Red Eye on 757 LAX to BOS, upgrade worth it?
 

Assuming my upgrade as a PLT would even clear, is it worth it to request one?

Doubt there would be a meal as the flight leaves at 10:45PM, and I'm not sure how great the seats are (although, seat guru, if I understand correctly, says they are 'lay flat' seats, which perhaps might allow for some meaningful rest).

Anyone flown this recently who'd like to comment?

I just flew LAX-IAD red-eye. I debated this similarly, but I decided I'd be sleeping the entire flight. I can sleep fine in coach/exit row so I neglected to upgrade. I think red-eyes are generally tough to upgrade though so don't count your chickens just yet...

To me, 5-6 500-mile upgrades isn't worth it if I'm going to sleep the entire flight. However, for those who can't sleep, or can only sleep with the added pitch in F, then I think it'd be absolutely worth it; just depends on each person. For me, I wouldn't, but I have no problem sleeping on flights regardless of seat.

VERY IMPORTANT: You will get "lay flat" seats ONLY if you are flying on one of the new international-configured B752s. While you cannot be 100% sure until you walk onto the aircraft (due to last-minute equipment swaps), you can have a pretty good sense within 24 hours of departure time by looking at the seat map.

If there are FOUR (4) rows in First Class, then AA is planning to use one of the newly-configured aircraft. If there are SIX (6) rows in First Class, then AA is planning to use one of the normal domestic-configured aircraft.

As I'm sure you know, there is a huge difference! Some PLTs would not want to burn stickers for the domestic-configured aircraft. Others would. Many might want to burn stickers for the international-configured aircraft. In the end, it's a personal choice.

Thanks for the warning! I made a poor assumption that i was on a 757 version 2 (when looking at seat guru) as the exit rows in coach matched up with what AA was offering. Of course when I look version 1, I see the same match up.

I definitely see no point in burning 3,000 miles worth of upgrades on a 2,600 mile (and change) flight if there is not even a lay flat bed.

At least I've got a window seat in the exit row right now (unfortunately not the coveted 10A or 10F one).

Question though, unless you have reserved a seat at the front of the plane, how do you get to see the seat configuration (let alone availability) of those seats?

The problem with deciding to cancel the upgrade request 24 hours before (as a PLT at least) is that if I am auto upgraded my exit row seat is gone. Sometimes they won't even give you back a coach middle seat if they are over sold.

The other side of the coin, waiting to put in the upgrade request 24 hours before reduces your chances for it to clear on a trans con red eye.

Personally, I pass on the 757s red eyes (before the new seats came in) but it is worth it in next gen Biz class seats.

Is there any way to look at the seat maps of the same flight a few days earlier to see if you get the next gen Biz class seats. I got them on a MIA to EWR run mid day and was pleasantly surprised! ^

On aa.com, go to Reservations -> View Available Seats and enter the flight number, date and class of service, etc. You'll get to see the front cabin and the configuration. I can live with an exit row window on LAX-BOS redeye with an eyeshade, foam earplugs and BOSE headphones and iPod soft music (foam earplugs block noise - without them, no way for me to sleep).

Having done quite of these flights during the BOS3X promo, I managed to survive in exit rows as a PLT. I never decided to burn stickers, especially knowing that the 757 F seats weren't that much more comfortable. (Wider perhaps, but only marginally more comfortable.)

If I were you, I'd hang onto the stickers for another flight, like a 767 transcon.

The BOS-LAX 757 are the 15 year old domestic 757's.
There is NO lie flat seats.
Every so often a 757L (used for International) may sneak into the schedule for a day, but so far they are rare.

Chances are close to zero you will get a 75L. They aren't flying much out west, mainly just up and down the East Coast between Miami and the Northeast and between Dallas and some Florida cities. They ocasionally are running JFK-LAS/SAN.

Remember, the mid/late(?) 90s delivery of 752s had the old interior instead of the newer one that was just beginning to make it in at the time with the 772s, making it harder (not impossible at all) to distinguish between original 752s and newer 752s that are not configured in the TATL config.

What else are you saving your stickers for? I've done a MIA-LAS-MIA run every third week this year and even in the older planes on the red eye you can't compare the experience between the two classes of service. I've even been known to buy a couple of extra stickers just to make sure I upgrade. :o

Next round trip gets me EXP, finally :D I can't freakin wait!

Oh, and as for food service on the red-eye, I can't speak for your flight but LAS-MIA is 2,175 miles and they never serve food on the flight that departs 11:10p and arrives at 6:45a.

As a survivor of 4 of those BOS3X trips on flight 192 I'd say....UPGRADE if you can. Any way you can. Stickers, Miles+Cash, those flights were so bad I'd even consider using a SWU.

Then again, I've sworn I will never, ever, fly flight 192 again.

The BOS3X AA192s on Friday nights were just absolutely packed. If EF shows anything less than 7 for the coach tickets buckets, I'd be begging for any form of upgrade.

Hyperbole aside, ask for the upgrade - the 757 coach seats suck.




Jim

LAS-MIA is not an AFS routes.

AFS routes - those between SEA/SFO/LAX/SAN-BOS/NYC/WAS/MIA - have meal service on redeyes, although its not at all a "meal," more of a snack. Typically a cheese/fruit plate, and maybe something else. I haven't been on a redeye in forever. Whats the AFS food on redeyes nowadays?

Red Eye choices on LAX-BOS/IAD have been a choice of:

+Cheese/Cracker/Fruit Plate
+Cold Salad with Chicken or other protein on top
+Bowl of Soup (Sometimes you have to ask for this, as the FA's either don't want to offer/bother with it, or possibly are wanting it for themselves)

Usually a PDB is offered, regular beverage choice after take off, and coffee/juice before arrival.

Side note, I didn't think SEA/SAN-JFK was AFS service, but fairly close, but I could be wrong, I've never taken either flight.

Are you heading for EXP?

If so, burn the stickers. They'll soon enough be (next to) useless.

If not, How many are you sitting on?

I don't really think it matters. If you have them, burn them on a transcon unless you're planning to go to Hawai'i or ANC soon.