Originally Posted by HkCaGu

As Gold, I'd normally prefer UA metal for its E+ at booking. But this time, a family member (general MP member) booked HKG-NRT-LAX before me so I matched the same date/route. This was my first time on NH, and I won't do it again:

(1) UA app sent me to NH to OLCI, but NH only allows API/passport data entry.
--- I've done HKG-HND-ORD, and I was able to check in online not at T-24 but about T-18.
(2) NH's (undoable) OLCI locks up seat selection. UA's app also locks up seat selection. At T-24h, you suddenly lose the ability to change anything.
--- Yes, it is strange that NH does not allow me to check in online at T-24. However, I tried again at T-18 and it worked.
(3) At HKG, counters open T-2:30h (UA always T-3h).
--- This is a big problem indeed. I arrived into HKG at around 3pm on a separate ticket for the midnight HND flight, but the NH counter was closed. My solution? Take the Airport Express train to the City! NH has an excellent in-town check-in counter, which gladly accepted my bag! So no need to wait for the airport counter to open.
(4) Essentially all HKers/Japanese end up in the have-BP bag drop queue, and the don't-have-BP queue has all the Americans/UA customers.
(5) One standing sign says Business, so I didn't go there. Only after T-2:30h when the overhead monitors came on, that screen showed Business & Star Gold!
(6) Only then did I realize Star Gold was printed on the business line carpet. By that time it was pointless to join the end of that queue.
(7) NH812 departure was Gate 24. UA/TG lounges were too far, ended up at SQ which had no working restrooms and had bad mobile signal.
--- The randomness of gate assignment is indeed a problem for all flights, even the host Cathay Pacific. However, the three UA flights seem to have pretty consistent gate assignments (around Gate 40).
(8) NH812 arrived at a remote stand, so there was a bus ride. Fortunately it was 23C (73F), which was rare for a December afternoon at 3 pm. I think UA always gets a real gate at NRT.
--- In some sense it is not surprising that long-haul flights get priority over regional ones for boarding bridges. I've indeed had a few regional NH flights arriving at remote stands, but not the long-haul ones.

I don't know how different/worse/better LAX-NRT-HKG would be.