lancelot21

I didn't see the nonstop UA Polaris flights on ANAs website when I just searched (departing within a few days of Oct 13, return Oct 23.) I just saw flights with connections, where one leg is on ANA. I looked for a setting to show partner flights, but didn't see it. But I might have missed it. The prices on .bomb match the prices on Google flights, for what that's worth. Also, if I'm flying UA, I want an 016 ticket.

I've decided on the UA 1 nonstop outbound. Price is good and it gets me there without a hitch. It does look like I could save about $1200 by booking the return on ANA or Eva, with a stop, or SQ nonstop. ANA's time's don't work well: the only reasonable connection I see leaves SIN at 6:10 am, which is too early. And those flights don't appear to have "the Room" seats anyway. Eva's flight times and connections do look like they could work. SQ would let me try out their polarizing (non-Polaris) product, though giving up PQPs and about 35000 (net) RDMs.

lsquare

I agree. I really don't like NH's departure time out of SIN. Way too early for my liking.

ryder1650

SQ lounge in TPE is closed still and BR lounge in TPE is definitely at a service level much lower than pre-COVID. Don't recommend making a decision based on TPE lounges at all.

jsloan

Four years ago, I would have looked much more favorably upon taking connecting itinerary (e.g., to try a new product or lounge or whatnot) when a nonstop was available. Now? Unless you're traveling immediately, there's no way to know what the situation might look like for connecting flights by the time you're getting on a plane. NRT might be open for connecting traffic today, but it could easily close tomorrow, and that shouldn't really surprise anyone.

I'd take SQ or UA -- and despite the fact that, as I wrote, I didn't care for the SQ seat at all, for a $1200 savings, I'd fly SQ.

Ghoulish

When was NRT last closed to connecting traffic? Two years ago?

Kacee

BR's TPE lounges are on par with OZ/KE's offerings at ICN. That is not a compliment.

I don't think the NH lounges are anything special, at either NRT or HND. At NRT, I prefer the UC. But the TPE BR lounges are worse IMO. Super crowded, very few showers, and I found the food unappealing.

Boraxo

I love Japan as much as the next person but no way I would take a connection these days - with all the inherent risks - if a nonstop is available. Adding more hours to a 15hr trip is also not appealing. Plus you won’t be able to do my favorite thing which is to pop into Tokyo for sushi.

Agree with most of the comments - if you need PQP then the UA flight seems like a no brainer. Even if you don’t the 75k RDM is a significant sweetener.

SQ food and service are stellar, and would be my first choice if that’s your primary consideration. But I’m typically skipping meals now on the CIA jetlag diet.

lancelot21

As the OP, now that my travel finished, I'm just reporting back that I was happy with my choice to fly UA nonstop (SFO-SIN) on the outbound and SQ nonstop for the return. I slept well on both flights and appreciated the much-superior soft product on SQ. I wasn't too bothered by the off-to-the-side foot well on the SQ flight, though I can definitely understand why people would be. Flying SQ home saved about $1200 (although it was OPM, I could actually apply the savings to my hotel room in Singapore; so it still was a benefit to me); it cost me about $2500 PQPs (which I don't need for this year) and some 40,000 RDMs. I was willing to pay that to try SQ.

But honestly, I was happy with both flights. I would make a similar choice in the future, assuming the PQPs didn't matter. If they did, I would probably have stuck with UA both ways.

Thanks to everyone on FT who expressed views, including especially the recommendation to check one-ways...which saved about $2500 on this itinerary. In the weeks before I booked, nonstop business roundtrips were pricing at $16K or $17K (!) (I wouldn't have been flying the nonstop, or I wouldn't have been in J at all.). At the time I booked, they (briefly?) appeared to have fallen to something like $9,500, as I recall. Booking as two one-ways ended up costing about $7K.

jcturnbull

Love a good update story!

bmwe92fan

Thanks for the update -- and glad the two one ways worked out -- they've save me thousands as well back and forth to Tokyo. Hope it stays like this for a while -- or preferably TPAC flight costs return to somewhat normal levels....

UA_Flyer

Thanks for the update.
I will be doing the same with my upcoming flights between NRT and US. One way on UA and one way on NH. Both tickteted on UA stock. so I don't lose anything in terms PQD, PQF etc.
Looking forward to fly "The Room".

bmwe92fan

Trust me - it will spoil you.... The soft / hard product isn't even in the same league.... Please have them (NH) make your bed -- just trust me... You can ask for a mattress pad on UA - -it's about 1 in 5 out of EWR for me....