UA Int'l Business Class
Jun 30, 2002, 5:15 pm
#1
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Join Date: May 1998
Location: San Diego, CA, USA
Posts: 1,310
UA Int'l Business Class
How does UA's International Business Class compare to, say, domestic UA First Class?
Never flown UA internationally in ANY class but am going to try and book Business Class Awards from SAN-LHR for next summer. Will probably try for connecting flights to London out of LAX or SFO since the domestic portions to ORD or IAD from SAN appear to be in coach. I am finding availability in Business saver for the latest dates in May 2003 that are bookable at this point; hopefully there will be availability in July 2003 when those dates go into the system..
It also looks as if you paid $7950 for a Business class seat from SAN-LHR that you'd only get a coach seat to whichever gateway you fly out of..incredible for that price!
Thanks for any input.
Never flown UA internationally in ANY class but am going to try and book Business Class Awards from SAN-LHR for next summer. Will probably try for connecting flights to London out of LAX or SFO since the domestic portions to ORD or IAD from SAN appear to be in coach. I am finding availability in Business saver for the latest dates in May 2003 that are bookable at this point; hopefully there will be availability in July 2003 when those dates go into the system..
It also looks as if you paid $7950 for a Business class seat from SAN-LHR that you'd only get a coach seat to whichever gateway you fly out of..incredible for that price!
Thanks for any input.
Jun 30, 2002, 5:19 pm
#2
Company Representative - Air Canada
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Canada
Posts: 24,215
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by GeorgeJ:
How does UA's International Business Class compare to, say, domestic UA First Class?</font>
How does UA's International Business Class compare to, say, domestic UA First Class?</font>
Jun 30, 2002, 5:26 pm
#3
Company Representative - Air Canada
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Canada
Posts: 24,215
Here's what UA saids about their own international C class:
http://www.united.com/site/primary/0,10017,1133,00.html
http://www.united.com/site/primary/0,10017,1133,00.html
Jun 30, 2002, 5:34 pm
#4
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Empress, thanks for the info & the link...looks as if International Business Class will be a step up from UA domestic First Class..
I saw NO availability for First Class saver awards on the May dates I tried..so can I assume that I will have a much easier time booking Business Class to LHR rather than First?
Thanks.
I saw NO availability for First Class saver awards on the May dates I tried..so can I assume that I will have a much easier time booking Business Class to LHR rather than First?
Thanks.
Jun 30, 2002, 5:38 pm
#5
Company Representative - Air Canada
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Canada
Posts: 24,215
UA doesn't release a lot of international F class award seat that far ahead, you'll have a much easier time getting an award C seat at this time. Those award F seat are usually released closer to departure date. I personally think C seat is comfortable enough for such a trip. If you want award F, you can put yourself on the waitlist for it.
Jun 30, 2002, 6:33 pm
#6
Join Date: May 2001
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UA C class is the better deal for the money, as the difference between it and first are minimal. In First, you get the sleeper suite, but the C class seat is very comfortable, and the food is similar. When you travel on an international C free ticket or upgrade award, you can fly in first class on a two class aircraft to or from your international flight. For example, you could take a 757 in First from San to ORD and then a 777 in C from ORD to LHR.
Jun 30, 2002, 6:48 pm
#7
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Once Seattle...then DC....now CDG.
Posts: 4,059
I'd compare Intl C to Transcon Premium C with a few tiny extra. When I'm talking Premium Transcon, I'm talking about JFK-SFO/LAX and SFO/LAX-BOS on 767's. Now, there are some differences there too, the older 767 don't have as nice of seats which make it nothing like Intl C. But food wise, they are fairly similiar. Obviously, the longer the flight, the more food you would have, but from my experiance (including my last C flight on Sunday, and my last Premium Transcon a few weeks ago in C) they are pretty similiar.
Jun 30, 2002, 7:19 pm
#8
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First Class in a 737 or airbus is an comfort experience pretty hard to beat.
Not sure if they run 777s left coast to LHR and if they do that to me is a smarter bet over any 767 C seat. AFAIK there are no 747 flights that route, which is better again. In certain seats.
To maximise your enjoyment make your SAN to gateway as short as possible.
------------------
~ Glen ~
Not sure if they run 777s left coast to LHR and if they do that to me is a smarter bet over any 767 C seat. AFAIK there are no 747 flights that route, which is better again. In certain seats.
To maximise your enjoyment make your SAN to gateway as short as possible.
------------------
~ Glen ~
Jun 30, 2002, 7:40 pm
#9
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: Australia
Posts: 2,814
I haven't travelled UA International Business for the last 3 months.However,I'm off again for a month's flying at the end of July.
Please, could someone who has travelled recently, tell me that the wines have improved beyond the recent $10 or less per bottle quality.
Ozflier
Please, could someone who has travelled recently, tell me that the wines have improved beyond the recent $10 or less per bottle quality.
Ozflier
Jun 30, 2002, 7:50 pm
#10
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Newport Beach - UA Premier
Posts: 94
You should be able to get first class on flights out of SAN on an upgrade award for the domestic leg of your trip, except for up to LAX on United Express. I fly SAN-IAD-AMS and the domestic portion is First Class. Once you hit the 777 at IAD though, you will love it. Nice plane, good seats, good service, etc.
Jun 30, 2002, 7:57 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Please, could someone who has travelled recently, tell me that the wines have improved beyond the recent $10 or less per bottle quality.</font>
That icky Veuve Amiot fizz I will not drink now. Now ask politely if there might be something else loaded with bubbles and I will not outline what then usually happens. I bet that rubbish is $3 a bottle at liquor stores retail.
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~ Glen ~
Jun 30, 2002, 8:04 pm
#12
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: New York
Posts: 3,383
I took LHR-SFO in April and a month later SFO-LHR, both in C. I was truly impressed by the cabin crew -- on both flights, they were so friendly, attentive and nice -- qualities I rarely have experienced on my UA transpacs. I think they were a mix of LHR and SFO crew. I wonder if they were really an exception.
Jun 30, 2002, 8:10 pm
#13
Company Representative - Air Canada
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Canada
Posts: 24,215
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by WilliamTheTraveler:
You should be able to get first class on flights out of SAN on an upgrade award for the domestic leg of your trip, except for up to LAX on United Express. I fly SAN-IAD-AMS and the domestic portion is First Class. Once you hit the 777 at IAD though, you will love it. Nice plane, good seats, good service, etc.</font>
You should be able to get first class on flights out of SAN on an upgrade award for the domestic leg of your trip, except for up to LAX on United Express. I fly SAN-IAD-AMS and the domestic portion is First Class. Once you hit the 777 at IAD though, you will love it. Nice plane, good seats, good service, etc.</font>
Jun 30, 2002, 8:29 pm
#14
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Los Angeles
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by ozflier:
I haven't travelled UA International Business for the last 3 months.However,I'm off again for a month's flying at the end of July.
Please, could someone who has travelled recently, tell me that the wines have improved beyond the recent $10 or less per bottle quality.
Ozflier </font>
I haven't travelled UA International Business for the last 3 months.However,I'm off again for a month's flying at the end of July.
Please, could someone who has travelled recently, tell me that the wines have improved beyond the recent $10 or less per bottle quality.
Ozflier </font>
Compare to ANA and JAL whose C wines are much better than UA's F (except Don Perignon).
Jun 30, 2002, 8:47 pm
#15
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Location: San Diego, CA, USA
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Just to see what it would show, before I started this thread, I brought up the seat charts for the $7950 Business Class seats from SAN-LHR...on all the domestic flights to ORD or IAD, it brought up the coach cabin for seat assignment, which led me to believe that you did not get F class on the flights to the gateway....that some kind of glitch?