Coming home from Europe on AA...connect in LHR or JFK?
May 28, 2013, 4:42 pm
#1
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Join Date: Dec 2006
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Coming home from Europe on AA...connect in LHR or JFK?
I'm planning out my first trip to Europe, coming home in early August from ZRH. (I'm starting the trip with LAX-LHR, returning out of ZRH to avoid paying hundreds in UK APD...thanks Dave Noble and everyone else in that thread!)
Out of ZRH, I have two routing options: ZRH-LHR-LAX or ZRH-JFK-LAX...
option A: ZRH-LHR on a BA codeshare, a 2:45 connection in LHR then the new 77W nonstop home LHR-LAX. Attempting to use a SWU to get into J, right now 22 of the 52 J seats are open (and 3 of 8 F seats)
option B: ZRH-JFK on an AA 763, a 2:50 connection in JFK, then a dinner flight home JFK-LAX on a 762. 20 of the 30 J seats are open from ZRH-JFK, 21 of 30 open in J (and 8/10 F) on JFK-LAX (plus a possible comp EXP upgrade JFK-LAX since it's a domestic flight)
as of last check, the fares either way were identical, except option A was an extra $38.50 for the UK Passenger Service Charge (but no APD). I would think the flying experience on the 77W would be better than either 767, even in Y, and the lounges in LHR > those in JFK, but do I have a better shot at clearing the upgrades going via JFK? Looking for advice from the international trAAvel experts here...thanks!
(UPDATE): fare just went up $200 to go via LHR, fare bucket changed from V to H...grrr...
Out of ZRH, I have two routing options: ZRH-LHR-LAX or ZRH-JFK-LAX...
option A: ZRH-LHR on a BA codeshare, a 2:45 connection in LHR then the new 77W nonstop home LHR-LAX. Attempting to use a SWU to get into J, right now 22 of the 52 J seats are open (and 3 of 8 F seats)
option B: ZRH-JFK on an AA 763, a 2:50 connection in JFK, then a dinner flight home JFK-LAX on a 762. 20 of the 30 J seats are open from ZRH-JFK, 21 of 30 open in J (and 8/10 F) on JFK-LAX (plus a possible comp EXP upgrade JFK-LAX since it's a domestic flight)
as of last check, the fares either way were identical, except option A was an extra $38.50 for the UK Passenger Service Charge (but no APD). I would think the flying experience on the 77W would be better than either 767, even in Y, and the lounges in LHR > those in JFK, but do I have a better shot at clearing the upgrades going via JFK? Looking for advice from the international trAAvel experts here...thanks!
(UPDATE): fare just went up $200 to go via LHR, fare bucket changed from V to H...grrr...
Last edited by SoCalFlyer23; May 28, 2013 at 4:45 pm Reason: added updated fare info
May 28, 2013, 4:46 pm
#2
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,252
Option 1 for sure. Enjoy!
May 28, 2013, 5:01 pm
#4
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Ireland
Programs: BA Gold, A3 Gold, BD..oh, wait..
Posts: 4,045
I'd take option one, given the choice.
May 28, 2013, 5:21 pm
#5
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: TUS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 489
Having just flown ZRH-JFK-ORD-TUS this past weekend I would vote for option 1 but option 2 isn't all that bad and you get to avoid LHR all together.
May 28, 2013, 5:27 pm
#6
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP...couple hotels and cars too
Posts: 4,548
Id do ZRH-LHR-LAX. That nice long flight to LAX (J or F I hope) will end with a drive home!
BA code share or AA137
A
BA code share or AA137
A
May 28, 2013, 5:51 pm
#7
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: PHL / NYC / PSA-BLQ
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Posts: 3,110
By far go via LHR. Much better hard product in either J or F and those 762's are showing their age with MX.
May 28, 2013, 5:54 pm
#8
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EP 3MM, UA Silver, Bonvoy LT TIT, Hyatt Explorist, HH Silver, Caesars PLT
Posts: 7,259
Option 1 - especially if you have checked bags to avoid 2x baggage claim.
May 28, 2013, 6:17 pm
#9
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Either way I'd be getting home before dark and going home, AA137 lands at LAX at 5:20 PM (plus customs/immigration at LAX), the ZRH-JFK-LAX itinerary (AA65/133) would get me home at 7:00 PM having already cleared customs/immigration at JFK. So really, about the same time.Copy that, if I could afford to buy a J seat it'd be a no-brainer to take the 77W. But is 77W in Y > 763/762 in J ?
May 28, 2013, 6:20 pm
#10
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Southern California LAX, BUR
Programs: AA Plat; UA.
Posts: 262
Option #1 is much the better choice
May 28, 2013, 6:26 pm
#11
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: AA LT Gold
Posts: 3,646
Option A (with LAX-LHR)
BUT...you say you plan to travel EARLY AUGUST. That is pretty soon and you will probably not be at the top of upgrade wait-list.
Hard to tell which SWU has more chance to clear but I would be inclined to say ZRH-JFK is more likely to clear.
How does MCE look like on the LHR-LAX?. IF MCE and exit rows are full, that probably means lots of exps on SWU waitlist.
As a connecting EXP, even if your SWU does not clear, you will trump all local EXPs for the JFK-LAX flight and I could say that it is very likely that you will clear JFK-LAX with domestic upgrades.
Tough choice...I'd probably gamble and go through LHR (just because I have not seen the 77W yet, even if it is just MCE).
BUT...you say you plan to travel EARLY AUGUST. That is pretty soon and you will probably not be at the top of upgrade wait-list.
Hard to tell which SWU has more chance to clear but I would be inclined to say ZRH-JFK is more likely to clear.
How does MCE look like on the LHR-LAX?. IF MCE and exit rows are full, that probably means lots of exps on SWU waitlist.
As a connecting EXP, even if your SWU does not clear, you will trump all local EXPs for the JFK-LAX flight and I could say that it is very likely that you will clear JFK-LAX with domestic upgrades.
Tough choice...I'd probably gamble and go through LHR (just because I have not seen the 77W yet, even if it is just MCE).
May 28, 2013, 6:27 pm
#12
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: DCA/IAD/SFO/SJC/JFK/NRT/LHR/BOS/etc
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Posts: 365
No brainer-- option 1.
May 28, 2013, 6:30 pm
#13
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May 28, 2013, 6:36 pm
#14
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Long Beach, CA
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Posts: 3,559
If you think you can get the upgrade, do Option 1.
If not, I'd offer up that my last several connections through LHR have given me some concern. They had all been 2+ hour connections but invariably flight delays caused that window to shorten and then there's running through LHR to contend with.
Perhaps the ZRH flights will be better on time - I was on BA coming from LIS and DUB and both times they were significantly delayed.
I felt that a missed connection at JFK might offer me more alternatives to get back to LAX than a missed connection at LHR.
If not, I'd offer up that my last several connections through LHR have given me some concern. They had all been 2+ hour connections but invariably flight delays caused that window to shorten and then there's running through LHR to contend with.
Perhaps the ZRH flights will be better on time - I was on BA coming from LIS and DUB and both times they were significantly delayed.
I felt that a missed connection at JFK might offer me more alternatives to get back to LAX than a missed connection at LHR.
May 28, 2013, 6:36 pm
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: BUR/LAX, PHL
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Posts: 245
Option A (with LAX-LHR)
BUT...you say you plan to travel EARLY AUGUST. That is pretty soon and you will probably not be at the top of upgrade wait-list.
Hard to tell which SWU has more chance to clear but I would be inclined to say ZRH-JFK is more likely to clear.
How does MCE look like on the LHR-LAX?. IF MCE and exit rows are full, that probably means lots of exps on SWU waitlist.
As a connecting EXP, even if your SWU does not clear, you will trump all local EXPs for the JFK-LAX flight and I could say that it is very likely that you will clear JFK-LAX with domestic upgrades.
Tough choice...I'd probably gamble and go through LHR (just because I have not seen the 77W yet, even if it is just MCE).
BUT...you say you plan to travel EARLY AUGUST. That is pretty soon and you will probably not be at the top of upgrade wait-list.
Hard to tell which SWU has more chance to clear but I would be inclined to say ZRH-JFK is more likely to clear.
How does MCE look like on the LHR-LAX?. IF MCE and exit rows are full, that probably means lots of exps on SWU waitlist.
As a connecting EXP, even if your SWU does not clear, you will trump all local EXPs for the JFK-LAX flight and I could say that it is very likely that you will clear JFK-LAX with domestic upgrades.
Tough choice...I'd probably gamble and go through LHR (just because I have not seen the 77W yet, even if it is just MCE).
I asked the EXP desk about all these flights, and they said they had no way to see the upgrade waitlist...?
Is this info I could find out via an ExpertFlyer trial subscription?