Need Quick Flight Advice! Thai Airways or ANA

[semicharmed]

Hi All,

 

Need quick flight advice from seasoned travellers. I can book Thai Airways (Direct 18hrs flight) Dec 19-29 in Premium Economy for $2,348.00 or ANA/United (Narita Connection) codeshare flight with Business upgrade using miles for $2,478.00 Dec 20-30.

 

Thai Airways would be a direct flight but it's 18 hours and I've never been on a plane that long. Premium Economy I hear is pretty good, with about 42 degree recliine.

 

ANA/United business on 777 is almost lie flat, probably not true flat but at least the incline would be better than on Thai Airways but it's a connection out of Narita and the flight from Narita to BKK would be economy.

 

What do you guys think? Have any of you experienced either airlines and seats?

 

I want to book this in a couple of days before they go up anymore.

 

Thanks

[999Baht]

Thai Airways is a great airline and I can honestly say that direct flights are always MUCH better.

The sooner you get to paradise the better.

I know nothing about ANA being Aussie but I would choose the direct flight every time.

[kansuwan]

I've travelled a lot on both airlines.

ANA wins hands down for cabin service: best I've encountered. Thai Premium Economy seats are basically old-style (10+ years) business class seats; ANA ones much better. The stop-over/transfer at Narita isn't painful. The downside is that you won't be able to access the lounge at Narita and the 6 (?) hour onward flight to BKK in economy may be a pain in your bum.

[semicharmed]

Thanks guys, any others want to chime in?

[Luv2Phuket]

Just flew the Thai Air non-stop from LAX-BKK (and back) in the past 2 weeks. I used miles and flew Royal Silk, so I can't comment on Premium Economy comfort, but it looked fine to me. It sounds like ANA would be more comfortable, but I'm always eager to get a non-stop whenever possible.

 

Check www.seatguru.com to get the specific measurements of the seating on the 2 planes to see how big the difference is.

 

That non-stop is a LONG mother of a flight -- I slept some and watched 4 movies and 2 TV shows! Still, I think the "in air" time is less than with the connecting flight.

 

A few considerations:

- that Thai Air flight gets in REALLY early in the a.m. I don't know if we were an hour early or if Thailand isn't on Daylight Saving time, but I was through customs/immigration and had already reloaded my Thai cell phone all by around 6:10 a.m.

- first Bell bus isn't until 8 a.m., so, rather than wait around the airport, I would book a taxi (I think [email protected] works with Mr. T and she was great last week from Pattaya to BKK for my return flight - I would highly recommend her)

- contact your hotel to be sure that you can get an early check-in. You're going to be there well before 9 a.m. Even if you can't check-in, you may be able to use their gym to shower and change into more comfortable clothes.

[Tengu]

Double check ANA's milage plan. Most Japanese airlines require you use all your miles within a year. At least they used to.

 

I'm flying Thai Airways from Tokyo next Friday. Best schedules I can find.

[altec123]

ANA is great, however you will more than likely be on a United plane for at least one leg of the trip if it is code share. I flew an ANA codeshare flight earlier this year and it was a United plane from Washington D.C. to Tokyo and then an ANA plane from Japan to Thailand. The United portion sucked as I was in economy, however if you are in business it should be ok. Anyway, I would go Thai to get here as soon as possible.