tommy99

I am thinking about saving to get three first class tickets with points. I am looking at making it a flying adventure of different airlines and lounges as opposed to going anywhere specific. I will fly out of a Europe hub going to Asia (Japan, Thailand, etc) and back. Kind of a mini RTW but not really, obviously.

Now it is a lot easier to get the three business seats (as I am so flexible with the entire process) but first class is tough based on a random sample of searches.

My dilemma is should I try to get more points (credit card churning) over the next year or so (business is 105,000, first 145 points) to get the first class.

My question to you all more experienced flyers, am I wasting my time? Is the possibility of getting three first class tics for an adventure with two stopovers and a turnaround (not including all the connections that may be required) pretty much impossible these days?

Going the business route means I can plan sooner. Getting the extra 120,000 points will be an ordeal to say the least. But first class looks so awesome and something to experience at least once in life (ie, bucket list) with my family.

But perhaps not at the expense of it being pretty much impossible and a waste of my time trying.

All comments appreciated!

djjaguar64

Whatever you decide, avoid AC to escape the scam charges and also a whole sleuth of airlines that AC is supposedly collecting on behalf of.

rankourabu

^

Keep in mind, the only carriers with first class that will not cost you hundreds of dollars in additional scamcharges are United and Swiss.

Avoid flying AC/LH/LO/NH/OZ/TG - this will cost you dearly.

tommy99

Oh I know. That's why I will fly out of Europe. While it will cost to get there I do need to see some family so it will work out fine. There just seems to be so many more options flying from Europe. And a quick sampling of flights showed very little additional fees. Many didn't have any fuel charges.

SFO777

Although I'm not sure I would characterize United First as real First, even with the fancy new name.

rankourabu

Sorry I dont follow - isnt it the same amount of points (or almost the same) to get from Europe to Asia as it is from North America with a stop in Europe....

If you fly United or Swiss over the Atlantic, you are not paying any fees.

Why would you want to get your family to Europe on a paid ticket first???

tommy99

It's not something I have ruled out (flying from NA). But I am looking more at what are the possibilities of getting three first class awards these days (as opposed to what I'm doing with them).

heraclitus

I always get a kick out TRs that involve UA F. That cardboard box of packaged snacks that looks like a FA raided a vending machine always gets me... "first class"... right... heh heh heh...

But then again, the lack of YQ makes it somehow seem more palatable

rankourabu

yes that is exactly what one gets on international first class flights

The cardboard boxes are on domestic flights on little planes with no ovens (sorry maybe in YWG you never get to see planes with more with 50 seats?)

while nowhere near SQ, NH, LX, LH, EK first class -lets be fair here.

beep88

I don't recall getting cardbox snacks onboard UA F on transpacific and intra-pacific flights.

The seats and space are definitely first class comparable to other airlines. So are the chocolate truffles, salads. Food at the F lounges in ORD and HKG is also ok. Now what else? LOL

SFO777

You can put lipstick on a pig, but at the end of the day, it's still pig.

AZbba

And China Airlines. I just did a TR on F on their new 77W, the hard product is great.

Shareholder

Is OP after three F seats on the same flights or three separate F trips? If OP earns most of his/her mileage with credit cards, then it would be better to get a card that earns AA miles or when the Canadian version comes out, UA miles. There are more airlines with F in ONEWORLD so AA miles are better for F, and charges are lower. UA awards also don't have the same additional charges as AE awards on the same flights/airlines.

YukonYXY

Okay, unless I'm missing something here...you can say that Oneworld has better first class options if you like, but it's totally incorrect that there are 'more airlines with F in Oneworld'.

Airlines w/ International F in Oneworld:

1. American Airlines
2. British Airways
3. Cathay Pacific
4. Japan Airlines
5. Qantas

Airlines w/ International F in Star Alliance:

1. Air China
2. ANA
3. Asiana
4. EgyptAir
5. Lufthansa
6. Singapore
7. Swiss
8. Thai
9. United
10. US Air
11. Turkish

Even if you take EgyptAir, United and US Air out because you feel that they have lesser F options than some of the others - it's still 8 vs. 5.

rankourabu