Amcclain

Hey everyone, I’m taking my sister to Thailand this summer and can’t decide between Korean A380 first for 95,000 Miles +$220 in fees or Eva Air 777 business for 90,000 and $40 in fees for the return flight to LA.

Korean seems nice but rather sparse in first while the Eva Air business is being reviewed as one of the best of the aisian carriers.

She has never been over seas, let alone flown in a premium cabin so trying to make this as memorable an experience as I can.

Anyway, any suggestions or comments of those that have flown either would be great!

Thanks,
Alex

ChrisFlyer66

I often book Korean Air first class because it is always available, and awards are cheap or free to change. It is certainly an acceptable product, but it's unremarkable by Asian standards. I haven't done Eva Air Business class, but from what I've heard, it is fantastic. I'd go for Eva Air.

Mwenenzi

What are the departure times, arrival times and total flight duration?
May affect your decision
Can you do one way with each airline (if your ffp allows that)?

whyturnright

If your trying to save miles I would go with EVA. But, if your looking for the experience I'd go with KA to get F on the A380 which would be much more private and personal in terms of service. Also three cabin first has bigger seats. Both options really are great.

wanderingstar

I flew SFO-TPE-PP and PP -- TPE -- SFO on Eva last year, and I was just absolutely not impressed. Staff were very diffident and very hard to get a basic drink from. Did think the plane was relatively clean with comfortable seats and okay in flight entertainment. Food was the worst I've ever had on a plane though; it was inedible (some kind of unsalted oatmeal-like gruel with edamame in it and some unflavored vegetables on the side). Haven't flown Korean yet.

Hated TPE airport. Too large without enough signage, maps, or anywhere to get a snack without hard currency (vending machines only OR a few restaurants with 45-minute wait times). Coming in was a fiasco, with two hour lines (granted, it was a Holiday). Passing through, I personally spent about two and a half hours just trying to find somewhere to eat, and finally sat with some random American guy at a pop-up brewery who told me he flew once a month for work and loathed the airport. It was clean, but had no staff? And again, no map.

Maybe with a map, it would be better. It's huge. I'm assuming she'll have a stopover from LAX-BKK in TPE. Personally, I will avoid in the future and am. Next flight to SEA is SFO-HAN-HCMC on JAL, hoping to have better luck this time.

ChrisFlyer66

Were you in economy class? The reviews I've read (such as this one Review: EVA Air Business Class 777 Los Angeles To Taipei - One Mile at a Time) say the food is excellent in business class.

zombietooth

I just flew two intercontinental legs to/from TPE in EVA's Business Class and I was very impressed. IMO, it is the best business class product out there, and I have flown in biz on SQ, TG, NH, LH, TK, OZ and, obviously, a bunch on UA. The steak that I had on the IAH-TPE flight was the best steak that I have ever had on any flight anywhere. I thought the EVA food was the equivalent of many other airline's F fare. For instance, my pepper steak on LH's FRA-BOS flight a few days ago in F was inferior by far to EVA's J steak. The BR J seat is excellent and I was able to sleep effectively as a tall, 6' 2", person.

I didn't explore TPE and just went to the Star Lounge, but I had one of the quickest transfers of my life. It was only 20 minutes from the time that I deboarded until I was seated in the lounge. Quick transfers are something you appreciate more when you have a horrible experience like I just experienced in FRA, see here:

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/29541417-post4003.html

Good Luck, OP!

lin821

I believe he's talking about economy class, judginging from his other thread about 1st time flying solo on EVA:

(bolding mine)

To OP, if I were you, I would take zombietooth's & other more experienced fliers' words on flying EVA.

ponickka

If you were comparing business product, hands down EVA. But since you can fly First class via Korean Air, it got my vote this time.

Nothing beats the "FIRST CLASS" experience.

drminn

I flew EVA business from TPE to LAX last month. I would rate the hard product on par with most modern lie-flat offerings. They provide Rimowa kits and nice pajamas, the drink offerings are comparable to other Asian carriers, I don't remember much of the food which in my case means it was fine - I would have remembered exceptionally good or bad food for sure.

Their customer service was outstanding, I was originally on a TPE - ORD flight, but because of weather delays in ORD I would heve missed my connection. So they proactively rerouted me through LAX, with a LAX - MSP flight on Delta, even though I was on a United award ticket.

I would fly them again in a heartbeat.