Sometimes, AA First class is almost as nice as CP economy, but it is quite variable. I recently flew MSY-DFW-YVR in AA first. The food was better than economy, but nowhere near CP. Seats (on the 757, DFW-YVR) probably had slightly less space than a CP 737, and didn't have foot rests, nor adjustable lumbar supports or headrests. And the FAs were abominable! Each time the seat-belt indicator came on for minor turbulence, the FA announced "Stay in your seat with your seat belt on." That was the entirety of the announcement. Even in first class, service was "inattentive" in the extreme.

Strangely enough, I only took this flight (instead of the CP flight) because I had such a great experience on the same flight a couple of months earlier. (Well, the 100K bonus may have played some small part.) Now that I have an AA flight under my belt, I'll be choosing the CP flights from now on.

BTW, the AA ground staff in the US airports are downright scary. I watched one employee (unsure of position) take about 90 seconds per bag to move each bag about 2 feet inside the jetway. It was the Valet stuff, and they didn't put the first one far enough inside the jetway. So to get the last few bags in, they had to move each of the bags a couple of feet. The gate agents in ORD seemed like they just couldn't care less. The Premium passenger boarding announcement was immediately (and I mean IMMEDIATELY, no pause whatsoever) followed by the general boarding anouncement, resulting in the well-known cattle stampede.

On top of that, the AA/American Zombie (sorry, I meant American Eagle) agent in Duluth, MN, checked one of my bags on to an Air China flight! CP Vancouver figured it out quickly, and was able to get it sent home to me. (The gaggle of little old ladies manning the security check in Duluth were pretty funny in their own right, but that's another story.) At boarding time, the same agent kept insisting that I step back and allow the EP/P/G members board first. I guess she figured my hard hat eliminated me from contention.

If you need the AA flight for the points or the 100K, then go for it. You'll survive just fine in AA first class. But don't expect CP level business class service. Or even a smile.

Regards,

Ken Hamer
P.S. Rode a brand new 737-800 on ORD-DTW last week. Pretty flash, but I was tired, and sat in the front, so I didn't get to see much of the rest of the plane. Feels like a 737, only with 5 and half rows of First class. Seats are similar to CP A320s, but no foot rest, and only a recline button. 8" LCD screens on the bulkheads, overhead TVs elsewhere. Pretzels and pop on a 1 hour flight, departing 2025.