Questions and Answers

Question for the group/Lucky. In December, I can either fly BA business class non-stop LHR-SFO, or American Business LHR-MIA-SFO. I’ll be using miles, and its super saver 57.5K. I’ve experienced the American 777-300ER before and its great. I’ve read lots of bad to meh about BA. Given the choices of non-stop vs one stop. What would you take?

Despite the poor reputation BA J gets on this site, I would recommend that you take BA. The flight from Mia-Sfo is just with a standard 737 for the most part so it would not be an enjoyable 6 hour flight. With BA, at least, you’ll get a lie flat sea all the way to SFO.

The surcharges on BA are rather high so for myself I’d take the AA flights.

Mostly in agreement with [USER=1164]@phize[/USER], especially if you can snag a window seat on the upper deck of the 747 or A380. But like [USER=1566]@Gia[/USER] says, the heavy fees, especially out of LHR and on BA, make it not so desirable. It’ll sting a bit less if you have the Amex Platinum and charge the fees there for 5x points.

If you dont mind a second connection, try to see if you can find space on MIA-LAX-SFO with the MIA-LAX on AA’s 77Ws. That’s probably what I would do. Or route thru JFK and get on one of AA’s transcon A321s.

[QUOTE=”Gia, post: 29323, member: 1566″]The surcharges on BA are rather high so for myself I’d take the AA flights.[/QUOTE]
I’d forgotten about how high the fuel surcharges are on BA. Thanks for the reminder!

Well for any award originating in LHR, the UK APD charges are a couple hundred bucks. If you book flights on AA, you’ll be charged this and some other taxes and fees but [I]not[/I] any fuel surcharges. If you book an award on BA, AA will add those fuel surcharges on top of everything.

[QUOTE=”David W, post: 29324, member: 29″]Mostly in agreement with [USER=1164]@phize[/USER], especially if you can snag a window seat on the upper deck of the 747 or A380. But like [USER=1566]@Gia[/USER] says, the heavy fees, especially out of LHR and on BA, make it not so desirable. It’ll sting a bit less if you have the Amex Platinum and charge the fees there for 5x points.

If you dont mind a second connection, try to see if you can find space on MIA-LAX-SFO with the MIA-LAX on AA’s 77Ws. That’s probably what I would do. Or route thru JFK and get on one of AA’s transcon A321s.[/QUOTE]

+1 to the MIA-LAX option! I’m not sure the timing of the LHR – MIA flight but just be aware that American flies the 77W from MIA-LAX on a late flight (departing MIA at 5:30PM). The flight is timed so that the same plane continues on to Sydney. So it’s a great option, but not if you have to spend an extended layover in Miami….

Last year, I transited MIA on my way from LHR to San Jose, CR.

I would STRONGLY preference the non-stop. BA’s fuel charges are a fair price to pay to avoid MIA, in my opinion.

Also, while BA’s business class seat isn’t as good as that on the AA 77W’s, if you are able to select (I think) a window seat in the last row before a bulkhead, that seat will have all the privacy of a window seat with direct aisle access as well.

Id suggest just going with BA, Even though the hard product is inferior, It is a direct flight. If you fly to MIA, then the MIA-SFO would just be 737 with standard recline seat and probably no in-flight entertainment,(correct me if I’m wrong.).

Also if you DO NOT have Global Entry, [COLOR=#ff0000]AVOID MIA AT ALL COSTS.[/COLOR] One of, if not the worst immigration check points in the country. and all passenger must go through US immigration even though that is not your final destination. Last year i did the PTY mileage run with out my GE, I was 6th person in the immigration line. It took over our to 45 minutes to get though. absolutely terrible experience.

If you don’t have Global Entry but still stick to the MIA routing, get the Mobile Passport app for your phone. It’s a new program for clearing US Customs and should be faster than the regular line. It’s also separate from the Global Entry line as well.

Even if you have GE, the Mobile Passport app might come in handy, if you happen to run into long lines for GE.

If its me, I take BA if I can, regardless of the surcharges (though I still may grumble at them). To date, I’ve not had a good experience transiting/connecting in MIA. Besides, once you land in MIA, you switch to a an AA domestic product.

Lot of great intel on this thread…… as someone who lives in MIA and someone who does NOT LIKE British Airways…….. my vote is for the direct BA flight. Fuel surcharges are strange, yes. The BA seat is not bad…. IF you can pre-assign it (one of my pet peeves against BA).