youngaussienurse

Hi everyone, I am flying from Australia to the USA in Oct. I am 27 and have had recent spinal surgery which mean that I cannot sit for a long period of time. I am flying with Air New Zealand (premium economy because the seats recline and there is more leg room for me) from Australia to LA. I then have a 9 hr wait at LAX and am then flying direct to Orlando with UNITED airlines. On this connecting flight (5 hrs) I am in economy. My question is, would it be worth paying a bit more to sit in first class (I have looked on the site and it is about $400 dearer). If I did fly first class, when I have to wait at LAX for 9 hrs would I then have access to the lounge????? If I did this would probably sway my decision. Can anyone who has been in first class please let me know what the seats and leg room are like. I am really worried that I won't be able to sit cramped for 5 hrs!! Thanks in advance

PTravel

United Economy is very tight -- if you're having spinal surgery, it might be worth paying the extra $400 for first. Alternatively, for, I think, $299, you can buy a pass to Economy Plus that will get you an extr4a 5" of leg room. The pass is good for a year, so you'd be able to use it on your return flight.

F won't get you in the Red Carpet Club, though if you are gold level on a Star Alliance partner, that will get you in. Alternatively, you can buy a day pass for the RCC for $50.

alliance

Only you can decide if it is worth the $400. Assuming you don't have access to United's Economy Plus, which provides a few inches more legroom than regular Economy (but no other benefits), I would think that you will be more comfortable in First Class. But realize that domestic First Class doesn't have that much extra leg room than Economy Plus and it doesn't have foot rests. But you will have more personal space.

Flying domestic first class will not qualify you for lounge access.

However, you can buy day/one-time visit passes to several LAX lounges that are accessible from the UA terminal:

For $50 you can buy a one-time visit pass to the UA Red Carpet Club in terminal 7.

For $45 you can buy a day pass to the CO President's Club in terminal 6 (where some UA flights depart from, and connected past security to terminal 7).

For $25 you can buy a one-time visit pass to the DL Crown Room Club in terminal 5 (which is quite a hike from the UA gates, but is connected past security to terminal 6 [and terminal 7]).

The DL Crown Room Club has showers. Both the CO and DL clubs provide free alcoholic drinks. The CO lounge provides free wifi. The DL and UA lounges use Tmobile wifi and you have to pay for access.

youngaussienurse

Thanks PTravel for the reply. How do I go about getting a pass for $50 into the red carpet club? I also have some frequent flyer points with United (only about 30, can this be used to get in? Thanks again!

lucky9876coins

You can purchase a pass at the door for $50. When you say 30, do you mean 30 miles or 30,000 miles? If the former, nope, if the latter you might want to consider upgrading instead of paying for First, which would be 15,000 each way.

exbayern

While it may not be the exact same situation, I flew many long haul flights immediately after breaking my tailbone a few years ago. Air Canada Y was absolute agony. UA E+ in my usual bulkhead row was fine, if I didn't recline the seat too much.

For me, a lot depends on the type of aircraft. An upgrade on the Airbus twins or a 737 to F doesn't make much difference on my comfort level (even two years later, I have a difficult time sitting for long)

I think that the OP and I have 'talked' on another website before but off the top of my head I can't recall the type of aircraft on the LAX-MCO route (knowing that it is not TED at least)

But that would make the difference to me if it was 'worth' the cost difference between E+ and F. (E- isn't much of an option for me unless it is a very short flight)

exbayern

Answering my own question, it looks like the daytime NS is a 757, the redeye an A320. So on the 757 yes it would be worth it to me, on the A320 E+ would be a more economical choice (F isn't that much better comfortwise to me on that aircraft)

OP, if it helps any with the decision I am about 177cm tall with long legs, and E+ is fairly comfortable to me so long as I don't recline the seat all the way. I like row 6 on an A320 for the legroom, and row 9 (left side) on a 757 if seated in E+. But all of E+ will give you that extra space over E-

glex50

If you have a 9-hour layover at LAX, you'll probably have plenty of time to get out of the airport. I would NOT recommend hanging around the terminals at LAX for that long. Not sure if you've ever been there, but the place is really a dump, and if you look up something to do nearby the airport, you should have plenty of time to make it there and back without jeopardizing your connection.

exbayern

I posted something similar on the OP's RCC question thread. I would pay a (few!) dollars more than for lounge access and book a room offsite for a shower and quick nap. Flying from NZ and then on a redeye to MCO I think that those would be much needed by that point in the trip.

jhayes_1780

I agree with this... take a tour, rent a car, do something other then sit at LAX for 9 hours.

Also, make sure the extra 400 for F is for on of the LAX-MCO n/s flights. Otherwise if you go through DEN, ORD, or IAD you will be on a Ted plane (no F).

Finally, it is up to you..... but since you have had recent spinal surgery, I would spring for the travel cancellation insurance (I have NEVER recommended anyone to do this), but I have seen the after-effects of neurosurgery, and it can be tricky at best.

IMO, I think your are biting off more then you can chew doing a T-PAC and trans-con 7 months after surgery.

alliance

And make sure any policy that you do buy doesn't exclude any effects of your surgery (ie. pre-existing condition, etc.).

glex50

Just FYI...I don't think the legroom is that much better in F than in economy plus. It's a bit better than in economy, but you might value the extra seat width a little bit.

I think that UA domestic F is about equivalent to most carriers' international premium economy.

1kBill

As a note to the OP, Premium Economy seats on NZ are just plain better seats than in UA domestic first class. Domestic F in the USA is typically 38" pitch with no leg rest.

Agree with others re: long layover at LAX - get a hotel room to rest and recover (check Priceline). All of the airline lounges in the USA added together aren't even worth that amount of time.

Sneezy

If LAX-MCO is its usual Airbus, row 6 seating isn't much worse than F, if you can get it.

FWIW, you probably get more legroom in row 6, although the seat isn't as wide and it doesn't recline as much.

And if you're paying for UA F for the food, there's something seriously wrong with you.

There's another option - fly via IAD on a three-class 777 and pay for C. Yeah, the OP would have to do TED to MCO, but it's only a little over 2 hours. That also avoids the 9-hour layover followed by the LAX-MCO redeye. (The only 3-class plane between LAX-IAD leaves LAX about 8AM. It's UA946. I'm not sure if the OP would be able to make that connection)

Heck, if the OP starts looking at that, maybe flying through SFO is an option, too. I haven't looked recently, but I think there's more 3-class service between SFO-IAD than there is between LAX-IAD.

And in true FT fashion, that's more segments and more miles.

Depends on the specifics of the surgery.

I was back on my full travel schedule three weeks after getting a C5/C6 fusion for a herniated disk that was pinching both my spinal cord and nerves to my arms.

And FWIW, if you're not healed enough to travel seven months after surgery, you probably never will be.

revigik

Well, this sounds like you're connecting in Auckland all ready. Maybe this is the time to splurge on Qantas or United business straight to LAX or SFO. Then maybe take UA or AA in first to MCO. Also, get rid of the lay over if possible. If this is one of your first few times in the US and after surgery to boot, maybe it's better to eliminate the confusion. Another option would be to stay a night in LA for a day or two so you don't over strain yourself. If you have to take this trip, this is the time to empty the piggy bank to ensure comfort.