Business class availability

[Jimster]

Lots of business class availability on American to Europe through 2017.

 

[wilma]

You mean award tickets?

 

[Jimster]

AA

Yep, that's it.

 

[Pedro]

Just be aware that if the transatlantic portion involved BA, there is a fuel surcharge of around $800, that you have to pay on top of the miles. That's why you'd typically see a lot of availability on flights that include BA, and very limited availability on purely AA flights as the latter go fast.

 

[Jimster]

AA

Good point about BA, but these are AA flights. That's why it is noteworthy

 

[Ken555]

AA business class to Europe has been readily available for a while. I had no problems getting a seat with just a few months notice earlier this year, which many years ago was problematic. Of course, they added capacity with the acquisition of US Air (which I was just on last week...).


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[Helios]

About the BA surcharge, depending on how you like to travel, it may be worth it as BA has a better product. YMMV.

 

[Jimster]

AA

I posted about award travel. I assume the key deterimenate is where you have your miles. AA award chart I believe is also more favorable.

 

[isisdave]

We were going to return from the UK by AA award, but besides 115,000 miles for two they wanted $935 as well!

Per seat: About $250 was an American "just because we caan" fee, but UK has a departure tax called APD that is £70 for standard class but double that for business and higher. The rest is the usual immigration and customs fees.

So next week we'll be squeezing ourselves into economy for ten hours to DFW, and then to SAN, but for 60,000 miles and $350.

 

[Ken555]

We were going to return from the UK by AA award, but besides 115,000 miles for two they wanted $935 as well!



Per seat: About $250 was an American "just because we caan" fee, but UK has a departure tax called APD that is £70 for standard class but double that for business and higher. The rest is the usual immigration and customs fees.



So next week we'll be squeezing ourselves into economy for ten hours to DFW, and then to SAN, but for 60,000 miles and $350.

Huh? I had an AA business class seat from London to LAX just a few months ago and it only cost me $320 in fees. Did you book close to departure? I think they charge extra then.

I'm looking for another for next year and really want to use up my Delta miles, but Delta charges in £ for one way flights and they want ~£340 for it...which is just absurd and makes AA a relative bargain by comparison (not to mention that it's 80,000 Delta SkyPesoes and only 45,000 AA miles with the 5,000 Citibank AA discount).

 

[Helios]

Just scored 4 F seats round trip in BA 747 (AA saver awards). The fuel surcharge was high (~$1,000) but well worth it in my opinion. Have to use those miles and start the vaca at the airport counter. The trips also include business tixs for 4 to Paris.

 

[lizap]

We've flown both AA and BA in F and J multiple times and it is well worth the extra $ to fly BA as their product is vastly superior to AAs, IMO.

 

[Jimster]

AA

It depends. AA is now converting its 1st and business class cabins to a better product. It depends on what is offered on the flight you select.

 

[lizap]

My comments were based on product/service on AA's 767 and 777 aircraft. Keep hearing that AA is improving its product/service. Flew intl. a few months ago and no significant difference, IMO. And AA's domestic F is vastly inferior to DL's. Just flew AA last week MSY-MIA-STT and return. One one of the segments, flight attendants spent most of the time in the front galley talking.

It depends. AA is now converting its 1st and business class cabins to a better product. It depends on what is offered on the flight you select.

 

[Jimster]

Aa

According to a post in View from the Wing (today), Gary Leff said:

"American expects to complete reconfiguration of its Boeing 777-200s by summer 2017 to be fully lie flat with direct aisle access." Check out his full post for pictures and further discussion.

AA flies other 777's besides the 200's. I would be very diligent in making sure you get the right product.

As a side note, i find most foreign carriers do have better service than those based in the USA.

 

[Glynda]

Prices vs Miles

Yesterday, I priced American and British Airways with 2 stops from Charleston to Heathrow for 3 people late June 2017 at $2,354 per person round trip in "Premium Economy" and a 17 hour trip. Don't have enough reward miles to use with American. Ended up using Delta miles for Charleston to Heathrow with one stop, first and business class for 3 people, at a total of 555,000 miles and $788.58 in taxes and fees. Sheesh! When did it become this expensive to fly to London?

 

[Pat H]

Yesterday, I priced American and British Airways with 2 stops from Charleston to Heathrow for 3 people late June 2017 at $2,354 per person round trip in "Premium Economy" and a 17 hour trip. Don't have enough reward miles to use with American. Ended up using Delta miles for Charleston to Heathrow with one stop, first and business class for 3 people, at a total of 555,000 miles and $788.58 in taxes and fees. Sheesh! When did it become this expensive to fly to London?

555,000 miles for 3 people? Wow, that is a lot! I stopped flying Delta a long time ago.

 

[Glynda]

A lot.

555,000 miles for 3 people? Wow, that is a lot! I stopped flying Delta a long time ago.

It's been a long time since I've used miles for international travel but 1850 miles per person for Delta/Virgin Atlantic first and business class going over and Delta first and business class coming back seems like a whole lot. So does $2,354 per person round trip for "premium economy." If it was just me going, I'd wait and search for a better price. But I need the three together so bit the bullet.

 

[Jimster]

Delta

555,000- there is a reason they are called Sky Pesos!

 

[VacationForever]

I actually found Delta miles to be a good deal on a recent reservation. I was looking for 1-way first class ticket from Rome to Las Vegas next May and it cost only 80K miles on Delta while United was charging 150K miles for the same route. I did not check AA. Both United and Delta were charging around USD4.5K-5K per ticket.

 

[x3 skier]

Just returned from a trip to London in First Class on a AA 777-300ER with FF miles award. One of the best trips in a while, very good service, pretty good food, excellent wine and the best seat I've flown.

Well worth the 125000 miles

Cheers

 

[Glynda]

Italy

I actually found Delta miles to be a good deal on a recent reservation. I was looking for 1-way first class ticket from Rome to Las Vegas next May and it cost only 80K miles on Delta while United was charging 150K miles for the same route. I did not check AA. Both United and Delta were charging around USD4.5K-5K per ticket.

I can pay to fly to Milan round trip for less than the taxes and fees these Delta miles cost! Italy seems to be a less expensive place to fly in and out of.

 

[Pompey Family]

I can pay to fly to Milan round trip for less than the taxes and fees on these Delta miles cost! Italy seems to be a less expensive place to fly in and out of.

Yes but that wouldn't be a First Class flight.

 

[Pat H]

Just got award tix on AA for next July. CHS-MUC in coach & BUD-SAV in business. 87,500 + $182 fees/taxes. All on AA except BUD-LHR on BA. If I did the transatlantics on BA, it would have been over $1000! I'll take the extra stop and save the money.

 

[lizap]

$1k more per person?

Just got award tix on AA for next July. CHS-MUC in coach & BUD-SAV in business. 87,500 + $182 fees/taxes. All on AA except BUD-LHR on BA. If I did the transatlantics on BA, it would have been over $1000! I'll take the extra stop and save the money.