Hergertarian

I've got my first international business trip in a while, and I can choose between flying Singapore Airlines (~25 hours, crediting to United), or flying United (~20 hours). The flight will be in coach :/

Anyone have any idea which would be more comfortable? With united 1k gets UA premium economy, but I've heard awesome things about SQ. It looks like a GPU upgrade is... unlikely.

Hipplewm

You don't list your status, but yes, anything short of a GS GPU is a long shot typically for UA

UA doesn't have premium economy on this route as it is flown by 789's (I could be wrong, but I don't think any 789's have had the PE mod) They are also particularly brutal in economy.

I would go for SQ

For a more direct route, EVA flies from SEA - SEA-TPE-SIN and is a good ride

BR has premium economy - 8 across, and is only 9 across in Y. You can credit to UA but you won't get any PQD's cause you can't buy the ticket on UA.com

If that is a problem I think ANA flies to SEA as well


Basically i am trying nicely to say avoid SFO if at all possible, you have excellent options from SEA and chance of misconnect or other IRROPS is much less.

jsloan

You'll get E+, not Premium Economy. Just extra legroom. A GPU would require a W booking class or higher, even if it does clear. (It's possible to clear them, but I wouldn't want to gamble on it).

SQ will likely be more comfortable. However, you won't be able to ticket the SQ flight on UA, so you wouldn't earn any PQDs toward 1K qualification, if that's a concern.

You'd get PQMs, but not PQDs.

I agree with the BR suggestion. OZ and NH also fly to SEA. SQ will fly to SEA, but not until late next year.

uastarflyer

Hipplewm

Yeah, i am a moron and mistyped,

I was going to suggest OZ but have ZERO idea on their comfort or much about them at all, was supposed to fly them twice, keep changing plans.

DawgmanOH

Brutal is always in the eye of the beholder. I don't find the flight brutal at all and, if I can snag an aisle seat, much prefer SQ because of service over anything that UA offers. JMHO.

Santander

Row 16 on the UA 787 is a survivable experience.

Only one data point, but my SIN-SFO earlier this month was an easy upgrade. I wouldn't count on it, though.

Dublin_rfk

I've done the SFO-SIN three times this year. If you can catch row 19 aisle with E open it's not bad. Better yet catching the entire row open is great. I slept like a baby.

prestonh

ANA or BR PE would be ideal for you. If you are not in business class I believe a stop en route to SIN is necessary. If you could catch a ride out of YVR (cheaper likely) then try China Airlines PE on their new 350, 7 across (even better), IME it is excellent.

steveman518

If you are looking at the *A options that fly to SEA, BR flies a 10-across 777, NH flies a 9-across 787, and OZ flies a 9-across A350. When SQ will start flying to SEA in September, they will have a 9-across A350 as well.

cfischer

GPU to SIN is not that unlikely if you fly out in the morning. The new flight is not yet heavily booked; I even found some IN inventory recently.

Legend717

While Singapore Airlines economy is not the galloping rainbow unicorn steed that some would have you believe, I've flown both SQ and UA on long flights, and am here to tell you that I'd book SQ without any doubt in my mind.
Even for a little more money.
But, there are of course people here who will tell you that United's transpacific economy product is a glowing, shimmering miracle on wings. I find it to be two notches above "wretched."
UA has some of the worst crews in the industry, from me repeated experience, especially on the DEN-NRT run. OF COURSE, that's unpredictable.
And that's the theme here- YMMV.
But I have zero doubt in my mind which carrier I'd take across an ocean between SQ and UA.

limeyx

Just flew SQ SFO-SIN and the service in coach was unrivaled -- very very highly recommend