Originally Posted by
Duke787
If you have a long layover maybe you can make the argument for LH F with FCT.
In my book though TATL flights from the East Coast / DTW / ORD are too short to enjoy F. If you stay up for the full meal (to really maximize the experience) you end up with no sleep.
A comfortable J seat that you can sleep on straight away is always my preference (and if you do LH J you can get dinner in the Polaris lounge at ORD first and then just get a night cap and go to sleep).
If you can I'd save the F for the daytime return flight when you can actually maximize the experience.
This was exactly my thinking -- I was worried that with a relatively short flight + wanting to enjoy my time in France as soon as I arrive (which would mean sleeping on the plane) that I should book in J class.
I actually ended up booking SAS J class from BOS>CPH>CDG. It was 63,000 Avianca LifeMiles + $44 USD; I transferred Citi to LifeMiles which transferred instantly.
Thanks to both of you for the advice! I'll definitely do LH, but on a longer flight.
The LifeMiles website had tech issues, so I had to call and book; I'd heard terrible things about LifeMiles' call center but I have had no issues (but, until I'm on the plane we'll see I suppose, though SAS is showing the ticket confirmed)
PS - For anyone looking, there is great ORD LH First availability in May; I wasn't seeing it in LifeMiles, but Aeroplan consistently had seats for midweek LH F flights. BA has great availability in both J and F out of Boston (not through AA but through Avios; Chase is doing a 30% transfer bonus to Avios right now as well), as does Lufthansa in J out of Boston. Final destination for all those is CDG, but I imagine anywhere in Europe should be fairly doable. I was thinking with summer it would be hard to find something, but availability was actually pretty great if you don't mind a positioning flight.