flights to Asia and back

How fellow cruisers..... we have booked a cruise for October 2014 starts from Tokyo to Hong Kong. I have been playing the flight price game trying to find the best way to go and the best flight. I need to book from Las Vegas to Tokyo and then from Honk Kong back to Las Vegas. Seems the prices change up and down every day or so.

Then comes the best seat choice... do I do coach or business class? Is the upgrade really worth it?

so thanks in advance

Uncle Fester sailing for Las Vegas

"Worth it" is a very personal thing. Depends on your budget, need for comfort, etc. I travel business for work (with occasional upgrades to First), and it's wonderful. But I'm not paying for it. When I take personal trips using mileage, I do business. But when I'm actually paying my hard earned money, I travel economy. The price difference for a trip to Asia is often several thousand dollars, and to me I would rather spend that money elsewhere. In the big picture. 12-16 hours isn't long.

Fly CATHAY PACIFIC and select PREMIUM ECONOMY . Great airline and Premium Economy gives you heaps more leg room, better food and wider seat without getting RIPPED OFF for Business Class .

thanks for some great leads on sites to look for deal out there... let me ask this about seats.....

I notice that in business class some planes have these cubicle type seating and some have side by side with extra room.... so the newer ones have the cubicle type seating, but how do you arrange yourself to sit with your wife......??? Oh I know most you might say you don't that's the best part of the seating... LOL but really? do you sit side by side or across the isle..

Thanks in advance once again

Uncle Fester sailing for Las Vegas

thanks for some great leads on sites to look for deal out there... let me ask this about seats.....

 

I notice that in business class some planes have these cubicle type seating and some have side by side with extra room.... so the newer ones have the cubicle type seating, but how do you arrange yourself to sit with your wife......??? Oh I know most you might say you don't that's the best part of the seating... LOL but really? do you sit side by side or across the isle..

 

Thanks in advance once again

 

 

Uncle Fester sailing for Las Vegas

This might help: https://www.google.com/search?q=business+class+seats+on+cathay+pacific+airlines&espv=210&es_sm=122&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=EM0dU5PIKsrxoASN6YHoCQ&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1920&bih=955

thanks for some great leads on sites to look for deal out there... let me ask this about seats.....

 

I notice that in business class some planes have these cubicle type seating and some have side by side with extra room.... so the newer ones have the cubicle type seating, but how do you arrange yourself to sit with your wife......??? Oh I know most you might say you don't that's the best part of the seating... LOL but really? do you sit side by side or across the isle..

 

Thanks in advance once again

 

 

Uncle Fester sailing for Las Vegas

You sit opposite each other that way your heads are close and some even have a divider that can be lowered in the centre section if the plane is divided that way. That is how Air Canada does it.

I'm using Kayak, Hipmunk, and Travelocity nowadays when searching for flights. I also use Google Travel as a resource and Travelzoo for the odd deal (on top of some local YVR deal websites).

For seat selection advice, I use Seat Guru.

I've flown to Asia in biz class for work a couple of times and coach for leisure. Personally, I appreciate extra space in biz class since I'm about 6' tall. My wife, who is about 5'2", was able to fly out on biz class once and she said space isn't a big factor for her. The other perks like a nicer meal, lounge access, priority check-in, etc are nice but at this stage in life, it's not worth double the price for me as I'm willing to "suffer through it" (just knock me out on the plane please :)).

My wife and I have flown the cubicles domestically on biz class reward tix and personally we find that configuration a bit awkward but obviously the space is great.

United gives more space on the premium economy seats. Extra fee is not that great. But only more space, no difference in food. Grams98

Fly CATHAY PACIFIC and select PREMIUM ECONOMY . Great airline and Premium Economy gives you heaps more leg room, better food and wider seat without getting RIPPED OFF for Business Class .

United gives more space on the premium economy seats. Extra fee is not that great.

1. United does not offer premium economy. United's Economy Plus only offers some extra pitch (and therefore "legroom") in a standard economy seat. Cathay Pacific, on the other hand, offers a true premium economy product, which is different from economy in many ways, including the fact that the entire seat is different.
   .
   
2. Business class is a world apart from premium economy, even Cathay Pacific's version (or other comparable premium economy products). Don't make the mistake of thinking that business class is a "rip off" because it's something similar to premium economy but for much more money. It isn't - particularly when you look at a product like Cathay Pacific's newest business class. If you can't afford business class, then you can't afford it (which is our usual condition). But business class is not a "rip off" merely because you can't afford it.

I don't know how much the difference is from the US, but from Australia to Asia or Europe, business class is generally around four times the price of discount economy. Getting my husband to cough up with the extra $12000 for a return to London is my long-term ambition, but I fear it wont be while he is alive!!

Business may not be a rip-off but it is a lot more costly. Unless you work for an airline!

How fellow cruisers..... we have booked a cruise for October 2014 starts from Tokyo to Hong Kong. I have been playing the flight price game trying to find the best way to go and the best flight. I need to book from Las Vegas to Tokyo and then from Honk Kong back to Las Vegas. Seems the prices change up and down every day or so.

Then comes the best seat choice... do I do coach or business class? Is the upgrade really worth it?

 

so thanks in advance

 

 

Uncle Fester sailing for Las Vegas

FWIW, we've flown Delta 3 times in the last 4 years to Europe (and we're booked with them in 2 weeks to Hong Kong). We find them quite comfortable just in the cheapest (coach) class. I'm 6'1" so legroom is often an issue on flights, but so far I've been just fine on A330 planes they usually use. And I love the 2-4-2 seating where we can get 2 seats together on the aisle/window. Makes it easier to get up and stretch when there's just 2 seats together instead of 3.

I know there are better airlines (by most rankings) and better seat classes, but we find such flights perfectly acceptable without spending $hundreds or $thousands more. I'd rather save that money and do more trips.

The flights are looooong, of course. I load up my 10" tablet with TV shows and movies to pass the time. I think I'd go bonkers if I didn't have that to help the time go by, since I just cannot sleep on an airplane.

I'm using Kayak, Hipmunk, and Travelocity nowadays when searching for flights. I also use Google Travel as a resource and Travelzoo for the odd deal (on top of some local YVR deal websites).

 

For seat selection advice, I use Seat Guru.

 

I've flown to Asia in biz class for work a couple of times and coach for leisure. Personally, I appreciate extra space in biz class since I'm about 6' tall. My wife, who is about 5'2", was able to fly out on biz class once and she said space isn't a big factor for her. The other perks like a nicer meal, lounge access, priority check-in, etc are nice but at this stage in life, it's not worth double the price for me as I'm willing to "suffer through it" (just knock me out on the plane please :)).

 

My wife and I have flown the cubicles domestically on biz class reward tix and personally we find that configuration a bit awkward but obviously the space is great.

For the 4 transatlantic or transpacific flights I've been in recent years, I've found Ortitz had the best fare. But it's certainly worth checking them all, plus the airlines own website. (Expedia too). It's just so hit and miss. Just have to keep checking over and over and over.

I'm with you on the price. 10-12 hours of modest discomfort is worth it to save $thousands, as long as it's not TOO bad. That savings can pay for a whole extra vacation in some cases. I'll gladly make that trade-off.

I think I'd go bonkers if I didn't have that to help the time go by, since I just cannot sleep on an airplane.

Show me a flat surface and I'm out cold LOL

I am SO looking forward to my mileage BC seat on Cathay Pacific. I do sleep in economy but restless. I'm suspecting I"ll sleep like a babe when I'm lying flat in BC

Fly CATHAY PACIFIC and select PREMIUM ECONOMY . Great airline and Premium Economy gives you heaps more leg room, better food and wider seat without getting RIPPED OFF for Business Class .

I'll second that. We just did it. Into Bangkok and out of Singapore, both through Hong Kong. We had the exit door seats, on the left side, right at the front of the section. No seat pocket, but we had about three feet of legroom in front of us.

We are booked on the Millenium Japan to Hong Kong to Singapore departing October 23. We are also from Las Vegas and we are flying Philippine Air Business Class. It isn't a bank breaker. Decided to try it. We have also flown premium economy on BA to Cape Town and found that very satisfactory.

EKP

Las Vegas

We are booked on the Millenium Japan to Hong Kong to Singapore departing October 23. We are also from Las Vegas and we are flying Philippine Air Business Class. It isn't a bank breaker. Decided to try it. We have also flown premium economy on BA to Cape Town and found that very satisfactory.

EKP

Las Vegas

The updated BA premium economy is quite nice. The older version is "meh", and I think there are still versions of that out there. But flying BA from Las Vegas to Tokyo is far from the best routing! ;)

try routehapppy dot com

thanks for routehappy dot com. pretty interesting and some reviews I had not read.

Spent hours trying to find routing with plane that has 2-4-2(my daughters request) seating for our upcoming Oct. Tokyo/Singapore cruise. Found best prices doing major cities only for my departure. Leaving my Minneapolis flight to book separately, really saved money over searching from Msp. Ended up booking ANA airways out of San Fran. Just my 2cents worth. Good luck...

United gives more space on the premium economy seats. Extra fee is not that great. But only more space, no difference in food. Grams98

We used this option on United for Washington DC to Beijing. I thought it worth the $125 or so fee -- especially coming back home when the economy section was pretty full and the economy + empty enough to not share a row if you didn't want to. Those who offer Premium Economy are more expensive. I will spend upwards $300 for extra room and quiet of E + but can't push the budget to almost double for premium economy even better food and drink.

I have to agree with the person who said they just zone out for the hours it takes to get there and make due so that I can be in the back of the plane for another adventure later!!

Spent hours trying to find routing with plane that has 2-4-2(my daughters request) seating for our upcoming Oct. Tokyo/Singapore cruise. Found best prices doing major cities only for my departure. Leaving my Minneapolis flight to book separately, really saved money over searching from Msp. Ended up booking ANA airways out of San Fran. Just my 2cents worth. Good luck...

I have found that too -- do the domestic separately and usually you can save yourself some. There are risks to this as you need plenty of time between your domestic flight and international flight as the tickets are not linked. I now for my health and comfort prefer to have a "day off" between flight segments.

My thought process for planning flights is 1. find best flight from somewhere in the US to somewhere close to where I want to be -- for Europe it would probably be Frankfort/London/ Amsterdam/Madrid possibly Dublin. For Asia probably Tokyo/Hong Kong/ Seoul entry points 2 Expand that out -- can I add another flight to get closer to destination and what is the cost ration/time spent 3. Keep playing with it trying many combinations using tools such as ITA and routehappydotcom and SeatGuru. Sometimes you find something sweet. I have "saved" thousands. Sometimes you just buy the best you can find even if not really perfect. Sometimes one ticket sometimes individual segments each on own ticket. What works on one trip not working on different set of needs. It is a puzzle and when you have YOUR solution it is very satisfying. I hear tell some people do not like this process but hard for me to believe as this is very fun and interesting for me and I spend hours planning on each trip.

Finally make a decision and live with it. What you choose depends on you alone and what is important for you (time/money/comfort/schedule). Then BE HAPPY! You have the opportunity to explore new places.

Well I made out real good.... going to Tokyo I got first class on Singapore using points... on the way back I have Cathay in business class again all on points.... just waiting to update to first on that flight...... even did points for the hotel... always wondered why I saved all those points and now I know.... love it.... almost free....

Uncle Fester sailing from Las Vegas

Married on Monarch of the Sea 07-07-07

Celebrity

Princess

RC

Carnival

NCL

I fly to Seoul every other year or so. It is a 14 hour flight from DC or 12 from San Francisco going to Seoul. I find the aurline and in flight entertainment makes all the difference between comfortable flight and painfully aware of how long you have been sitting. Also, I've found just about every non US based airline has better service and food (than a US owned one). My favorite airline is usually Singapore Air and they usually have the cheapest flight so added bonus.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Forums mobile app

I make about a dozen trans-Pacific and trans-Atlantic flights every year.

If I cannot fly Business or First, I won't fly.

If I have to go on a US Flag airline, I won't fly.

For Trans-Atlantic, I will consider Virgin, any of the Middle Eastern companies, or Air France. Lufthansa is OK if I cannot book the others.

For Trans-Pacific, I will look at ANA, Cathay Pacific, or Singapore Air. Korean Air has Krug Vintage Champagne in Business and First (US$400 per bottle in my home town), so I am often tempted by that.