Update inside: Is economy in A380 better than business class in an older plane?

[gamefreakgcb]

I'm trying to book a return trip from Johannesburg, South Africa to NYC. I will be using United miles to book a tickets and the difference will be about $200 between an economy and business class. The other difference seems to be that no business class seats are available on an A380, only on other flights (A340, 777, etc.). I have never flown in business class before but have heard that the experience on an A380 is miles better than the other planes. My trip from NYC to JNB is business class and one leg of the journey is a business class seat on an A380, but I cannot wait till then to decide what type of ticket I should book. If you want me to provide what types of flights are available on that day, I can post some screenshots later.

Thanks.

Update: Am trying to decide between these two flights.

Just to clarify, this is being booked through United Miles. The difference is 20,000 points (which I equate at a minimum to 1c per point/mile)

 

[jagec]

Would you rather sit here:

Or here?

It's hard to imagine a scenario where business class wouldn't be better than economy, unless the interior hasn't been updated since 1980.

 

[randomrogue]

Is it a morning or evening departure? I think this can make a big difference. That's a 15 hour flight to New York. I've done a 12 hour flight to J'burg and it left in the evening and showed up in the morning so it was one of the easiest flights I've taken. A $200 difference is nothing but I'd probably choose an evening departure over a morning departure first and then see what you have to choose from.

 

[gamefreakgcb]

Is it a morning or evening departure? I think this can make a big difference. That's a 15 hour flight to New York. I've done a 12 hour flight to J'burg and it left in the evening and showed up in the morning so it was one of the easiest flights I've taken. A $200 difference is nothing but I'd probably choose an evening departure over a morning departure first and then see what you have to choose from.

Everything leaves in the evening. Between 6PM and 8PM.

 

[randomrogue]

Google A380 economy class. It looks like any other economy class. For $200 get into Business class pronto. You've never flown business so it'll be enjoyable regardless of which plane you're on.

 

[ichy]

Business class is always better than coach.

/thread.

 

[randomrogue]

Oh and J'burg is straight up ghetto. Get out of there if you can.

 

[Slew Foot]

$200? thats dirt cheap for an upgrade

 

[ichy]

Oh and J'burg is straight up ghetto. Get out of there if you can.

At least the OP probably isn't a woman. Rape is South Africa's national pastime.

 

[randomrogue]

South Africa is a awesome country if you're a tourist though. One of my favorites. I can't wait to go back.

Just not Jo'burg. I would feel more safe walking through the streets of Oakland or Compton at night than Jo'burg. I got caught once on the streets at night but a nice shop owner locked me inside until a cab would finally show up.

 

[GTaudiophile]

I would use United.com to see if you could book a Star Alliance flight. Perhaps JNB to FRA to NYC on Lufthansa?

While A380 is a quiet AC with higher cabin humidity (like the 747-8i and 787), most people I know who have flown it in Y class have felt like cattle. It's just really big with lots of people and every process just takes that much longer.

In terms of 777 vs. A340-300/600, then I typically prefer the 777 experience. But if you are also talking J class on South African (A340) vs. UAL (777) then I would try the former.

 

[ichy]

South Africa is a awesome country if you're a tourist though. One of my favorites. I can't wait to go back.

Just not Jo'burg. I would feel more safe walking through the streets of Oakland or Compton at night than Jo'burg. I got caught once on the streets at night but a nice shop owner locked me inside until a cab would finally show up.

All of South Africa's cities are crime-ridden. Cape Town may not be has bad as Johannesburg but it is not safe by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[gamefreakgcb]

I would use United.com to see if you could book a Star Alliance flight. Perhaps JNB to FRA to NYC on Lufthansa?

While A380 is a quiet AC with higher cabin humidity (like the 747-8i and 787), most people I know who have flown it in Y class have felt like cattle. It's just really big with lots of people and every process just takes that much longer.

In terms of 777 vs. A340-300/600, then I typically prefer the 777 experience. But if you are also talking J class on South African (A340) vs. UAL (777) then I would try the former.

That's what I'm doing. I'm using it to book on alliance airline.

 

[gamefreakgcb]

OK guys. Business class it is!

 

[poncherelli2]

OK guys. Business class it is!

The SA flights in business class are nice, but that stop in Dakar sucks. They wake you up half way through the fly (middle of the night, everyone is sleeping), spray you with bug spray because they open the cabin doors and mosquitoes come in, turn on all the lights, and check your passport. I think the JNB-JFK flight no longer has the tech stop, so if you can find availablity, thats preferrable.

Also, the A380 is overrated. I don't like the huge cabins, and at least on LH, its the same business class product as the 744/A340. I think only the 747-8 and some new A330s have the newest product.

 

[Red Squirrel]

As long as it's a window seat I would not really care either way. They both will bring you to the same destination and offer the same amazing view while getting there. Well both pieces of the plane might land slightly in different destinations if something goes wrong.

 

[randomrogue]

All of South Africa's cities are crime-ridden. Cape Town may not be has bad as Johannesburg but it is not safe by any stretch of the imagination.

I agree. I saw some serious crime when I was there. However it's a lot better than Johannesburg and the crime is mostly confined to the townships. Despite all this though in the several months I was there I had a great time. I got robbed but I didn't get hurt in Durban.

 

[randomrogue]

OP anyway for you to get a non-stop flight? That's a brutal schedule you got there. Brutal!

 

[GTaudiophile]

Lufthansa 744 service is lame. It's half what the 748 service now offers on those routes.

 

[dullard]

OP anyway for you to get a non-stop flight? That's a brutal schedule you got there. Brutal!

Last I checked, the only non-stops from Johannesburg were to Atlanta. That still doesn't help the OP much. But it has been a year since I looked into flights to/from South Africa.

In my experience, what matters most is if you have someone next to you. I've been on the 18 hour flights from Jo'berg (which has turned into 24 hours on the plane after delays on the tarmac) 4 times. By far the best was when I could strech out and use two seats. Next best for me is if no one is in the seat in front of me, because then I could put my knees up on that seat and lean way back and sleep in my seat.

But, of course, you probably can't tell at this point whether you have someone next to you or not.

So, what I often do is sit in the wrong seat, then keep moving if someone has that ticket or takes the spot next to me. The fall back is to always sit in my actual ticketed seat.

Sure, there is a big difference in movie / game selection (and for some reason United is pretty lacking in that area compared to say Delta), but to me the ability to strech out and sleep far outweighs movie choice.

 

[gamefreakgcb]

OP anyway for you to get a non-stop flight? That's a brutal schedule you got there. Brutal!

What schedule? That's all I have available. I know about the stop in Dakar, it sucks, I hate that spray. Went through that twice. Also, I'm attending a reunion in SA. I've spent 4 years so I know all about the place. Luckily, I'm out of the main town, so it was only the odd mugging we heard about around town.

 

[brianmanahan]

Rape is South Africa's national pastime.

 

[iGas]

That's what I'm doing. I'm using it to book on alliance airline.

I just got back from SE Asia on a United Star Alliance 747 economy and it was terrible compare to economy Cathay Pacific 777 flight that I took last year. I would have upgraded to business class in a heart beat if the flights were only a couple of hundred more.

I do not think I will ever fly United again and so as Air Canada.

PS. The flights were 36-38 hours with layovers. There are shorter flight times but I couldn't book them, or add an additional $1000-$2500 more for 5-6 hours saving.

 

[gamefreakgcb]

I just got back from SE Asia on a United Star Alliance 747 economy and it was terrible compare to economy Cathay Pacific 777 flight that I took last year. I would have upgraded to business class in a heart beat if the flights were only a couple of hundred more.

I do not think I will ever fly United again and so as Air Canada.

PS. The flights were 36-38 hours with layovers. There are shorter flight times but I couldn't book them, or add an additional $1000-$2500 more for 5-6 hours saving.

I'm booking in business class though. The economy question was just in the A380 flight. I was just wondering if the overall flight experience was better because of increased humidity and stuff.

 

[Svnla]

OP, if the difference is only $200, take it. I flew inter-continental at least once a year and the difference between coach and business was at least $5-6K per seat.

I just got back from SE Asia on a United Star Alliance 747 economy and it was terrible compare to economy Cathay Pacific 777 flight that I took last year. I would have upgraded to business class in a heart beat if the flights were only a couple of hundred more.

I do not think I will ever fly United again and so as Air Canada.

PS. The flights were 36-38 hours with layovers. There are shorter flight times but I couldn't book them, or add an additional $1000-$2500 more for 5-6 hours saving.

Did not stay for Lunar New Year? I will fly to SE Asia and then to Australia/NZ for business and stay over for the new year. I agree with you about US airlines vs. other airlines in Asia. Airlines from Asia such as Cathay/Singapore/Thai/JAL/ANA/Asiana/etc. >>>>>>>> US airlines (AA, Delta, United - yes, I did use all 3 of them for international trips, yuk).