United Polaris business vs ANA business
 

Hi, I am flying to HKG from SFO. I have an option for non-stop United or one stop ANA via Tokyo (3 hrs). My travel time is flexible so I don't mind to do one stop in Japan. The most important thing is the flying experience. Would you choose United polaris or ANA business?

Also, ANA business has an option of 777-300 or 787. Which one is better?

thanks!

SFO or SJC-NRT is the same Business class seat. I would say they're a toss up with Polaris if you were flying SFO-TYO and that's it. However, it's not worth it to make a connection when you can fly the UA 77W non-stop to HKG.

Any positive differences in the experience when you fly ana needs to tempered by the recliner seat on the tyo-hkg leg.

Go with Polaris. Getting into Hong Kong at 7pm is much better than arriving at 10pm. You can get a real dinner in that 3 hours.

I’m flying hkg-nrt-sfo this week with a 3 night layover in tyo. I’m flying united instead of ANA as a conscious choice.

+1 for nonstop Polaris. Great seat, which is IMO much more important than quality of service.

Unless you really, really want some Gate 34 sushi ;)

the Pros of ANA are:

(1) better seat on TPAC flight, and 787 option gives you higher humidity. But the flight on to HKG is probably angle flat.
(2) much better food, wine, decent sake, and hard ETOH. Also expresso, and the coffee is better.
(3) clean restrooms
(4) better service in most situations (if you get a good crew on UA they can be great, but the average UA crew is difinately sub-par).
(5) very nice ANA lounge in HND/NRT, with showers. If you want the "experience" and to break up the flight, its a good way to go

the Pros of UA:

(1) arriving at 7ish, not 10 in in HKG.
(2) direct vs. connecting, so shorter trip time.
(3) lifetime/GS credit if that is your thing....

How is the NH seat better?

UA nonstop. NH NRT-HKG is the Air Japan 767. It's a recliner seat.

I have an upcoming flight IAD - NRT (803) on Wednesday. It looks like its the old UA biz config (2-4-2 and no Polaris seat). I can switch to ANA for 75 USD (Award change fee)

Worth doing the switch to ANA?

In a heartbeat!

absolutely. Also check for First availability ... it's a fabulous choice.

I would. Polaris on UA would be better than ANA J but with the old 2-4-2 seats, ANA will be better in everything by far except IFE (not as big a selection as far as I know). The ANA J seat isn't amazing, but I think the rest is worth switching over for.

Yes, NH really is two stars better than UA.

Disagree. Strongly. Hard product is a wash, soft product NH wins by a mile.

Disagree, the UA Polaris seat is definitely better than the ANA J seat IMO. But the soft product is obviously no contest. I would probably fly Polaris for a night flight, but IAD-NRT yeah I'd probably do ANA fair enough.

Which NH J seat? On both the 77W and the 789, I find the NH seat is more spacious than Polaris. The 77W design has not aged that well, and Polaris better designed. On the 789, the NH seat is IMO equivalent if not better. UA does win on seat padding though, so for an overnight flight I can appreciate your preference.