aktchi

For many years I have been able to travel internationally in Business class, with QR being my favorite (due to cabin service as well as Al-Mourjan lounge in Doha). However, post-pandemic I am not flying much, so not earning many miles, and need to save most of those for a planned multi-person family trip in J down the road. As a result, following hard numbers, I have decided to cancel my QR award (USA-India) in J, and look for economy options for my solo trips. Immediately ahead, I am looking at these numbers-

AA Y (30K miles), QR Y (40K miles), AY Finnair Y (40K miles).

AA cabin service would probably be most ho-hum, but I would have 1st class lounge access just before the flight.
QR cabin service would be better, but I'll have just an ordinary lounge in USA as well as Doha (long break, no Al-Mourjan).
Finnair should be fine if unexciting, but 10K miles more than AA.

As comfort/discomfort is an issue in Y, let me mention that the longest leg would be on AA (~15 hrs JFK-DEL), then QR (~13 hrs USA-DOH). Finnair would be divided into two approx equal flights of ~9 hours each. Due to my Emerald status, I should be able to pick any available Y seat on any of these carriers.

So, if you are familiar with Y cabins of these three carriers, which one would you pick?

notquiteaff

Would you get Main Cabin Extra in AA Economy? If so, I would likely choose that, unless you can secure some sort of other extended legroom seat on QR (or AY, I guess). If flying AY, I would break up the trip with a day in HEL… two consecutive 9 hr segments in coach would be hell for me.

How likely do you think is it that you are actually going to get all the J seats you are looking for for your family trip later on? Would be awful to give up the bird in the hand (QR J). Just saying.

aacar

Yeah, I certainly wouldn't cancel a QR J award just to save 30-40k miles for a theoretical planned trip in the future.

guv1976

I'll just note that AAdvantage awards on AY and QR will always be a fixed price. By contrast, AAdvantage awards on AA are dynamic: you will find U.S.-India Economy Class awards for 30K miles on some days, but not on others.

AA says that its 777-300ER (which seems to be what is used on the JFK-DEL route) has a 36" seat pitch in MCE. I doubt that Economy seats on AY or QR come close to that.

aktchi

Yes I should be able to get MCE seats in AA, including exit row. A couple of those have almost infinite leg room, but close to lavs. I used those or similar during my early frequent flyer years, mileage runs etc. However, I have no experience with QR or AY in economy, which is why I posted this question, in case someone reading this knows all 3 economy cabins.

(Your other concern is understandable. We have done such trips before, only difference is that I used to have more miles flowing in. We avoid heavy travel periods. Everyone is an adult, able to travel separately, and meet in the destination city. Also it needn't and probably won't be QR. For example, if we choose Japan, then it will likely be JL, AA, or CX. If enough J space is not available, then of course, the younger ones will have to go Y. We will deal with the situation when we know more.)

aktchi

Yes, 30K only on certain days, but those days work for me. The plane is 777-300ER indeed. I am looking at rows 20 and 31, but this is based on old memories.

dls25

Finnair is the most overrated airline in oneworld - their Y (and PY) products are garbage IMHO.

They only serve vegetarian food in Y and there is only one option so if it is not to your liking you will just have to starve. They also don't serve a 2nd meal and charge for any snacks.

They frame it as being "sustainable" but really it is just cost-cutting.

mxracer95

Row 20 on AA 777-300ER is nearly as good as PE. The last couple years, J has been unreasonably priced and PE fully booked (and/or also unreasonably priced) for early/mid summer TATL so I've sat myself in row 20 had a really comfortable flight.

aktchi

Thanks. Does row 20 have "enough" leg room? I know 31 does.

aktchi

Thanks. If it was better in all other ways, I could plan to eat in the lounges and just sleep on board, but that does sound like "cheap" behavior. I don't know why AA/OW has the knack of ending up with such partners like BA (high taxes), King Fisher/Malev etc (bankrupt), and now this. Anyway, experience based candid opinions is what I have always valued about Flyertalk!

travelingdrsuz

Another factor to consider is that AY has more limitations on baggage weight in economy, and if you (un)luck out that could be a pain, as the weights for carry ons can be prohibitively unrealistic. If you are OWE from AA, you may get an upgrade offer now on an award seat, from what I hear, as well. How much that would be, who knows? But some of them have been low lately. Even to PE, that would help. I would go with AA in this case.

UKtravelbear

Both AA and BA are founding members of OW and AY formally joined very quickly after OWs creation was annpunded that they can basiclaly be regarded as a founding member.

Plenty of people think AA is 'cheap' just like you think AY is.

lowfareair

I'd go with AA namely bc of price, then QR, then AY. You should have excellent lounges in DOH/HEL on your layover, but many people just want to get to their destination ASAP. The nice thing about AY is you have the 330/350 on both routes which is a bit wider than the 777 that AA offers. QR has both depending on the departure flight.

Not sure why you think you'd have a mediocre lounge experience on QR/AY - both give you access to Soho as EXP, HEL has a fairly nice spread at HEL (including showers, good drinks including a couple champers + liquors, and the sauna area). DOH gives platinum lounge access, which while it's no AM/AS, it's still a very nice lounge in its own right with champagne (same ones as AM/AS), a la carte menu, showers, and a rest area. I like to say that most of the complainers would stop complaining if the Platinum lounge was exactly the same but was also the main J/F lounges in place of AM/AS. In other words, people have FOMO.

dc10forlife

Exactly. There are no guarantees for the future. The fixed price for partner awards could increase or AA could figure out a way for dynamic pricing. It seems unsustainable to have partner awards at 1/3rd the cost of the typical AA dynamic awards, so enjoy them while you can.

Also, there are plenty of other ways to earn miles other than flying. Aside from signing up for another AA credit card, there are plenty of bonus offerings in the shopping portal that can get you large chunks of miles with minimum effort. So if and when that family trip looks likely, and if good mileage redemptions are still out there, then you can ramp up miles earning in other ways. For example, I have even used plastiq.com to pay some large bills with a credit card (with a 3% fee) to top off my miles so I could book a business class award.

mxracer95

Practically unlimited.