price123

I am currently saving up miles using Tesco vouchers to earn enough for a first class return (having never travelled first, not being able to afford to pay for it yet always wanted to experience it). Nearer the time I will take out a premier credit card in order to get the companion voucher so my husband can come too!

Where would you recommend going? I have thought about UAE and the Maldives but have never gone outside Europe so am not sure where I would choose to go. I think I could get up to around 150,000 miles in a reasonable time so Australia, for example, would be too many miles.

I would plan to also use either Hilton Honors points or Ambassador BOGOF certificate at the destination. Would also consider status matching for a Hyatt suite upgrade. Can anyone recommend a luxury hotel in a location served by BA in F?

KenJohn

Best way to enjoy F - make it is a day flight when you are awake rather than a night flight when everyone around you wants to sleep.

Another good way to enjoy F - dont expect too much. The reality will not live up to extensive expectations.
150,000 miles gets you to the west coast of the US. Maybe there will be a celebrity on your LAX flight (decent availability with 3 flights a day). Most flights eastwards are night flights.

FlyerTalker6245

Well a very warm welcome to Flyertalk, price123, it is great to see some new members on the board.

In terms of the actual flight when it comes to flying, we have an "Ultimate Guide" full of advice of how to make the best of flying first.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/8172641-post21.html

In terms of destination, I like Vancouver as it is a long-ish flight and a nice place at the end of it.

ma91pmh

Mrs MA and I used an Amex 2-4-1 to go in First to Dubai in 2006, it was very nice. It's not the longest flight in the world but very enjoyable.

BA service to Maldives is in J only, there is no F on this route. From what I can see they only give up max of 2 seats in J for redemption.

You might want to look at South Africa, usually good availability in F to both CPT and JNB for 150k miles for one.

To use your hotel points you may need to look elsewhere. Maybe Vancouver, San Fran or LA? Or in the other direction Tokyo or Hong Kong.

Genius1

The Far East requires 240,000 miles.

I would suggest either YVR (Vancouver) or SFO (San Francisco).

LeisureFirst

If you're trying to maximize the joy of First, CPT and LAX are two of the furthest flung destinations you can go for 150k miles.

As we all know, 60k will get you to TLV in F - a real bargain in my view although you do have to put up with a 777.

KenJohn

It used to be MRU (sob! sob!)
That was why it was my first First flight.

Raffles

South Africa is usually overnight flights, which is takes the gloss of it a bit.

West Coast US is a good option, with a flight which does NOT leave London early morning so you can have a couple of hours in the Concorde Room first. San Francisco has a new IC to add to the historic InterCon, and there is also a new one in Monterey if you drive down the coast.

In fact, a great holiday would be flying into SFO and out of Los Angeles, driving down the coast between the two (1-way car rentals no problem in California). If you have 2 weeks, do a full loop - SFO, down the coast to LA, drive through Death Valley, up to Vegas, up to Yosemite, into the winelands and then back to SFO.

clubman

Which really is no big deal, and I doubt the OP cares.
Some here have mentioned they prefer F on the 777, and personally I don’t mind it one bit , so let's stop scaring people who don’t know better away from them...

Bear in mind First now only operated during the summer schedule on the route.

Cap'n Benj

Mauritius sounds like the perfect destination if you were considering the Maldives. I believe there is a Hilton property there and its pretty much the longest flight you can do for 150,000 miles, coming in at over 11 hours.

Its also does not seem too hard to get availability in F, although an F cabin only runs over half the year (Oct- Aprish I believe)

LeisureFirst

The OP asked for advice. I was trying to give it and be helpful. If you wish to disagree, why not simply do that politely?

All other things being equal, if the OP wants to maximize his first F I would definitely recommend a 747 over a 777. But there are other considerations, I admit, so he might well choose a 777 if he prefers the particular route for other reasons: F on a 777 is not totally unbearable .

globalste

I cant recommend CPT enough, but it depends on what sort of holiday you want.

With CPT we flew out in F and back in J on the upper deck. Mrs Globalste feels that its much better value flying J, but then we were on 2 night flights.

I personally thought F was incredible, i polished off an entire bottle of Chocolate Block redwine while dining with the wife sat in the footstool over France.

Service-wise on board I feel there is quite a gap and at Heathrow you get the Concorde Room heading out which despite what some people say on here, I thought had excellent dining and general pampering service.

The bed is more comfortable and larger in F, however myself and Mrs Globalste both feel that on the 747 unless you are in 1AF you cant really talk to each other and even then you're pretty far away, so that leaves 4/5DE on the 747 which feels quite open to everyone else around you.

If you havent flown J much, i would recommend flying out in F and back in J, if in J find something that has a 747 as its more spacious than the 777.

The time difference is next to nothing, so you can actually go for a long weekend and not feel horrid when you get back.

squeeler

The simple answer to the original thread title may be 'slightly tipsy'.

Agree with CPT suggestion. Long enough flight to enjoy a meal etc. but not real jet lag.

globalste

Is F no longer on MRU flights, or has the mileage gone up?

Sixth Freedom

Welcome to FT price123. ^

I will echo some of the other comments. Definitely go for a daylight flight if you can and try not to expect too much. Make sure you choose your seat in advance on BA.com and secure a window if you like windows and an centre if you do not.

Finally I would not drink too much on the flight as you do not want to fall asleep for the duration or start feeling rough half way through.