Originally Posted by
dsched
Would people here say that the ground experience is a big part of flying La Premiere? Thinking about trying it for the first time, but it'd be next year at the earliest. It's a toss up between AF and another carrier at the moment.
My choices are IAD, shorter flight but 4 hour connection in CDG, or SFO, longer flight but only an hour in CDG.
Thinking that maximising time during the connection is best.
Optimizing would be a better word than maximizing time
I would never want to spend 8 hours in any lounge.
I don't know where you connect to and your arrival time. I find the lounge much ore attractive in the other direction.
I am not a big fan of having to spend a lot of time (say 3 hours) in a lounge after arriving early morning from a short night in the plane and then having another short flight to Europe in uncomfortable short/medium haul business seats.
After a nice shower and a lovely breakfast (that takes an hour), I start to get restless or sleepy. And at any time, 2 hours is the maximum that I can enjoy in a lounge, even the superb P lounge.
Also be aware that if you book a year or 10 months ahead you might have an ac change. It might from a 77W with P to an A388 with P, to a 772 without P, or worse to a 77W without P and with angled J seats.