Economy to Europe on UA during day - 767 or 757?
Sep 7, 2015, 4:55 pm
#1
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Join Date: Aug 2005
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Economy to Europe on UA during day - 767 or 757?
We are planning a trip to LHR next summer and are likely to take a day flight to LHR. Has anyone done this? How does it compare with respect to jet lag vs. an over night flight? Also, any input on which aircraft to take? Appears UA flies 757-200 from IAD and 767-300 from EWR? Given Gold status, not likely to fly in E+.
Sep 7, 2015, 5:02 pm
#2
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Why wouldn't you have E+ as a Gold?
I like the daytime flight from a jetlag perspective. As for which aircraft to fly on, if they are both the 2-cabin config then both will have AVOD, power and wifi. If the 763 is still the 3-cabin config then it won't have AVOD at your seat in economy. The 2-3-2 seating layout on the 767 is nice, too. But I also really don't mind the 752s into Europe and have flown them many a time.
I like the daytime flight from a jetlag perspective. As for which aircraft to fly on, if they are both the 2-cabin config then both will have AVOD, power and wifi. If the 763 is still the 3-cabin config then it won't have AVOD at your seat in economy. The 2-3-2 seating layout on the 767 is nice, too. But I also really don't mind the 752s into Europe and have flown them many a time.
Sep 7, 2015, 5:11 pm
#3
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What time does the day flight arrive? If I can get to my destination in time for a "normal" sleep time, that's my best option (late afternoon arrivals are even better because sun does wonders for resetting the body clock). Otherwise, I sometimes have to struggle to stay awake until that time.
Sep 7, 2015, 5:28 pm
#4
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Are you UA Gold or merely Star Gold? If UA Gold, you will definitely get E+.
Anyway, I would always take a 767 over a 757 in Y. The 2/3rds of the seats are in pairs, which is much more comfortable than all 3s, an 4/7ths of the seats are direct aisle access, with all seats requiring no more than 1 person to climb over. That is a huge advantage. Given that you are doing a daylight flight and likely don't want to sleep much, that advantage increases.
Anyway, I would always take a 767 over a 757 in Y. The 2/3rds of the seats are in pairs, which is much more comfortable than all 3s, an 4/7ths of the seats are direct aisle access, with all seats requiring no more than 1 person to climb over. That is a huge advantage. Given that you are doing a daylight flight and likely don't want to sleep much, that advantage increases.
Sep 7, 2015, 5:33 pm
#5
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Economy to Europe on UA during day - 767 or 757?
Problem is that the day flight ewr-lhr is often delayed and becomes a night flight.
Sep 7, 2015, 5:49 pm
#6
Join Date: May 2005
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It depends on your seating options, but my preference is for the 757. I'll be taking that one to LHR in a couple of weeks. If you can get an exit row on a 757, then you'll have a lot of space, and little worry about climbing over people. And the other E+ rows have an unusually generous 37" pitch. The 767 exit rows are not as good, and the bulkhead rows have surprisingly limited legroom. Regular E+ has a 35" pitch according to Seatguru.
As for the timing, the tradeoff is that by taking the day flight you sacrifice a whole day, but you don't end up feeling so bad once you get there. I can get a lot done on the day flight, so it doesn't feel like a lost day to me.
As for the timing, the tradeoff is that by taking the day flight you sacrifice a whole day, but you don't end up feeling so bad once you get there. I can get a lot done on the day flight, so it doesn't feel like a lost day to me.
Sep 7, 2015, 7:15 pm
#7
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'We' = how many people are traveling? If it's 2 people, I'd take the 767, as you can sit on the edges without having to sit next to anyone else.
Although the jetlag is a bit of a pain, I would still take the overnight flight - most efficient use of time, IMO. As others have mentioned, if you get delayed on the morning flight, it will turn into an overnight due to the curfew at LHR...really no point in planning for that contingency (which seems to happen a decent amount, from what I see in the delay/cancellation thread).
Although the jetlag is a bit of a pain, I would still take the overnight flight - most efficient use of time, IMO. As others have mentioned, if you get delayed on the morning flight, it will turn into an overnight due to the curfew at LHR...really no point in planning for that contingency (which seems to happen a decent amount, from what I see in the delay/cancellation thread).
Sep 7, 2015, 8:31 pm
#8
Join Date: Apr 2015
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Morning flight EWR-LHR is my favorite trip to Europe, and best way to beat jet lag. Arrive in mid evening, have some cocktails and a late dinner and go to bed around midnight or 1AM local time. Wake up the next morning and are pretty well phase shifted.
Sep 7, 2015, 8:41 pm
#9
Join Date: Apr 2000
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I much prefer the daytime flight to LHR. Yes, it wastes a day, but I feel so much better after the flight. Arrive at LHR around 9pm, grab a late dinner, sleep in a bit the next morning, and there's no jetlag at all.
United uses a 3-cabin 767 on the EWR-LHR route with an ancient looped in-flight entertainment system showing fuzzy movies. Pitch is 31" in Y and 34" in E+. The 757 from IAD has a modern AVOD entertainment system with a pitch of 31" in Y and a very generous 37" in E+. Unlike many here, I love the 757 transatlantic (since I nearly always sit in E+), and would choose it even without the better entertainment system.
According to Flightstats, the 757 from IAD also seems to be more reliable.
United uses a 3-cabin 767 on the EWR-LHR route with an ancient looped in-flight entertainment system showing fuzzy movies. Pitch is 31" in Y and 34" in E+. The 757 from IAD has a modern AVOD entertainment system with a pitch of 31" in Y and a very generous 37" in E+. Unlike many here, I love the 757 transatlantic (since I nearly always sit in E+), and would choose it even without the better entertainment system.
According to Flightstats, the 757 from IAD also seems to be more reliable.
Sep 8, 2015, 4:55 am
#12
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Sep 8, 2015, 6:03 am
#13
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I take the daytime EWR-LHR every 8-10 weeks and it's never delayed into an overnight flight.
Perhaps I'm just lucky but I'd be curious to see the numbers.
Sep 8, 2015, 6:12 am
#14
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So not never and also not often enough that someone is likely to experience it, though it could happen.
Sep 8, 2015, 6:25 am
#15
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Thanks all. There will be four of us traveling, so the seating on the 767 sounds better, but with two kids, the AVOD may make for a much more "entertaining" flight. Will give it some thought. I'm united gold, so perhaps i'm being pessimistic on access to E+ and that will work out as well. Much appreciated.