Is blowing 37500 Avios on AA domestic transcon business worth it?
Jul 4, 2017, 2:06 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: BAEC Silver, IHG Diamond
Posts: 7,769
Is blowing 37500 Avios on AA domestic transcon business worth it?
Been looking at redemptions and cash prices on flights between JFK-LAX.
There's nothing redemption wise on my preferred day but some availability has opened up the following day. Been checking the last couple of weeks and nothing until just now.
12500 Avios + £4.40 for Y or 37500 + same taxes for business.
Price wise, £115 for economy and £506 for business (£813 the day before).
Early morning flights so the flat bed will be used for sleeping compared to an overnight.
Not sure whether its a good enough usage of the Avios or just paying for Y on the A321 is fine for 5hrs or so.
Wouldn't want to lose out of the redemption by hesitating and can easily cancel for free should anything better appear.
There's nothing redemption wise on my preferred day but some availability has opened up the following day. Been checking the last couple of weeks and nothing until just now.
12500 Avios + £4.40 for Y or 37500 + same taxes for business.
Price wise, £115 for economy and £506 for business (£813 the day before).
Early morning flights so the flat bed will be used for sleeping compared to an overnight.
Not sure whether its a good enough usage of the Avios or just paying for Y on the A321 is fine for 5hrs or so.
Wouldn't want to lose out of the redemption by hesitating and can easily cancel for free should anything better appear.
Jul 4, 2017, 2:13 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,586
Been looking at redemptions and cash prices on flights between JFK-LAX.
There's nothing redemption wise on my preferred day but some availability has opened up the following day. Been checking the last couple of weeks and nothing until just now.
12500 Avios + £4.40 for Y or 37500 + same taxes for business.
Price wise, £115 for economy and £506 for business (£813 the day before).
Early morning flights so the flat bed will be used for sleeping compared to an overnight.
Not sure whether its a good enough usage of the Avios or just paying for Y on the A321 is fine for 5hrs or so.
Wouldn't want to lose out of the redemption by hesitating and can easily cancel for free should anything better appear.
There's nothing redemption wise on my preferred day but some availability has opened up the following day. Been checking the last couple of weeks and nothing until just now.
12500 Avios + £4.40 for Y or 37500 + same taxes for business.
Price wise, £115 for economy and £506 for business (£813 the day before).
Early morning flights so the flat bed will be used for sleeping compared to an overnight.
Not sure whether its a good enough usage of the Avios or just paying for Y on the A321 is fine for 5hrs or so.
Wouldn't want to lose out of the redemption by hesitating and can easily cancel for free should anything better appear.
Jul 4, 2017, 2:16 pm
#4
Join Date: Dec 2014
Programs: British Airways Executive Club Gold
Posts: 1,073
Do you have any BAEC (or other oneworld) status that would entitle you to select a Main Cabin Extra seat at no charge? While Business Class would be much better, a Main Cabin Extra seat with 34" pitch should be tolerable. I would not book a transcon in Coach unless I knew I could get MCE seating.
Jul 4, 2017, 2:19 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: BAEC Silver, IHG Diamond
Posts: 7,769
Do you have any BAEC (or other oneworld) status that would entitle you to select a Main Cabin Extra seat at no charge? While Business Class would be much better, a Main Cabin Extra seat with 34" pitch should be tolerable. I would not book a transcon in Coach unless I knew I could get MCE seating.
Jul 4, 2017, 2:20 pm
#6
Join Date: May 2014
Location: BRU
Programs: BA GGL, TK E (*G), ITA exec
Posts: 4,094
Jul 4, 2017, 2:24 pm
#7
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Location: Denver • DEN-APA
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If you are OK spending 37.5k, for another 12.5k Avios you can fly transcon First (AA has recently started releasing F saver typically empty cabin a few days before departure). Not that the inflight food is any better but the F cabin is 1-1 with a lot more space. And you'll be granted access to new JFK Flagship First Dining Room.
Jul 4, 2017, 2:43 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: BAEC Silver, IHG Diamond
Posts: 7,769
If you are OK spending 37.5k, for another 12.5k Avios you can fly transcon First (AA has recently started releasing F saver typically empty cabin a few days before departure). Not that the inflight food is any better but the F cabin is 1-1 with a lot more space. And you'll be granted access to new JFK Flagship First Dining Room.
Perhaps AA releasing seats late on is correct (although would prefer to have something in place on the off chance nothing appears, availability dries up and/or prices go through the roof)
The dining room probably isn't much use for a 7/8am flight unfortunately. A later flight where I could give the apparently underworked bartender something to do would be better.
Jul 4, 2017, 3:18 pm
#9
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Over the North Atlantic
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 494
I think so! The transcon 2-2 seating are very comfortable. In certain situations such as a red-eye, I much prefer it over the 1-1 F cabin since I find the 2-2 seats to be more comfortable for sleeping than the F seats.
Also consider the time of flight, which can be 6+ hours depending on the head wind, so it's potentially a longer flight than some instances of the transatlantic flights from the North East.
Also consider the time of flight, which can be 6+ hours depending on the head wind, so it's potentially a longer flight than some instances of the transatlantic flights from the North East.
Jul 4, 2017, 5:15 pm
#10
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Gloucestershire
Programs: BA Gold (ex-GGL, maybe future Silver), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,199
Undoubtedly it's worth the avios if you have them, but even the cash fare is excellent value and would get you 140 TP and somewhere in the region of 7,500 avios.
Jul 4, 2017, 5:33 pm
#11
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Toronto
Programs: BA Silver, VIPorter, VIA Preference: Privilège, Air Canada Aeroplan
Posts: 369
Trust me, plenty of people survive 5+ hours in a Y seat! If you have absolutely tons of miles, then sure, but if you have a smaller amount I'd suggest going Y and sitting in MCE (you will definitely survive) and then saving the miles for a longer flight where the seat, and sleeping, matters more.
Jul 4, 2017, 5:40 pm
#12
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: NYC -- UA 1K; SPG Platinum; HH Diamond.
Posts: 2,920
Jul 4, 2017, 11:50 pm
#13
Join Date: May 2014
Location: BRU
Programs: BA GGL, TK E (*G), ITA exec
Posts: 4,094
Trust me, plenty of people survive 5+ hours in a Y seat! If you have absolutely tons of miles, then sure, but if you have a smaller amount I'd suggest going Y and sitting in MCE (you will definitely survive) and then saving the miles for a longer flight where the seat, and sleeping, matters more.
Jul 5, 2017, 12:06 am
#14
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Posts: 44,600
Jul 5, 2017, 12:20 am
#15
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