Originally Posted by
sound48
I'm looking to book a family trip next summer for 4 to Germany and Spain from ORD. I'm using American miles and was hoping to fly Air Berlin one way and Iberia the other to use their lie flat products. I was hoping to fly into one country, and out of the other on the return, whichever would have availability.
However, I know finding 4 premium seats will be next to impossible, especially on Air Berlin flights. I routinely see 3 seats on Iberia, but have yet to see 4. US Air has flights from PHL to MAD on their A330-300 which should be lie flat. Would I be better off just booking that and see if I can change the award ticket if Air Berlin or Iberia space becomes available? Is Air Berlin and Iberia's product much better then the US Air product?
From what I've read (I haven't experienced them) is that US Airways business class product is actually very good for a European route and probably at least on par with or better than Air Berlin's and Iberia's product.
I think you are on the right track. With 4 people, just book anything you can find. Getting 4 business class award tickets on the same transatlantic flight would be quite a feat and the opportunity should be taken pretty much regardless of any differences in hard or soft product. Especially for the outbound as it's almost always overnight and the only qualifier that's really important is that it's a lie-flat seat in my opinion, which all of those options are.