Question for first class flyers

[Callymum]

We fly 1st Class with BA all the time with our son, he's well behaved and is quiet as a mouse because he is kept busy with TV/video etc.

 

[mefordis]

I'm thinking with kids it's best to stop over in LAX for a couple of nights before going onto Hawaii. Now I'm thinking two flights. I don't think 11 hour flight would work well with my 4 year old.

Just so you realize premium cabin rewards to Hawaii are EXTREMELY hard to come by especially if you are looking for more than a single premium seat on any flight. EWR nonstop to HNL is serviced by an international configuered (big seats with leg rests) plane and is one of the hardest award options. If you can find space on the EWR-LAX-HNL is generally serviced by an old "Hawaii config" plane which is a bigger seat but a very blah seat.

If you are planning on looking for saver biz/first awards to Hawaii I would first try to secure the actual award. More than likely you won't even find coach award space, much less multiple premium cabin seats on the same flight

 

[prncess674]

I'm thinking with kids it's best to stop over in LAX for a couple of nights before going onto Hawaii. Now I'm thinking two flights. I don't think 11 hour flight would work well with my 4 year old.

That is going to require 2 separate awards if you want a stopover in both direction. United only allows one stopover, not two, so in order to stop over in both direction it would cost:

4people x 50,0000 roundtrip first EWR-LAX=200,000
4peoplex 80,0000 rountrip saver first LAX-HNL=320,000
For a grand total 520,000 miles.

Frankly that is one the worst use of miles that I have ever heard of, even if you decide to stopover in only one direction, the trip will be 320,000 and that is ASSUMING you can get 4 roundtrip saver awards.

 

[mefordis]

thank you so much for the advice! Okay, what do you think I should do? We have 700,000 miles accumulated. Use the miles for upgrade one leg? The LAX leg?

That is going to require 2 separate awards if you want a stopover in both direction. United only allows one stopover, not two, so in order to stop over in both direction it would cost:

4people x 50,0000 roundtrip first EWR-LAX=200,000
4peoplex 80,0000 rountrip saver first LAX-HNL=320,000
For a grand total 520,000 miles.

Frankly that is one the worst use of miles that I have ever heard of, even if you decide to stopover in only one direction, the trip will be 320,000 and that is ASSUMING you can get 4 roundtrip saver awards.

 

[prncess674]

thank you so much for the advice! Okay, what do you think I should do? We have 700,000 miles accumulated. Use the miles for upgrade one leg? The LAX leg?

700K is a lot of miles, but frankly if I were trying to fly to Hawaii, my first suggestion is to look online and see what is even available for your preferred dates of travel. Also understand that BEST case scenario for an F award is 320K if you decide to fly with only one stopover, but that scenario is rarely available. If you absolutely are set on First to Hawaii with a stopover in both directions, it could run as high as 1.4 million miles assuming that you have to use standard miles for all legs. (standard awards have no blocking but cost double the miles)

Hawaii is a bad use of miles IMHO. 700K is the equivalent of 7 saver awards to Europe, which are MUCH nicer planes and amenities. Since you are 2Adults/2 children I would just suck it up and fly coach all the way for 40K roundtrip (with maybe a stop in LAX on way out) for a grand total of 160K and save the rest of the miles for another trip.

Do you have an endless supply of miles? Are you churning credit cards? How long did it take you to accumulate 700K. Right now I have 1.2 Million in my United account and I love my family ALOT but there is no way in Hades that I would blow half my wad of miles on a vacation to Hawaii.

If you give specific dates of travel I can help you see what is available.

 

[DopeyDame]

Thank you so much for the info! I haven't booked yet because this is going to be a November trip, I think. I would really like those lay flat beds. Any chance of taking a flight that has them? What type of aircraft has them? 757s? They don't even have them if you are flying straight to Honolulu? We are flying out of EWR.

Nope - no way they'll have the lay-flat beds to Hawaii, unfortunately. Some international flights don't even have them. We were on Chicago-Tokyo and they were in both business and first.

 

[prncess674]

Here is what a United Hawaii config seat looks like on the LAX-HNL route.

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/apr/03/travel/la-tr-seatcomfort-20110403

If you think it is worth it for what is pictured above, then go for it.

 

[mefordis]

I am tentatively thinking last two weeks of August, before the kids go to school.

We have a Chase Continental card we use for everything (no balance in case people are wondering!)

I just heard the expression churning credit cards. Is that worth looking into? We do have high 700's credit scores which I read you need to have to do this.

700K is a lot of miles, but frankly if I were trying to fly to Hawaii, my first suggestion is to look online and see what is even available for your preferred dates of travel. Also understand that BEST case scenario for an F award is 320K if you decide to fly with only one stopover, but that scenario is rarely available. If you absolutely are set on First to Hawaii with a stopover in both directions, it could run as high as 1.4 million miles assuming that you have to use standard miles for all legs. (standard awards have no blocking but cost double the miles)

Hawaii is a bad use of miles IMHO. 700K is the equivalent of 7 saver awards to Europe, which are MUCH nicer planes and amenities. Since you are 2Adults/2 children I would just suck it up and fly coach all the way for 40K roundtrip (with maybe a stop in LAX on way out) for a grand total of 160K and save the rest of the miles for another trip.

Do you have an endless supply of miles? Are you churning credit cards? How long did it take you to accumulate 700K. Right now I have 1.2 Million in my United account and I love my family ALOT but there is no way in Hades that I would blow half my wad of miles on a vacation to Hawaii.

If you give specific dates of travel I can help you see what is available.

 

[mefordis]

Hey, I just found this flight in August: I'm going to read your article now! Thanks!



4 Award 480,000 Miles
Additional Taxes/Fees $30.00
Total Price 480,000 Miles and $30.00
Sun., Aug. 19, 2012 | New York/Newark, NJ (EWR - Liberty) to Honolulu, HI (HNL)
Depart:
1:00 p.m.
Sun., Aug. 19, 2012
New York/Newark, NJ (EWR - Liberty)
Arrive:
3:41 p.m.
Sun., Aug. 19, 2012
Los Angeles, CA (LAX)
Flight Time:
5 hr 41 mn
Flight: UA17
Aircraft: Boeing 757-200
Fare Class: United First (ZN)
Meal: Food for Purchase
No Special Meal Offered.
Change Planes. Connect time in Los Angeles, CA (LAX) is 1 hour 19 minutes.
Depart:
5:00 p.m.
Sun., Aug. 19, 2012
Los Angeles, CA (LAX)
Arrive:
7:45 p.m.
Sun., Aug. 19, 2012
Honolulu, HI (HNL)
Flight Time:
5 hr 45 mn

Travel Time:
12 hr 45 mn
Flight: UA1543
Aircraft: Boeing 757-300
Fare Class: United First (ZN)

Thu., Aug. 30, 2012 | Honolulu, HI (HNL) to New York/Newark, NJ (EWR - Liberty)
Depart:
7:25 p.m.
Thu., Aug. 30, 2012
Honolulu, HI (HNL)
Arrive:
11:05 a.m. +1 Day
Fri., Aug. 31, 2012
New York/Newark, NJ (EWR - Liberty)
Travel Time:
9 hr 40 mn
Flight: UA14
Aircraft: Boeing 767-400ER
Fare Class: United First (I)

 

[prncess674]

I am tentatively thinking last two weeks of August, before the kids go to school.

We have a Chase Continental card we use for everything (no balance in case people are wondering!)

I just heard the expression churning credit cards. Is that worth looking into? We do have high 700's credit scores which I read you need to have to do this.

anytime kids are out of school and you are looking for tickets to a vacation destination then you are looking for a very difficult award. Would you be willing to split up on different flights ie 1A/1C on each flight?

If you are interested about earning miles as a beginner, I suggest you start reading up on the site "Mommy Points" since she gives basic advice for newbie miles collectors. Learning to churn takes time and patience.

http://boardingarea.com/blogs/mommypoints/

 

[DeaverTex]

I admit that I've been amused watching this thread about a prime example of a first world problem -- kids in first class. Send anyone who complains back to join us in steerage. One good two-hour flight with their knees tucked under their chin and the next time they fly first class they won't complain if your four year old practices the bagpipes in the next seat.

 

[islandmum]

Do you get upset when you see kids in First Class on your flight?

nope - its not like First Class on international carriers with lie-flat beds, suites, bars etc, where it really is a more adult environment... US carriers first class is just bigger seats - not an exclusive, pampered adult environment. Infact the first class on these type flights isnt even near comparable to international carriers business class seats or environment so I doubt anyone is fussed to have kids there.

Look at British Airways / Emirates etc on many routes business and first class (the proper versions of) are packed with families and kids, no complaints I've ever had.

heres mine in Emirates business class, lots of other kids there too, they just zinged the lie-flats up and down virtually all flight ..... who needs games!

 

[drag n' fly]

Dh is Super Elite with Air Canada so we often get to fly first class for free with his credit upgrades. We always book all three kids in first class also. Now mind you my kids are older 18, 15 and 9. However on my last flight to LAX I was in first class with a young family and enjoyed the little fellas. I have found in cases where if kids are antsy and are in first class the attendants always have a few magic cards up their sleeve to keep them entertained. The same behaviour that is expected in coach is also expected in first class and they have every right to be there

 

[Pixie Dust for Me!]

Back in the day, I flew first class with my infant son on TWA from STL to Washington DC. When we got on the plane and I put him in his infant carrier at the window seat the jerk in front of me instantly began to bellyache that he didn't pay $X to have a screaming kid ruin his flight.

I had gotten these tickets with miles...2 tickets! I tried to let it slide but jerk wanted to whine about it loudly. The Flight Attendant came over to see if I needed anything, heard the jerk and said, "the only one fussing here is you."

Jerk proceeded to be a jerk the entire flight. Luckily, my DS never uttered one cry. He slept the whole way and was as good as gold. Needless to say when I got off the plane I asked Jerk if he was going to refund the cost of my flight because he fussed the whole way and my baby never uttered a peep.

We flew 1st class several other times after until TWA was no more...today, we fly Southwest and love it. I hate un-American Airlines and won't fly them -- I'd rather walk! When I fly internationally, I usually try to fly BA or another European airline cause the legacy carriers are just awful.

K

 

[islandmum]

wow - I just had to go see what US airlines are charging for their "first class" fares ....

LAX to Honolulu return is only $1500!!!!! which is the same price as coach from florida to London on European carriers, very similar flight time.

First class from Florida to London on European carriers with their level of "first class" (in this case British Airways) ..... that'll be $16,800

yes - $16,800 PER PERSON!

I think airlines like United, AA, etc are being rather misleading when classing it as "first class", its only marginally better than coach, but hardly "first class", does make me chuckle.

 

[DeltaDiamond001]

I always fly first/business, and have never had an issue seeing children sitting in the first class cabin.

Flying first for me isn't as much of a luxury as a necessity. I'm 6'1" and overweight (not severely overweight, but my bone structure makes it so I cannot even sit in a coach seat without raising the center armrest; I carry most of my excess weight in front.)

To me, it's worth the additional cost to be assured of a larger seat, and not having the issue of infringing on someone else's space.

Oh yeah, and those first class suites on Emirates? Awesome.

 

[DopeyDame]

wow - I just had to go see what US airlines are charging for their "first class" fares ....

LAX to Honolulu return is only $1500!!!!! which is the same price as coach from florida to London on European carriers, very similar flight time.

First class from Florida to London on European carriers with their level of "first class" (in this case British Airways) ..... that'll be $16,800

yes - $16,800 PER PERSON!

I think airlines like United, AA, etc are being rather misleading when classing it as "first class", its only marginally better than coach, but hardly "first class", does make me chuckle.

I think you're actually being really unfair to the US airlines in your comparison. US airline's international routes (long haul, not really including Canada and Mexico) are very different than their domestic routes. the service and amenities are very much comperable to BA (as are the prices.) Hawaii, regardless of distance, is a DOMESTIC route. I doubt BA's flights from London to Paris (treating intra-Europe as domestic) is anything as fancy as it's US-London flight.

I've recently flown United to Asia and Korean Air to Asia. The experiences were very similar. And my seat in first class on United was at least as nice, if not nicer, than the picture you posted above. My sister was in business on the same flight, and her seat was comperable to what you posted (lay-flat and everything). (We were on employee passes, so my family was all over the airplane.)

I often hear people RAVE about their international experiences on foreign airlines and compare it to their New York-Orlando flight (for example) on US airlines, and it's really not a fair comparison at all.

 

[Chelley00]

DD and I flew first class to Orlando, and she was way more well behaved than the drunk guy (at 8am) who talked so loud the whole plane could hear his conversation to the poor guy next to him. He talked about strip clubs and alcohol and cheating on his wife. It was horrid, and no matter how many times the flight attendant came over, he never quieted down. Thank goodness it's only a 2 hour flight or I would have tackled him and tied his mouth shut. DD never heard him. She had noise canceling headphones on watching a movie. I had the cheapie headphones and the music just wouldn't get loud enough to cover up his crap.

I don't like anyone being loud or obnoxious on a flight.....no matter what the age.

 

[mefordis]

This looks pretty good but would not work with my 4 year old -- to divided and private. She'd want to be closer to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB66V2wjlVA

 

[islandmum]

I think you're actually being really unfair to the US airlines in your comparison. Hawaii, regardless of distance, is a DOMESTIC route. I doubt BA's flights from London to Paris (treating intra-Europe as domestic) is anything as fancy as it's US-London flight.

.

but they dont have "first class" on short haul flights, so when they say first class on long-haul they mean it - you get first class.

Calling that "first class" on the domestic route ...... I think they're having a joke at everyones expense!