Airline to choose for USA Trip

[lovestotravel]

Usually I have no problem choosing an airline to fly with but at the moment we are spoilt for choice with cheap airfares to the USA. So I decided to ask here what I should do

I have to leave on a Tuesday or I waste around $850 in accommodation costs for 2 hotels as I have prebooked/paid/non-changeable accommodation.

If I didn't have prebooked/planned accomodation I would fly on different days on QF on the A380, that is easy.

Flying in paid J, but at the discounted price of around $6500 return.

MEL-LAX is my preferred route but via SYD is okay as is via AKL

Qantas
Flight on the Tuesday out of SYD is a 747-400 not the A380 for some reason on QF11 :evil:. Although this may change back to an A380 once QF get their 5th and 6th A380s. However the price has gone up due to the discounted seats being sold.
Flying QF will put me back to platinum status for 2010/2011
Can also use my partners FF points and family transfer them back to me.
So it would be a transfer to SYD then an 744 on QF107 most likely.

Air NZ
Better seating that the 744 and A380 on QF (in my opinion)
Have to go via AKL, but that means more quality wine in the lounge in AKL and breaks up the flight a little.
FF points for me would go to SQ and the partners to UA (where they will probably sit forever)
Lounges in MEL/AKL/LAX are better than Qantas in my opinion as I am only QF Gold this year

V Australia
777-300ER's guaranteed on the route, better than a 744 being subbed for an A380 or the 744 with QF.
Earn 4 points per $1 spent with the current Amex promotion so would earn 52000 Amex points which I can transfer anywhere
Earn 60,000 Velocity points in total as I can use my partners points
Total of 100,000 FF points which I value at $7000
New airline - Time to try them out
Chances of being rerouted on another day/time/via BNE if they decide to cancel flights as they have for the past 6 months
Lounge in LAX is rubbish
Lounge in MEL or SYD is average. MEL lounge yet to be confirmed.


My verdict
I am thinking VA is the go, but the lack of lounge is a big turn off for me. Then again a few hours in a lounge vs a better flight/IFE and lots of FF points..


Thoughts/suggestions/criticism and other rants most welcome!

 

[crazydave98]

I am thinking VA is the go, but the lack of lounge is a big turn off for me. Then again a few hours in a lounge vs a better flight/IFE and lots of FF points..

Greetings from LA - I was on the MEL-LAX launch flight yesterday and we used the MH lounge, which I had assumed is a permanent arrangement (we also use the SYD MH lounge). Will find out tonight for you.

cheers

CrazyDave98

 

[lovestotravel]

Once again thanks !

Looking forward to earning lots of Velocity points for this trip and also a few on Virgin American (if that gets up and running soon)

 

[coco50]

Looks like you've done a pretty thorough analysis. You are leaning towards V Australia it seems. The only downside is not achieving Platinum status with QF. I wouldn't worry about seating on the flight - it's only 13 hours!!

 

[harvyk]

I'd go QF, as you'd make WP again. Besides depending on how far off WP you are you may start getting WP privledges half way through your trip.

Re MEL \ SYD \ LAX lounges, IMHO Mel T2 has gotten better now it's opened up a bit. Also LAX TBIT is actually a very good lounge (not what I was expecting after a couple of days in various AA lounges), loads of places to sit, heaps of decent food (unlike the rest of TBIT which is a wasteland) and booze. All in all a big improvement on the QF \ AA T4 lounge.

I personally don't think I could handle LAX without lounge access. It is IMHO the worst airport I've ever been too.

 

[crazydave98]

I am thinking VA is the go, but the lack of lounge is a big turn off for me. Then again a few hours in a lounge vs a better flight/IFE and lots of FF points..

Just to confirm the MH lounge arrangement in MEL is permanent - same as SYD.

cheers

CrazyDave98

 

[lovestotravel]

Once again, thanks!