Help determining total travel time vs experience using award miles
Mods, please feel free to merge this thread if appropriate. Been digging and nothing that new or related, thanks.
Looking for some SME advice (Subject Matter Expert) on a Euro trip I have planned this summer on award points, all saver at this time.
Family of four flying to Europe from LAX. I have 2 award reservations made at this time.
Option 1
LAX > LHR non-stop, all 4 seated in E+ and all looks good, 120k miles for all four plus $22.40. 10.5 hours, overnight flight land mid-day LHR. Go to hotel, get acquainted with area and go to bed early.
or
Option 2
LAX > EWR > LHR. LAX > EWR, E+ all four, EWR > LHR 787 BisFirst. Total out of pocket is 230K miles plus $22.40. Hotel a little earlier and about 3 more hours on ground before hitting the bed at hotel.
While the LAX > EWR is E+ and easily tolerable, aware of the real value vs nominal value for these tickets, I am trying to figure out if the 7hr flight, overnight from EWR > LHR is worth the miles and layover. The second trip has a total of travel time of 20 hours vs 11 hours for non stop but actually arrives in LHR 2 hours earlier.
While I have my own value system, I am trying to see what the FT 'community' would do?
Both are booked and can cancel either at any time but I am really torn just because it's an overnight flight, EWR > LHR and I wonder how 'much' we will really enjoy the BisFirst service vs. the cost of the miles and layover. Is this redeye from EWR > LHR on 787 worth it? I mean the kids will basically sleep the night through, more comfortable in lie-flat and the wife and I will basically doze on and off mostly. What can we expect on this flight and what do most of you do in these situations? I am worried about the long travel day from west coast to LHR with 7 hour layover in EWR vs stay at home all day, drive to LAX get on plane and wake up in LHR.
A few more things that make harder decision for me.
Kids and wife would love lie flat and BisFirst seats and may never have option again. Getting harder and harder to find saver these days. The very long travel day mixed cabin vs. the straight shot E+ trip?