Indeed - That is what I am doing

CO for one of the flights which is $350 cheaper
VX for another flight which is a similar price to everyone else



Of note the http://www.continental.com/web/en-US...eetstatus.aspx timelines have been pushed back for the B737-900. They were meant to be finished by Dec 2010, but now saying March 2010. Maybe I'll luck out and get one, if not another few drinks and have a nap

You're more likely to get one of the 30 737-900ER's with DTV than one of the eight non-ER 737-900's that do not have it.

You will be SO happy that you chose VX first class for at least one of your trips! IFE, seats, food, seat pitch, cabin, planes, service...everything...is better! I just flew VX first this past Saturday...it's how first class flying SHOULD be on ALL airlines! I wonder why it's $350 more though on that one flight. I can't say enough about how amazing VX is!

Its a 4 hour flight.... how much are you going to "use" first class anyway...

Whats more important to you,
a few drinks in LAS lounge?, a better seat?, 4 hours of entertainment?
A better meal, is there even such a thing?

I personally would go with whats cheapest, and live a little in NY , after all it is DOMESTIC F!

Very much looking forward to VX for the IAD-SFO trip, the only thing that turns me off VX is lack of lounge access. Yes you can pay to access a few lounges but the IAD one isn't open at the time I am flying out.

Very good

Which is why I started this thread, for those exact questions.

VX will cost me $1,615 for 2 people
CO will cost me $1,319 for 2 people

So about $350 in Aussie $$ and I can't justify that for a better seat really.

Added to that
The lounge at LAS really sold me on CO
Better seat - 4hr 50 flight, not too bad but will probably spend 60 mins in the lounge
Should have direct TV on CO so same same
Better meal - It's all much the same

As suggested I'll keep the $350 and spend it elsewhere on a nice meal ^


One more question

F food on VX is small from all reports, but you can get extra food from Y for free ???

At the same price I'd take VX. The transit into Manhattan (mentioned above) is a wash on mass transit and $20 different in a private car. I like the seat better on VX (duh!) and drink equally well on both. The food service on VX is neat but I think the food is actually generally better on CO. Still, at the same price that seat would win every time for me. I'm guessing that you'd access the PC in LAS with an AmEx PLT or *G card so you can't use it for the VX flight, right?

But for $350 I'd take CO every time. The difference on the 4 hour flight just isn't worth that much.

Regarding lounge access in IAD, you can always pay for access to the UA RCCs there, at which point you'd be welcome to pay for drinks on top of the $50/person to get in the door. Not such a good idea, IMO.

Priority Pass card which is complimentary through Amex Plat here
No *G anymore (which is good and bad)

IAD lounge, I'll skip that

Access to PC at LAS is irrelevant on VX because VX departs from a different (and much more run down) terminal.

I have no problem with everything else you say, but VX F is not "DOMESTIC F", other than by geography.

I second this. Most (~80%) of my travel is on CO, but having flown my first VX F transcon recently I would say that it is far and away much better than CO's domestic F.

I've traveled both CO and VX first and can truly say that VX first is in a class by itself when being compared to other F classes on domestic routes. VX first is identical to many 757 transatlantic configurations. CO is just like most other domestic firsts with your usual seat pitch and decent recline. VX gives you a 55in pitch and recline to about 150 degrees. It is in reality closer to an international business class rather than to most domestic firsts. The experience is better, service is superb, free wifi, direct tv, new planes. I would chose VX all the way, unless you want to gain exposure to other airlines as well. The price can sway you to CO I suppose, but lounge access shouldnt turn you off of trying a VX first experience. If all domestic F went the way of VX, we would have an entirely different air travel experience in its entirety.

Agreed! VX First was awesome!! WAYYYY better than CO First. The vibe, the seat (just like international business), the internet, the tv, the attendants, etc, etc, etc! This is how domestic flying should be!

I am a regular on Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific First class so it takes a lot to impress me

Geez you lot are making my decision difficult

I have booked IAD-SFO on VX in first, going on the evening flight so I can try out the IAD lounge which I will post a separate question on.

As for my LAX-New York flight, still undecided on CO or VX...

Well think of it this way...you're going to be in the air a lot longer than you're going to be in a lounge. I just flew LAX to JFK in VX first, last week and back to LAX last night. It's in a class above everyone else! I'm at the airport 45-60 minutes before the flight and by the time you get checked in and to the gate, there won't be that much time anyway. Go for VX both ways!

Done - Booked another flight on VX in first now because of what you said. One hour in the lounge or 5 hours in a better seat. Yes the price difference was $300 for 2 people, but we will try to have 7 drinks each

Flying VX now:
LAS-JFK
IAD-SFO
SFO-SAN

Can't wait ^

Trip report and photos will follow in late March