Ultimately, my affinity for the 747 (and the 747-8 in particular) is an aesthetic one. No other plane encapsulates the tension in design between the practical and superfluous that I ascribe to the 747. The design of a 737 or 777 is a perfectly rational thing: a circle is the shape that will enclose the maximum possible area (benefit) for a given perimeter (cost in materials and weight). The A380 is a natural extension of this concept to a scale that incorporates two full decks to maximize use of space within the fuselage. The 747 in all of its variants, from when the upper deck was a small blister on the fuselage allowing room for nothing more than the cockpit and a tiny first class lounge, to its current incarnation, strikes me as an insane combination of two separate aircraft pasted together with a region of fuselage made from sublime curves and lines that will hold my eye for an eternity every time I see it. Looking at it isn’t just like glimpsing a toilet paper tube from 100 different angles; its shape lends itself to unique perspectives over and over again. The inside of the plane is filled with a number of totally distinct interiors that provide palimpsest hints of its overall shape, from the gently tapering nose section (with forward looking passenger windows) to the staircase and the upper deck with a cozy feel and walls that fall away all squared off.

When my partner and I made a plan to meet up for a vacation in Shanghai, China, I couldn’t forego the chance to ride this spectacular plane twice: I’m fortunate that my home airport of San Francisco is served by a 747-8 from both Korean and Air China. After this, I’ll have only one passenger airline left to fly on the 747-8: Lufthansa (hopefully in first again although I'll do it in economy if need be).

I used 80,000 Ultimate Rewards transferred to Korean on the way out. I had another 77,000 Singapore Air miles ripening on the vine in my Krisflyer account (a product of their generous award cancellation policies) so I topped out that account to 100,000 miles for the trip home. Award space for both was reasonably available, although the space on Korean was not as insanely prevalent as certain blogs had led me to believe.

The final routing was SFO-ICN-PVG, a week of vacation, then PVG-PEK-SFO.

My verdict on Air China versus Korean Air: slightly in favor of Air China. Putting first class in a central part of the plane provides a significantly roomier feel (at the expense of some of the special feeling of being in the nose of a 747). The food was significantly better on Air China (perhaps because it was catered from their home hub). I prefer the more direct character and less obsequious service of Air China flight attendants; they were still around enough and plenty willing to help out with a drink refill or setting up the mattress pad when asked. In terms of the hard product, both seats are extremely roomy but I prefer the more open cabin and seat of the Air China seat. When it comes time to sleep, I don’t notice anything beyond the seat with the use of earplugs and an eye mask. Both first class lounges were unattractive humdrum spots I’d suggest spending no more than the necessary amount of time at.

I’ll present photos for both Korean and Air China below with a minimum of interruption.