UA first class or Air NZ business

To all the experts out there:

I am currently booked on Air NZ business class (Boeing 777-200) from YVR/AKL and have a chance to score First on UA (777-200) non stop from SFO/AKL. The reviews I've read about UA First is not great. Should I stick with Air NZ (SFO/YVR/AKL) or make the switch? Using miles. First class would be 220,000 on UA one way for 2 vs 160,000 for business on Air Canada and Air NZ.

Thoughts?

I have flown UA F to SFO-SYD-SFO, in the 777, and elsewhere on the 747. United First is not world leading First Class, but as you are now adding an extra 5 or 6 hours by going through YVR, it becomes an absolute no brainer to me. Take United.

Plus you get the Global First Lounge at SFO.

The 777 is only intermittently on that route anymore for United. Two class 787 is more common.

NZ will be the better experience, IMO. I've done international F on a lot of different airlines and UA is pretty disappointing, and their lounges are woeful (apart from the new lounge in London which obviously won't apply here!).

The only plus for UA experience wise is that the seat itself (the cushioning) is very comfortable indeed.

Personally I don't mind connections or doing things a little out of the way to get a better experience. Isn't the same for everyone though.

Personally I don't mind connections or doing things a little out of the way to get a better experience. Isn't the same for everyone though.

Agree - my home airport always forces me into connections anyways, so I usually put overall experience over directness when looking at flights.

Another thing to note is that NZ business rewards seats are among the most difficult Star Alliance rewards to get - I personally have never found any just in my personal searches - while UA F is pretty easy to find. I'd be very reluctant to give up the NZ J seats.

Personally I don't mind connections or doing things a little out of the way to get a better experience. Isn't the same for everyone though.

That said, the SFO-xYVR-AKL trip is going to be several hours longer (it's 20% farther) than the nonstop, and that's not chicken feed.

I have flown on an Air New Zealand 777 LAX to AKL in Business Class. It was a superior experience for me and their LAX Lounge, while not the world's best, had everything that this cruiser flying to a cruise could have even wanted. I have not flown in United's First Class anywhere for many, many years.

Itheir LAX Lounge, while not the world's best, had everything that this cruiser flying to a cruise could have even wanted.

:confused: What does that mean?

:confused: What does that mean?

I think it means that the T2 NZ lounge was sufficient for his needs.

OTOH, I look forward to (and seek out) the massages, spa treatments, dining spreads and huge bars found in many of the better lounges out there. I'm particularly fond of the bartenders, the spirits collection and their concoctions found at the Virgin Clubhouse at LHR.

There are great lounges, good ones, OK ones and those that are barely better than being out in the gate area. And a few that were worse.

:confused: What does that mean?

FlyerTalker's response to your question is exactly what I meant. (Thank you FlyerTalker!)

The ANZ Lounge had a more than adequate supply of food and drink. One could have had dinner prior to boarding the plane, if one so wished. No bartender, but an open bar with plenty of selections. Attendants who were courteous, informative, and helpful. A good selection of reading material, TV's, well stocked and clean restrooms, and comfortable seating. Window views of what was taking place on the tarmac around the terminal provided interesting watching for me.

Was the Lounge equal to the Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge in Singapore? No. But, it most certainly is better than sitting at the Gate waiting for one's flight! As I said, it met my needs and expectations.

We flew ANZ SFO to AKL to MEL and then AKL to LAX last year in Premium Economy on their 777-300s. The service was better than ANYTHING we ever experienced on UA in any class. I can't speak about lounges but the on board service and food beat the pants off of UA and we just in PE. 60,000 miles i s a lot of savings too.

I find it interesting that you have found such wide open saver award availability on any of the routes you are listing that you have the luxury of polling an internet bulletin board for pros/cons. Premium cabin saver awards on any airline from Mainland North America to Australia/New Zealand are some of the toughest awards to confirm, especially if you want two seats.

Is this is merely an academic question assuming the world is your oyster and all these seats are available? Just because the award chart lists X for saver has no bearing on whether there is inventory available to book it. If you find two saver tickets in a premium cabin SNAP THEM UP ASAP!

I find it interesting that you have found such wide open saver award availability on any of the routes you are listing that you have the luxury of polling an internet bulletin board for pros/cons. Premium cabin saver awards on any airline from Mainland North America to Australia/New Zealand are some of the toughest awards to confirm, especially if you want two seats.

 

Is this is merely an academic question assuming the world is your oyster and all these seats are available? Just because the award chart lists X for saver has no bearing on whether there is inventory available to book it. If you find two saver tickets in a premium cabin SNAP THEM UP ASAP!

I'm not the OP, but she's a good friend of mine. She started out in economy on the UA nonstop, then a couple months ago obtained the saver award AC/NZ business class seats SFO-YVR-AKL. Then the day she started this thread she saw the two FC seats on UA become available while doing her daily search. She ended up going with UA for the sake of nonstop. So, no, it wasn't an academic question, but a real time situation.

Agreed these precious saver awards to the Down Under are few and far between. However she's a very sweet soul who deserves the best, so I'm going to say it was her good karma more than anything else! :D