Business Class Fares & Offers

[Luv2Phuket]

Yes - that is the APEX seating. See how the two seats on the outer sections are staggered? That is what allows unobstructed aisle access to the window seat.

FWIW, the map shows the opening top get to the window seat a little smaller than it is.

Balance your Desire for excellent privacy with any claustrophobic tendencies you may have. 

If you decide on the window seat, one thing I discovered (while sitting ninb an aisle seat) is that there is a mesh "pocket" on the top of the back of the seat in which you can store stuff.

[madmike]

1 hour ago, JA01_ said:

Thank you.  The SFO to HND flight is showing this on a Boeing 777.  Does this confirm one way or the other? 

Yes good.  Note the seating is actually 2-3-2.  And failing to get a window seat let me suggest a shocking truth.  The CENTER seat is also excellent and closes off all around you.  Total privacy.  A slight lack of storage space compared to the window seat but if you really want to close yourself in it works just fine.

[Luv2Phuket]

Yeah, I forgot the center section was 3 seats, because I tend to avoid it.

Given my claustrophobia, the middle seat in the middle section (the E seats) would be the worst possible choice.

At least with an A or K seat, you have the windows....I'm getting nervous just THINKING about being in an E seat! 5555

[madmike]

12 hours ago, Luv2Phuket said:

Yeah, I forgot the center section was 3 seats, because I tend to avoid it.

Given my claustrophobia, the middle seat in the middle section (the E seats) would be the worst possible choice.

At least with an A or K seat, you have the windows....I'm getting nervous just THINKING about being in an E seat! 5555

Yeah maybe not for everyone. 

[JA01_]

Is there a change fee for rescheduling an AA Operated by JAL Business Flight? I may need to push back my trip and can’t get through on phone.  

[Luv2Phuket]

Did you book/pay through AA?

Here's what AA's website says (although it is FAR from helpful!):

Travel flexibility

We’re making travel easier by giving you even more flexibility and the freedom to make your own choices when you fly with us.

Here’s what you can expect:

• No more change fees for all domestic, short-haul international and select long-haul international flying on Premium Cabin, Premium Economy and Main Cabin fares. Basic Economy fares bought on or after April 1, 2021 are non-refundable and non-changeable.
• Fly standby for free on earlier domestic flights, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, to the same destination on the same day.
• If you buy Basic Economy fares you may now buy extras like upgrades, seats, priority boarding and same-day flight changes.
• AAdvantage^® status members may apply their travel benefits on all tickets, including on Basic Economy fares.

[JA01_]

8 minutes ago, Luv2Phuket said:

Did you book/pay through AA?

Here's what AA's website says (although it is FAR from helpful!):

Travel flexibility

We’re making travel easier by giving you even more flexibility and the freedom to make your own choices when you fly with us.

Here’s what you can expect:

• No more change fees for all domestic, short-haul international and select long-haul international flying on Premium Cabin, Premium Economy and Main Cabin fares. Basic Economy fares bought on or after April 1, 2021 are non-refundable and non-changeable.
• Fly standby for free on earlier domestic flights, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, to the same destination on the same day.
• If you buy Basic Economy fares you may now buy extras like upgrades, seats, priority boarding and same-day flight changes.
• AAdvantage^® status members may apply their travel benefits on all tickets, including on Basic Economy fares.

Yes. I booked through AA.  The “select”long-haul international flights concerns me. The wait for a call back is 8 hours+! 

[JA01_]

Update: No change fee.  Only required to pay the difference in flight cost if applicable or use full flight credits (cancellation) within one year. 

Edited June 18, 2022 by JA01_

[Luv2Phuket]

1 minute ago, JA01_ said:

Update: No change fee.  Only required to pay the difference in flight cost if applicable or use full flight credits (cancellation) within one year. 

It's generally 1-year from date of purchase.

I just realized I had some credits expiring in July and in early August (luckily, not big ones). Still, kinda pissed I missed them when booking and paying for other flights.

[JA01_]

6 hours ago, Luv2Phuket said:

It's generally 1-year from date of purchase.

I just realized I had some credits expiring in July and in early August (luckily, not big ones). Still, kinda pissed I missed them when booking and paying for other flights.

Disregard.  You’re right. 

Edited June 19, 2022 by JA01_

[Hamchang]

On 12/05/2022 at 01:32, madmike said:

Yes good.  Note the seating is actually 2-3-2.  And failing to get a window seat let me suggest a shocking truth.  The CENTER seat is also excellent and closes off all around you.  Total privacy.  A slight lack of storage space compared to the window seat but if you really want to close yourself in it works just fine.

I don't mind the centre seat either. I get a kick from 2 people being annoyed by my snoring, the same as when I have a LT threesome 

[tt2008]

Biz fare prices from London have been crazy but I now see Eva are resuming direct service from LHR soon. I checked flight in November and it's at it's pre-Covid level of around £2.4K.  Thai is about £3K direct. I can't be arsed to go via Europe although I know fares are cheaper if you do that.

Not booking yet, hope EVA price holds.

[davidge]

I’m probably nuts, but taken the plunge and booked Eva for a November departure. The most I’ve ever paid for a flight at £2900. £270 to cancel. £120 to change.

Biz ‘Basic’ on the flight out (still available on many dates) but couldn’t find that fare on the return flight and I looked through a few weeks. Return is in February.

I much prefer direct and my guess is that I won’t really find better if I wait. Thai over £4K for same dates and no sign of BA restarting.

By next summer I’m hoping there’ll be more reasonable fares around and if Qatar restart out of CWL then I might fly indirect rather than going up to LHR.

A lot can happen between now and November but nice to have booked something.

[mercmanrob]

1 hour ago, davidge said:

I’m probably nuts, but taken the plunge and booked Eva for a November departure. The most I’ve ever paid for a flight at £2900. £270 to cancel. £120 to change.

Biz ‘Basic’ on the flight out (still available on many dates) but couldn’t find that fare on the return flight and I looked through a few weeks. Return is in February.

I much prefer direct and my guess is that I won’t really find better if I wait. Thai over £4K for same dates and no sign of BA restarting.

By next summer I’m hoping there’ll be more reasonable fares around and if Qatar restart out of CWL then I might fly indirect rather than going up to LHR.

A lot can happen between now and November but nice to have booked something.

I don’t blame you, it is a lot of money, but it’s nice to have it in the bag. Eva business is my go to airline now after being a Thai gold card member for 16ish years but has declined an awful lot recently, Eva was an amazing flight when I flew with them, good for you.

[tt2008]

2 hours ago, davidge said:

I’m probably nuts, but taken the plunge and booked Eva for a November departure. The most I’ve ever paid for a flight at £2900. £270 to cancel. £120 to change.

I much prefer direct and my guess is that I won’t really find better if I wait. Thai over £4K for same dates and no sign of BA restarting.

 

+1

Good move, would do the same if I had definate dates which I don't at the moment. I'm expecting to pay more for this years trip (looks like it will be Eva again) but am also hoping prices will get back to near pre-Covid levels in 2023.

[madmike]

1 hour ago, mercmanrob said:

I don’t blame you, it is a lot of money, but it’s nice to have it in the bag. Eva business is my go to airline now after being a Thai gold card member for 16ish years but has declined an awful lot recently, Eva was an amazing flight when I flew with them, good for you.

I am tempted to make the move on a flight from LAX to BKK on Asiana in their 380.  Only issue with it is the return arrives in LAX too late to get home that day.  Still, $4200 business class is a great price.  Maybe spend a night in the biz class lounge in LAX and get home in the AM.

Cancellation cost is $500.  Hmmmm

[HimBadMan]

9 minutes ago, madmike said:

I am tempted to make the move on a flight from LAX to BKK on Asiana in their 380.  Only issue with it is the return arrives in LAX too late to get home that day.  Still, $4200 business class is a great price.  Maybe spend a night in the biz class lounge in LAX and get home in the AM.

Cancellation cost is $500.  Hmmmm

pretty confident that the Star Alliance lounge at LAX has a closing time and you won't be able to stay in it all night.    

[mattmoore1965x]

3 hours ago, davidge said:

I’m probably nuts, but taken the plunge and booked Eva for a November departure. The most I’ve ever paid for a flight at £2900. £270 to cancel. £120 to change.

Biz ‘Basic’ on the flight out (still available on many dates) but couldn’t find that fare on the return flight and I looked through a few weeks. Return is in February.

I much prefer direct and my guess is that I won’t really find better if I wait. Thai over £4K for same dates and no sign of BA restarting.

By next summer I’m hoping there’ll be more reasonable fares around and if Qatar restart out of CWL then I might fly indirect rather than going up to LHR.

A lot can happen between now and November but nice to have booked something.

About two years ago, I joked that when the PA voice of reason @davidge booked his flight, that I’d take that as proof that covid was over.

Gentlemen, we now have that proof………congratulations, we can now all say we survived the zombie apocalypse.

[wdogg]

I've been looking around for business class prices from LAX since early May.  Nothing under $4k for cash prices.  I see nice schedules with regular short layovers through Taipei on EVA recently. 

[bigbadbaz]

3-28 December Manchester to Bkk from Emirates own site now upto £3856.00 Through Cheap flights etc £3550.00 so still looking.

looks like I have to go on a diet and fit in an Economy seat

[leroyfromphilly]

1 hour ago, HimBadMan said:

pretty confident that the Star Alliance lounge at LAX has a closing time and you won't be able to stay in it all night.    

there is an in and out burger right outside the airport....theres that.

[leroyfromphilly]

i always look at flyer talk premium

[madmike]

1 hour ago, HimBadMan said:

pretty confident that the Star Alliance lounge at LAX has a closing time and you won't be able to stay in it all night.    

Thanks for that heads up.  I didn't think they ever closed. 

[madmike]

1 hour ago, wdogg said:

I've been looking around for business class prices from LAX since early May.  Nothing under $4k for cash prices.  I see nice schedules with regular short layovers through Taipei on EVA recently. 

I like EVA Air but their prices have climbed over some of their competition from LAX.  I am finding equal seating (aka all aisle access full flat seat) from Asiana and Cathay for less money and decent enough flight times.  I love the Asiana on the 380 with the only issue being arrival in LAX is at night after the last flight has left for Phoenix which is my final stop.  Also the 7 hour layover sucks coming back. 

[davidge]

Now I’m back to looking at fares in earnest, and making bookings, I thought I’d update.

As I’ve said before, I much prefer direct and have now decided I’ll stick with that unless there’s a truly huge difference in fares compared to a good one-stop flight. BA aren’t restarting the BKK route until at least a few months into 2023, Thai are still going through issues - and don’t have cheap fares anyway, so Eva is the stand out option.
They have 3 categories of fare: Basic, Standard and Up. The only difference between them is the fees to change/cancel and the number of points you get. All categories are changeable and cancellable but with fees. Basic seems difficult to find out of LHR but usually available on the return flight. For all dates I’ve looked at, the date works out at just under £3000 return, unless you can find Basic out of LHR when it’s about £350 cheaper. I am looking at stays of over 90 days so it’s possible that flights are a bit cheaper for shorter stays??

Thai are cheaper if you’re prepared to fly via Phuket or somewhere in Europe, otherwise I’ve found them more expensive. What I consider ‘good’ one-stop flights are all well over £2000 (from memory, £2600+) so I’ve stuck to Eva. Some European airlines are still offering fares comfortably under £2000 (Austrian/Swiss etc) so that is the cheaper option but I won’t fly with a European airline due to the flights between LHR and Europe not being a proper business class (usually an Economy seat with an empty one next to you).

I’ve booked Eva for November and for next May.