IADCAflyer

I've got a conference next summer in beautiful Berlin. A stipend is being provided for my speech and lodging, but not the airfare. Oh well. So coach it is.

My options are to fly JFK-LHR-TXL on either AA or BA or JFK-MAD-TXL on Iberia. I've basically nixed the Iberia routing owing to the very late arrival in TXL (7:00 pm).

I'm focused on either the AA flights of the BA flights with the AA code.

So the options become flying on AA which gives me either a 77W or a 772 with the four rows of MCE (I'm plat and can access those) or fly the BA 744. Is losing the MCE and flying on BA worth the ability to access the BA lounge in T-7 at JFK or is there a significant benefit to the MCE seats on AA such that I'll just have to make do with the Admirals Club in T8? Owing to the mileage earn levels,

eponymous_coward

Can't imagine trading leg room for 8 hours for slightly better food and drink in a lounge before a flight, given that I can buy food and drink in the terminal, but good luck buying extra leg room when you get on the plane if you find your knees getting crushed.

Also, don't you get Flagship lounge access at JFK due to Platinum status, not Admiral's Club? If so, makes MCE on AA a no-brainer to me. The lounge at LAX seemed nice enough.

pauleeepaul

Miles + copay upgrade on AA,

or

WT+ on BA.

Do not fly BA coach.

C17PSGR

I like the Flagship Lounge at JFK and suspect it will be better than the BA lounge at T7 so it doesn't seem like a difficult decision to me.

That being said, you'll have to do the T3/T5 trek at LHR if you fly AA. Not really that big of a deal but you do have to clear security again and have a 15-20 minute bus ride. Make sure you leave adequate time between your connections.

bse118

The BA lounge at JFK T7 is nothing special - no reason at all to seek it out.

IADCAflyer

Tnx. So is there a consensus on 777s - 772 > 77W or 77W > 772 for MCE seating?

Worcester

If you go onto the BAEC forum you will find most Members avoid BA when there is an decent alternative. The LHR - TXL leg will be particularly bad, especially if you are unlucky and get the new seats. We don't call them Bloody Awful for nothing...

IADCAflyer

OK, given the fares I'm now considering AA Premium Economy versus BA World Traveler Plus. Any feel for which of the two carriers has the better product?

FlyerBeek

I've yet to travel in AA Premium Economy internationally, although I've ready many reviews and have tried out the seats on a domestic flight. For what it's worth, I'd probably still give BA WTP the slight advantage. The AA seat might be slightly better, but BA seems to do a better job treating it as a separate (and more premium) cabin of service. I get the sense AA treats it as economy with slightly better seating. For example, on BA you'll get a PDB (usually water, juice, or sparking wine/cava), small printed, and the main course entree is usually the same as what's offered in business class (although the rest of the meal is closer to economy catering). Others views might vary, but all things being equal I'd probably stick with BA WTP. Again, in full disclosure, I've yet to fly AA Premium Economy internationally.

-FlyerBeek

mvoight

https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/...um-economy.jsp

asf-07

Do NOT book yourself on the AA 77W with the assumption that the MCE 3-3-3 cabin will be available. They have just started their Premium Economy retrofits on these aircraft, and that section of MCE is being replaced with the PE seats. They are significantly reducing the MCE availability on the 77W, and it seems that they're putting it in the middle section of seats in the rear economy section of the cabin. Very strange.

I can't speak to the PE product as I haven't flown it, but I can tell you that if you end up booking coach, book yourself on AA (not BA) and try to get on a 772 (as this still has somewhat of a decent MCE seating section immediately behind PE).

thunderlounge

This. I have a flight on a 77W booked later this summer and the full seating map on AA is already showing it as the PE cabin, with rows 20, 31, 32, 33-35 (middle 4 only) showing as MCE. It also lists a bunch of "preferred" seats. (Like the last few rows with 2 on each side, etc.)

If booking earlier than you may be OK, as the aircraft may/may not have been converted but will at least not be selling that as the actual PE cabin yet.

IADCAflyer

I think the plan is a premium economy run on the overnight flight (either BA or AA) and then regular MCE coach on the return. Over would be on the 77W and return on the 772.

dll

If you're not married to BA/AA, you might also consider Turkish in business (I'm seeing JFK-TXL fares in the $2,100 range in the summer with decent transit times in IST), or Icelandair and take advantage of their free stopover in KEF en route.