AA J award vs BA award choice
Dec 13, 2019, 8:17 pm
#1
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AA J award vs BA award choice
I'm already booked on a AA dfw-rdu-lhr flight on 12/23. My first leg gets in early and I have 7 hours to spend in Raleigh. Fine that's cool I rented a car and planned to see museums.
There is a BA saver J available on the same day--dfw-las-lgw and because it's not lhr the taxes are only $260. Gatwick is close to my mom's house compared to heathrow so I would be able to be picked up. I would save a car rental cost in raleigh, plus train fare in lhr so it's a wash. My only concern is how bad is the 777 on BA for 14 hours in their J. I flew their 388 service a month ago and the hard product was great but the food sucked.
What would you do?
There is a BA saver J available on the same day--dfw-las-lgw and because it's not lhr the taxes are only $260. Gatwick is close to my mom's house compared to heathrow so I would be able to be picked up. I would save a car rental cost in raleigh, plus train fare in lhr so it's a wash. My only concern is how bad is the 777 on BA for 14 hours in their J. I flew their 388 service a month ago and the hard product was great but the food sucked.
What would you do?
Dec 13, 2019, 8:58 pm
#2
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I'd take the BA LAS-LGW, simply for the longer overnight flight and hence more/better sleep.
RDU-LHR is simply too short for meaningful sleep, at least for me.
Sure the BA J seat isn't exactly market leading, but I sleep fine in it. And the food's bad either way.
RDU-LHR is simply too short for meaningful sleep, at least for me.
Sure the BA J seat isn't exactly market leading, but I sleep fine in it. And the food's bad either way.
Dec 13, 2019, 9:11 pm
#3
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Dec 13, 2019, 9:12 pm
#4
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Dec 14, 2019, 1:48 am
#5
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take the BA option...normally I would prefer AA for the J seats,
but having taken tons of BA flights in J.. I sleep fine.. the food is fine too.
I assume (i know big mistake) you want to get mums home sooner than later.
No point in spending 7 hours in RDU.. when your mind will be on getting home.
Plus , the weather might be an issue too.
but having taken tons of BA flights in J.. I sleep fine.. the food is fine too.
I assume (i know big mistake) you want to get mums home sooner than later.
No point in spending 7 hours in RDU.. when your mind will be on getting home.
Plus , the weather might be an issue too.
Dec 14, 2019, 2:34 am
#6
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I'd go with BA. Longer overnight flight to allow for better sleep. Plus you could end up with with the AA 772 Zodiac seats on RDU-LHR that I don't really care for.
Only thing that would make me slightly hesitate with taking the BA flight is the prospect of ending up in one of the middle seats.
Only thing that would make me slightly hesitate with taking the BA flight is the prospect of ending up in one of the middle seats.
Dec 14, 2019, 3:07 am
#7
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Are the 'taxes' only $260 ? The carrier surcharge for USA-UK in business class on BA or AA for a ticket originating USA is $600.00 - or is this a r/t award journey that originated in UK?
At $260 , I would take the BA option
At $260 , I would take the BA option
Dec 14, 2019, 6:44 am
#8
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ETA here is the tax and fees:
Taxes & Carrier-Imposed Fees
Taxes 33.20 USD
Carrier-Imposed Fees 225.00 USD
Total Taxes and Carrier-Imposed Fees 258.20 USD
Last edited by enviroian; Dec 14, 2019 at 7:25 am
Dec 14, 2019, 7:57 am
#9
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The fuel surcharges should not differ between flying into LHR vs LGW. Looking at a similar DFW-ORD-LHR routing on 12/24 I see the same $258 in taxes and fees (ORD-LHR on BA). Looking at a nonstop JFK-LHR I see $253.
Has BA reduced the fuel surcharges for departing the US?!
If yes this is fantastic news for once. $250 still sucks compared to $5.60 but is way better than $600.
Has BA reduced the fuel surcharges for departing the US?!
If yes this is fantastic news for once. $250 still sucks compared to $5.60 but is way better than $600.
Dec 14, 2019, 8:51 am
#10
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I'm on the phone with AA now. I stated the YQ surcharge seems too low and I don't want to get hit with a whammy when I leave the UK. "Hold on let me get the rate department on the phone to confirm taxes".
Booked. They said the reason it's only $258 because I'm going from the US to the UK. The other way around would be subject to a higher tax. This doesn't seem right but it's ticketed.
Booked. They said the reason it's only $258 because I'm going from the US to the UK. The other way around would be subject to a higher tax. This doesn't seem right but it's ticketed.
Last edited by enviroian; Dec 14, 2019 at 10:02 am
Dec 14, 2019, 9:24 am
#11
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The fuel surcharges should not differ between flying into LHR vs LGW. Looking at a similar DFW-ORD-LHR routing on 12/24 I see the same $258 in taxes and fees (ORD-LHR on BA). Looking at a nonstop JFK-LHR I see $253.
Has BA reduced the fuel surcharges for departing the US?!
If yes this is fantastic news for once. $250 still sucks compared to $5.60 but is way better than $600.
Has BA reduced the fuel surcharges for departing the US?!
If yes this is fantastic news for once. $250 still sucks compared to $5.60 but is way better than $600.
Have they extended to premium cabins?
(Hmmm...I just did a random spot check...AA.com is quoting DEN-LAX-LHR in January with BA over the pond at 57.5K SAAver and $268...so yes?)
Dec 14, 2019, 9:38 am
#12
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If I've been told correctly there is a luxury tax when flying out of the UK for J cabin (I've paid the tax of about 110$ when I've used SWU ) but when flying to the UK there isn't a luxury tax.
Dec 14, 2019, 9:52 am
#13
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FWIW I looked at the saver F dfw-atl-lhr and the $660 YQ is still there.
Dec 14, 2019, 10:14 am
#14
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The APD does apply to Economy Class flights, but it is cheaper for Economy Class flights than for flights in premium cabins.
Dec 14, 2019, 8:30 pm
#15
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This may be a game changer if one ways on BA CW are only $268 taxes/fees, considering the availability compared to AA metal. No, they aren't as good as AA but isn't BA rolling out new CW cabins?