2 coach tickets, or one first-class?

[JaiDee]

 Hey guys, I recently passed 120,000 miles on my United Visa card.  Combination of flights and spending over the past couple years, getting one mile per dollar spent and one mile per miles spent in the air.

 

  So I have the option now of going anywhere in the world - read; Thailand - for free in first class. OR, I could do it twice in coach; at 60K you can get a round-trip to Thailand in coach, but restrictions and blackouts are in play.  When you cash in 120K, you get no restrictions and can leave on the date you want; plus of course the fact you get treated like a king and get to sit in the comfortable, fold-down seats for what is 30 hours of plane rides and transfers to get from Boston to Bangkok.

 

  I know what I will be doing; I only go to Thailand once a year these days and stay for long stretches, as in 6 months at a time; in the past I would go 2 or 3 times per year for shorter stays so 2 free flights would come in handy. Since I am only going once in late 2013, I will take the comfort of first class compared to trying to squeeze my overweight, 6'1'' inch body into those coach seats for 30 hours;ugggghh.

 

     If this scenario was available, what would YOU do?

[xyzzy]

I also only go for one long trip each year. I'm going business class with my miles. I've had enought cattle class for a while. I was going to book this week but for some reason I find myself 66 miles short. My last credit card statement should have put me over the top (or so I thought). FWIW from Denver on United business class is 120k miles and first is 140k miles. I guess it could be different from your airport.

 

My best booking is United to Seattle. Have to go economy to Seattle as they claim business is full even though no seats are booked on that Decemeber flight. Then Narita on ANA (787) and BKK on Thai (A380). Two planes I have never flown before. But almost none of the trip is actually on United and the segment that is won't give me business class. So United is being a lot less friendly than their *A partners (surprise surprise).

[JaiDee]

Actually, XY -  what I am eligible for is indeed business class.

 

  I just kind of lump in Biz class and First class as the same thing; and compared to Coach they are both heaven!  I have done both first and business and the difference is negligible, depending on the aircraft used.

 

By the way, you can buy those 66 miles and it would be super-cheap.

[Woofer1]

I would go in Style Business Class fully reclines.

I go with Cathay via HKG from Toronto, can't beat it.

Did the Eco journey twice as you mentionned at first, it's a killer, and those "Sliding" seats in Eco on 777-300 are MURDER on the back

So Bus Flat for 15 hours for me

[deepthroat]

Once you go Business Class, you'll never be happy with Coach again. I'd still suggest going Business anyway.

[xyzzy]

By the way, you can buy those 66 miles and it would be super-cheap.

 

Yes but my CC miles haven't shown up yet. They are a few days later than usual. So I should be good soon.

 

 

I would go in Style Business Class fully reclines.

I go with Cathay via HKG from Toronto, can't beat it.

Did the Eco journey twice as you mentionned at first, it's a killer, and those "Sliding" seats in Eco on 777-300 are MURDER on the back

So Bus Flat for 15 hours for me

 

Unfortunately all the *A carriers I see from the US have business class seats on the long flight that only recline 170 degrees. I'm not sure why that makes so much difference to me but it does when trying to sleep. I almost have enough miles for Cathay now as well so that will be a lay flat.

 

 

[pdogg]

I look at flying steerage class,  instead of using FF miles for biz class, as a job that pays about $60 an hour.

 

I'll take that job.  

 

It really depends on one's financial situation. 

[RocketSquirrel]

I would probably opt for Business Class if I had the miles as I can afford to buy coach tickets but cannot afford to shell out for Business.

 

Cathay Pacific Business is really nice.  For the long haul segment (777-300) you have your own "pod", not unlike first class just smaller.  The seat reclines fully.  I really like having my own space and nobody next to me.

On my last trip, I was able to fly business class using miles.  I took a look at Premium Economy on Cathay and would certainly consider that (aisle or 1st row) if affordable and paying with cash.  The seats didn't look too painful. 

 

These days, I don't even buy a cup of coffee without using my milage card!

 

Overall, I find myself much happier on Asian carriers vs American ones.  The service almost always seems to better and friendlier.

[JaiDee]

Once you go Business Class, you'll never be happy with Coach again. I'd still suggest going Business anyway.

 

 Agreed, it's so hard to turn right after you have turned left a few times!

 

Rocky, I am with you; I hardly ever use cash and use my CC on literally everything I buy; building up all these miles, with just 2 long-ass flights in there besides, was relatively easy.

 

  This goes back to some threads we have had  over the years about finding cheaper flights, or sticking with one carrier. I am a proponent of staying with one carrier and building up your miles so you eventually get rewarded like this.  When I do head back in November there will be no stress leading up to the flight, knowing I will be in the lap of luxury and not squeezed in back with people half my size.

 

 *I have seen pics of Emirates First class......those have to be the best seats ever, Turkish Air looks damn nice also.

[seven]

Go for the Business class on such a longhaul. I did Premium Business with my milage on ThaiAir once, it was just great , i can only imagine what their first class would be.

 

In June this year, Norweigan will start their Boeing 787 Dreamlinerflight to Bkk, dirt cheap.  One way is 200 euros. You have to pay extra for a meal and if you want to check in a bag.

I might try it, but i expect 10 very uncomfortable hours.

[azza33]

 Agreed, it's so hard to turn right after you have turned left a few times!

 

Rocky, I am with you; I hardly ever use cash and use my CC on literally everything I buy; building up all these miles, with just 2 long-ass flights in there besides, was relatively easy.

 

That's my approach as well... you are paying for the credits cards whether you use cards or not so take full advantage.

 

I use Malaysian Airlines from Australia as they have an exceptionally cheap points requirement to fly to Bangkok in business.

[JaiDee]

The difference between coach and business/first is amazing when you step off the plane. You feel refreshed, ready to go, almost like you didn't do the flight at all.  By comparison, when you arrive after those 3 long segments flying in coach, you feel like crap and that really affects your first day or 3 on the ground.

 

  Of course I would never pay the $5500 bucks they want me to PAY for business, unless I was really rich.  But when a freebie is dangled in front of my face it's really hard to turn it down.  I am guessing with all I spend and with everything going on the card, by fall of 2014 I will still have a free coach flight waiting for me as well.

[deepthroat]

Yup, as I've said many times, the secret is to have a good FF card, and to use it for everything but to PAY THE BALANCE IN FULL EVERY MONTH! I use my credit card like a debit card - every transaction gets written down in my check register and deducted from my balance. Then when the bill arrives I pay in full and avoid finance charges. 

 

This year I had around 60,000 miles on my Bank of America Alaska Air visa card. It costs 100,000 miles on the Alaska program to purchase roundtrip business class from USA to Bangkok on Cathay Pacific. To purchase the additional miles and pay the taxes on my 2014 flight, it cost me $897. 

 

I figure that this means a First Class flight on Alaska Airlines from my home to San Francisco, then Business Class on Cathay to Hong Kong and First Class from HGK to BKK (easily a $5-7k ticket) for about the price of a roundtrip Coach seat.

[lovem69]

Only downside to upgrading to buiss is it will be difficult to revert to econ as previously stated. I used to fly 3 times per year direct with Thai from London, after upgrading using my miles a couple of years ago i now find it impossible to fly long haul in econ. I have now cut out 1 trip per year and take 2 longer trips. It really is worth it. When i used econ it took me 3 days to get over jetlag and acing legs. Thai buiss is like a bed. I eat a 1st class meal 1 hour in, a few drinks, pop a sleeping tab and usually have to be woken for landing.. It really takes the pain out of the 11.5 hour flight and i arrive so fresh so as far as im concerned it gives me an extra 3 days.. I actually look forward to the flight now rather than dread it.. you are taking the correct option in my opinion.. Cheers

[Tomcat]

Anyone under 25 then travelling coach class is probably a breeze but as the years creep on then it gets to the point where a long haul economy ticket probably takes a year off your life expectancy for each trip..I have an EVA gold card now and get upgraded from De luxe to Bus 50% of the time which means i just always buy a De Luxe ticket ( if im going to LOS direct)

 

On EVA Air De Luxe ( Elite) is pretty good and the leg room is good enough to not get some kind of thrombosis or some other reported air travel ailment by the time you leave the aircraft.. 

 

Take the Bus Class is my choice.. 

[Hefe]

As TC said after a certain age "roughing it" loses its charm. Business class especially if as you said you have "expanded your horizons" in recent years  :)   

 

2 things I would point out: consider waiting for a sale in coach & then upgrading that with the miles/copay so that you will get miles for that long trip. (Unfortunately sales ain't what they used to be but a couple of weeks ago AA had tickets to China & Tokyo for around $1K US)

 

_ my primary advice would be, if you have good credit & aren't buying a house/car in the near future, get 2 new credit cards (1business/1 personal) & you will have at least 60k more miles after spending the minimum. Then when it's time to renew your old cards get 2 new ones & then drop the old ones. You won't have to pay the first yearly fee on the new ones typically & keeping the old ones untiil you are approved helps your credit worthiness by showing you are responsible with a large credit limit. And continue doing this each year when the annual fees come due, people have an erroneous idea that this takes a toll on your fico score but it is only a couple of points in reality, nothing hardly at all for anyone with good credit. 

 

This is the primary way today to hack travel fares. Then your choice will be deciding between business & first class. (One not so minor footnote is that this seems to be mostly happening in the US market, I don't believe that other countries have the same abundance of FF bonuses on cards )

 

BTW I just flew first class to BKK on JAL last Feb & it is absolutely worth the extra 20k points, very enjoyable flight & service. And I know that for AA if you have a Citi affiliated card you get a 10% rebate of points back! First cost me about the same as Business would. So check around for little perks like that if you have a choice of cards.