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Which is better J Experience? MIA-BCN or JfK-BCN

Which is better J Experience? MIA-BCN or JfK-BCN

Old Jul 15, 2015, 8:43 pm
  #1  
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Which is better J Experience? MIA-BCN or JfK-BCN

My Atlanta-based daughter wants J travel to BCN with return back to Atlanta from MAD in J class.

it looks like the gateways on AA metal to BCN are MIA and JFK.

I am joining her on the outbound and live in NYC. Obviously the JFK makes sense for me, but we want to fly together, so I do not mind making the sacrifice to fly out of MIA if that AA flight is a better experience.

Coming home, I would definitely come back from MAD to JFK, and it is no big deal for her to come home separately via MIA or even DFW if need be to get back to ATL.

I should mention these will be award tickets hopefully.

so is the MIA flight to BCN a better experience so that I fly to MIA and join her? or is JFK better experience in J, and I should have her fly up to JFK from Atlanta anfpd join me on that flight instead?

Thanks!
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Old Jul 15, 2015, 9:00 pm
  #2  
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What equipment does aa.com show being used on the JFK-BCN and MIA-BCN flights?

Have you checked award-seat availability? If you only want to redeem at the SAAver level, you might find that you don't have much of a choice.
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Old Jul 15, 2015, 9:12 pm
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Another consideration is that AA does not fly ATL-JFK; it serves NYC only with ATL-LGA. So your daughter would have the hassle of transferring herself and her baggage from LGA to JFK -- at her own expense.
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Old Jul 15, 2015, 9:18 pm
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AA is currently flying the retrofit 763 on JFK-BCN and the 3-class 772 on MIA-BCN. The business class product on the 763 is newer, but reports are that the seats feel less wide than the NGBC seats on the 3-class 772 and old config 763. For me the bigger dealbreaker would be the surface transfer in NY, unless you add another connection at CLT.
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Old Jul 15, 2015, 9:50 pm
  #5  
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Thank you for responses.

it really isn't a big deal on her arriving at LGA as I live in NYC and can have car service swoop her up when I am being transported to JFK. so we would ride to JFK together. so I can make that transfer happen seamlessly for her.

it truly is about which J cabin is the better experience with newness of plane, service, etc. (and of course, as stated, IF I am given a choice.

Thanks.
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Old Jul 15, 2015, 10:10 pm
  #6  
 
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Even though a retrofit 763 is scheduled for JFK-BCN, it could be substituted with a non-retrofit 763 the day of departure.
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Old Jul 16, 2015, 6:53 am
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As a side note, is something up with these routes? These are literally two of the only routes that I have ever seen recently where AA is consistently putting out premium cabin awards on their own metal. Makes me think that something is fishy (yes, I know that it's sad when the presences of 1 or 2 award seats on a bunch of days makes me suspicious but this is what it's come to).
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Old Jul 16, 2015, 7:39 am
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I'd take the retrofit 767 over the old 772 anyday. I found the new 767 J seats to be very comfortable. The little cubby hole for your feet can be a little bothersome when lying flat, but other than that I thought it was great. And much prefer the tablets over the old in seat screens on the 772.
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Old Jul 16, 2015, 8:02 am
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Which is better J Experience? MIA-BCN or JfK-BCN

When are you planning to fly?
Like others have said getting reward seats will probably determine your choice of departure cities
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Old Jul 16, 2015, 9:24 am
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What about PHL-BCN on US? The A332 on that route is better than the 772 on MIA-BCN.
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Old Jul 16, 2015, 11:01 am
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Plan to fly late June 2016. The time to grab the Seats is coming up soon if they release 2 right away.

You know I thought about PHL but since it was US was unsure if that route would continue and then something crazy could happen and I ultimately am re routed and lose my J seats in the end.

I have done J and experienced that internationally but wanted to treat my daughter. On her return from MAD-ATL, I am also considering F class on the MIA leg since that is a route to be considered and only burns 12,500 more miles.
Again, I won't be with her on the return so whatever works out for her won't have to include me and my flight back to NYC.
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Old Jul 16, 2015, 11:53 am
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Originally Posted by kflyer2
Plan to fly late June 2016. The time to grab the Seats is coming up soon if they release 2 right away.

You know I thought about PHL but since it was US was unsure if that route would continue and then something crazy could happen and I ultimately am re routed and lose my J seats in the end.

I have done J and experienced that internationally but wanted to treat my daughter. On her return from MAD-ATL, I am also considering F class on the MIA leg since that is a route to be considered and only burns 12,500 more miles.
Again, I won't be with her on the return so whatever works out for her won't have to include me and my flight back to NYC.
if you look at the current availability for June 2016, you will also see that both flights, MIA-BCN and JFK-BCN are shown with an old 777.

To be honest, if you are booking this far in advance, ANYTHING can happen and aircraft may be changed later.

Since it seems that both will be available for June 2016, I would book the most convenient one for you, and I guess hope for a later change to a more modern aircraft on the route you choose.

JFK-LHR-BCN guarantees a modern 77w with flat seats though.

As far as service, I hope you are not expecting anything from AA. Service is hit or miss and not route depending, IME.
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Old Jul 16, 2015, 1:31 pm
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Originally Posted by guv1976
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Another consideration is that AA does not fly ATL-JFK; it serves NYC only with ATL-LGA. So your daughter would have the hassle of transferring herself and her baggage from LGA to JFK -- at her own expense.
Can use US Airways metal ATL-CLT-JFK as an option - not as convenient, but doable.
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