harpeyeagle

I'm looking into flights from BOS - GRU and there is a Continental flight through EWR and a United flight through IAD.

It says the Continental flight is on a 737-500 both legs while the United flight is on a 757-200 BOS-IAD and a 777-200 IAD-GRU. Is Hipmunk reliable about this sort of thing?

Also if that is the right metal, is it worth an extra $100 to fly on the bigger planes.

Cuse44

The EWR-GRU flight is serviced by a 767-200, not a 737-500. The distance is just a little to far for a 737 . As far as what plane to fly on, it depends on your class of service. If you are flying economy, I would choose United as they have economy plus on their 777-200. For business class, it really is hit or miss. If you get an old 777-200, the seats are comparable to the 767-200 BF seats on CO. If you get a new config 777-200, then the business class seats are true flat beds making for nice sleep on the flight. However, you won't know until the day of departure which configuration you will be getting for your flight. Also, the UA plane has International First Class while the CO plane does not.

The domestic segment is so short that I wouldn't consider it into your analysis.

harpeyeagle

Thanks so much. Unfortunately I am 6'5" and have to fly economy so it sounds like united is the way to go. Thanks again!

ijgordon

Book whichever itinerary has availability in Economy Plus (or "Extra Legroom" seats as they're called on CO). There are more of these seats on UA so you might have better luck there. In both cases you'll have to pay extra as it does not seem as you have elite status.

rlbmorton

I am booked on a flight from EWR to GRU in late January. I've flown this flight for several years and it looks to be the same 767-400 aircraft that CO has been using for this route previously -- looking at the seatmap. But now it says "operated by United." Interestingly, I checked the flight status for CO 31 (this flight) for tomorrow and it shows again "operated by United" with no upgrade list but when I checked the status for United 31 (same flight) for same day, it says "operated by Continental"!

I am waitlisted for an upgrade using an SWU from my onepass account. When I did this I hadn't read this fine print about who was operating the flight. Should I change to my MP number as I have 1K status with MP to improve the chances of getting the upgrade (this is of course assuming that my current Pres. Plat. status is temporary as Shannon says and I really am just a Plat -- see other thread). Should I call United about this? Anyone have a recent experience upgrading on one of these flights?

Baze

If it is indeed a 767-400 it is a pretty safe bet it is CO metal as PMUA does not have any 767-400's.

rlbmorton

OK, that is helpful, I didn't know that.

TWA Fan 1

There is quite a difference.

If the OP flies a CO 764, then there are essentially only 14 bulkhead seats (no exit rows on this a/c), and these seats do not have particularly generous seat pitch.

On the UA 772, on the other hand, there are 104 E+ seats, with up to 36" of seat pitch.

On the other hand, if you have to seat in E-, CO's 764 does have one more inch of seat pitch (32") than the E- section on UA's 772, and that extra inch makes a big difference.

cesco.g

Incidentially, what are the BF seats like on that 764?

Baze

Wouldn't know, have never set foot on a CO plane in my life. Just know UA has no 400's

rlbmorton

Currently they are the old recliner seats, see http://www.continental.com/web/en-US...first/767.aspx, but the service is good. They are due to be upgraded to flat bed, see http://www.continental.com/CMS/en-US...tallation.aspx

JeffK69

Standard BF Recliners, fairly comfortable but not flat bed comfy. Fly this route twice a year.

kents

I've flown the route 4 times in the last year, and prefer the PMUA hard product over the PMCO product.

Work pays for business, and the good chance of an upgrade to F (even on the old config PMUA 777) is worth it.

cova

Both show the aircraft type of the first segment. Even if a single flight number there is a change of aircraft on CO - same as you indicate on UA.

glx

Route now showing 767-200 on co.com with (old) BF recliner seating. Checking out > 6 months it still shows the same, so no firm plans on when this is getting swapped.

Suck.