AA or AF to Europe
Apr 2, 2000, 8:32 am
#1
Original Member
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Detroit, MI
Posts: 2,581
AA or AF to Europe
I'm heading to Europe next week and now see that I have a choice, both in biz class.
1. AA from STL thru ORD to BRU, then train to Groningen, NL
2. AF (ticketed DL) from ORD through CDG to AMS, then train to Groningen (also take AA from STL to ORD)
Both flights leave STL at 1830, ORD at 2030, so I don't have to waste all of the day.
What I'd actually prefer to do is take the TW nonstop to LGW, then connect to AMS, but my co. has discount deals with DL and AA.
I'm curious about AF, but have heard horror stories. Both flights on 767-300, although AF has 5-across seats and AA has 6-across (besides, have used AA to Latin America)
Any thoughts? My status is equal on either airline, and I have one segment on DL (for their bonus)
Also, do you have to sign up for the AA bonus miles (I already have for DL)
JL
1. AA from STL thru ORD to BRU, then train to Groningen, NL
2. AF (ticketed DL) from ORD through CDG to AMS, then train to Groningen (also take AA from STL to ORD)
Both flights leave STL at 1830, ORD at 2030, so I don't have to waste all of the day.
What I'd actually prefer to do is take the TW nonstop to LGW, then connect to AMS, but my co. has discount deals with DL and AA.
I'm curious about AF, but have heard horror stories. Both flights on 767-300, although AF has 5-across seats and AA has 6-across (besides, have used AA to Latin America)
Any thoughts? My status is equal on either airline, and I have one segment on DL (for their bonus)
Also, do you have to sign up for the AA bonus miles (I already have for DL)
JL
Apr 2, 2000, 8:52 am
#2
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Central New Jersey
Programs: UA-Platimum 2 MM, HH-Gold, MR-Lifetime Gold, Hyatt-Discoverist
Posts: 6,238
I just returned from Paris on an Air France 747 in BC and my advise is avoid AF at all costs! The food was burnt, bland and worse than what you would get in on a domestic coach trip. The service was poor, the FA's spent all their time together chatting in one of the back service areas. I've never heard of an AF flight leaving on time, the inflight entertainment had poor sound on the movies and wasn't working on music. Any other airline has to be better--I would even go so far as to say Northwest would have been a better choice!!!!!
Apr 2, 2000, 7:06 pm
#6
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: New York, NY, AA 4MM PLT, BA Gold, VS Gold, Hilton Gold, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Platinum, IHG Platinum, CC Gold
Posts: 1,098
Yes, you need to sign up before you leave for the bonus miles. To BRU in biz class you'll earn 15K miles miles for the 1st roundtrip completed by April 8. Promotion code EURBN.
Apr 2, 2000, 7:30 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Massachusetts, USA; AA Plat, DL GM and Flying Colonel; Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 24,233
If AA and AF are your only options, I agree with the previous posters: go AA. (I speak good French. It doesn't matter.)
However: have you considered DL from STL to either CVG or ATL, then CDG and almost anything from there? You'd have to leave a bit earlier in the day, but their Business Elite is superior (IMHO, and all things being equal I generally prefer AA to DL) to AA's business class. DL has dropped first, which AA has not, so their Biz Elite is a bit of a hybrid.
AND: if you have (or can get) AmEx Platinum, register for their promo by May 1, and fly DL Business Elite any time April through June, and pay for it with that card, you get a bonus of 80,000 (yes, you read that right, EIGHTY THOUSAND) miles. That's over and above the flight miles, the status bonus, and 1 mi/$ in Membership Rewards, so you should net close to 100K. Just call 877-BIZELITE with promo code 2005. For 80 thou miles, to say nothing of a better seat across the pond, I'd leave St. Louis two hours early and put up with a bit of extra travel on the far end.
However: have you considered DL from STL to either CVG or ATL, then CDG and almost anything from there? You'd have to leave a bit earlier in the day, but their Business Elite is superior (IMHO, and all things being equal I generally prefer AA to DL) to AA's business class. DL has dropped first, which AA has not, so their Biz Elite is a bit of a hybrid.
AND: if you have (or can get) AmEx Platinum, register for their promo by May 1, and fly DL Business Elite any time April through June, and pay for it with that card, you get a bonus of 80,000 (yes, you read that right, EIGHTY THOUSAND) miles. That's over and above the flight miles, the status bonus, and 1 mi/$ in Membership Rewards, so you should net close to 100K. Just call 877-BIZELITE with promo code 2005. For 80 thou miles, to say nothing of a better seat across the pond, I'd leave St. Louis two hours early and put up with a bit of extra travel on the far end.
Apr 2, 2000, 8:49 pm
#8
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Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: PDX
Programs: On a collision course with Kettledom
Posts: 25,550
I don't doubt others' bad experiences, but I've taken AF SFO-CDG and back quite a few times, and I'm not reluctant to do so again (in fact, I will on April 20).
They even once "double upgraded" me to first.
Disclaimer -- I speak bad French, but I do understand it.
[This message has been edited by opus17 (edited 04-02-2000).]
They even once "double upgraded" me to first.
Disclaimer -- I speak bad French, but I do understand it.
[This message has been edited by opus17 (edited 04-02-2000).]
Apr 2, 2000, 10:36 pm
#9
Join Date: Jan 1999
Posts: 3,065
Jamiel: I know everyone else is talking about the airline you use - but I note you said flying to BRU and then getting the train to Groningen was an option.
Are you aware that the train journey is going to be over 5.5 hours and involve 3 changes?
I would suggest you fly to AMS, then the train journey will take about 2.5 hours and there are no changes.
Or if you must fly to BRU think about getting a Sebena flight from BRU to Bremen and then getting a train. The flight to Bremen is about an hour and the train journey will be anything from 2.5 - 4.5 hours!
Remember Dutch trains are not the most comfortable in the world - although at least they are generally on time.
Tot ziens,
Nick
Are you aware that the train journey is going to be over 5.5 hours and involve 3 changes?
I would suggest you fly to AMS, then the train journey will take about 2.5 hours and there are no changes.
Or if you must fly to BRU think about getting a Sebena flight from BRU to Bremen and then getting a train. The flight to Bremen is about an hour and the train journey will be anything from 2.5 - 4.5 hours!
Remember Dutch trains are not the most comfortable in the world - although at least they are generally on time.
Tot ziens,
Nick
Apr 3, 2000, 12:45 pm
#10
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Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Detroit, MI
Posts: 2,581
all, thanks for the advice. I can't fly out any earlier in the day on the 8th due to a prior commitment (as it is I'll be pushing it), the AA bonus expires on the 8th so it looks like DL/AF is it. At least AF has 5-across biz class on 767s. Thanks for the advice Merry, I finally got to the library on Sunday to look at an atlas to see that BRU-Groningen is pretty ridiculous (I have very little concept of the Netherlands north of AMS). Actually DUS is more sensible than BRU...but I'm sticking with AMS (2.5 hours just seems like an awfully long time within the Netherlands!)
jl
jl