lingua101

I am planning a trip to New York and now considering between Turkish and Air China.

Pricing-wise, Air Cina is more expensive around $500 more compare to Turkish. However, I need to re-position myself to take Turkish flight. Also in term of traveling time, Air China is better, as the connecting time in PEK is around 2-3 hours. While TK the layover in IST is around 8-9 hours.

I am TK Gold, hence I will get a free wifi, which also provided for biz class user. Not really sure for CA.

Also CA will fly to EWR instead of JFK. CA is using B789 and TK is using B77W

I flew TK before so I roughly know what I will get. I never fly CA or any Chinese Airlines and a bit reserved. If TK layover in IST is below 5 hours, I will definitely go with TK.

Anyone can help to give their feedback especially on CA services, more specificly on PEK-EWR and connection in PEK itsel will be appreciated.

PiperAtGatesofDawn

I haven't heard great things about CA J. Never flown J with them though. Their Y product was overall decent. Nice new clean planes. Reasonably helpful flight stewards. Food was meh. CA lounge in PEK was quite good. I haven't ever connected through PEK - flown directly in and out - but I can't imagine that's something to worry about.

I know you have already flown TK but I'd probably go with them. For 8-9 hours in J you'd get a complimentary hotel room provided you're taking the first IST - JFK flight after yours lands in IST. TK J is quite decent and of course there is the wonderful IST lounge.

Whether it's worth repositioning for TK depends on the amount of effort it will take.

frogster

I've done CA in J and TK in Y. Personally (especailly as a *G) I’d go for TK.The hard product is about equal with a slight advantage for CA due to the 789.Soft product TK is clearly superior (especially the food).Airports are a clear win for TK as well. Connecting time of 2 hours in PEK would not be enough for me. Depending on weather, military flights, events in town etc. flights can be severely delayed. Add to that chaotic security (with no fast-track) and an airline bad at handling IROPS which is a recipe for disaster. As a TG-G you can enjoy the great TK lounge while the *G lounge (and even the F-lounge) in PEK are really disappointing.If your flight via IST is booked on one ticket you might be able to enjoy a hotel paid for by TK or a tour of the City…

Kacee

Easy call: Avoid the PEK connection.

zeer0

PEK airport is a pretty awful layover, and CA has one of the worst lounges in the whole *A system, especially considering it is their main hub. IST isn't a great airport either but the TK lounge is one of the best in the *A system.

geminidreams

If travelling via PEK it takes about an hour to transit so you would not spend much more than an hour in the lounge which is perfectly OK even if it isnt the best.

lingua101

Ok, seems TK is better than cal

how about if the choice now is between TK and oz (Asiana)?

will it worth to pay extra $500-100 for Asiana with less connecting time in Icn and also direct aisle for the transpacific?

how about Asiana wifi?

Kacee

To avoid a 9 hour layover at IST? Maybe. I think the products are basically a wash, the OZ 380 is a little nicer than TK 77W - quieter and direct aisle access. Food will still be better on TK.

OZ only has wifi on their 350.

LAX/HKG

Hard product: OZ>TK>>>CA
Soft product: OZ=TK>>>CA

drvannostren

I'd probably go TK, but I've yet to fly them. My biggest problem with TK is that ugly 3 seat middle section. To me no one in business class should ever have to sit in a middle seat.

That being said there's problems with Air China.

The service in my experience isn't BAD, the food isn't BAD, the AVOD isn't BAD...but none of it is particularly good either.

Any layover in PEK sucks... SUUUUUUCKS. Same with PVG. Lounge or not, they always offer wifi, but it's garbage, it's blocked by the great firewall, using a vpn helps but the speed is always horrible. The Air China business lounge at PEK is crap, I'm sorry but it is. It's the airline's main hub and at least the INTL lounge is small, food choices aren't good, wifi sucks, the drink choices aren't great and every airline under the sun at PEK seems to use it other than EK. From what I've heard the lounge at IST is fantastic (looking forward to checking it out in a few months) and while the longer layover sucks it's in a better place.

You said you'd need to reposition for the Turkish flight...I don't follow. If one is EWR and the other is JFK, it's just a matter of taking a city train basically. Unless I'm misunderstanding you at some point.

The other problem is the money, an EXTRA $500 just to save a bit of time? No thanks. But if you're gonna have to spend that $500 to position, honestly it might still be better to take TK unless you're really strapped for time.

I've got nothing against Air China, I'm flying them again in a few months...I'm actually going YVR-PEK-IST Air China then Turkish but if I had to layover at PEK again, honestly I'd make it a long layover and get a hotel. I spent like 20 hours at PVG recently and getting a hotel was a great decision, it was cheap, the airport transfer was painless and the hotel had infinitely better wifi than the airport.

gr8pirate