Flight from NZ or AU to LAX..Best one?

[janmcn]

To return to Los Angeles after a cruise from LA to NZ (we'll be returning from Australia at that point) which airline, in your opinions, have the best service/planes? We have American Airlines points that we can use for Business Class...if available on Qantas, or we can just pay the fare...depends on the airline.

Jan McN

[Globaliser]

When will this be for? At the moment, you'd probably be better off on Qantas than Air New Zealand as far as business class is concerned, because QF has its flat beds on all its trans-Pacific aircraft already, but NZ is still in the process of fitting flat beds and that process won't be complete until some time in the middle of next year, IIRC. But if you think you can be confident about getting a NZ flat bed, then it'll be a very familiar debate about the difference between a flat-but-at-an-angle seat in a conventional layout on QF, or a flat and horizontal bed on NZ in a layout that doesn't have seats next to each other in a conventional way.

[Aussie Gal]

janmcn,

 

I have flown on both airlines and the service on both is excellent.

 

If you are flying from Sydney or Melbourne, you can get a direct flight to L.A on Qantas, whereas if you are flying Air New Zealand, you will have to stop in Auckland, so that is an extra stop on the long flight home.

 

With regards to using F.F. points on Qantas. Be aware that we can book the F.F. seats 350 days out from departure. If you are thinking of trying to get the seats remember that they go very quickly.

 

I have just booked all our Qantas F.F. flights, including the ones in the States using AA. for next year. We are leaving in September and these were booked back in October and the flights leaving the U.S. in November have just been booked this week, so you can see to get the seats you need to get in early. We are flying Business Class and I know that they don't release many seats per flight.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Jennie