Jan'14 PHL-CDG award booking advice
Jun 12, 2013, 7:37 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: PHL
Programs: Chivas, Tequila, Good Beer
Posts: 615
Jan'14 PHL-CDG award booking advice
Just returned from Paris flying DL and AF metal in Business Class using 200,000 SkyPesos.
Now I am planning a new trip to Paris from PHL for two of us, this time Jan 17 to Jan 24 2014 using some of 195,000 US Dividend Miles along with Marriot points for a 5 night trip.
I am US PLAT and when I book it can get off peak on Y for 30,000 miles RT or 62,500 for Y going East and Envoy coming back. The site does not show off peak for Envoy available on Jan 17. If it did it would be 95,000 for the RT.
For 30,000 miles a RT in Y is a steal. I figure that’s about 4c a mile and if it where Delta metal with the ECONOMY COMFORT I would not hesitate to snag it since 2 of us are flying and we would occupy a 2 seat row to ourselves.
My question is how comfortable are the first few rows in Y on the A330 in coach? My GF says we don’t need to do the Envoy thing if we can have a 2 seat row to ourselves. I tend to agree but still like the idea of Envoy on the return leg even if that bumps the cost from 30K to 62.5K miles.
I am afraid the OFF PEAK will never open up on Jan 17 so that option is not doable and thus not worth the risk to wait and lose the off peak rates currently available.
What would you do? Follow the GF advice and snag the Y seats for 30,000 or spend the extra 32,500 miles for the Envoy return leg? When I use miles I usually use them for domestic UGs in US. If I do the Envoy return trip I would still have 70K miles left in the bank.
Also is there a US Preferred line at CDG or do I need the Envoy ticket to get “the treatment”.
Advice is appreciated as I finalize my decision.
Now I am planning a new trip to Paris from PHL for two of us, this time Jan 17 to Jan 24 2014 using some of 195,000 US Dividend Miles along with Marriot points for a 5 night trip.
I am US PLAT and when I book it can get off peak on Y for 30,000 miles RT or 62,500 for Y going East and Envoy coming back. The site does not show off peak for Envoy available on Jan 17. If it did it would be 95,000 for the RT.
For 30,000 miles a RT in Y is a steal. I figure that’s about 4c a mile and if it where Delta metal with the ECONOMY COMFORT I would not hesitate to snag it since 2 of us are flying and we would occupy a 2 seat row to ourselves.
My question is how comfortable are the first few rows in Y on the A330 in coach? My GF says we don’t need to do the Envoy thing if we can have a 2 seat row to ourselves. I tend to agree but still like the idea of Envoy on the return leg even if that bumps the cost from 30K to 62.5K miles.
I am afraid the OFF PEAK will never open up on Jan 17 so that option is not doable and thus not worth the risk to wait and lose the off peak rates currently available.
What would you do? Follow the GF advice and snag the Y seats for 30,000 or spend the extra 32,500 miles for the Envoy return leg? When I use miles I usually use them for domestic UGs in US. If I do the Envoy return trip I would still have 70K miles left in the bank.
Also is there a US Preferred line at CDG or do I need the Envoy ticket to get “the treatment”.
Advice is appreciated as I finalize my decision.
Jun 12, 2013, 7:49 am
#2
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Alexandria, VA - DCA
Programs: BA Gold, American Airlines, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond
Posts: 5,075
You are a US Platinum (Star Gold) so flying on this PHL-CDG route in coach will still allow you (and your GF) use of the FC/Envoy check-in and the US Airways Club at PHL Terminal A and, on the return from CDG, use of the Envoy check-in and the Star Alliance Lounge at CDG.
The two-seat sides of the A330 are decent coach seats - you will have access to Preferred seats as a Plat.
If available - 62.5k for coach on the way over and Envoy on the return is a nice way to go. Book it and be happy!
FWIW we've been to Paris many times in the winter and love it!
The two-seat sides of the A330 are decent coach seats - you will have access to Preferred seats as a Plat.
If available - 62.5k for coach on the way over and Envoy on the return is a nice way to go. Book it and be happy!
FWIW we've been to Paris many times in the winter and love it!
Jun 12, 2013, 10:44 am
#3
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, AA Gold, FB Gold, ITA Volare Executive
Posts: 3,294
+1 Look, I always am happier when I can do this trip in Envoy, but it is not a bad trip in Y on an A330. The planes are a lot newer than that DL 757, with good inseat entertaintment systems. As a US Platinum booking now you will have your choice of seats. It does help to sit up to the front, especially to be in the front of the line getting off, since although you will get an Acces No 1 pass CDG-PHL for cutting immigration and security lines on your way back, you will not get one PHL-CDG and thus want to avoid being in the back of the immigration line at CDG.
A lot of the winter flights to and from CDG go out pretty empty in Y and you may discover lots of room in back. This Feb we were in a full Envoy cabin and saw some people we knew happily heading back to coach, where they each had a whole row to sprawl out on.
A lot of the winter flights to and from CDG go out pretty empty in Y and you may discover lots of room in back. This Feb we were in a full Envoy cabin and saw some people we knew happily heading back to coach, where they each had a whole row to sprawl out on.
Jun 12, 2013, 11:37 am
#4
Join Date: May 2013
Location: PHL
Programs: AA Gold, AF apologist
Posts: 207
To add to Biggie Fries and geo1005, I have done this route in Y quite a few times. We just returned from a trip to CDG in May and sat in bulkhead coach (row 7? 8?). The two seats together are nice and you can stretch out a bit and sleep. My partner is Chairman's Preferred (I'm gold) and we did get Acces No1 in CDG (so you don't HAVE to be in Envoy to get this perk). This was a HUGE help leaving as we got to skip ahead of both LONG passport and security lines heading to the gate. It also got us lounge access. Not the best lounge in the world, but a nice place to grab something to drink, get some free newspapers, use the wifi. Since we were so far "up" on the coach cabin, US immigration wasn't too much of a problem, though we landed around the same time as a flight from AMS and BRU (?).
Jun 12, 2013, 11:54 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: PHL
Programs: Chivas, Tequila, Good Beer
Posts: 615
Thanks
Thanks for the input.:-:
I went ahead with the Y+Envoy booking at 62,500 miles each. It will be nice to come back home on Envoy.
I reasoned 62,500 miles is buying using todays’ quotes $2456 worth of airfare so I am getting $3.92 cents per mile. Going coach was 4 cents per mile exact.
I have been a US flyer for 2 years and never used miles other than on upgrades when on holiday, so having a large stash for trips has never been a priority, but I still have 70,000 miles left just in case.
For Y seats I got 9G and 9H. That would be the second row from the bulkhead. I understand the restrooms are behind us so we should not be seeing much traffic from Y pax going to the can. The bulkheads are taken already.
For Envoy I got 3A and 3C after reading that it is better to get a window+center combo rather than 2 center seats as the cabin is not much couple friendly.
I'm glad it is done and hope my choice of seats will be right on.
I went ahead with the Y+Envoy booking at 62,500 miles each. It will be nice to come back home on Envoy.
I reasoned 62,500 miles is buying using todays’ quotes $2456 worth of airfare so I am getting $3.92 cents per mile. Going coach was 4 cents per mile exact.
I have been a US flyer for 2 years and never used miles other than on upgrades when on holiday, so having a large stash for trips has never been a priority, but I still have 70,000 miles left just in case.
For Y seats I got 9G and 9H. That would be the second row from the bulkhead. I understand the restrooms are behind us so we should not be seeing much traffic from Y pax going to the can. The bulkheads are taken already.
For Envoy I got 3A and 3C after reading that it is better to get a window+center combo rather than 2 center seats as the cabin is not much couple friendly.
I'm glad it is done and hope my choice of seats will be right on.
Jun 16, 2013, 9:37 pm
#6
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 4,187
A simple TATL hop such as PHL-CDG-PHL is always fine in Y. On truly long flights, one might consider spending the miles for C. But why bother when flying over only one ocean?
Jun 17, 2013, 8:46 am
#7
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Alexandria, VA - DCA
Programs: BA Gold, American Airlines, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond
Posts: 5,075
I agree with you from a pragmatic standpoint. On the other hand, in my situation (with a wife and a young child) our free time to travel as adults has been greatly reduced. Now it is tough to get more than four nights away as we don't want to be away from our child for any longer than that. So for us, the added comfort of business/envoy makes the most of the limited time away.