ung1

I need help choosing between two scenarios.

1. Upgrade SIN-DOH (8 hrs) on the 77W for 25k miles, but spend an 8 hour overnight layover in the Gold lounge.

2. Upgrade DOH-FCO (5 hrs) on the 332 for 30k miles, but spend the 8 hour overnight layover in the PT J lounge.

I'm leaning towards 1 because the flight experience would be much nicer and better value for miles. But what I'd like to know is how much of a difference there is between the Gold lounge and the J lounge. I haven't used either previously. Did check out the J lounge when I was in the F lounge and it was extremely crowded.

Is it worth doing scenario 2 just to have a different (better?) lounge?

mecabq

I would definitely choose (1). QR's 77W business class is the best business class I have ever flown (and I have tried many major carriers); the 332 is fine, similar to (maybe a tiny notch better than) EK's I would say.

It's true that the Gold lounge in the main terminal is pretty poor, and it is not a comfortable place to overnight, though in my opinion the Premium Terminal, especially J side, is overrated. The main terminal does at least have "quiet rooms" with reclining chairs, and the lounge offers a shower.

Why not leave the airport for part of the time? Of course there's not much to do overnight in Doha, but, if you didn't want to spring for a hotel, you could head to Souq Waqif and at least kill a couple of hours. There are also Arabic restaurants and shisha cafes open 24 hours.

ThWilmesi

I would play devils advocate.... here... I would say upgrade on the 332 - for two reasons:

1) Since 77W is the most modern plane which QR has, economy class is also quite good.... and it is a night flight... you will be so tired, you will also sleep there, service wise you just get a breakfast... before landing

2) Since you have 8 hours layover if you upgrade o the second flight you can enjoy the premium terminal

3) and in the 332 i think it is quite important to upgrde

my two cents...

best regards

Thomas

lsed

Interesting as I did 2 X 8 hour transits just a few weeks ago.

One was Sin - Doh, with transit at 0000 - 0800 DOH time, but since I am tuned to European time, the 8 hour transit was a killer for me.

The return was also 0000 - 0800 DOH time but since I came from Oslo it wasn't that bad.

I prefer 332 overnight to 77W as the 332 is 2-4-2, and if the flight is empty, the mid section is much nicer to sleep than 3-3-3 on the 77W.

Cant leave the airport as it is 0000 - 0800, not worth paying the 100 QAR for basically nothing.


BTW is the Oryx lounge better than the Gold lounge? The shower in the Oryx is rather unsanitary... if I should be so diplomatic.

ung1

Thanks for the opinions guys and please keep them coming.

The SIN - DOH gets in to DOH before midnight, so I could stay up on that flight and enjoy the service. Much more likely to sleep on DOH-FCO which is overnight.

Also, I don't reckon one can access the PT lounges on the basis of the arriving flight, right?

mecabq

Good points. Part of it depends on one's sleeping patterns -- I am perhaps similar to you in that I can easily sleep in Y (preferably with a window to lean against), so would generally upgrade a day flight, all else equal.

Right, you can only access the Premium Terminal if you have a departing J/F boarding pass.