I actually like the idea of backtracking to LAX. It provides one with much more time to sleep on the way to LHR.

In my experience, DL Y on a longhaul flight is miserable and should be avoided at all costs.

The sleeping argument is a good one indeed...hadn't thought of that. IIRC, Hartmann's corporate masters expected him to step off the plane and get on the job. If that is still the case, LAX might be the ticket to helping to make that possible. Granted, LHR-JNB is another 10-11 hours in the air, but with proper adjustments for time change and food/alcohol consumption, one could probably snooze on most of that leg too.

Exactly. The flight is around 10 hours and I would have time to kill in LHR between my flights so I'd like to be rested.

I will probably need to be in L.A. for work anyway, so I may be forced to take that routing.

I would get to sample the 346 and the upper deck (depending on config) of a 744. The ORD-LHR route gets a 343 :td:

KL is the least desirable option, with AF a close second. My experiences in Y on their 777s are not good memories.

Does VS still fly a 744 out of LAX? I thought they were all 346s now. Or, perhaps you are referring to an EWR connection on the return?

If given the opportunity, I would definitely backtrack to LAX and start there. And I too would avoid DL, that can't be a fun ride.

Sadly they are both 346s. There is still a 744 from SFO though.

Backtracking to LAX is not at all insane, especially when it is done to avoid 19 hours in coach.

Comfort outweighs time for pretty much everyone, I guess.

It is a 744 from LHR-JNB. A 346 from LAX-LHR.

To avoid TBIT I could even do SFO-LHR, though I kind of want to fly on the 346.

My reasoning for not going to EWR to hop to LHR is that I could possibly misconnect there coming from IAH. Going to LAX I would leave around the same time and still have plenty of time to make the connection and get a good amount of sleep.

When framed that way, I get it. This proves that I don't travel for business.

I'm not positive, but I think that most of VS' 744's are now all Upper Class on the upper deck.

In any event, VS's 346's are superior to its 744's if flying Premium Economy.

Go with the 346.

Yep. It does in my case. I will gladly accept a longer routing if it means a better in flight experience.

Thanks for the info. ^

As long as I don't quit in the next few weeks (very tempting/possible) then I should be making this trip. I was touching up my resume last night and realized that this job has really not advanced my knowledge or skills, in fact, I would argue it has made me dumber. Besides some minimal project management work, the value add here has been nil.

I don't mean to belittle your dissatisfaction with your job, but your statement "in fact, I would argue that it has made me dumber" made me laugh out loud (trust me, I've been there).

In any event, I would try for a bulkhead aisle, non-center section, on the 346 in PE. Not sure whether those are assignable in advance to non-VS elites - I'll have to look.