IndyHoosier

I am looking to book one of the following two one-way award flights through DL:

DEL-LHR on 787-9 (VS Upper Class)
DEL-CDG-LHR on A330-200/A321 (AF Business)

Has anyone flown both VS Upper Class and AF Business? How do they compare (food, seats, etc)? Also, how are the Arrivals Lounge and regular AF lounges at CDG?

Thanks!

Yoshi212

I'd pay more just to avoid CDG.

orbitmic

I can't believe that you are even hesitating. Book VS of course. Non stop flight, much better hard product, much better lounge at LHR (the T4 ST lounge is good but the VS Clubhouse is vastly better, no idea about DEL). This truly is a no brainer.

brunos

^ Indeed a no brainer

ShopAround

I've flown both in the past few months and I'd go with VS.

ajs123

While I would certainly take VS than AF, the reason that you provide is out of date. CDG has much improved in the past few years, for transits it's much better than say FRA.

Yoshi212

To each their own. Saying it is out of date means you know when my last time there was. Part of why I avoid CDG is the main airline but there are other reasons. I avoid it when possible, which includes taking trains or connecting into Orly, but that isn't always possible. I still find CDG not ideal for my travel needs.

orbitmic

But that would be a reason to avoid a CDG-ORY connection, or CDG to go to Central Paris (if you mean the RER trains) not a CDG connection, which is what the OP was asking about! There is effectively no way he could possibly have and ORY-CDG transit on an LHR-DEL trip!

I agree with ajs123 - I am indeed also not sure when you last transited at CDG nor indeed how often you do, but if we are trying to help the OP I would say that transit at CDG is now reasonably comfortable within the realm of equivalent-sized European airports. It is clearly better than FRA in my view, and for J customers, better than LHR as LHR connection fast track is much worse than CDG (basis of comparison - over a dozen connections at both BA-BA LHR and AF-AF CDG last year all with fast track entitlement, last one for each airline in December 2014).

As mentioned, I think a nonstop itinerary is vastly superior to a one stop transit, but I would not rate CDG worse than average on that front (it used to be appalling).

Yoshi212

I was referring to taking the Eurostar from London or Trains from AMS, GVA, ect and also flying into ORY to avoid CDG if Paris is my destination and avoiding transiting at CDG unless absolutely necessary which is exactly what the OP was referring to.
You may enjoy your time at CDG but I do not. I gave my answer to show my distaste for CDG and stating that I would pay extra for VS direct.

brunos

To get back to the specific question asked by the poster.
If I was indifferent between flying DEL-London or DEL-Paris (i.e. no transfer needed at an airport), I would clearly prefer VS J over AF J. If you now a necessary transfer in CDG, it becomes a no brainer.
The only question is proce and the VS nonstop should be more expensive than AF with poor J and a transfer.

orbitmic

I think that either you or I badly misunderstands the OP. Perhaps it is me. My understanding was that what the OP is "exactly referring to" is the fact that he wants to use his DL miles to buy an award ticket from LHR to DEL (return) and is hesitating between LHR-DEL nonstop on VS and LHR-CDG-DEL on AF.

I really don't see where either travelling to Paris as a destination or trains come in unless you are suggesting that the OP pays out of pocket train tickets to travel from London to CDG via Lille on Eurostar/TGV (or via Gare du Nord on Eurostar-RER B).

Incidentally, I have no idea where you gathered that I "enjoy my time at CDG". There was nothing suggesting that in my answer, I basically stated the opinion that while I significantly prefer non-stop flights over connecting ones, I think that CDG is no longer one of the worst offenders when it comes to transit and it is in my view a better connecting point than FRA (LH) or LHR (BA) on connecting long haul trips in J.

NickB

Anybody is perfectly entitled to dislike an airport for any subjective reasons of their own. However, if these reasons are idiosyncratic, it is singularly unhelpful in a thread where the OP is asking for advice between different solutions to merely state one's preferences without explaining one's reasons, as it seems to suggest that this is a widely accepted view that requires no explanation.
It may well be that I dislike transiting in AMS because I dislike the colour blue or that I dislike transiting in ZRH because Swiss accents grate on my ear. However, if somebody was asking whether to take an indirect flight via AMS or LHR, my merely saying "I'd pay more to avoid AMS" would be singularly unhelpful as the odds of someone sharing my idiosyncratic views are low.
Now, I think that most regular users of CDG would agree that AF-AF connections at CDG are now significantly easier than they used to be and that, by the norms of international hubs, CDG has become a much easier hub to transit at on AF-AF connections. Perhaps you have your reasons to not share that point of view. But unless you explain what those reasons are, merely stating that you would rather avoid CDG does not help anybody seeking for advice on whether CDG should be avoided as a transit point.

Yoshi212

I am in no way suggesting the OP use trains. This is what I do to AVOID CDG not what I suggest the OP uses for routing. My suggestion is to use VS direct as that is a direct flight, a good product and you get to avoid CDG. So I think you've misunderstood what I have said and not the OP.
As for the enjoying time at CDG you said you connect there often and find it just as good as other large EU airports and better than FRA. It was light sarcasm.

IndyHoosier

Thanks everyone for the helpful information! Definitely was leaning towards VS, just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything since I have never flown either airline.