Best First Class LAX to Venice?

If money was not a factor, which airline would you choose to fly from Los Angeles to Venice using First Class?

We have been overseas only once and flew BA in the "new" First Class - when it was NEW a couple of years ago....It was nice but wonder if there were better options? I have heard at Air France has a nice product and even personal escort to and from planes- which might be using as we will have to transfer at some point.....also Lufthansa is an option.....

We enjoyed the Dreamliner a couple of times and have also heard good things about the new Airbus.....

So.....any advice from you more experienced flyers would be appreciated! Also we would of course fly in at least a day before to a oil missing the ship.....and may add a day or two in Venice at the beginning or end of the cruise.

Thanks in advance in helping us spend our children's inheritance!

Well, nobody flies first class all the way to Venice; you'd have to "downgrade" to business class at some point, and most European airlines' shorthaul business class is basically coach seats where the middle seats of the 3 x 3 are left empty.

From LAX you have a few options of "true" international first class nonstop to Europe - BA, United or American to London, Air France to Paris, Swiss International to Zurich and Lufthansa to Munich and Frankfurt, and I think that's it. I suppose you could also include Emirates to Dubai, but that's awfully far out of your way. Of course in business class your options increase, as would changing planes someplace in the US.

Lufthansa has its ramp limos in Frankfurt, BA has the Concorde lounge at Heathrow - there are many perks associated with true first class. Whether the huge bump in price over business class (around double) is worth it is a judgement only you can make.

If it was me and I didn't have any mileage program loyalty, I'd go with Swiss to Zurich or Lufthansa to Munich (don't like FRA). Or, for around the same money or less, I'd buy a business class round-the-world ticket and get 16 flights in business or first class over the course of a year, and make a Venice cruise part of a bucket-list trip that could include Africa, Asia, South America or Australia/NZ.

I would go BA only for the CCR at LHR. Make sure you leave enough layover for a shower and massage, and don't forget about the cabanas if you have a longer layover.

If money was not a factor I wouldn't fly commercial.

If money was not a factor I wouldn't fly commercial.

ding ding ding....we have a winner. :p

I agree with the ding, ding, but since I suspect money is somewhat of an object, I wonder if on Air France the portion of the flight from CDG to Venice would be on a private jet? I know they publicize that for Le Premiere passengers but since I am only able to fly first on points, I've never done the research to know what the requirements are to get that upgrade.

Regarding BA First, the price isn't double (at least IAH>LRH), Biz is $5,300 and First is $6,300 which given the bad reviews of the Biz class seating doesn't seem unreasonable to get a more private seat....at least that was my thinking when I decided to use points to fly First rather than biz next April.

I would go BA only for the CCR at LHR. Make sure you leave enough layover for a shower and massage, and don't forget about the cabanas if you have a longer layover.

How long is long enough to warrant a cabana? We are scheduled to land at LHR at 8:30 and depart for IAH at 13:05.

Regarding BA First, the price isn't double (at least IAH>LRH), Biz is $5,300 and First is $6,300 which given the bad reviews of the Biz class seating doesn't seem unreasonable to get a more private seat....at least that was my thinking when I decided to use points to fly First rather than biz next April.

All depends on the fares you're looking at. The same as economy there are a number of different fare buckets in J and F. If you were to look at fully flexible it'd be far more than $6300 return. My regular route between JFK and LHR is more than $10,000 one way in F on occasion.

As for the cabana I've used them but don't think they're that amazing and wouldn't put any time limit as to when you should or should not use them. I've found it must faster to get drinks and snacks from the bar than in the cabana and for the real food it's better to be in the Concorde Dining section. If you want to nap then a cabana would be better, although when I was in the CCR a few weeks ago there were so many people camped out sleeping across couches it felt like a third world bus station.

How long is long enough to warrant a cabana? We are scheduled to land at LHR at 8:30 and depart for IAH at 13:05.

They don't put a time frame on it. Figure 30 minutes to get though the airport and to the CCR and get checked in... If you will need a shower and/or nap I would probably book one. Otherwise I wouldn't bother. Have breakfast, have a massage, sit in the terrace and drink Champagne, and you'll easily kill the majority of your time. My opinion.

I would go BA only for the CCR at LHR. Make sure you leave enough layover for a shower and massage, and don't forget about the cabanas if you have a longer layover.

Be careful about assuming you will connect out of T5. Apparently BA is pushing all the cruise intensive ports to T3 which negates the CCR benefit. I just connected Sunday and was stopped at the Fast Track line saying that BCN has been relocated to T3. I think a lot of the summer season flights have been transferred to T3.

My vote would be to fly some USA carrier to JFK, then connect on Etihad to Abu Dhabi, then back to Venice. Book the Etihad Residence between JFK and AUH, which is a three room suite (living room, bedroom and bath w/shower) complete with both a butler and a personal chef.

Don't know who has anything to top that, other than flying in your own jet.

Details on the Residence are HERE.

PS: Perhaps Donald Trump could loan you his 757.

Be careful about assuming you will connect out of T5. Apparently BA is pushing all the cruise intensive ports to T3 which negates the CCR benefit. I just connected Sunday and was stopped at the Fast Track line saying that BCN has been relocated to T3. I think a lot of the summer season flights have been transferred to T3.

Good to know. We are looking at a travel itinerary that takes us from CDG though several countries and then return out of MAD. We were toying with using BA, but will probably just take AA Envoy to and from.

Good to know. We are looking at a travel itinerary that takes us from CDG though several countries and then return out of MAD. We were toying with using BA, but will probably just take AA Envoy to and from.

There's a fair amount of buzz about what USdbaAA is going to do with some A332s being liberated from US routes that are being scrapped or downguaged, such as PHL-TLV (scrapped.) They might start turning up on some routes currently being served with geriatric 767s, so stay tuned. There's probably going to be a lot of fleet scrambling over the next few months.

The 772 and 773 are so much nicer than the disappointing 767.

They don't put a time frame on it. Figure 30 minutes to get though the airport and to the CCR and get checked in... If you will need a shower and/or nap I would probably book one. Otherwise I wouldn't bother. Have breakfast, have a massage, sit in the terrace and drink Champagne, and you'll easily kill the majority of your time. My opinion.

Thanks....since we will be early morning, we won't bother with a cabana.

My vote would be to fly some USA carrier to JFK, then connect on Etihad to Abu Dhabi, then back to Venice. Book the Etihad Residence between JFK and AUH, which is a three room suite (living room, bedroom and bath w/shower) complete with both a butler and a personal chef.

 

Don't know who has anything to top that, other than flying in your own jet.

 

Details on the Residence are HERE.

 

PS: Perhaps Donald Trump could loan you his 757.

The Residence is booked......already checked!

Apparently BA is pushing all the cruise intensive ports to T3 ...