouldn't hit that level until your sixth LON-NYC segment. And, of course, any benefits you earn with BA would not include the 500-mile or systemwide upgrades if you credit your flights to AA.
Assuming you're doing monthly TATLs at least, pretty much all the options are open to you, and I'd be inclined to pick the program that appeals to you best, including any future redemption options you might be considering. If you're only doing quarterly trips, I'd think more seriously about BA and crediting to BA to earn status that would get you some benefits with AA that you wouldn't earn by crediting to AA.
NYC>LON is a short flight. Personally I don't like BA's business class. Seats are uncomfortable and small for someone >6ft (more than other products). Why not just upgrade urself to 1st class with avios points once you bought your business class ticket. BA's business class is better than AA's current business class seats. But once the new AA seats are in place in 2013/14 I believe AA will offer a much better seat. Go for BA now, collect points on AA, get to Ex Plat (since u have some many flights) and then just upgrade yourself to 1st class on AA using your 8 eVIPs.
LCY doesn't have a lounge. Heathrow's OW lounges are nice, especially if you are emerald and can access the concorde Room.
Interesting, thanks. The partnership with AA is why I'd chose BA, and the lack of partners is why I'd be hesitant about Virgin (though I guess they have a new partnership with Delta, but I'm not too keen on keeping DL status...)
I will probably go to London anywhere from 3 to 8 times in the next six months. (Not sure what it will look like after that.) I don't know how BA's program works (despite having the Chase BA Visa!) -- when you say NYC-LON "segment", do you mean both legs? Or do you mean literally three segments (one roundtrip and one outbound) and I'd hit Silver?
I'll also have a handful (2-4) trips JFK-SFO in the next six months as well (also biz) which should help with status. I'd be halfway to the "75k level" on the US legacy carriers probably by June.
AA's SWUs are probably the biggest reason I'd credit to AA. But I guess I should learn more about BA's elite benefits before making a final decision. (I do have the Amex Platinum so lounge access isn't really an issue.)
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Interesting, thanks. The partnership with AA is why I'd chose BA, and the lack of partners is why I'd be hesitant about Virgin (though I guess they have a new partnership with Delta, but I'm not too keen on keeping DL status...)
I will probably go to London anywhere from 3 to 8 times in the next six months. (Not sure what it will look like after that.) I don't know how BA's program works (despite having the Chase BA Visa!) -- when you say NYC-LON "segment", do you mean both legs? Or do you mean literally three segments (one roundtrip and one outbound) and I'd hit Silver?
I'll also have a handful (2-4) trips JFK-SFO in the next six months as well (also biz) which should help with status. I'd be halfway to the "75k level" on the US legacy carriers probably by June.
AA's SWUs are probably the biggest reason I'd credit to AA. But I guess I should learn more about BA's elite benefits before making a final decision. (I do have the Amex Platinum so lounge access isn't really an issue.)
Since you're flying from NYC, I'm making the assumption that you will not need to connect through any airport--I wouldn't choose any airline that would require a connection, in fact. Thus, by segment, I mean each leg of your trip, so a roundtrip has two segments. You earn 140 tier points (BA's method of measuring progress to status levels) for each TATL CW segment, so after three segments, you'd have 420 TPs (with 300 required for Bronze) and after five segments, you'd have 700 (with 600 required for Silver)--so, by the middle of your third roundtrip, you'd be at mid-level status.
Since you have AA flights to SFO planned as well and you have AA lounge access through the Amex Plat, I might be more inclined to credit to AA to earn the upgrades.
I tend to prefer the BA lie-flat CW seat to the angled lie-flat on AA, but I've learned that that's a matter of individual taste, and there are new seats coming on AA as they roll out new aircraft--I just don't know that they'll actually be in place during your flight schedule.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by crimson12
I will have a bunch of travel to London coming up next year. I was wondering which airline has the best business class to London.
My main consideration is to have a flat bed seat (and how comfortable that seat is). Also, I am currently PM on Delta, but looking for a different airline to go for status for 2013. So another consideration is if the airline gives an EQM bonus for business class travel. (AA, UA, US -- unlikely to make a run for status on BA or another non-legacy-US airline.)
I'm considering the BA service to LCY because of the convenience getting into the city, but I'm potentially open to going to another airport as well, especially if the product is much nicer. Strongly prefer nonstops.
Thanks!
The JFK-LCY is non-stop. The cabin is not at all crowded with a whopping 32 seats. On the return leg you get a quick stop in Shannon to take on fuel and a quick pass through customs - very nice as you get to JFK as if arriving domestic with no customs. I'm not all that tall (6'2") and find the 'lie flat' seats more than adequate for a modest nap.
What about on the redeye? I have slept pretty well on the DL flat beds on the redeye, and even in the DL "cradle" style recliner seats flying JFK-LAX. But I had trouble sleeping on the angled flats on AF.
Are BA's flat beds comfortable for sleeping? I assume they're better than AA's angled flat. What about UA?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lwildernorva
Since you're flying from NYC, I'm making the assumption that you will not need to connect through any airport--I wouldn't choose any airline that would require a connection, in fact. Thus, by segment, I mean each leg of your trip, so a roundtrip has two segments. You earn 140 tier points (BA's method of measuring progress to status levels) for each TATL CW segment, so after three segments, you'd have 420 TPs (with 300 required for Bronze) and after five segments, you'd have 700 (with 600 required for Silver)--so, by the middle of your third roundtrip, you'd be at mid-level status.
If you are flying CWLCY, you earn First class tier points (210). So you could be Silver when you arrive in LCY for the second time (i.e. after JFK-LCY-JFK and JFK-LCY).
You have First class cabin bonus for Avios on this route too, so you'd be making nice 10k Avios each LCY flight afterwards (20k return). Providing you have any use for Avios...
