PDX - LHR in Y - Which flight / route to take ?
 

From the below 3 options, which one is recommended (and why ?) . Y Class travel.

PDX - LHR via SFO -> on UA in 747-400 or 777-200 or 767-300 ?

I am guessing 777-200 is the better one or ?

Also, if alternate options are recommended, feel free to advise. I am open to other *A partners but cannot use AC since cannot transit via Canada (need transit visa !).

Thanks, A

If it were me, and I know that the Queen of the Skies is getting dated, but since 747 is going away before December, I'd do that.

Nostalgia, I guess .....

Via IAH would be shorter, and probably more comfortable, that would be the pragmatist in me ;)

My experience with LH 747-400's have been very poor since those were without IFE etc etc..
And since these are getting replaced, am not sure they would be the most comfortable now.. I will give it a pass then ;)

In Y, I would probably route via ORD on the 763. 2-3-2 is the best long-haul Y layout in the UA fleet. You also get a chance to stretch your legs at ORD and then a reasonable 7:30-ish flight TATL. (But don't pick this for the AVOD ;) )

SFO on the 772 would be my second choice. Decent Y seat, but it's 3-3-3, and 3 hours longer TATL, which is IMO a negative when you're in Y.

744: If you want one last chance to fly on the 744 before it retires, then choose this one.

763: I think this option would go through ORD or EWR, because no 763s fly SFO-LHR. If you want a shorter TATL flight, then choose this option (7.5-8 hours vs 10-10.5 hours).

772: If you want a longer TATL flight (which is actually what I would personally want) and don't care about the 744s retirement, then choose this option.

Others may disagree, but I prefer 10 hour TATL flights over 7.5 hour TATL flights because I can watch a movie, eat, and still get a good night's sleep. So I would go with anything except the 763 option.

Thanks for the insights..
Am not worried that 747's are being replaced , so will give that a pass..

Want a decent IFE , so seems 763 is also not a good option..Seems 777 to be the only one then..

Three items:

1. Puzzled about needing a Transit Visa to travel AC. I've used Jazz/Mainline from PDX to LHR and return via YVR multiple times and it works fine with nothing more than a US passport.
2. Another advantage of the 777 via SFO is that it arrives mid-afternoon and that is generally a calmer time for clearing customs without Fast Track
3. If you are flying later this year in October or November UA is replacing the 747 with the 787 which has its own advantages including much better IFE.

Travel safely.

763 all the way in Y. I agree on sleeping if you're in a comfortable place, but the less time spent in the back the better.

Yep. Longer is better in J, shorter in Y. The misery starts to compound exponentially after about 6 hours.

I do wish there was a bigger market for all-J TCON/TATL redeye flights that just flew in circles for a few hours before arriving at the east though. :D

The Australia flights are such a perfect duration: dinner, movie, 8+hrs asleep, breakfast, arrive

It is 12 hours in Y regardless of connection

Y INTL beats domestic any day (widebody over narrowbody, and the general slog that UA domestic is). PDX-SFO is pretty short and sweet.

Definitely do SFO-LHR

and if it was me it would be 747 all the way. Nothing brings it like the queen. A tablet accesses a good selection of IFE and the seats have power ports.

In my view you want to avoid the 747 if at all possible. In E+ there is less legroom than the 777 but the most annoying thing about the plane is the large, bright screens for the movie. It's ok with your eyemask on, as long as it's a tight fit, but it's immensely distracting otherwise, particularly overnight. If you do go with the 747, avoid any row which is near the screens.

If the OP is serious about his program allegiance: "Don't think it matters", then the best way would definitely be non-stop on DL.

Sure, if you have a US passport. I'm guessing OP doesn't, in which case it's possible that you'd need a transit visa for Canada.

You're assuming the OP is a US citizen. They may need a transit visa if connecting in Canada.

PDX is my home base, I usually travel via IAH or IAD. I avoid ORD like the plague if I can, especially in the winter. I lived in Chicago for a few years and remember the lines 500 people deep waiting to be rescheduled for missed connections and canceled flights. I also avoid SFO because I've had too many close calls and long delays due to weather (read FOG) and the limitations due to runway construction at SFO.

Personally for me it's more about the time of departure from the west coast than it is the airplane, especially in Y where they all suck. I do a lot better job of managing my jetlag when I leave the west coast as late as possible in the day and arrive in EU in the late afternoon/evening, where all I need to do is get to the hotel, get through dinner, stay up a couple of hours and then go to bed.

In Y or in J, I never sleep as well on the plane as I do in a hotel bed, so for me it's about getting through the trip and getting into that bed at a natural time of night on arrival.

Thus, I'd connect over SFO using UA930, owing to my own personal preferences.

However, with the new DL nonstop from PDX to LHR, in all reality I would take that (if offered on your travel dates). It leaves at 5pm and DL has the best Y experience (IMO) of any of the US majors, and it's nonstop. However, I think it's non-daily and originally it was seasonal ending in October, not sure if that has since changed.