UA p.s. flights - First or Biz?

seaweed20 · Jan 17, 13, 2:11 pm

Hi All,

I am scheduled to fly to JFK-SFO-JFK next week and I have always only flown Biz in the p.s. flight. For my upcoming trip, I have a choice between First and Biz. Generally speaking, I would assume First would be better than Biz but given the biz seats in this flight (especially row 9), I am not really sure if First would be any better.

What is your recommendation?

Thanks

UA-NYC · Jan 17, 13, 2:13 pm

Eh, I'd still do F - IFL access, better food choices, smaller cabin, etc. Plus it's going away soon...

roder · Jan 17, 13, 2:18 pm

If it's on someone else's dime, I'd do F. It it was mine, I'd stick to Biz unless it was the redeye

mdspadeccom · Jan 17, 13, 2:18 pm

I recently flew .ps to JFK and return. Used F for outbound and C for the return. The F upgrade cost me $295 and I don't think it was worth it. As far as I could tell the food was the same meal as served in business class. The inflight entertainment was the same individual movie players handed out by the cabin staff. And the F seats were not as comfortable as the C seats. Even though nominally "lie flat" my F seat was cranky and would not recline fully nor extend the foot rest fully. The C seat worked fine and I had a good nap (not lying flat, however, as they do not fully recline). Your reaction may vary.

CKinMD · Jan 17, 13, 2:21 pm

With the meal and entertainment being the same, i'd stick with C, especially if you can snag row 9. The IFL is nice, but not really worth paying extra for, in my opinion.

glx · Jan 17, 13, 2:55 pm

Seats in F are *NOT* comfortable. I'd take the recliner in J any day on those birds. Given everything else is equal (service, food, etc.), the F lounge is not worth the difference.

MatthewLAX · Jan 17, 13, 2:57 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by glx

Seats in F are *NOT* comfortable. I'd take the recliner in J any day on those birds. Given everything else is equal (service, food, etc.), the F lounge is not worth the difference.

I find the seats to be comfortable in F and had a very good flight last week on p.s.

WineCountryUA · Jan 17, 13, 2:57 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by roder

.... Biz unless it was the redeye

+1
The food difference is minimal and IFL access is a long walk in SFO and unless you plan to spend significant time in IFL is not worth the $$$ difference.

MatthewLAX · Jan 17, 13, 3:00 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by WineCountryUA

+1
The food difference is minimal and IFL access is a long walk in SFO and unless you plan to spend significant time in IFL is not worth the $$$ difference.

Food is identical now onboard, but the IFL is great, even if only for 20 minutes.

entropy · Jan 17, 13, 3:04 pm

Now that they're made the F f&b almost identical to the C, I don't see why you'd waste money/resources on it.

The seat is sufficiently comfortable in C anyways.

Often1 · Jan 17, 13, 3:12 pm

The only people I know who fly ps F are people who have contracts calling for F. Those who are entitled to "premium" fly C. IFL is nicer if you have a layover, but why waste time getting to the airport early just so you can sit in a nice enough, but boring place when you're going to eat onboard anyway?

Thunderroad · Jan 17, 13, 3:47 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by CKinMD

With the meal and entertainment being the same, i'd stick with C, especially if you can snag row 9. The IFL is nice, but not really worth paying extra for, in my opinion.

+1, assuming it's on your own dime. If someone else is paying, a very slight edge to F. And even then, row 9 offers fare more legroom than any row in F, if that's important to you.

seaweed20 · Jan 17, 13, 7:01 pm

Thanks for the replies.

On the outbound, its a day flight and don't intend to sleep so what matters is IFE and food, which sounds like is the same in F/C.

On the way back, I have a two hour layover in SFO before I take the 11:15 PM red eye back to JFK.

I am not paying so cost is not a major issue. That said, if F is even 5% better in terms of seat recline, then I'll prefer that on my red-eye as need to head straight into work from the airport. Hence, the debate re: F vs C.

On the United website I see a Global First lounge in SFO but isn't that only for international passengers?

ericcheung · Jan 17, 13, 7:36 pm

F seat worth it for the red-eye.

Yes you get the IFL.. it's for international first plus p.s. First. Very nice lounge, and great for a shower before a red-eye. However, keep in mind that the IFL is in the international terminal, and your ps flight may leave from a gate that is very far away.

jgsx · Jan 17, 13, 9:00 pm

I never understood the whole F seat being less comfortable than C on ps thing, that has always been a popular thing to say on FT. I don't agree with it, I like ps F much better for sleeping.

That aside, I actually prefer flying SFO-EWR with the businessfirst lay flats over ps.