My husband and I are flying to Mumbai (BOM) in 3 weeks. (Never mind that we have yet to get our VISAs--that's a whole other story!)

We are trying to pick a flight...

We have Delta miles and AA miles....

We can either go:

Nashville-->Atlanta (2 hr layover) -->Paris (CDG) (2 hr 10 min layover) -->BOM on Delta

--or---

Nashville (on American)-->Chicago (ORD-2 hr 45 min layover)-->London (LHR) (1 hr 5 min layover) --> BOM on British Air

I would rather get the miles, but if the trip is going to be significantly more comfy on BA...well, that will work too.

Any other advice on flying into India?

Thanks!

if you want award tickets, call both dl and aa now....which has the best price? if you aren't looking for awards....good luck.

Sorry, I meant that we have the SkyMiles and AAdvantage programs, but nowhere near enough to qualify for an award.

I am just talking comfort, safety, on-time, etc, if anyone was familiar with this trip. Or, if Heathrow versus Paris layover would be better...


Thanks!

Many here avoid CDG like the plague. However, a connection in CDG is more convenient for you, go for it.

If you're flying cattle class, DL or BA shouldn't make a difference. However, I'm not sure if BA charges for alcohol -if you drink on board, this may be a factor in your decision.

If you're flying up front, I'd go with AA/BA.

you could do it on NWA as well. That would give you skymiles.

One thing to check is if you will get full mileage when flying BA on a cheap ticket. I know that if you have a cheap ticket and credit the miles to BA, you will only get 25% of the miles for cheaper economy tickets. Not sure if this is the same if flying BA but crediting the miles to an AA account. Just something to check if miles are important.

My boss once told me this: "When flying to India start taking the antibiotics when you take off and don't stop until you are back in the states."

I think thats not a very good idea.

What class (economy, premium ecnonomy* or business) are you planning to buy?

(If economy, I don't understand "more comfy" and "BA" in the same sentence. I flew BA 747 LAX-LHR and back once a few years ago and it was the most uncomfortable coach seat on a maiinline [non-RJ] plane I've been in yet, to me anyway.)

BA has an extra "premium economy" class between economy and business called World Traveler Plus (WT+) which is more comfortable than economy (tho no better service) tho not as comfortable as business class. I don't think DL has that (the only US carrier with something roughly equivalent that I know of is UA with Economy Plus).

Remember you have another option: AA to ORD and on to DEL, and then figure out a way to get from DEL to BOM. You'd be minimum able to reserve an exit row if you're at least AA Gold, and/or you could request a mileage upgrade (you don't need to be Gold for that) which you may have enough miles for even if you don't have enough for outright award. I'd say either of those would be way more comfy than ordinary coach seats on either BA or DL. But you'd need to pay a $250 co-pay, in addition to the miles, so do the math as to whether that's better or BA WT+.

Your third option would be to take NW through DTW and AMS. You'll have a new A330 DTW-AMS and a DC10 AMS-BOM. Both airports are very easy for transfers and you can post the miles to your DL account. I'd prefer a NW DC10 over a DL 767, although you could select AF 777 CDG-BOM.

Avoid Delta and the change in CDG if possible. My pick is Lufthansa->United or Malaysian->NWA, but if I have to pick between BA/AA and Delta/AF I would pick BA/AA

Just search for the fares and see what the possible options are...
and narrow down from there

Wow, thanks for everyone's responses! When DH first found out his company would pay our tix in lieu of his business class fare, he IM'd me and said ...I could have had a nice, cushy, plenty of leg room seat so far from teh back of the plane that I couldn;t even hear the chickens, roosters and the goats in the back... but noooooo...

Guess that sums up everything I have heard today as well!

If I was flying, I'd take BNA-anywhere KL or AF flies-CDG or AMS-BOM. You want to maximize your time on the foreign carrier (and not just because of the free alcohol!)

ie, BNA-DL-ATL-AF-CDG-AF-BOM, or BNA-NW-DTW-AF-CDG-AF-BOM, or BNA-CO-EWR-AF-CDG-AF-BOM

yes stay far away from this airport....it is a MESS