NYC direct to Southern Central America in Business - best hard/soft product?
Jan 17, 2016, 10:33 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 54
NYC direct to Southern Central America in Business - best hard/soft product?
I have a pretty flexible situation here, so I'm hoping that someone can shine a light on a few good options out of the thousands.
I will be flying from NYC direct to Southern Central America in October, to position for another flight to South America or Cuba. Here are some potential destinations, but I'm open to other options:
PTY
AUA
HAV
SJO
I'll book this in business via SQ on Star Alliance metal.
Any recommendations that combine a good hard/soft product, direct flight, and good connections forward into South America/Cuba?
I will be flying from NYC direct to Southern Central America in October, to position for another flight to South America or Cuba. Here are some potential destinations, but I'm open to other options:
PTY
AUA
HAV
SJO
I'll book this in business via SQ on Star Alliance metal.
Any recommendations that combine a good hard/soft product, direct flight, and good connections forward into South America/Cuba?
Last edited by ninegoodthings; Jan 17, 2016 at 10:42 am
Jan 17, 2016, 12:47 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: DL PM; IHG PlatAmb; Hilton Dia; Marriott Plat; Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 7,320
NYC direct to Southern Central America in Business - best hard/soft product?
Some of those places aren't Southern Central America. And if you're flying nonstop from NY on a star carrier, you don't really have options to the islands you've suggested.
HAV? None.
AUA? United
AUA isn't a great connecting airport.
For actual Central America, you have Copa to PTY, a bunch of Avianca flights out of JFK to San Salvador and Costa Rica, and a lot of United flights. None is going to have a fancy hard or soft product. In terms of what city is going to have the most connecting flights, the hubs will: SJO, PTY, SAL.
HAV? None.
AUA? United
AUA isn't a great connecting airport.
For actual Central America, you have Copa to PTY, a bunch of Avianca flights out of JFK to San Salvador and Costa Rica, and a lot of United flights. None is going to have a fancy hard or soft product. In terms of what city is going to have the most connecting flights, the hubs will: SJO, PTY, SAL.
Last edited by Adam1222; Jan 17, 2016 at 12:54 pm
Jan 17, 2016, 12:56 pm
#4
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: DL PM; IHG PlatAmb; Hilton Dia; Marriott Plat; Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 7,320
Well where are you goi ng on South America? Copa doesn't have any great planes. Avianca has some. Flight recommendations for Cuba are different than Buenos Aires. Look at the specific routes you're considering. The number of permutations here is too high to give meaningful advice.
Jan 17, 2016, 2:19 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 54
Thanks for the Avianca tip, and you are right that this is too broad.
Looks like Avianca flies their 787s to/from Bogota only, which I think I may be able to sneak into an SQ routing as a layover even though it's in SA.
I'm scheduling this for about a year in the future, so it's unfortunately early to narrow down options too much. I think in this case I'll stick with PTY since it's the only hub in CA between Star Alliance and oneWorld.
Appreciate the help!
Looks like Avianca flies their 787s to/from Bogota only, which I think I may be able to sneak into an SQ routing as a layover even though it's in SA.
I'm scheduling this for about a year in the future, so it's unfortunately early to narrow down options too much. I think in this case I'll stick with PTY since it's the only hub in CA between Star Alliance and oneWorld.
Appreciate the help!
Jan 17, 2016, 3:02 pm
#6
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: NRT / HND
Programs: AA EXP, NH Plat, Former UA 1K
Posts: 5,665
Thanks for the Avianca tip, and you are right that this is too broad.
Looks like Avianca flies their 787s to/from Bogota only, which I think I may be able to sneak into an SQ routing as a layover even though it's in SA.
I'm scheduling this for about a year in the future, so it's unfortunately early to narrow down options too much. I think in this case I'll stick with PTY since it's the only hub in CA between Star Alliance and oneWorld.
Appreciate the help!
Looks like Avianca flies their 787s to/from Bogota only, which I think I may be able to sneak into an SQ routing as a layover even though it's in SA.
I'm scheduling this for about a year in the future, so it's unfortunately early to narrow down options too much. I think in this case I'll stick with PTY since it's the only hub in CA between Star Alliance and oneWorld.
Appreciate the help!
In terms of hubs in central America, as already pointed out SAL and SJO are also *A hubs (Avianca - former TACA/LACSA), PTY is not your only option. Having said that, AV (BOG) and CM (PTY) might give you the most options for onward flights depending on where you're going.
Jan 17, 2016, 3:13 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 54
I don't know SQ's routing rules and zone chart but BOG would be heaps better than PTY in terms of flight quality.
In terms of hubs in central America, as already pointed out SAL and SJO are also *A hubs (Avianca - former TACA/LACSA), PTY is not your only option. Having said that, AV (BOG) and CM (PTY) might give you the most options for onward flights depending on where you're going.
In terms of hubs in central America, as already pointed out SAL and SJO are also *A hubs (Avianca - former TACA/LACSA), PTY is not your only option. Having said that, AV (BOG) and CM (PTY) might give you the most options for onward flights depending on where you're going.
My destination has to be in Central America, but I think I can run a routing NYC-BOG-HAV and then ditch the last segment if I change my mind. Might also be possible to route NYC-BOG-PTY and have my choice later in the year.