Lie flat connection or direct economy with infant
 

2 options for a pdx-hnl itinerary with wife and 2 month old. Economy direct, or lie flat with connections.

1. direct on alaska using avois (56k amex membership rewards points) plus baggage fees and booking fees/taxes estimated at about $250. Purchase 3 seats across in economy - flight time 5 hours 30 mins. Not able to reserve the seats we want because it says something about them being blocked and the airport rep will assign them at checkin - which if we aren't three across in a row could be an issue

2. Go to LA the day before the flight to stage by purchasing 258$ in tickets on southwest, sight see in LA, use a free hotels.com night for the hotel, use 96K united miles to fly lax-lih in lie flat seats with an infant, then connect to hnl. travel time 7hrs 30mins - not including the night before trip to LA

I haven't flown economy in a long time, much less on a plane without economy plus. I am 1K on united. There are no lie flats direct from pdx to hnl. Only other option is a delta lie flat direct from lax-hnl but I am short 45K delta points. I have an almost endless supply of united miles so 96k isn't a prob for 2 first class tickets. I can work from the road/home so the time isnt an issue for us either.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

I'd go with the nonstop, absolutely. You can put the 2 month old in his/her carseat, an option that doesn't exist if you have just two lieflats. Also, save the flight down to LA, plus all the to-and-from hassle with an overnight there.

No question - go non-stop. And this is coming from someone who will almost never fly Y if there is a half decent alternative.

There was a 3rd option I didn't mention but its what I ended up doing. I booked direct on Hawaiian. It was 1300 for 2 first class or 1300 for 3 economy. I booked in first and used 80,000 hawaiian miles and paid for one $645 ticket.

Which, I now see what people are always saying, hawaiian miles are not very good. Maybe for going from east coast to Hawaii but def not a good deal from west coast.

Well, that's clearly the best option.