Best option?! UC on outbound or return to NYC?

Hi all,

I'm travelling to NYC in November for work and am planning to use my miles to upgrade. I've got 40,000 which can just about get me a UC seat one way, and PE the other. Trouble is, I can't decide what way around to take it! What's the best experience seasoned travellers have had on here? Outbound or Return from London to NYC?!

Any thoughts?!

Cheers,

Oli

Hi olisones

My preference would be to go UCS on the outbound. You get to use the Clubhouse at LHR and then onboard you will get the (hopefully) attentive UC service.

If you get a night flight back from NYC in UCS, you get the lovely flat bed, but if you use it properly, you will spend most of the relatively short flight 6/6.5 hours asleep. In fact if you eat in one of the NYC clubhouses and have breakfast at revivals when you land - you will spend nearly all of it asleep :0

If you do a west coast route the decision is a little more complex.

I think I would do it the other way round.

1) Having the UC seat in the bed position IMHO is the best thing about the UC suite. It's the thing I most grateful for that I get to fly UC - the space. And the best way to use that space is to be stretched out in it in the land of nod!
2) You can watch films in which ever section you're in - the UC screen isn't any better than any of the others.
3) Whilst the CH is great - T3 isn't too terrible. And you'll still get to use a lounge on the way back - at both ends of the journey
4) If you fly upper on the way out, you'll spend the entire journey home wishing you were at the front of the plane. By doing it on the way back - you'll have something to look forward to!

[Neil]

Personally, on the NYC flights, I would stick with PE both ways and save some miles. The flights are so short, especially the return that you really don't get full benefits of using the bed. On a 6 hour return flight, you will have roughly 30mins after take off before you convert to the bed, that's if you don't opt to eat on the flight, be woken up 1-1:30hr before landing, so really you would get 2-4 hours max.

I suppose I would choose the outbound if you really wanted to, that way you would get use of the CH, and you would actually experience more of the UC benefits, like sitting at the bar etc.

Do remember that to upgrade with miles from economy you will need to be booked in a Y, B or L fare code and then you will have to pay the additional taxes etc.

Neil

I agree with Neil. I've only flown UC once and that was on LHR-Shanghai (a long night flight), which gave us full benefit of the experience etc. To be frank we were both slightly underwhelmed by the experience, and will probably stick to PE in future, particularly for east coast US.

Another vote for UC out PE back, or PE both ways. For a regular UC flyer where getting some shuteye is part of the reason for using UC I could see Rich's point, but for an occasional treat I'd opt for using UC outbound.

Paul

Thanks for everyone's advice and comments.

I opted for UC on the outbound leg - I figured I want to get as much out of the clubhouse etc as possible so booked VS9 which should give me plenty of time.

No availability on the return leg so have got a flexible fare just in case anything pops up in PE at the airport. Either way, looking forward to treating myself on the way out!

Thanks again!

T3 isn't too terrible.

IMHO - I think it's one of the worst places to sit and wait. If I ever lost my gold card that's the part I'd hate the most. xx(

On another T3 topic, the inbound immigration hall looks awful at the moment. I presume they are refitting the internal roof (may have done already). If that was my first impression of the UK I'd be tempted to get on the first plane back home...

UC out and PE back CERTAINLY. Especially if you like to enjoy the oldskool experience of the "trip". UC sets you up for a pleasing evening in Gotham (Clubhouse, bar, limo...)

Enjoy

That's actually a tough choice. Do you have to work the day you get back to LHR? If so then return would seem to make the most sense.

Having said that I would be loath to miss the lounge on the way out. Does your company do flying co miles? if so get them to give you a lounge pass (10,000) for the way out and then do UC back.

Otherwise I might go along with those who are saying save the miles.. oh and ask for the cost of the upgrade, sometimes it's better going that way and you get the miles.

That's actually a tough choice. Do you have to work the day you get back to LHR? If so then return would seem to make the most sense.

Does your company do flying co miles? if so get them to give you a lounge pass (10,000) for the way out and then do UC back.

Otherwise I might go along with those who are saying save the miles.. oh and ask for the cost of the upgrade, sometimes it's better going that way and you get the miles.

No work when I get back! I do have a Flying Co membership but we don't have enough miles yet (it's only me and my business partner on it) - although thanks for letting me know about the 10k Clubhouse pass - very good to know in the future!

I went with the outbound in UC as I think the whole experience is worth doing! Hopefully, a PE will open up and I'll head there for the return.