Best business class experience using 100,000 AA miles?
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: jfk area
Programs: AA platinum; 2MM AA, Delta Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,291
Besides being safe, nearly everywhere, signs are in English (and sometimes Japaneese). Even the subways are easily navigated knowing ONLY English.
#17
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Columbia, SC
Programs: AA Plat, SPG/Marriot Gold, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Expl
Posts: 2,363
I didn't see it suggested yet, but legacy US A330s have a very nice J product. It's not quite as new as the new J on AA 77W but the old Envoy seat is comfortable and fully flat. IFE is great and the CLT-based crews are generally very nice with a touch of Southern hospitality.
#18
Join Date: May 2006
Location: TX
Programs: AA PPro/ 1MM+, Marriott LT Plat
Posts: 282
I didn't see it suggested yet, but legacy US A330s have a very nice J product. It's not quite as new as the new J on AA 77W but the old Envoy seat is comfortable and fully flat. IFE is great and the CLT-based crews are generally very nice with a touch of Southern hospitality.
Bigger issues is finding MilesAAver awards anywhere unless you are very flexible. Most of the AAwards I saw in milesAAver this past summer were BA so subject to large surcharges almost equal to the cost of a Y ticket.
One note, you can book IB flights with AA miles also. Still have fees to deal with but less than BA. Trouble is, you cannot see availability on AA.com. Need to go to BA.com, get expertflyer or call.
#19
Join Date: May 2014
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP (probably nothing w/ AA next year :)), Delta Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 405
Make sure you just pick the gateway cities when searching IB (or almost anyone for that matter), as it's highly likely domestic award availability won't be there.
#20
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: some premium cabin...
Posts: 389
Japan is very safe and Japanese people are very nice and helpful. Hong Kong and Singapore are great destinations too. If you want the best business or first class flight experiences, you would not go wrong by going with JAL or CX. They have the best all around premium product.
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,130
JAL in a heartbeat. US - Tokyo is ripe for a devaluation at the current 50k OW price. As others have said if you can somehow get an extra 25k miles (Citi AA CC?) I would jump on JAL F because the US - Tokyo F prices are definitely due for a devaluation (if you are of the belief that a devaluation is coming).
Ditto US - SE Asia on CX / JL F which would require you go get another 35k miles. Both cases well worth it and by far the two ripest areas for a devaluation in the not to distant future (if you are of the belief that a devaluation of the award chart is coming).
For Europe I would also throw out AY as a strong option. They have a new business class I believe on most of their planes to / from the US and they are also bringing a number of a350 on-line with new J (though not sure if any are slated to come to the US).
If you do go the Europe route - just make sure you don't "waste" your miles on old AA 777s or 757s with slope-y seats (or 767s though I think all to Europe are supposed to have lie-flat J in the next few months)
Ditto US - SE Asia on CX / JL F which would require you go get another 35k miles. Both cases well worth it and by far the two ripest areas for a devaluation in the not to distant future (if you are of the belief that a devaluation of the award chart is coming).
For Europe I would also throw out AY as a strong option. They have a new business class I believe on most of their planes to / from the US and they are also bringing a number of a350 on-line with new J (though not sure if any are slated to come to the US).
If you do go the Europe route - just make sure you don't "waste" your miles on old AA 777s or 757s with slope-y seats (or 767s though I think all to Europe are supposed to have lie-flat J in the next few months)
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: san francisco, ca
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 233
Thank you for all these ideas - I'm definitely excited! I have more than 100k miles, but since I'm usually burning them on domestic roundtrips in coach, I feel very selfish using more than 100k for this one trip by myself. Is it really worth a domestic coach trip (or two) to go in first versus business?
thanks again!
thanks again!
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,337
Thank you for all these ideas - I'm definitely excited! I have more than 100k miles, but since I'm usually burning them on domestic roundtrips in coach, I feel very selfish using more than 100k for this one trip by myself. Is it really worth a domestic coach trip (or two) to go in first versus business?
thanks again!
thanks again!
Coach gets you there, business has the things you need to get there comfortably, first class has the luxurious things you would want to get there in luxury. If you want a special occasion and to make the airplane trip part of the vacation, a business or first class redemption when you are used to coach can help make it special.
#24
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Gold, AA Plat, SPG Gold
Posts: 383
Thank you for all these ideas - I'm definitely excited! I have more than 100k miles, but since I'm usually burning them on domestic roundtrips in coach, I feel very selfish using more than 100k for this one trip by myself. Is it really worth a domestic coach trip (or two) to go in first versus business?
thanks again!
thanks again!
#25
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: DCA
Posts: 7,761
This is somewhat product-specific...BA BOS-LHR vs. CX/JL JFK-HKG/NRT will alter the calculus...but in my opinion? Yes - especially if you are asking this question, which means presumably that you haven't flown international F before. The only answer that matters as to whether something is "worth it" is your own personal judgement. And you can't make that judgement if you have no grounds on which to base it. So I say give it a shot. And who knows, this opportunity might never come around again.
#26
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: SFO/ATL/MEL/BKK
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond, Hyatt Globalist UA 1K MM, Delta Diamond
Posts: 2,678
I can tell you right now.. Forgo a domestic flight.. Go F on CX long haul.. If you can start in JFK just because... F vs C for someone who doesn't get to fly these cabins too much is for sure worth the splurge.. Personally.. EK J is great.. Nonetheless I will only fly F..
#27
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Stuck on this planet - mainly in STR and LAX
Posts: 5,019
Another vote for CX. Their business class (other than SQ) is the best. Long flight from the US to Hong Kong. Great place for a few days. Then buy a ticket inside Asia to places like Bangkok (interesting city, lots to see and do, great food). If you like beach go to Hua Hin or fly to one of the islands. Other options are Bali, Saigon. Then get an award one way from your last destination back home.
Personally I am not a fan of BA. Their F is a glorified business class and their business class is too cramped. Also careful with JAL because they still have lots of planes with the old business class with uncomfortable seats. Personally I avoid AA. Their new seats are nice (similar to CX on the 777), but everything else is hot or miss (more miss than hit normally).
And yes, after you experienced a good airline like CX in F or C you will see that it is miles well spent for a 15 + hour flight.
Personally I am not a fan of BA. Their F is a glorified business class and their business class is too cramped. Also careful with JAL because they still have lots of planes with the old business class with uncomfortable seats. Personally I avoid AA. Their new seats are nice (similar to CX on the 777), but everything else is hot or miss (more miss than hit normally).
And yes, after you experienced a good airline like CX in F or C you will see that it is miles well spent for a 15 + hour flight.
#28
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
If 100k is your limit, I would say the best value you can get is JL in business--just make sure you're on SFO-HND, LAX-NRT, DFW-NRT, ORD-NRT or JFK-NRT as these routes feature JL's SkySuites business product. In my opinion, it beats CX's J product hands down.
You can also do LAX-LIM for 60k roundtrip in business on Lan's 787, or go onto Chile for 100k roundtrip, again on Lan. I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed Chile, especially when you get out of Santiago. Also, Jan/Feb is the perfect time to go, although it's high season so everything is more expensive.
In terms of Europe, as others have mentioned, there aren't amazing options, but there are plenty of options with lie-flat seats (just make sure the seat map is 1-2-1 in business; 2-2-2 or 2-3-2 means angled flats).
You can use AA.com to search for space on AA, but to search JL, Lan, CX or Iberia, you will need to sign up for an Executive Club account on BA (if you don't have one already) and use the Avios search engine: https://www.britishairways.com/trave...n_type=STD_RED
You can also do LAX-LIM for 60k roundtrip in business on Lan's 787, or go onto Chile for 100k roundtrip, again on Lan. I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed Chile, especially when you get out of Santiago. Also, Jan/Feb is the perfect time to go, although it's high season so everything is more expensive.
In terms of Europe, as others have mentioned, there aren't amazing options, but there are plenty of options with lie-flat seats (just make sure the seat map is 1-2-1 in business; 2-2-2 or 2-3-2 means angled flats).
You can use AA.com to search for space on AA, but to search JL, Lan, CX or Iberia, you will need to sign up for an Executive Club account on BA (if you don't have one already) and use the Avios search engine: https://www.britishairways.com/trave...n_type=STD_RED
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Benicia, California, USA
Programs: AA PLT,AS,UA PP,J6,FB,EY,LH,SQ,HH Dmd,Hyatt Glbl,Marriott Plat,IHG Plat,Accor Gold
Posts: 10,819
Find a way to get the extra miles for F. Do this for at least one way, it is worth the extra 12,500 miles. I would skip BA, the surcharge is insane. Go with CX or JAL and think about Hong Kong, Singapore or Bangkok. The first two are very english friendly and you can make it in Bangkok without speaking Thai. You will will get the best bang for your dollar in Bangkok, great hotels at great prices.
Japan is very safe and Japanese people are very nice and helpful. Hong Kong and Singapore are great destinations too. If you want the best business or first class flight experiences, you would not go wrong by going with JAL or CX. They have the best all around premium product.
Simply for the flying experience of getting where you're going, I'd take CX because it will be three or four hours longer flight to Hong Kong than JL will take you to get to Japan, and those extra hours mean you can wine and dine and eat in a relaxed fashion before getting some solid sleep. Plus I hear that CX is a bit of a better airline than JL, though I've not flown the latter. Go for F on CX if you have the miles, but J is also great.
If you decide to fly CX all the way to Singapore, the routing would be SFO-HKG in F (if you splurge with the miles) and then HKG-SIN in J. Or, if you can't find award availability from SFO, you can also search from LAX and a few cities, tacking on AA flights to get to the CX ones for no extra miles. And for that matter, I believe, that flying SFO-HKG-SIN is the same number of miles as simply going as far as HKG, but others will correct me if I'm wrong.
Thank you for all these ideas - I'm definitely excited! I have more than 100k miles, but since I'm usually burning them on domestic roundtrips in coach, I feel very selfish using more than 100k for this one trip by myself. Is it really worth a domestic coach trip (or two) to go in first versus business?
Wherever you go, check out whichever lounge you're entitled to as a J or F passenger. A nice experience.
Finally, if it matters to you, check out a site that offers monthly weather patterns to find out what it's likely to be like when you go wherever.
Happy trails!
#30
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 73
Sorry to thread jack, but when does first award availability get released for unsold first seats on JAL?
Currently have a J seat on 12/16 for SFO->HND then NRT-BKK, would prefer a layover without an airport change.
Also have the miles to upgrade to F..
Currently have a J seat on 12/16 for SFO->HND then NRT-BKK, would prefer a layover without an airport change.
Also have the miles to upgrade to F..