JoeTGarcia

I need to book today. I am PREM EX on United, no status on AA.

1. United Business
2. Qantas Business on 747 fleet
3. Qantas Prem Econ on A380
4. Qatar Business

I have toned down my travel, so getting PREM EX this year is of little or no value. Don't expect to fly that much.

I am leaning towards Qatar (never flown them), but it is a longer flight.

I have flown United Business to Tokyo, LHR, FRA, etc, but never Australia.
Not as good as competitors in terms of food, service, etc.

I have read mixed reviews of Qantas aging 747-400 fleets, even in Business.

Would I ever book Qantas Prem Econ on an A380 if I could fly Business on any of the other three?

SOOOOOO, if you have no reason to be in a FF program and those were your choices, which would you pick? I am a big dude (6'4).

SFOTurtle

NZ Business Premier in a heartbeat. Assuming you're considering UA, you'll have to stop once anyway. And connecting in AKL is easy and the NZ lounge there is very nice.

grteyes2

If miles of FF status of no issue/value and flying out of LAX, agree with SFOturtle, NZ Biz Premier. Easy stopover in AKL.

Should you want a nonstop LAX-MEL V Australia offers one. Have not flown them (yet) but heard their intl B class very good. Do know seats have massage feature, lie flat beds, and privacy screens along with all the other "goodies".

1kBill

Do realize that while NZ is a very nice flat bed, it does not recline into the sleeping position, you have to get up and flip it over. Also, since it has limited recline (for a business seat, anyway), not a great seat, IMO.

Of all the options presented, I wouldn't even think about QA premium Y. Just about any flat bed C seat would trump any premium Y product for flights that long.

WillR

Whilst the A380 is nice, IMO there are no J seats on 747s that are inferior to any W seat on the A380. Definitely J if you can.

(Relative) discounts also available if you book via AA (via NRT-SYD-MEL in J); and also a DONE4 is likely to be comparable to a point-point transpac.

carbonchaser

I presume if you fly Qatar, you are flying from IAD, as they definitely do not fly from LAX. I'd be tempted by that, but only if overall travel time each way was within 12 hours or so, which I am pretty sure its not. Those are two brutally long flights

Even if you a not planning to fly much in the coming year, an IAD-MEL flight on UA in business will get you halfway or more back to Prem Ex, which might be useful in 2011. And to be blunt, the current UA seats in the 747s to Australia are better than the old QF angled flat business class in their 747s

I also like the NZ seat, but then you have to take into account that you add another stop and the 3 hour trans tasman flight from AKL could be in just a normal 737 or the like

Frankly, I'd go with UA in this case

JoeTGarcia

Not a bad idea. Didn't know they had improved the seating on that route. Probably didn't improve the food, but when I flew EWR-SIN in biz on Singapore, even the much beloved Singapore Air cuisine left me cold. I guess I don't like airline food at all, other than to ward off hunger.

Yes, I am flying from IAD and United would definitely make my life easier.

According to Orbitz, UA is 26 hours from IAD-MEL while Qatar is 32 hours. 6 hours is quite a bit of savings, so I will pass on Qatar.

Funny, no one seems to recommend Qantas.

FlyinHawaiian

Due to the broad nature of the OP's question, it's really not UA-specific. Therefore, I'll move this to the Australia Forum to ensure the non-UA travellers can see this and offer their help.

FlyinHawaiian, Co-Moderator
United Mileage Plus Forum

number_6

It all depends whom you ask. QF pretty much owns the route for premium travel, and UA/DL are forced to compete on price as they cannot match the quality of the QF J product -- which is excellent even in the "old bad 744 J seats" which were best in the world for J not so many years ago. In seat mode (not bed) they are probably the most comfortable J seats anywhere. But westbound you are flying mostly in bed mode (while eastbound is mostly seat mode). I would pick NZ westbound and QF eastbound, though I'm puzzled why the QF A380 J is ruled out (I get the same pricing for QF on 744 and A380 flights). The IFE and food is much better on QF than UA and while UA has finally improved their seating, it is still on much older 744s which show their age. LAX-MEL is usually flown by QF using one of their 6 744ERs which are nicer and newer than the 744 non-ER fleet (same fitout but less wear and tear). Finally premium economy is not trying to compete with J, so it is not a choice if you have J available, on almost any airline (well, maybe FJ or HA J is comparable to QF Y+).

serfty

I am puzzled by this too.

If the same price as QF 744 J, then 388 J has Skybed Mk II with 80" pitch and is truly lay flat. I would go for the direct QF93 flight.

FWIW, I find the NZ Business Premium seat somewhat uncomfortable, being narrow and hard when compared with the Qantas Skybed (MKI or Mk II).

sandnsun61

We recently flew V Australia Int'l business from LAX-SYD-LAX and highly recommend it! The seats were comfortable (lie flat, massage, entertainment system, etc) and whilst not luxurious, very pleasant. Food was above average, wines were fine (again basic but enjoyable) and the flight attendants were second to none.

My husband is likely going back to Australia next spring to help build some mountain bike trails outside Melrose ... he plans to fly VA LAX to MEL since our experience was so positive.

Food for thought ...

belfordrocks

Weel if you're a UA FF it makes sense to go with UA, but otherwise like other posters have said VA would also be a good option.

number_6

VA is a good option if you want to pay more for an inferior experience. Of course it is a matter of opinion, but it is a big step down from QF J service by any measure; all they have going is having new planes which won't have worn interiors until next year -- which QF easily trumps with their A380s. Food, wine, service, lounges and ground handling are hugely different and markedly inferior on VA. For example at LAX VA departs from T3, the terminal that was supposed to be torn down a decade ago so it has had no refurbishment; much like a bus station and very busy thanks to being shared with Virgin America with their $29 flights.... the lounge used is the AS Boardroom which is an excellent US domestic lounge but a very mediocre international standard lounge. It is a different kind of J on V Australia.