SYD to NYC - Q about PE and Economy flights

[Pollywaffle]

Hello.

I am not confident of getting a rewards flight in business class for a SYD-NYC (one-way) flight later this year so I am starting to look at alternatives.

Q1: Any Premium Economy flights apart from QF?

QF107 seems to be the quickest journey and costs $3286 o/w.

I've taken a look at Virgin Australia but from what I can gather, the LAX-NYC leg will either be on Delta or Virgin America in standard economy seats.

Are there any other airlines that do PE flights to get me from SYD-NYC?

Q2: Economy via LAX or DFW?

In the event I decide against Premium economy, it will be in economy. Again I am looking at QF because it seems to be the airline that will get me there in the fastest time.

My options are QF107 via LAX or QF7 to DFW and then an AA flight to NYC. Flying via DFW adds another 30mins (when compared to flying via LAX). Currently the cost is $2416 o/w

Which would be your preference (via LAX or DFW) and why?

Finally, I wanted to add I am a dreadful sleeper on long haul flights and I must admit I find the QF flight attractive because it leaves at 10am so i get to fly a lot during what will still be the day for me - if that makes sense.

Thanks, pw.

 

[Saji]

I would look at Air New Zealand PE via Auckland. Very good product and service. The spacebeds in PE AIR NZ is fantastic..lots of room with top class service. Connections will be with United or US air. I would go with UNITED FROM lax.

 

[notzac]

If you are booking at a time when QF 107 / 108 is operating as a 744 the entire way .. I'd go for that. You'll be able to get premium economy the entire way, which is head and shoulders above connecting on to most any other domestic US airline. You still have to get off the plane at LAX and deal with the immigration queues etc. before racing upstairs and boarding the same plane for the trip to JFK .. but even so, it's still the best option.

Failing that - look at a combination VA / VX (*not* DL) fare. If you buy a premium economy seat on VA, you'll get "Main Cabin Select" on the VX flight to JFK and back - which is probably the most civilised option involving a US carrier.

 

[Sprucegoose]

When is this route reverting back to a 747?

 

[Deewhy]

Failing that - look at a combination VA / VX (*not* DL) fare. If you buy a premium economy seat on VA, you'll get "Main Cabin Select" on the VX flight to JFK and back - which is probably the most civilised option involving a US carrier.

Why do you say not DL for internal? Is it really bad or VX better?
Also, what features do you get on VX main cabin select? Is that like a domestic PE?

 

[loobloke]

Why do you say not DL for internal? Is it really bad or VX better?
Also, what features do you get on VX main cabin select? Is that like a domestic PE?

VX has a domestic PE offering - DL does not. The VX PE is pretty much domestic PE

 

[markis10]

When were you thinking of going, JASAs do pop up:

 

[notzac]

Why do you say not DL for internal? Is it really bad or VX better?
Also, what features do you get on VX main cabin select? Is that like a domestic PE?

Once you're in the air ... VX will be much better. MCS comes with decentish legroom and complimentary F&B.

 

[The Rok]

If you had enough points to get to SIN the you can get a non stop flight from SIN - EWR with SQ for $4,995 AUD O/W in J. It's on the A340-500 all business class flight.

 

[notzac]

Another option - premium economy on CX SYD-HKG-JFK. $5.5k ish return, which is quite reasonable. Transit in HKG, which is a plus.

 

[Deewhy]

Failing that - look at a combination VA / VX (*not* DL) fare. If you buy a premium economy seat on VA, you'll get "Main Cabin Select" on the VX flight to JFK and back - which is probably the most civilised option involving a US carrier.

How do you go about forcing a VX to come as an option? I can only ever see DL come up from Lax onwards.

 

[The Rok]

How do you go about forcing a VX to come as an option? I can only ever see DL come up from Lax onwards.

I think you would need to ring the GCC

 

[Pollywaffle]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

If you had enough points to get to SIN the you can get a non stop flight from SIN - EWR with SQ for $4,995 AUD O/W in J. It's on the A340-500 all business class flight.

A possibility but the connection times don't work out for me. It's also more than I would want to pay.

How do you go about forcing a VX to come as an option? I can only ever see DL come up from Lax onwards.

When I searched on the Virgin site both DL and VX came up as options - no special tricks.

When were you thinking of going, JASAs do pop up:

View attachment 6166

Unfortunately, not enough QF points. I've only got about 20K. The majority of my points sit in my KF account.

Another option - premium economy on CX SYD-HKG-JFK. $5.5k ish return, which is quite reasonable. Transit in HKG, which is a plus.

I already have the return trip but I might check out how much one way is.

I noticed on another thread someone wrote about the Korean Air business prices. That option is around $4.2k one way (from memory) - so that's another option.

Thanks for your help everyone but I do blame you all for my obsession in finding the "perfect" flight.

 

[moa999]

Also look at flying to HNL (QF/JQ), then onwards to JFK with AA.
Both JQ and AA are generally better for international one-ways. QF not.