Why doesn't travel in premium cabins excite me as much as it should?

[JohnK]

So I transferred ~46,000 Amex MR points to SQ KrisFlyer with a view of booking a one-way business class flight BKK-SIN-BNE/SYD requiring 46,750 KrisFlyer miles.

The points arrived in the KrisFlyer account last Friday and on Saturday I was going to book the award ticket. Go to SQ website and enter the booking details and click on Search. Up comes an itinerary that requires 21,250 KrisFlyer miles one-way. :shock: I had forgotten to check the Business class box and economy class awards were listed.

Needless to say I have not booked the business class flight and I am seriously considering booking economy award flight. The only thing that concerns me is the baggage allowance and I would struggle with only 20kg checked baggage and 5kg-7kg carry-on.

It is possible though if I take the golf bag in a golf travel bag and put another small bag of clothes in the golf travel bag to get it to 20kg.

 

[cove]

Are you getting those Amex points on the 3 points for a dollar spend program ?

 

[opusman]

After having traveled almost exclusively in premium cabins for over 15 years I think it's safe to say the idea of business class doesn't actually excite me much at all.

It's just that the idea of economy horrifies me.

 

[Hammando]

Maybe traveling in economy will get you re-excited.

 

[fersea]

Thanks to this site, I was able to understand how to buy AA miles, which showed me how I could fly home in First Class on the Qantas A380 from London for about $800 more than economy. I did the trip in May this year. I had flown business class domestically before and been in the lounge plenty of times but generally I book my personal flights on Jetstar using Tiger price beat. I have also never been anything but bronze. Therefore Qantas international First Class was a huge step up!!

It was a nice experience don't get me wrong and for the extra $800 I would pay that again but at the end of the day you get from point A to point B, the meals in economy are quite reasonable these days, if you are like me and don't know much about what is a good or bad wine or are happy to just have a couple of beers (you don't want much more that that when flying) you get those in economy. You do get more rest in the premium cabins but you are still crossing time zones and will take a little while to adjust.

In some ways the even better information that I picked up helped me on the Y flight to LAX. For $100 I had access to the Qantas clubs, knew to book seat 80k and had a very nice lunch in the Qantas International Business Lounge in Sydney. Also I discovered that I could get all the way to Orlando from Canberra for the same points as SYD-LAX (despite MCO being two weeks later) and it was $400 (price of purchasing points) from MCO - ORD - JFK - LHR.

I wouldnt pay triple the price to fly Business but each to their own.

 

[Bazzi]

So I transferred ~46,000 Amex MR points to SQ KrisFlyer with a view of booking a one-way business class flight BKK-SIN-BNE/SYD requiring 46,750 KrisFlyer miles.

The points arrived in the KrisFlyer account last Friday and on Saturday I was going to book the award ticket. Go to SQ website and enter the booking details and click on Search. Up comes an itinerary that requires 21,250 KrisFlyer miles one-way. :shock: I had forgotten to check the Business class box and economy class awards were listed.

Needless to say I have not booked the business class flight and I am seriously considering booking economy award flight. The only thing that concerns me is the baggage allowance and I would struggle with only 20kg checked baggage and 5kg-7kg carry-on.

It is possible though if I take the golf bag in a golf travel bag and put another small bag of clothes in the golf travel bag to get it to 20kg.

You may have to refer to SQ for a definitive answer. According to their website, they regard sporting equipment, such as golf clubs, as special baggage and charge accordingly. However, they also state that the fee is only charged if the total weight exceeds your total baggage allowance. In one section of the website, the allowance for Y is 20kg, in the 'special baggage' section, it seems to imply that the allowance is 30kg. Unlike other carriers, SQ make no mention of your luggage having to meet certain measurement dimensions.

My memories of travelling on SQ for the first time and in Y are almost 25 years old - cognac and liqueurs with coffee! Lately we have been fortunate to travel on SQ in J (on points) but I often think we should travel Y particularly on the A380 and upstairs in the (reputed) child free zone and save ourselves some points. But then, the redemption rates for J are usually just too good to pass up on the sectors we travel.

 

[BAM1748]

I guess [premium cabins don't excite in the same way flying these days doesn't excite.

 

[eric2011]

Thankfully everyone is different and we have differing ideas. I personnally dont fly a lot, maybee 5 or 6 domestic flights and 2 or 3 international flights plus a couple of family catch-ups to NZ per year but to me flying in J is still a huge thrill. If a flight is more than 2 hours I wont go if I cant be in business.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Thankfully everyone is different and we have differing ideas. I personnally dont fly a lot, maybee 5 or 6 domestic flights and 2 or 3 international flights plus a couple of family catch-ups to NZ per year but to me flying in J is still a huge thrill. If a flight is more than 2 hours I wont go if I cant be in business.

I do more travel than this but I too absolutely love travelling in premium cabins. I love flying full stop but being a little bit pampered, even in domestic is absolute bliss to me. I don't think I will ever get jaded of the experience.
I am however completely over long haul economy and if I never fly it again I won't be the least bit upset

 

[Bazzi]

Don't get me wrong, I love flying in J but I do consider it a privilege as we can only do it on points. I love travelling despite my nervous disposition when it comes to flying. In J class, particularly on SQ, the extra space, the service and the serenity of both the cabin and crew certainly helps take the edge off the nerves along with some assistance from the wine selection.

We do a 5 week international trip every 12 - 18 months and I'm not sure that we would travel more if our finances allowed, we think it would take away some of the thrill, anticipation and excitement - I never want travel to become mundane.

Our criteria for travelling J is that the flight has to be in excess of 6/7 hours - I guess that helps keep it real for us to remain both a treat and a privilege.

 

[JohnK]

Are you getting those Amex points on the 3 points for a dollar spend program ?

Only 1 point per dollar on a basic Platinum credit card.

I have (had) ~300,000 which is enough for 3 returns BKK-SYD/BNE in business or 7 returns BKK-SYD/BNE in economy.

Economy does not scare me. Luggage is the only consideration.

 

[knasty]

My view is when travelling Y the holiday begins at the destination. When travelling J or F the holiday begins when I enter the lounge in Sydney. When travelling with the 3 kids the trauma begins many hours before leaving home...

 

[JohnK]

You may have to refer to SQ for a definitive answer. According to their website, they regard sporting equipment, such as golf clubs, as special baggage and charge accordingly. However, they also state that the fee is only charged if the total weight exceeds your total baggage allowance. In one section of the website, the allowance for Y is 20kg, in the 'special baggage' section, it seems to imply that the allowance is 30kg. Unlike other carriers, SQ make no mention of your luggage having to meet certain measurement dimensions.

I have been on SQ in the past on a couple of trips.

Golf clubs and my normal luggage were ~21-22kgs together which was allowed through. The luggage does weigh ~3kgs empty and I do carry a lot of junk in there as well. I have a smaller bag as well which can be used as a carry-on which should also be lighter.

I think I can do it. I may use the December trip as a practice run to keep golf clubs/luggage to ~21kgs and carry-on at ~7kgs.

 

[lovestotravel]

Are you getting those Amex points on the 3 points for a dollar spend program ?

What card are you talking about here ?

Thanks to this site, I was able to understand how to buy AA miles, which showed me how I could fly home in First Class on the Qantas A380 from London for about $800 more than economy.

While AA miles and that are great, it's VERY hard to redeem on QF due to AA awards being available 10ish days behind


As for Mr JohnK - You rarely get excited about anything except playing golf, and basic lounge food

 

[Traveller1955]

Whoa I have I lost this. Cattle versus much better than cattle. I am yet in my life to experience first class on any major international airline whether business or now pleasure. Let me say this, once you sip to good wine it is hard to go back to the cask!!! Sydney airpoert QF first Class lounge makes international departures GREAT!!! The massage or the cooked lunch. For my own $ I can afford PE and I like it, busioness class only on redemptions or the hallowed free upgrade!!! Let me sit in the more comfortable seats and arrive refreshed after the magic lounge access!!!

 

[Traveller1955]

Too keen to get the response should always check the spelling!!!

 

[burmans]

I must admit I've looked at the cost of those SQ flights to Asia too and thought Y was super value. Yes I prefer premium cabins and in recent times have mostly done so but have also travelled Y on SQ SYD to SIN and beyond (Vietnam) and really its not that bad. And at half the points certainly worth considering.

 

[lovestotravel]

Having not travelled in medium-long haul Y for more about 8 years, over the weekend I was in Y MEL-SIN-MEL

It was by far the worst flight I have experienced in years in terms of comfort

Basic food
Basic wine
Plastic wine glass
Foil container
Limited recline
Small seat
Sitting very close to another random person
etc etc

 

[eric2011]

Too keen to get the response should always check the spelling!!!

Wow, thank god for spell check. As long as it wasnt PUTI that caused it LOL

 

[eric2011]

Having not travelled in medium-long haul Y for more about 8 years, over the weekend I was in Y MEL-SIN-MEL

It was by far the worst flight I have experienced in years in terms of comfort

Basic food
Basic wine
Plastic wine glass
Foil container
Limited recline
Small seat
Sitting very close to another random person
etc etc

Which airline