Geordie405

Hello all,

I'd appreciate some input / advice / opinions on the best way of getting to LHR in coach while maximizing the experience. The reason for asking on here is that I have only had one long-haul coach class journey ever and that was a 767 from ORD to MAN. I have very little real world experience to compare with

Outbound travel would be 4/7 from LAS via LAX and inbound would be on 4/12. We have to go via LAX on the outbound for family reasons.

Options would be AA136 from LAX to LHR. I am OWE so MCE is available but only row 16 on the 77W has two adjacent seats unless we sit much further back in the cabin.

Alternatively I could fly via LAX / JFK on a 321-T and then take AA142 to LHR, and that's a 772. Another alternative is to fly via ORD and then take AA90 which is the 787 to LHR. The 787 is the least favoured option.

Returning would probably be via DFW on a 777W and then on to LAS from there. Alternatively AA109 via LAX as this seems to be the 77W. I am not too fussed about the return. It's all daytime travel.

If I take AA136 then it's $828 per person RT, via JFK bumps that to $1167 per person but it's also possible to book into F on the LAX - JFK sector for a total of $1517 per person. If I go via JFK then the extra $350 per person for F seems worth it.

Finally, if I put my BAEC number in the booking (as I'd like to credit miles to that FFP) can I still use my AAdvantage miles to request an upgrade to business? The agent I spoke to said yes, as long as the flight was ticketed with AA (which it would be) but I am not 100% sure she really understood what I was asking.

Thank you!

platbrownguy

It would help to know whether your regular travel is short-haul coach, short-haul J/F, or long-haul J/F.

If you're accustomed to long-haul J/F, and if you're stuck having to fly coach on this trip, then you'd almost certainly want to do the A321T option where you get to fly F.

Oformula

It's not a particularly pleasant experience in coach, so it's unclear to me which aspect you're looking to maximize. In these situations, I'd recommend taking the shortest flight(s) possible, especially if it's also the cheapest.

I can't speak authoritatively to your upgrade question, but my immediate thought would be to have your AA number on the booking, process the upgrade, and then change to your BA number before departure.

Geordie405

In the US it's usually coach, long-haul would be a mix of PE (with CX) and J (with BA and sometimes AA).

Geordie405

I suppose the better way of putting it is to minimize the discomfort in coach which is one reason for ruling out the 787 as I have heard it is snug to put it mildly.

fanger

if you can get it. I often book this SFO-LHR if I'm committed to coach. Alternatively, the non-exit row pairs are okay, but then i prefer AA MCE on the 77W.

bspahn

American only flies 777's to LHR(correction: this isn't right, there are still a few A330's, but OP isn't considering any of those routes) , so you should think about this solely in terms of getting the most space for yourself. 9-abreast seating is a substantial step-up from 10-abreast, so you should try to snag the wider seat. AA will swap out different version of the 772 (some of which have 9-abreast in coach and some which don't), so I'd take the 77W out of LAX. The 9-across MCE cabin is and separated from the rest of coach and has tons of space.

If it were for me, I wouldn't pay the extra $700 to be in F (are you sure it's not J?) on the transcon leg, only to be in coach over the Atlantic. Better to fly to LA and get the journey done as quickly as possible, with a wider extra-legroom seat.

Geordie405

Thanks - this is very helpful and is pretty much what I am thinking too. Matrix and AA both said the transcon flight was A so definitely First.

bhomburg

The best coach experience on LAX-LHR will actually be on the BA A380 (BA282, sold as AA 6185). Get a seat pair on the upper deck (free with BA Gold).

rjque

AA90 (the daylight ORD-LHR) is by far the best experience to Europe in coach, at least for me. I can't sleep in coach, anyway, so taking the overnights leaves me quite exhausted for several days. The benefit of this flight is drastically reduced if you need to take a redeye to get it, though, and it sounds like you would.

Centurion

wow..I just saw it is a A380...I was thinking 747

Geordie405

Yes, unfortunately we would and that's the one big downside of that routing irrespective of the 787 itself.

Geordie405

It would actually be the BA269 sold as AA6179 but it's significantly more expensive unfortunately. I am, for once, trying to do this trip on the cheap so am trying to get the best bang for my (limited) buck.

Thanks to all who have commented and thrown suggestions into the mix - it really is appreciated

OskiBear

If there are two of you in economy, I think either of the following options might be good:

1. BA A380 - upper deck exit row seats (70AB/JK or 80AB/JK)
2. AA 77W - exit rows (31AC/JL)

I've done both recently in long-haul and they were fine for me. When I'm with a traveling companion, I'm less concerned about width and more concerned about legroom. Both of the exit rows help in that regard.

aztimm

When did they switch out the A330's on PHL/CLT-LHR?