AC J (on a 787) vs UA J (787 or 747)
Oct 23, 2014, 8:01 am
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: 5280 feet
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 674
But I am adding a connection vs the AC flights which are one stop and around $7550. Cheaper and one less connection. But oh to secure GS status......
Oct 23, 2014, 8:23 am
#17
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: NYC
Programs: UA-1K MM, AA-Gold, DL-Silver, AS-MVP
Posts: 2,508
I recently flew AC 787 YYZ-HND, it was good with the "enhanced" meals. Seats and IFE were also fantastic. Service was meh. Good thing with AC is you get all the PQM and mileage bonuses.
But if you're going for MM and GS, then you really have no choice and fly with UA.
I only flew AC because my company policy was making me choose AC or DL...(UA was around $1,000 more at the time)
But if you're going for MM and GS, then you really have no choice and fly with UA.
I only flew AC because my company policy was making me choose AC or DL...(UA was around $1,000 more at the time)
Oct 23, 2014, 8:36 am
#18
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LHR (sometimes CLE, SFO, BOS, LAX, SEA)
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 5,893
The best fare I can come up with on all-UA metal is $12,405 (that's DEN-SFO-PVG outbound, and then PVG-LAX-SFO-DEN -- bizarrely, cutting out the dogleg LAX-SFO jacks the price up to $16k), although if I do an alternate routing, like PVG-KIX-SFO-DEN or PVG-NRT-SFO-DEN, it can go down to $10.8k -- but that means leaving PVG early, before I want to leave.
This drops to half the price if you add a Saturday night stay! (Leaving on 11/7 helps the fare less than returning on 11/16, though.)
So the root-cause problem here is that you're getting a full C fare SFO-PVG; I wonder if you can book a round trip somewhere else that allows a stopover in PVG?
Oct 23, 2014, 9:45 am
#19
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: All of them, UA-Plat, 1MM*G
Posts: 881
For reasons I cannot fathom, UA is charging $13k for a r/t in J doing DEN-PVG while AC offers the same trip (through YVR) for $7500. Looks like YVR-PVG is on a 787.
I am not sure I have GS locked up this year (about the same level of travel as last year, same cpm I think and I got it), but I cannot justify paying $4.5k more for a UA seat. The AC 787 J seats look pretty sweet. How are they to sit in? How is AC service?
I am not sure I have GS locked up this year (about the same level of travel as last year, same cpm I think and I got it), but I cannot justify paying $4.5k more for a UA seat. The AC 787 J seats look pretty sweet. How are they to sit in? How is AC service?
Oct 23, 2014, 2:46 pm
#21
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: DEN / OGG
Programs: Former UA GS, demoted to lowly 1K MM
Posts: 734
I sacrificed GS a few years back after a series of awful in-flight experiences to and from PVG.
Example: FA asked my seatmate for her meal choice before boarding had completed. Seatmate responded that she hadn't even had a chance to look at the menu yet. FA snapped back "It's not rocket science lady, it's airplane food. Beef, Chicken, or Fish?!"
I decided then and there that I would not pay UA big $ for "premium" International service when so many better options are available, and have moved the vast majority of high-dollar Int'l travel to other * carriers. Only place UA still gets big $ is on DEN-NRT, out of convenience.
Example: FA asked my seatmate for her meal choice before boarding had completed. Seatmate responded that she hadn't even had a chance to look at the menu yet. FA snapped back "It's not rocket science lady, it's airplane food. Beef, Chicken, or Fish?!"
I decided then and there that I would not pay UA big $ for "premium" International service when so many better options are available, and have moved the vast majority of high-dollar Int'l travel to other * carriers. Only place UA still gets big $ is on DEN-NRT, out of convenience.
Oct 23, 2014, 3:31 pm
#22
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,324
For reasons I cannot fathom, UA is charging $13k for a r/t in J doing DEN-PVG while AC offers the same trip (through YVR) for $7500. Looks like YVR-PVG is on a 787.
I am not sure I have GS locked up this year (about the same level of travel as last year, same cpm I think and I got it), but I cannot justify paying $4.5k more for a UA seat. The AC 787 J seats look pretty sweet. How are they to sit in? How is AC service?
I am not sure I have GS locked up this year (about the same level of travel as last year, same cpm I think and I got it), but I cannot justify paying $4.5k more for a UA seat. The AC 787 J seats look pretty sweet. How are they to sit in? How is AC service?
Oct 23, 2014, 6:08 pm
#23
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Los Angeles& Telluride
Programs: UA1K, 1MM,AA Exec. Platinum, Global Entry, Nexus
Posts: 731
New AC 787 from Toronto to Tel Aviv
Really enjoyed flying 788 to Tel Aviv from Toronto felt very refreshed. The seat is much better than any United business products it does come close to rivaling global first the service is better and that's with even a broken see it but I have the ability to move from seed to seed flight attendants kept apologizing love the 788. Much better experience than anything United has to offer even their own 788
Oct 23, 2014, 7:32 pm
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,037
Really enjoyed flying 788 to Tel Aviv from Toronto felt very refreshed. The seat is much better than any United business products it does come close to rivaling global first the service is better and that's with even a broken see it but I have the ability to move from seed to seed flight attendants kept apologizing love the 788. Much better experience than anything United has to offer even their own 788
OP, don't even think about considering UA on any a/c type. The AC 787 is an amazing experience which is better than UA GF IMO.
Nov 9, 2014, 4:55 pm
#25
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: 5280 feet
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 674
Update: Flew DEN-YVR-PVG yesterday and here is a short tirp report (minus pics 
).
Flight to YVR was uneventful, but another 2.5 hour UX route on a CR.
YVR transit was really bad. You have to get your passport checked on transits through YVR and YVR decided that the best was to do this was to staff the transit passport control desk with a single person as about 4 flights arrived at the same time. I got in line just outside the little room where passport control is, and waited about 15 minutes, but behind me the line filled up quickly to about 10x the length. I think those at the back probably waited an hour, just to check passports on a transit. Horrible. I can't imagine what I would have done if I was at the back of the line with a tight-ish connection.
The MLL near the D gates at YVR was jam packed at about 11 am. It's also small -- long and thin. Lunch food wasn't out yet and they put it out just as I needed to get to boarding.
The flight YVR-PVG, AC 25 on a 787, was really nice. The seats are 1-2-1, I had a middle aisle seat, 3D. All-aisle access is wonderful.
The seats are roomy and make you feel snug in a good way. Privacy in the middle isn't that great as the seats angle inwards on both sides, so you sort of see the person next to you in your peripheral vision if they aren't reclining. Row 5 window seats have no window, just so you know. The seats themselves are nice but do suffer from the same issue I have seen on LX seats -- the inflatable mattress part of the seat makes you feel like you are sitting on the seat rather than in the seat. The softness is adjustable and if you put it on the softest setting the issue is mitigated a little bit for sitting or reclining, but I think UA's BF seats (both sCO and sUA) are better in making you feel like you are sitting in the seat rather than on the seat. Seat controls are touchscreen but there are also two fat, easy to use buttons for lay-flat and full upright.
The footwell is roomy enough for most people, but not as roomy as rows 1/4 on a UA 787.
Storage at the seat is ok. There is room for a laptop bag in the footwell, there is a small bin on the side that houses the remote control for the IFE into which you can fit a lot of smaller items. There is also a side storage well under the aisle side armrest, perfect for shoes (but the armrest has to be lowered, cutting off the storage well access, for takeoff and landing.
Amenity kit is on par with UA. Maybe a notch less.
The seat has a huge LCD screen which is touch controlled, and also has a handheld touch controller stowed in a bin on the side. Good selection movies and TV shows. I binge-watched 5 episodes of The Knick (wow, great show!), worked a bit while watching, dozed, watched Guardians of the Galaxy, played online golf, and then 2 episodes of Veep (underrated show). Great entertainment system and the huge screen is a big plus.
No wifi on the aircraft, other than someone who forgot to turn off their Verizon wireless card.
Meals were a downgrade from UA meals, to be honest. I had a pork dish with bok choy, carrots and rice. The guy next to me had a salmon dish and he complained that is was overcooked. My dish tasted like only a slight step up from Y class food and there was no presentation to it at all. The cheese course wasn't as good as what I get on UA and the dessert was nice. A snack was available during the flight (chicken skewers or noodle soup) but I skipped that. The 2nd meal was more impressive than the UA second meal -- it was a full meal with fruit salad and dessert, instead of the usual UA chicken blossom or, worse yet, breakfast food on westbound TPAC. But it wasn't prepared to a high standard and eas even close to a coach class meal. UA seems to do a much better job on J class food, overall IMO -- I;d rather have cornflakes and a banana than what AC served me yesterday.
FAs were otherwise friendly and attentive, always checking to see if I needed anything else. They were about what a good UA crew looks like
Overall ratings:
Seat: AC787>UA787(row1/4)>UA747>UA787(other rows)
Food: UA>AC
Service: UA=AC
IFE: AC>UA
AC on the 787 is a good option where you find strong cost favorability and even where the costs are the same. It gives you an experience that is basically the same as a good UA J experience, with some pluses and minuses.
).Flight to YVR was uneventful, but another 2.5 hour UX route on a CR.
YVR transit was really bad. You have to get your passport checked on transits through YVR and YVR decided that the best was to do this was to staff the transit passport control desk with a single person as about 4 flights arrived at the same time. I got in line just outside the little room where passport control is, and waited about 15 minutes, but behind me the line filled up quickly to about 10x the length. I think those at the back probably waited an hour, just to check passports on a transit. Horrible. I can't imagine what I would have done if I was at the back of the line with a tight-ish connection.
The MLL near the D gates at YVR was jam packed at about 11 am. It's also small -- long and thin. Lunch food wasn't out yet and they put it out just as I needed to get to boarding.
The flight YVR-PVG, AC 25 on a 787, was really nice. The seats are 1-2-1, I had a middle aisle seat, 3D. All-aisle access is wonderful.
The seats are roomy and make you feel snug in a good way. Privacy in the middle isn't that great as the seats angle inwards on both sides, so you sort of see the person next to you in your peripheral vision if they aren't reclining. Row 5 window seats have no window, just so you know. The seats themselves are nice but do suffer from the same issue I have seen on LX seats -- the inflatable mattress part of the seat makes you feel like you are sitting on the seat rather than in the seat. The softness is adjustable and if you put it on the softest setting the issue is mitigated a little bit for sitting or reclining, but I think UA's BF seats (both sCO and sUA) are better in making you feel like you are sitting in the seat rather than on the seat. Seat controls are touchscreen but there are also two fat, easy to use buttons for lay-flat and full upright.
The footwell is roomy enough for most people, but not as roomy as rows 1/4 on a UA 787.
Storage at the seat is ok. There is room for a laptop bag in the footwell, there is a small bin on the side that houses the remote control for the IFE into which you can fit a lot of smaller items. There is also a side storage well under the aisle side armrest, perfect for shoes (but the armrest has to be lowered, cutting off the storage well access, for takeoff and landing.
Amenity kit is on par with UA. Maybe a notch less.
The seat has a huge LCD screen which is touch controlled, and also has a handheld touch controller stowed in a bin on the side. Good selection movies and TV shows. I binge-watched 5 episodes of The Knick (wow, great show!), worked a bit while watching, dozed, watched Guardians of the Galaxy, played online golf, and then 2 episodes of Veep (underrated show). Great entertainment system and the huge screen is a big plus.
No wifi on the aircraft, other than someone who forgot to turn off their Verizon wireless card.
Meals were a downgrade from UA meals, to be honest. I had a pork dish with bok choy, carrots and rice. The guy next to me had a salmon dish and he complained that is was overcooked. My dish tasted like only a slight step up from Y class food and there was no presentation to it at all. The cheese course wasn't as good as what I get on UA and the dessert was nice. A snack was available during the flight (chicken skewers or noodle soup) but I skipped that. The 2nd meal was more impressive than the UA second meal -- it was a full meal with fruit salad and dessert, instead of the usual UA chicken blossom or, worse yet, breakfast food on westbound TPAC. But it wasn't prepared to a high standard and eas even close to a coach class meal. UA seems to do a much better job on J class food, overall IMO -- I;d rather have cornflakes and a banana than what AC served me yesterday.
FAs were otherwise friendly and attentive, always checking to see if I needed anything else. They were about what a good UA crew looks like
Overall ratings:
Seat: AC787>UA787(row1/4)>UA747>UA787(other rows)
Food: UA>AC
Service: UA=AC
IFE: AC>UA
AC on the 787 is a good option where you find strong cost favorability and even where the costs are the same. It gives you an experience that is basically the same as a good UA J experience, with some pluses and minuses.