lloydah

If you don't mind the extra time and the stop over BA's PE meals are from Club World, at least the main course is, and the seat looks decent. Not tried it personally but as others have pointed out, sometimes the break in the journey is welcome if you're not in J or F.

pinniped

What is the typical upcharge for a good premium economy product? (e.g., something like a 40"x21" seat and perhaps marginally better inflight service, not just UA/DL E+)

For $200-300 each way, I'd probably do it. For $400-500 each way, I'd start figuring out if I had the miles or other method to get to a proper J seat.

Analise

For me, 'best' means best comfort — generous pitch, comfortable seat, better meals than economy's, snacks available during flight, better than average IFE. I know I can't fly directly from JFK but I was thinking LAX to MEL nonstop. I am open to going via Europe or Hong Kong if there aren't too many hours added on to it.

I've sat in Economy Comfort on Delta on flights to LHR, AMS, and FRA on 767-400s. I want something more comfortable for such a huge haul to/from MEL. Maybe Delta's Economy Comfort on a 777? But aren't the food and IFE the same? I've never flown United's E+ but the reviews seem to be similar to Delta's EC.

This is very helpful, thank you. Maybe going through LHR isn't worth it. 10 more hours? I don't know.

I'd like to know this too. From what I'm seeing for flights 3 months in advance, if I can't get the the big "sale" price, the cost difference can be over $500 easily each way at least on Qantas.

Thank you! This was thorough including the pictures. I wonder how much the experiences on the A380, 747 (new config) and 787 vary. Which is the nicest/most comfortable PE aircraft?

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

As far as I know, all airlines offer the same IFE in all classes on their aircraft. A dedicated premium economy cabin (larger seats, more legroom, curtained-off seating) will have a larger screen and possibly a better headset. A 'premium' economy which is just more legroom (main cabin extra or economy comfort) will have the same screen as regular economy.

Better meals will generally be available in dedicated premium economy cabins. Qantas offers what many consider to be a 'business lite' product - same service and product as you might have expected in business class about 15 years ago before they started to go to the angled bed product.

pinniped

I always hesitate to give credit to the UA/AA/DL offerings as even Premium Economy, considering some airlines around the world use that specific term to mean a much better experience. (I honestly don't see "dedicated" used much, although I get what you mean...)

I don't know what to generically call UA/AA/DL. I probably default to "E+" since United established it first and the other two are basically the same thing.

Shamrock55

Would avoid the CX via AKL option, they use an old A340 between HKG-AKL and its pretty dated inside. I was on it a few weeks ago.

bensyd

I think you'd have to be out of your mind to want to go that way and add 10 hours to an already exhausting trip. Not only that but you also lose almost another day of your holiday by going the long way.

Dave Noble

Indeed. Unless actually wanting to visit London or Dubai for a stopover, going via London would be mad ; I would only go via Hong Kong if desiring a stopover there ( or if there was a decent price saving )

seat_4D

The main reason I like to break a trip is I can not sleep on planes. If I could tolerate a direct flight, and as I said take an exit row I wouldn't bother with PE, but in the absence of either I would take PE in some form.

I have been known to stop over in ADL on my way to BNE to break the trip up such is my loathing for long stints in a Y cabin!

Analise

Hong Kong would add about an extra 5 hours. The cost of PE is significantly less on CX, however, than Qantas. At least it is today.

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

Can you give us the ball park of the fare difference? That might help with the advice.

Dave Noble

remember though that 5 hours seems a long time when stuck in an aeroplane

pinniped

Is the extra 5 hours in the air or is more due to a long-ish layover in HKG? Do these particular five hours change your plans in Australia? (In other words, I might be pickier about a noon vs. 5PM arrival than I was about a 6AM vs. 11AM arrival. Would depend on my ground travels and other plans for the first day...)

Dave Noble

Via HKG : Depart JFK 14:50 arrive HKG 18:50 , depart 20:30 arrive MEL 09:00
Via LAX : Depart JFK 18:45 arrive LAX 21:40 , depart 22:50 arrive MEL 08:35

Analise

$1748 per person.

Interesting about the timing. Even though the CX trip is 4 hours longer, we would arrive the night before on CX vs arriving 6am the next morning on Qantas. The time changing planes is about the same in both directions. We would also arrive back at JFK within 10 minutes of each other. So the extra time is essentially spent in the air.