USA-LHR BA vs AA
 

Which is better - flying YVR-LHR BA J or LAX-LHR AA F? Sleep is the priority - night flights. I'm 6ft. Would the answer be different for a day flight in terms of the overall experience?

AA F is better in that respect than BA J. Bigger, softer bed. Much less crowed cabin. During the day I still prefer AA F to BA J. Of course, the difference should be greater than it actually is.

IMO no airline seat/bed can hold a candle to a bed bed. Sadly there are no daylight flights from the west coast to LHR, nor are there any on BA from Canada. I certainly find the extra night I spend on the east coast (to allow for the daytime flight to LHR the next day) is well worth it, in terms of jetlag and productivity once one arrives in the UK. But I just don't sleep (much) on planes. YMMV.

AA F, probably for both. Comparing AA F to BA F is a little trickier...

Considering your an EXP as opposed to a BA Gold, I would also suggest you stick to AA as you won't get mileage on BA. Staff also tend to treat members of their own programmes better than alliance passengers onboard.

I also believe there is also a general concensus that BA treats AA members like dirt.

Of course the OP would get AA miles on BA YVR-LHR. Only US-London BA flights don't get miles on AA.

One thing in favor (?) of AA LAX-LHR in F is the high probability of some media persona being in the same cabin. Browse this thread.

To add another opinion into the mix, I have never had any problems since being EXP (nor before for that matter!), but then again I've never run into problems that have needed any assistance! Thanks everyone for your help. Very happy that there is a consensus - I was afraid there may have been fors and againsts!

Its not that tricky. BA F is better than AA F.

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I have flown many flights on BA around the world. I have seen no evidence of this whatsoever.

IIRC it says "OW Sapphire" or "Emerald" on BA paper tickets, with the AAdvantage number in very small print. I've certainly never felt under-served by BA. Maybe the BA Golds get the exit seats in NCW upstairs, but aside from that I don't know the difference. I really don't have any all-encompassing things negative to say about either airline in business or better.

I feel like I'm treated better in most BA lounges than in most ACs, FWIW.

I think this is confined to the instances where access to BA lounges requires the pax to present their AAdv card.

I agree that BA's lounge dragons can be quite harsh to AA flyers. Its only happened to me once but I've seen them do it to others many other times.

AA Flagship suites are better than BA F seats, so it is trickier...

I also feel like I'm treated better on board and at the airport on BA than on AA, even as an elite. Hey, I think I actually was treated better on an AWARD ticket in Y on BA than I was on my almost full fare, got ripped off when I could have flown JAL/ANA for less economy ticket on AA!

They're just so much more eager to help on BA. Not quite like trying to help on SQ, but better than on AA!