Which Star Alliance carrier has the best transatlantic business class seat?
Jul 17, 2013, 8:03 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 102
Which Star Alliance carrier has the best transatlantic business class seat?
Question: What transatlantic aircraft / route has the best Business class seat?
Travel Details: US - Europe
US Departure: CMH
Europe Destinations: AES & CTA
Timeline: No date requirements. Estimating Autumn 2014 travel.
Requirements: Need to book the award ticket on United.com (with UR points).
I hear the Lufthansa 747-8 Intercontinental, A380, & Air Canada 767 Business class seats are good.
Any other aircraft / route recommendations are greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
Travel Details: US - Europe
US Departure: CMH
Europe Destinations: AES & CTA
Timeline: No date requirements. Estimating Autumn 2014 travel.
Requirements: Need to book the award ticket on United.com (with UR points).
I hear the Lufthansa 747-8 Intercontinental, A380, & Air Canada 767 Business class seats are good.
Any other aircraft / route recommendations are greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
Jul 17, 2013, 8:08 am
#2
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
Moderator action
Thread transferred to Star Alliance forum because the restriction to redeem through UA means that the flight will be operated by a Star Alliance carrier.
Jul 17, 2013, 9:47 am
#4
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Arlington, VA
Programs: UA 1K, AA PLT, SPG PLT
Posts: 1,612
Scratch the LH A380 off your list for C...
I've taken it twice with my wife on FRA-JNB flights and both weren't great...
Angled Lie-Flats, good/great IFE, but the lack of personalised service due to the massive C cabin is undesireable. Every time a FA walked by, I had to try to speak in my awful tidbits of German, or have to speak English slowly enough that the FA would remember that i'm an Anglophone...
I'd try for the LX/LH new C seats (340s or LH 748) or AC, if I were you...and naturally, I'd avoid EWR :-)
-jeremy
I've taken it twice with my wife on FRA-JNB flights and both weren't great...
Angled Lie-Flats, good/great IFE, but the lack of personalised service due to the massive C cabin is undesireable. Every time a FA walked by, I had to try to speak in my awful tidbits of German, or have to speak English slowly enough that the FA would remember that i'm an Anglophone...
I'd try for the LX/LH new C seats (340s or LH 748) or AC, if I were you...and naturally, I'd avoid EWR :-)
-jeremy
Jul 17, 2013, 11:26 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 102
Jul 17, 2013, 11:28 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 102
What are the US - Europe routes (airports) of these recommendations?
Also, why avoid EWR? (Just curious).
Thanks again!
Jul 17, 2013, 12:38 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: London & Sonoma CA
Programs: UA 1K, MM *G for life, BAEC Gold
Posts: 10,224
I'd go with UA. Although the US seat is better, they don't have many flights. All the other airlines, AFAIK, have mixed fleets - whether you get a good seat or not depends on the type of plane used on the route - which could be switched putting you in a poorer seat if you have bad luck. SQ has only one flight per day.
Whereas UA has a huge number of flights to all sorts of destinations and they are all perfectly good lie-flat seats. It will be much easier to construct your connections around that.
Whereas UA has a huge number of flights to all sorts of destinations and they are all perfectly good lie-flat seats. It will be much easier to construct your connections around that.
Jul 17, 2013, 1:06 pm
#9
Join Date: May 2010
Location: BNA
Programs: No preference
Posts: 1,176
Jul 17, 2013, 11:34 pm
#14
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,388
Everyone who's suggesting SQ has apparently ignored the part where you're going to be on a UA award, OP. SQ doesn't make their JFK-FRA A388 C available to Star Alliance partners except on flukes. NZ isn't easy to find on a partner award either.
I would suggest US- same seats as CX, AA and DL. All have aisle access. You may be able to book it before the US-AA merger takes US out of Star Alliance.
Generally, avoid LH unless it is on a 747-8 or you're connecting through MUC and you will be OK.
I would suggest US- same seats as CX, AA and DL. All have aisle access. You may be able to book it before the US-AA merger takes US out of Star Alliance.
Generally, avoid LH unless it is on a 747-8 or you're connecting through MUC and you will be OK.