2022 Onward - General Travel Questions

[ValidusLA]

I apologize if this is covered elsewhere, but I wasn't really seeing anything.

I was hoping for a thread where we might be able to ask some of the SF community more in the know for tips about various airlines / travel destinations in an ongoing way.

I'll start w/ what I'm planning right now: Los Angeles to Maui in November.

I am primarily looking at AA and Alaska, as, in general, I'd prefer OneWorld whenever possible.

AA is running the A321neo on the route, Alaska is running their older 737-800. AA has some nice first class product going to Hawaii, but only really from Dallas.

Trying to figure out if I cash buy an extra room economy seat on one of the above, or use Ult Rew points to get a first class ticket on one of them. Flying with wife and 2 (by then) year old daughter.

The First product on both looks honestly pretty lackluster, but wondering if anyone has thoughts (and whether it will be worth it just to mitigate the horror of flying with a 2 year old).

Thanks!

 

[Piobaire]

What is Hawaiian running out of LA?

 

[ValidusLA]

What is Hawaiian running out of LA?

They are flying a A330 - def a nicer plane.
My thoughts on Hawaiian were:
1) Flight is like 2 hours earlier, would have to leave house around 5:00 AM.
2) Flight is 2-4-2 instead of 3-3 so would have to split the kid w/ wife (possible aggro)
3) Hawaiian Airlines 48<->Hawaii can't credit to JAL Mileage Bank

Hawaiian Prem Econ is like $50 more than AA and $250 less than Alaska.
Hawaiian First is more points than I want to spend on a 2 year old and my wife who doesn't care much.

Generally I like JAL because they let me family pool points and Japan/Taiwan is our most likely destination (in the before times).
I guess if we do Prem econ i shouldn't care about the miles maybe - hardly a ton and then maybe Hawaiian is the call if I can stomach the earlier flight.
W/ one of the other First products, would want the miles.

So I guess my question is are the AA/AlasA "First" seats on the planes just so bad they are like lighting Chase UR on fire?

 

[Piobaire]

Hawaiian will feed you loco moco if that helps with the decision...

 

[ValidusLA]

Hawaiian will feed you loco moco if that helps with the decision...

Hmmm, I think the part I'm really debating is whether or not the slightly nicer widebody aircraft is worth having to be at LAX at 6:00 AM and thus **** up my kid's sleep schedule, versus arriving at LAX at 7:50 for Alaska.

 

[breakaway01]

Hmmm, I think the part I'm really debating is whether or not the slightly nicer widebody aircraft is worth having to be at LAX at 6:00 AM and thus **** up my kid's sleep schedule, versus arriving at LAX at 7:50 for Alaska.

that is so, so important for a 2-year-old. At least for our kids, they didn't really care about having a big seat/more space at that age. It was more that they had to sit still at all for certain sections of the flight, but for a 2-year-old I'd wager the onboard entertainment options will help a lot.

 

[ValidusLA]

that is so, so important for a 2-year-old. At least for our kids, they didn't really care about having a big seat/more space at that age. It was more that they had to sit still at all for certain sections of the flight, but for a 2-year-old I'd wager the onboard entertainment options will help a lot.

Yah, Hawaiian is the better product for sure.
Only advantages to Alaska over the Hawaiian flight are: Normal(ish) wake up time for my daughter and JAL points.

 

[Texasmade]

Going to France tomorrow. Looks like if you're fully vaccinated you won't need to test.

 

[Joffrey]

Good to hear as I just booked a trip for July.

 

[Gus]

If you are planning a trip to Europe and put off by the crazy high cost of Business Class tickets, for an option, check out Delta's Premium Select. The Points Guy highly recommends it for comfortable reclining seats with foot rests. That is all I need on an overnight flight.

 

[Omega Male]

The airlines are in full **** and pillage mode right now. SFO - LHR for $11K in business or a mere 750,000 air miles.

😮‍💨

 

[ValidusLA]

The airlines are in full **** and pillage mode right now. SFO - LHR for $11K in business or a mere 750,000 air miles.

😮‍💨

That's nuts. How far out?

 

[Jobst]

May have to do Chicago to Perth in a few weeks. Have two ways to do it:

1. to SFO/LAX, then Sydney, then Perth. On AA/Qantas.
2. to Doha, then an overnight layover, then straight to Perth. On Qatar Air.

Would be economy either way, so I'm in for a world of pain regardless. Any thoughts as to lesser evil? I'm tall and seeing that the AA/Qantas seats have a bit more legroom. But with general chaos in the travel world all those transfers make me nervous. Have never flown Qatar so don't know what to expect there.

 

[Omega Male]

May have to do Chicago to Perth in a few weeks. Have two ways to do it:

1. to SFO/LAX, then Sydney, then Perth. On AA/Qantas.
2. to Doha, then an overnight layover, then straight to Perth. On Qatar Air.

Would be economy either way, so I'm in for a world of pain regardless. Any thoughts as to lesser evil? I'm tall and seeing that the AA/Qantas seats have a bit more legroom. But with general chaos in the travel world all those transfers make me nervous. Have never flown Qatar so don't know what to expect there.

Think I'd do the Qatar flight as it breaks the trip into two equal-ish chunks with a break in between.

 

[Joffrey]

Heading to France for a week on Sunday. Any tips for Avignon? I will be there for 3 nights after a cycling tour got cancelled, so interested in any tips for the town - maybe a day trip a winery.