I flew maxjet with my family from jfk-london; awesome experience, highly recommend. I think the price was about $1200.00 and it's business class with better seats than biz class on the big boys.

Might look to EOS next time for the discounted first class experience--anyone flown with them?

Just for kicks I looked up 1st class tickets.

$12k a piece!:eek: :eek: :eek:

That is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay out of my league. In fact, even if I won the lottery, I would take pilot lessons and buy my own jet before spending that on tickets.

That is absolutely absurd, highway robbery.

My wife and I are going from Chicago to London in July. Was in Yokohama, Japan last fall - seat guru was helpful - American 777's had 1" more legroom than Japan Airways 747's.

Long flights are tough, but London isn't even as long as Hawaii from Chicago!

One thing to look at:

After my wife and I booked flights on an American 777, I seem to remember hearing that Virgin Atlantic was starting flights from Chicago to London in April.

Heard their service is way better than most US carriers...and prices shouldn't be too much different than the $1,100 United is giving you (that was American's fare too.)

Cheerio!

For your amusement-


These choices I can live with-coach

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/3116/fares1jr8.jpg

These I can not-1st class (reaming)

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/8098/fares2wy4.jpg

Virgin is advertising fares from Ohare as low as $500. Uh-huh.:rolleyes:

I say look into Virgin. They really have a good reputation.....

This thread reminds me to get a mileage credit card so I can save
for my next Europe trip...

$14K in first class... hope that includes a foot massage

When I worked for Siemens we finished a huge computerized automation project in Holland for Heineken, it was two years worth of work on one of our largest contracts ever. I had flown back to the states every three weeks that year for five days off. However when we closed the project our reward was that many of our wives were flown to Europe for two weeks of sightseeing and general fun (I just wanted to go home at that point.) However they flew us back on Virgin Atlantic in "Upper Class." Virgin is without a doubt the best airline out there in both customer service and amenities.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4.../Virginbar.jpg

I suggest checking the seat room in economy class for each of the airplanes--and the airlines. United's 747 economy seats, for example, are among the tightest of all the airlines.Bloody murder, flying acoss the Pacific. Upgrade to business, ergonomic seats.
Check out google for seat room info. For a given airplane type, they will vary with the airline.

We are leaving tomorrow for a month in Europe...flying BA World Traveller class for the whole thing. I have had great experiences with business/first class, but they are always too rich for my budget . So, based on my limited experience I tend to avoid American carriers as they cram you in that little bit extra. Air Canada can be OK, but not much of an option for you down in Baja Canada.

Lufthansa, KLM, Singapore Air are all perfectly acceptable, even in cattle car class. We shall see how BA compares.

Oh yeah, I am 6' 4" and 110kg and probably way out of the normal seating pitch. BA promises 31" pitch for the seats, which is fine if it really is there.....

Dennis

Best room in economy goes to American Airlines, business is a crap shot, mostly depending on the equipment (business class in American new 767's is very good), disappointed with business in Virgin (even in the upper deck of the 747-400 from LGW, not even power outlets!)

Bob, which route (from where to where) are you going to fly?? do you have frequent flier status with any airline?

United Buis class is crap. Not sure what your options are but Singapore air, Cathay, and Thai are the best for Buis class. For economy just try and see who has the biggest seats and see if you can get an exit row

I fly Internationally twice a year to either South America or Europe. To Europe we always fly at night on AA and sit in the center seats on a 777. With 4 seats we take turns laying down and sleeping in total comfort. (I mostly read a book).The real drag is flying from Seattle to Chicago on a 737 which is like a bus IMHO.
Flying KLM non-stop is nice too but we fly mostly on AirMiles.
AirLingus is pretty good too but I couldn't understand the stewardesses.
Never will I fly on the European Charters, O MY Gawd, I had no room! 3 hrs in a jet like a sardine was the worst! Knees to my chest....pay for Water!

British, Virgin, Lufthansa.

Forget the American carriers.

+1. WORST I have ever experienced travelling from LAX to Narita Japan. Really old equipment with no personal entertainment other than a broken down movie screen with jumpy video.

I would never ever spend the extra $$ to fly first or even business class. That extra $2-3K goes a long way in hotel/food upgrades once at your destination. I'll accept 8 hours of discomfort to upgrade my hotel and rental car. That said I rarely sit in the back as I've earned my dues and have platinum cards on two carriers.

Best international service I have experienced was through Singapore Air, British Airways, and Lufthansa, in that order. BA coach >= United Business. Sing has the most professional, friendly, and good looking flight attendants in the business.

I fly LAX to Denver and vice versa every few weeks, and the planes on United are terrible, old, dirty and in disrepair. So I told this to my brother, he's a pilot for Skywest who runs united flights. He told me that most of the united fleet is heading towards 20 years old. He did say however that many of the planes are being re-fitted this year with new interiors and all of the latest upgrades.

All I can say about Singapore Airlines and their flight attendants is two words..."Linpei Rong".

Sigh....as Barbra sang..."mammaries...thanks for the mammaries.." ..or something like that....

Dennis

I usually fly BA non-stop from Phoenix to London and always in their World Business class. Excellent seats and they recline totally flat, so you should get a good rest.

Agree that the overseas carriers are far better than American ones. Also the flight attendents are a lot nicer. I had to fly an American carrier from Europe last time over and their FA's were real beyotch's. Old as dirt and service was terrible.

Anyone going to the Middle East should try Emirates. Excellent service, nice people and new airplanes.

For what its worth:

I fly a lot and used to fly even more. Twice a month to LHR, SFO and LAX. I usually fly United as they own my hometown airport (Dulles) but have flown BA, Virgin and others. Now I fly once or twice a year to SYD and two or three times to Europe.

As someone earlier suggested check seatguru. Virgin and Icelandair have the worst seats out there- in coach. United's economy plus section- particularly on the 777 (which is now replacing their 747s) is one of the best deals out there. As are BAs and Virgins "super" coach sections. But pure coach generally sucks no matter who you're on.

EOS and Maxjet are definitely bargains (Maxjet was $800 each way from Dulles to London when I checked a few months ago. But they have few planes (which are older) and they don't fly every day of the week.

I definitely don't agree that BA Coach is better than United business. That's crazy. UAL offers a pretty good product usually for for less $. Wife and I are paying $2,200 apiece for RT Barcelona on United and Lufthansa business next month.

ON BA that price was over $5K apiece. You get a lie flat seat in clubworld vs. UALs almost flat business class (which I've taken to Sydney many times and have no trouble sleeping in). Their seat is almost exactly the same as that offered by QANTAS, ANZ, Lufthansa and Air France- (all of whom are upgrading to lie flats). Virgin, not BA, currently offers the best business class to London IMO.

I've had bad (but usually good and sometimes great) service on all of those airlines. But I'll still take a UAL business seat over almost any airlines domestic first class product- including BA- let alone anybody's coach seat.

I can't imagine flying over the Pacific in Economy- when I see those folks back there before landing they look like zombies. Yes you saved $-but ruined at least a day each way- how much is that worth? If you don't have the money and have to go that's one thing- but if you have some $ there are reduced business fares out there all the time that are well worth the $ IMO.

The worst I ever experienced was Pan Am (yes I'm dating myself) IAD to Frankfurt. An eighteen hour tour of Europe in coach with no food or water. Second and most unusual was United IAD to LHR. A passenger died on the flight (yes they were in coach- as were two other deaths and many serious injuries I've seen- I've never seen any in Business or First) they were moved to First and we landed in Shannon (after making cracks about don't eat the chicken). Upon departure from Shannon the #3 wouldn't start. After about three hours we received clearance to London but at a low altitude (why I don't know). Seeing the Irish and English country side that low on a beautiful spring morning almost made up for the delay.

I need to go to Japan in a couple weeks and I'm having a hard time justifying business class. Company policy allows me to fly business class, but my god! $9600 for business vs $1300 for coach!!! Is coach really that bad?