Any "Significant" Differences between the two HKG-SFO flights?
 

Looking at August, are there really any differences between the two flights other than slight timings? One leaves around 2pm and the next one leaves only approximately 2 hours later. Do the two flights offer the same meals off the menus? Do one flight work better for jet lag than the other?

Two hour time differences in flight hardly makes any difference. I feel that night flights like the SQ flight are much better timed to combat jetlag than both UA/CX flights.

Yes, it's a bit odd that the second CX flight, the one that turns around and goes back around midnight, leaves HKG in the middle of the afternoon, only to sit idle at SFO for an even longer period of time. I'd think a late-evening departure like SQ's would work better in terms of letting pax work longer during their depature day and having the aircraft parked at SFO for a shorter period of time before the midnight departure back to HKG.

Does anyone know the reason behind the timings? Not wanting to compete with SQ directly? (Seems unlikely, as they compete vigorously elsewhere and one of the SFO-HKG flights competes directly with SQ 001.)

I really don't see how a night time departure where you sleep for most of the flight then you wake up for the landing which is also an evening arrival feeling freshed after a long sleep can combat jetlag where you need to go to sleep again when you arrive at your home/hotel because of the local time.

I feel the same way but apparetly quite a few people like nighttime departures to NA