PHX-CGK through LAX or ORD
 

I'm doing a run from PHX-CGK (LAX-NRT or ORD-NRT as the ITNL AA flight) and wondering if I should try to figure a way to go through ORD on the 787 or if the 777 from LAX will be good enough should my SWU clear. I don't do any international traveling at all so haven't seen any of these planes. I'm going to have to do this trip twice most likely to make it back to Ex Plat so I want to make sure I'm not suffering on the way over to NRT. Anyone have any thoughts? Should I try to take the extra day and extra $ of going through ORD or is going through LAX and being able to do this Fri-Sun just fine?

Thanks

The 787 has a much better product but there are fewer J seats to Y seats, which means your chance of clearing is theoretically smaller. I would look closely at loads for your travel dates and make a decision based off of that.

Thanks, the loads are not bad, as majority of the J seats are currently open for a couple of the dates I was looking at but I'm just wondering if the 787 is that much better vs the 777?

If you can get J, the 787 will be a much better option than the old non-refurbished 777. But if you compare a refurb'd 777 vs the 787 they may be close enough to not worry about the difference (I've only flown on old 777s and not any refurb'd ones or a 787 yet)

Thank you for your input. So if it costs me say $300 more plus an extra day of travelling is the 787 that much better than the older non-refurb 777? Getting from PHX-ORD will cost me about $300 round trip plus an additional day of flying at least so if it's that much worse I'll look that route (it gets me more miles anyway) but trying to keep the CPM down.

Depends on how much you value your time off and $300 + $. If you just want to have fun, the metra is a little under an hour from DT Chicago. ORD hotels can be had for around $100. The seat will be better on the 787. I thought LAX was a crap airport until I encountered CGK. (Can't say much about Jakarta as last year I continued to KL). I do recommend asking about an upgrade to Y+ on JL before boarding.

Thanks for the info...I'll look into ORD if I can but suffer through LAX if I need to ;) I'll be at CGK from 1am until 9pm so it isn't going to be fun but wont' be the worst either..main thing is I need to stay on my timezone as I'll fly back Sunday and have to fly back out Monday to work :)

If it where me, I think I'd do LAX on the 777. $300 to ORD isn't exactly cheap for a milage run. I wouldn't be happy if I went all the way to Chicago and the SWU doesn't clear.

You'll probably have a better shot of upgrading on the 777. Plus you said you don't travel internationally so the old J seat will probably feel "nice" compared with first class domestic you usually fly from PHX.

Thanks, I appreciate the perspective. Pricing wise I think I'm going to end up doing LAX-NRT for that leg. Getting to Chicago just isn't financially prudent for the MR.

For the $300 price difference I would take LAX-NRT. Also price DFW-NRT. Get whichever is cheapest and looks upgradeable.