markpappai

I have an upcoming award trip from IAH - BKK in May. Currently, I am flying direct IAH in business first to NRT connecting to TG in first to BKK. I've all ready used the miles for a first award. Is it worth traveling to SFO to fly global first to NRT if availability opens up. I've been looking for ANA availability in first, but there is only one flight that would still allow a connection to my TG flight. So far, I have not seen any availability in ANA first. So I guess the question is would there be a big difference between global first and businessfirst and is it worth the extra flight segment?

Thank you for the information

bob_the_d

depends. is UA GF nicer than BF? sure. is it so much nicer that i would add an extra segment onto the itin? personally, i wouldn't.

ANA first suites on the other hand i would.

compwhiz

As someone who just did GF on outbound and BF on return, I can tell you that GF is still absolutely not worth it and you still get the same level of service and amenities. Only difference is that GF seats are fully private, meaning that you won't have to step over someone(or be stepped over) during bathroom break - otherwise, it's all the same. I'll take GF if BF is not available, but that's about it.

First

Agree with comphiz. In fact, I would be happier with what you've already got, as the reviews on the TPAC inflight service from the SFO hub are not good (at all).

dcsnowwake

GF>BF anyday. Less people in the cabin, alot of privacy, better seat.

goodeats21

Tough call.

GF is much nicer on the long TPAC segment. Much better seat for sleeping, more private, better service, etc.

In this case, I would probably not expose myself to a possible SFO delay and an extra segment for it though.

TG has been running their 77W (suites) on the NRT->BKK route (not sure about May) and they have great ground service upon arrival at BKK. That would be enough for me to keep your original routing.

neo_781

+1 ... especially to Asia. For Midwest/East Coast to Europe I could survive in C.

TWA Fan 1

If you stick with the current plan, you will almost certainly be flying a PMCO 772 with a very good (if not totally perfect) lie-flat seat, and excellent PMCO-style catering. Make sure you assign yourself a middle aisle so nobody crawls over you.

And you will spending fewer miles.

If you go for Global First, you will be flying a PMUA 744 or 772, with a slightly longer lie-flat seat with catering perhaps somewhat better, perhaps somewhat worse, depending on whom you ask.

OK.

But then, once you get to SFO, you go through immigration and customs, sit around and then pile yourself in a domestic mid-con to finish your journey, with mediocre meal service and 38" seat pitch.

Also, you will be adding about four or more hours to your trip.

So, you trip will be longer (with a potential for delays and a missed connection), you will do the last 4 hours in domestic FC.

And for this you owe them more miles?

Doesn't seem remotely worth it to me.

SEA1K4EVR

You've paid for F with your award ticket, but are getting short changed by sitting in C for most of your trip. Not a knock on BF at all... I just flew EWR-HKG-EWR last week returning yesterday in BF and it was an absolute pleasure. Even more so that it was not full and I had a vacant seat next to me on both flights. After the lunch service on HKG-EWR.. I took an Ambien and slept comfortably for 9 hours straight. One of my best flights ever.

I guess to me it's all about how much you like the travel experience and if you value trying out different things. I personally would add the stop at SFO or LAX and fly F to NRT (as long as you could fly on a 747 or new config 777)... you could also stop at SEA... no Global First lounge at SEA though.

The OP has already spent the miles because he's flying in F NRT-BKK... so there's no additional cost. Plus, he doesn't mention the return.. only the outbound where there's no immigration at SFO. There would of course be a domestic mid con though.

TWA Fan 1

Right, but I still think the extra travel time and the fact of sitting in domestic FC (to avoid sitting in international J) simply doesn't make sense.

EWR764

I'd probably route via ORD, if availability opens up. The IAH-ORD is a quick flight and you'll still get 11-12 hours in the international F seat.

The new Global First soft product should be rolled out by May. Supposedly, it will be an improvement over the current offering, but that's the extent of the guidance UA has given us.

channa

I would look to either get an NH flight in 3-cabin F, or downgrade the NRT-BKK to Business and get some miles back, or find a different route with just Business available and take that, again saving some miles.

While NRT-BKK is a good distance, from a value perspective, getting less than 1/3 of the distance in F seems like a bad value to me. If that's all there is, so be it. But if you can tweak it, by all means.

Antipode

NH F is extremely difficult to find space though. If you can get it, I would absolutely recommend it, but I wouldn't count on space opening up. I've flown NH F on an award as the only passenger in the cabin, but they never opened up a second award seat on that flight.

It does kind of feel like getting short-changed to pay for F only for NRT-BKK, but IIRC the difference for C->F on NA-S. Asia is the same as the difference for C->F on Japan-S. Asia, so it's not really all that bad.

StingWest

I hadn't seen this announcement, and wonder if you can please point me to the info? I'm traveling in First to London in June.

EWR764

There has been no formal announcement, but as I recall mention of the planned changes have been buried in other releases extolling the virtues of the merger and all the planned service enhancements coming in the next few months...

I thought we'd see a more detailed announcement by now.