cmd320

By early 2022 I wouldn’t be concerned about much COVID related. If you’re looking for the best overall experience possible for a good fare, then going with BA F is probably going to be your best bet, especially if you can get on the A380 on one or both legs. Also worth looking into would be QR J as that product is very nearly as good as BA F and may even exceed it in some ways.

kevinsac

QR LAX-JNB … both legs A350. Qsuites good? The price is $3300 r/t with several hours to experience the lounge.

cmd320

QSuites are an excellent product, one of the top J products (if not the number one) on the market today.

If you really wanted to have fun with it you could go BA F one direction and QR J on the return. Not sure how that would price out though.

VSLover

oh yes. qsuites are an excellent option.

im not trying to put a damper on your prospects, im just setting expectations based on many LHR-LAX/SFO bookings over the last year and the coming 6mos on BA in F on the A380 and until there is an air corridor AND the UK govt sorts the testing and isolation scheme out for vaccinated travelers--there simply is not enough traffic to warrant the a380 anytime soon combined with the already dour news in the UK about a "difficult winter" re respiratory diseases blah blah blah.

im just saying i wouldnt hold my breath for the a380, but i find the 777 and 787 seats and overall service and experience much better on BA and i really hope there is an a380 as i have LAX and SFO bookings in december.

kevinsac

Point taken about the aircraft that may service the route. In fact, reality is that nothing is certain. We were supposed to be in Africa this spring. Now, we are finalizing a 6-week safari next year.

who knows???

VSLover

i also hope the takeaway has been that at least on the LAX service, even with current reduced schedules, barring disruptions, BA have been putting the best of the "newer" first products on the route in the 787 as noted or the 777 with doors and refreshed seats. it has been much more consistent on the LAX route than many others.

N1120A

Honestly, I prefer the AA seat to the BA one (with the caveat that I haven't flown the 787 or refreshed 777 seats, but they don't seem much different). Also, literally the best meal I've ever had on an airplane was in AA F on this exact route (monkfish curry - wow). AFAIK, the wines are largely standardized between AA and BA and there are times I've had better wine on AA. Further, the ability to pre-order meals on all AA flights, in all directions, is highly appealing.

cheltzel

If you are really not sensitive to cost, I would look at LH F. B74H all the way through from LAX to JNB. By the time you go, I expect the FCT to be open. Hopefully you would get a Mercedes transfer between the aircraft and the FCT. The only downside is the cost (Just over $10K). Flying LH F is truly memorable. If you can, get seats 1A & 1K. It is a very private and intimate experience for you and your companion.

kevinsac

oh yeah. I’ve flown LH many times. The 747-8 and the A380 are great, excellent service and food, loft the FCT. But money is a factor. I can easily justify a $2K from business to F; I still think the $5100 F fare on BA is a deal. But I’m not willing to pay $10k for vacation on LH.

(About 10 years ago, LH was offering A-fares ex SFO/LAX to Europe for about $6k on the A380. That’s was a deal.

cheltzel

I've only flown LH F on last minute awards. So I understand about the cost. If you watch the LH/LX premium fare deal threads you can find 2 for 1 companion deals in F and J, usually ex-Europe for really decent prices.

aamilesslave

I'd expect that AA will never move back to T3. Pre-COVID, there were plans for AA to eventually move to T5 anyway. It makes sense for AA/BA to co-locate common destinations between the carriers (e.g. US flights) to the same terminal. Once T5 reaches capacity, I expect that BA will move some non-US flights to T3 with AA remaining in T5.

aamilesslave

TBIT-T4 is a short airside walk, hardly an inconvenience.

ORDflyer92

Perhaps a hot take for this forum but I would prefer to fly Qsuite over BA or AA First, at least during COVID. It is far and away the world's best Business seat.

FWIW if you are vaccinated, you also don't have to wear a mask in Qsuite, although not sure how that works with the federal mandate (at least you probably have to keep it on in US airspace, not sure what happens when you leave it because my last Qsuite flight was before the federal mask mandate).

PUCCI GALORE

That is indeed a shame. What drives me mad is that should I fly Air France, Iberia or Lufthansa I can take the dog in his travelling bad on the aircraft with me. Except to the UK. Why I cannot think - you just cannot. So when we go to the UK - he gets to stay at the Cleaners. If I want to take him to the USA he may have to fly Iberia , God help us. as AA do not offer this service on Transatlantic.

So if this is OT but everyone has a view about that which they prefer between BA and AA however we know that either will get us there and back safely,

kevinsac

Thanks all. With the current Alaska Airlines promo code, I booked Qatar Qsuites LAX-JNB for $3104 round trip.

https://thepointsguy.com/deals/550-off-qatar-qsuite/

thanks FT!