platbrownguy

No, it's just the wines.

The food presentation is much much nicer though. Doesn't justify the upgrade cost but it's a nice bonus.

ikwia

platbrownguy

Yeah, I'd probably agree with that. FFD weighs heavily in my book though if the flight is ex-USA... good meal & Krug followed by zzzzzzs on the mattress pad is hard to beat.

Also FFD often has the fun different liquors you're looking for -- things like Woodford Rye, Angel's Envy, and Angel's Envy Rye... sherry, perhaps a random brandy or two.

tylerdurden4543

I actually think this is a no brainer - on a short flight like this, you want the most comfortable sleep possible. Eat the best lounge meal possible in FFD and then get into a seat that is marginally, but still, better than business and located in a quieter cabin. All for 27.5k, which these days are "worth" (i.e., can be bought with promotions on AA.com) for about $475.

flyertalker54234

It is going to be personal choice here.

Both J and F products pretty much lead the field across the Atlantic.

What does F have to recommend it?

Longer wider bed/suite and more padding hence comfort. At 6' 5" this is a no brainer for me. Also F provides Pajamas and turn down service though apparently not everyone gets the turn down service if they are "entitled"....

Food is better. Whilst the entree is nominally the same, I find it better cooked and presented. Additionally I prefer the appetizers in F and I like the Soup. I do not drink alcohol so for me the better wines, beers and spirits are not relevant but to many they are key. For me the Espresso machine and decent coffee is a real win.

As a personal thing, I prefer the more open feel of the F cabin and I find the J cabin almost as claustrophobic as the DIlbert cubicles that many Middle Eastern and Asian carriers have and BA is on the point of installing. If you want your privacy and to stop anyone seeing what you are doing then J is probably better for you.

I like the swivel seats, as I often work at a desk on flights particularly 109/108 and 135/136. I also bring my travel binoculars to use over some of the scenery as the view from FL 400 beats all (except 788 at 410 perhaps)

I always find the flight attendants on AA to be friendly and efficient but the lower pax-fa ratio in first is noticeable and the whole flight is more like a person rather than an important number.

Then there is FFD in the US lounges (no sign of new lounge at LHR yet). Well, mixed reviews here, some like it and some do not. Personally I am not a fan of airport lounges. I try to spend as little time at an airport as possible. So the other win for me is Flagship check in and expedited security, though this is also available to many with various statuses, cards etc.

Lastly International First gets you the third bag though this is available to some elite levels too.

And J?

Well the seats are more coffin like so you will been hidden more from others gaze. It is cheaper. If you do not have many miles it will use them up and the copay of you are on a discounted Business Ticket is another $550 which does not count towards EQD's.

Is it worth it?

If you do not fly much, do not normally book the class of travel you wish to travel in and count every mile then probably no. If you fly all the time and have more miles than you know what to do with then obviously yes. Though it is worth noting that BA are always selling off First at discount in events and AA gets covered in the promotions so should always check the F J differential. Normally it can be 2 to 3 times the fare but at certain times and on certain routes it can be down to a few hundred bucks.

Those who are not tall, like confined spaces, do not worry about the quality of the coffee or booze and regard airline food as something to endure not enjoy would be crazy to opt for F. Indeed the new Premium Coach may work for many Daytime flights. Those who appreciate the few refined thing about air travel that remain across the Atlantic, F would be the way to go.

All the above is about TATL. Traveling to Japan on JAL, if you can get space in F is the only way to fly. If only I could drink the Vintage Champagne with my second order of Caviar... Still the blue label reserve bottled Tea is a pretty good match.

Make your choice and enjoy... (still better than BA).

reeg2

The J seat is great; but I've enjoyed the F seat more. It's comfortable and spacious; in trips where I've gone out in F (for sleep) and back in J, I often find it a little jarring at first how narrow J feels.
But as mentioned upthread, if you've got tons of miles, it's worth it. If not, I'd save them

Phasers

Shoot, you sold me at Angel's Envy.

econometrics

Yeah, this question is very subjective to the OP's situation. E.g. as one poster said... do you have 50K miles in your account, or 2.5M?

I'm burning an SWU that I will not use this year to go J to F on JFK-LHR on a DFW-TLV R/T in June. I'm basically only doing that because it gets me FFD in DFW and JFK, and I have a 4 hour layover in JFK.

Personally, I sleep better in the 77W J seat, and find it more private.

enviroian

george 3

Love 1A or 1J - Even though its a relatively short flight, I'd do it. I've upgraded JFK-GRU a few times, which is longer at nearly 10 hours, and it was well worth it.

Austin787

I'd save the miles. I find the 77W J seat comfortable and great for sleeping. Then again, I also have less than 100K miles.

dwugson

That's a very short flight and definitely not worth upgrading. I've always had a good sleep on board with instructions not to wake me for breakfast which you can enjoy in the pleasant arrivals lounge.

bszeto

Upgrading just for the seat itself is probably not worth it. While I do find the F seat to be wider for sleeping I find the J seat to be more than good enough for sleeping. Food mostly sucks in F and J regardless.
If you really value the FFD experience then maybe, even though paying 27.5K miles is a bit steep unless you have a companion so it would be like paying 13.75K each to experience FFD which you can more easily justify. However, JFK FL does have a separate area where you can order from a menu and the food wasn't too bad, so you can get a (less luxurious) dining experience at JFK FL without spending extra miles for FFD
If you have SWU to burn then definitely go for it.

ORDAAFlyer296

Did this same routing last year in F. The seat is more spacious, though the service wasn't noticeably better. FFD, on the other hand, made all the difference in the world on the ground at JFK. Truthfully is the best facility run by any US carrier. I'd spring for it based on that (and the Krug!), though it's all personal preference.

tomj888

As a tall person who appreciates personal space. Its a no brainer to me.
In addition, based out of LAX, and flying to LHR and HKG, I value good sleep. The seats will never be mistaken for Singapore's suites but they are the best AA has to offer on the routes I choose.
The other thing that throws it over the top for me is Flagship dining. Love the food and service at LAX and it is massively better than the regular lounge. I"m traveling with my two teenage kids to LHR in Aug and will be grateful to have access to the lounges.
If you add up the miles you earned, its basically a minimal outlay for 11 hours plus of better than J service and food (lounges).