Questions and Answers

Portland to the Caribbean is a long haul and there are no real nice ways of getting there. Spring break next year we are headed to Barbados and are stuck with only two real options – AA or JetBlue. I have never flown JetBlue and am not sure about the seats or service. We would prefer to travel in the nicest seats possible (no lay flat seats on ANY of the flight options unfortunately). We need to leave 3/21 on a red eye and we depart BGI 3/31 preferring to be home the same day, as 4/1 is Easter.

Our two options are (or a third if you fly B6 outbound and AA inbound):
AA: PDX-CLT-MIA-BGI (all seats in First/Biz, on A321, A319 & A321 Sharklet, short layovers)
BGI-MIA-PHX-PDX (all seats in First/Biz on A321 Sharklet & 737’s, layover in MIA long, however we have access to Centurion Lounge)

B6: PDX-JFK-BGI (all seats in Even More Space on A320 & A321)
BGI-JFK-PDX (all seats in Even More Space on A321 & A320)

All of that to ask, which would you take?? The AA flights, while having a second stop, has the times we prefer, especially the flight home, getting into PDX before 8pm. JetBlue flights are nice with just one stop, however what are the seats and service like? We fly AS frequently and that is where we collect our miles, so only the international segments on AA will give us miles.

If you are willing to have multiple connections, why not fly PDX to SEA to BOS/JFK to BGI? JetBlue offers lie-flat Mint service on Seattle to Boston.

[QUOTE=”rickyw, post: 34544, member: 1436″]If you are willing to have multiple connections, why not fly PDX to SEA to BOS/JFK to BGI? JetBlue offers lie-flat Mint service on Seattle to Boston.[/QUOTE]

Would love to, however that is not an option as the flight from BOS to BGI would get me there on 3/23. Not interested in spending two nights in a row on a plane!

Ah gotcha. You’ve done your research! How about routing through Los Angeles? American flies there 777-300 once daily between LAX and MIA (the plane that arrives daily from Sydney). Maybe that timing works? Premium seats on that flight also get lounge access, if that matters?

Otherwise, I’d still probably choose American. I’d rather sit up front in 2-2 seating over extra legroom and 3-3.