Originally Posted by
eternaltransit
Your first question - is upgrading from J to F on one sector for 90,090 miles depends on how much you value your Amex MR points and the equivalent cash value of what you are buying.
Consider that the SEA-DXB-MAA portion of your trip is 12k USD for F, compared to the 3k USD for J (in O class). We can't take SEA-DXB in isolation because the price there is even more and you aren't going to DXB, so we'll allocate 75% of the cost to the SEA-DXB sector according to the flight time.
So really your 90,090 miles is going to give you 6750 USD of savings if you were going to buy F instead, on a very simplistic calculation.
If you weren't going to spend 12k USD for F though, the question is moot. You should then think about what you were going to use your Amex MR points for instead of an EK redemption.
Personally, given the 777 F product is still a suite and you might say better service as the pax to crew ratio is better (given the Purser usually helps out), I would opt for it. If you want the FCL lounge in DXB though, perhaps the DXB-LAX sector might be better (as it has similar USD cost).
As to your second question, your fare basis will stay the same for mileage purposes, so you will still earn O class mileage (actual + 25%) in AS.
Thanks. I did end up upgrading using miles the sea-dxb. The crew was awesome. I had my 20 month old with me as lap infant (first time traveling without the mom and that too ultra long haul, was pretty scared ) but upon boarding the purser welcomed us and took us to the cockpit door to introduce the kid to the captain. Was told the kid will have three nannies and they kept that promise. The kid even slept in her own suite.
The dxb -MAA on the 777, wasn't upgraded and ended up in paid J. And felt that the crew was unimpressive at best. Don't travel in J or F ever unless redeeming miles (this is the first time ) and felt that except for the seat and food, it was just the same as Y. Is it typical??