eponymous_coward

Yes, but I think I wouldn't pay $1200 to transit VCE instead of LHR. The fact that you're strongly considering this leads me to believe you don't actually value those miles as $1200.

I mean, really: you can buy a TV at a crowded, nasty mall, or the same TV at a nicer, pleasant mall but you'd pay $1200 more...

PE fares might not be a lot less. Once you get to coach fares, there's the question of "well, do I want to feel like a jetlagged achy pretzel when I show up in Vienna". Again, this speaks to the notional value of miles.

On a $525 one way coach airfare to Vienna through London, I might be willing to give away 57,500 miles to be in business class, but in a non-earning fare class, because it's not like I can take those miles to my bank and turn them into cash, or use them to buy an S&P 500 index fund, so this might be a good use for them unless I was identifying a better use for them. It might be worth the tradeoff if I'd have a reasonably comfortable flight.

JJeffrey

VCE is for sure smaller than Heathrow, but it will still be more of a hassle considering you have to claim your bags and check in again with OS. Forget about the separate ticket risk, with 4 hrs you have plenty of time. Assuming your AA flight is on time or a little early as are a lot of flights to Europe, you'll probably find yourself with a solid 2.5 hrs of sitting around the VCE departure hall waiting for your flight to VIE, with no lounge access to boot.

The bus ride at LHR is 7 or 8 mins, and as you'll be in J you can use the fast track lines for security. If you book the BA option, and later find space on AA metal to LHR as I suggested above, there wouldn't even be the terminal change as both AA and BA flights to VIE use T3 at LHR. And as a J pax, you can use the very nice CX or QF lounges at T3 before your flight to VIE.

aztimm

The train between Vienna and Prague takes about 4.5 hours. You can take it straight from the airport into town. I'd say this is a much more efficient way of doing it, rather than separate tickets at VCE, and certainly better than dealing with LHR (especially if paying the BA fees).

sobe_dude

[QUOTE=JJeffrey;29639831]Those are two BAD options I hate it when folks waste miles on AAnytime awards almost as much as wasting money on the ridiculous BA fuel surcharges.

I agree, both are horrible options. If you can find saver awards to any European city on AA metal or even Iberia, choose that. Otherwise go with BA, even though it sucks. At least you are traveling with your wife, so the seating arrangement is not as bad as it is for the single traveler.

sobe_dude

Do you have any United miles or UR points that you can transfer to United?
Then you can buy a one way ORD-PRG with AA miles, and a separate one way ticket VIE-ORD with United miles. There is usually decent availability on Austrian with 70,000 United miles, and their service in J is very good.

Mwenenzi

Their is a big difference in using AA ff miles for a saver award compared to anytime award. If you can find a saver AA award to any close by city just take it, before someone else does. Central Eu is small. Trains can get you almost anywhere.
Great Circle Mapper

The other thread by OP Connection - VIE-VCE-ORD?

You seem to be making this harder/more risk/more expensive/less value than it needs to be.
I would just get to central Eu and use trains to the destinations of Prauge/Auschwitz/Vienna.

broland

Totally agree with JDiver on this one.

Austin787

3. AA ORD-VCE, then book VCE-VIE for the next day. Overnight in Venice, enjoy the city, then fly onwards to VIE.

knit-in

Hopefully your AAdvantage miles can be put to better use than this. Take the BA option, in my opinion. The difference in quality is not so much as to warrant that amount of difference. LHR is not so bad anymore to transit. Not ideal, but certainly not as much hassle as it is made out to be.

knit-in

Oh that it is! The coffees are the finest!

(pardon the digression)

Prospero

deaddog, my opinion differs from others, but I say with absolute clarity of mind, neither option you've presented is bad. As you are comparing redemption costs, the decision boils down to how you want to distribute the miles you have available to spent against the additional cash component. If you don't have oneworld Ruby, Sapphire, or Emerald status, also factor in the cost of preassigned seats on BA.

Some peripheral thoughts
Consider the pre-flght experience at ORD. You'll have access to AA's Flagship lounge at ORD T3 which is a rather pleasant place to hang out before boarding - great views, okay F&B. BA's lounge at T5 is smaller and gets terribly busy. Both offer pre-flight dining

BA's onboard catering has seen a significant improvement this year. In terms of quality and taste, BA will offer a much better experience in this aspect of the journey. BA's service on the 20:55 departure will be geared towards maximising sleep time, so if you wish to dine on-board the full service is available but will be served after the cabin lights are dimmed.

The seats comparisons are hugely subjective. BA's 777 cabin is pretty large and is positioned next to the wings. As others have mentioned, window seats do not have direct access to the aisle but I find the seat very comfortable and while narrow on paper at 20", to me AA's 20.8" wide Concept D seat "feels" narrower, probably due to its "bathtub" enclosure and absence of armrests. The Concept D cabin provides direct aisle access to/from all seats though which is handy if you enjoy frequent strolls to the galley/washrooms.

AA will offer you a larger Hollywood film library and a higher definition screen

Note, BA's LHR-VIE service operates out of T3 which involves a coach transfer from T5. There is a great selection of oneworld lounges available at T3 - plenty of variety there

JDiver

As the OP had two separate threads for the same (award) journey, they have been merged, and the thread has been retitled to embrace the intended scope of the thread.

We do not recommend starting more than one thread for one journey.

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