DFW to Barcelona Airfare

[PMW4521]

i am flying on 5/13/09 and thats a little less than i paid last june. so go fr it im also on aa have fun

[greatam]

American sounds nice. I could be wrong, but I don't think that the business section seats on Delta are any larger.

 

Depending on the plane, Delta business seats are anywhere from 1-4" larger in width. But the real difference is pitch-distance between the seats. Coach is an average of 31-32". Business is 60". BIG difference is comfort. Delta does not yet have lie flat/sleeper seats, but they are being installed currently.

 

There is truly nothing like flying a long haul, intercontinental flight and being able to get a normal nights sleep, stretched out flat, covered with a duvet. Makes a world of difference in your first days at your destination.

 

Whether via miles or cash, I ALWAYS find a way to fly at least business class. And check airlines other than US carriers. You may have to get yourself to NYC via Jet Blue or a US carrier, but the Mid East airlines have been running some super specials to/from Europe/Asia. $1099 each way on Kuwait Airlines for FIRST CLASS to/from JFK to Frankfurt. Ethiad Airlines (UAE national carrier) also has had some VERY good specials for business/first to/from Europe and Asia. All planes fly into JFK.

 

PS-I just spent 11 weeks in the Mid East/Asia on business. Business/first on the Mid East airlines is VERY good. Makes my preferred carrier-AA-look rather shabby and AA has one of the best business classes of any of the US carriers.

[wrp96]

Hey greatam, question for you. I'm going to be doing a transatlantic cruise next year and am looking at flying AA to London. Depending on how well my farms do this year I hope to fly either business or first class. Based on this year's schedules (and of course they can all change), I have the option of flying a 777 from ORD, a 777 from DFW, or a 763 from DFW. Which would you say was the best option if I fly business class? What about if I'm able to afford first on the 777?

[greatam]

Hey greatam, question for you. I'm going to be doing a transatlantic cruise next year and am looking at flying AA to London. Depending on how well my farms do this year I hope to fly either business or first class. Based on this year's schedules (and of course they can all change), I have the option of flying a 777 from ORD, a 777 from DFW, or a 763 from DFW. Which would you say was the best option if I fly business class? What about if I'm able to afford first on the 777?

 

If you are thinking strictly AA, the 777 for both classes. The seats are longer and wider than the 763. I fly the 762 out of LAX nonstop to NY frequently. While not as long and wide as the 763, I like the seats better. But for a true long haul flight, I would pick the 777.

 

Have you thought about a couple options?? BA flies nonstop out of PHX to LHR. And THAT is one of the best options for comfort. No AA miles, sadly, but great service. If you want the miles, you can find cheapies to Toronto (not much further than ORD) and fly BA to London. You can always send your BA miles to Alaska, Qantas or Exec Club.

 

I was real serious about the Mid East Airlines. The bargains this year were simply spectacular for business/first class and the service was equal to AA and Ethiad/Kuwait airlines was better than AA. Etihad = to Cathay. I think I tried them all while I was floating around the area.

 

Some fly from JFK to Europe, some fly from JFK to the Mid East THEN to Europe. A few extra hours flying (but I love to fly and could spend days on planes just to get to one destination-oops, I have just done that), but the bargain prices and the service levels at those bargain prices were really out of this world.

 

Are you not playing the "miles game" heavily??? Credit cards, mileage runs rack up a lot of miles cheaply. Then just buy the cheapo AA ticket, pay the co-pay and use your miles for the upgrade. Or use all miles for an award ticket. I have a credit card strictly for our farm expenses in Missouri. That usually gives me 75-100,000 miles per year. EVERYTHING that goes on the farm-fertilizer, seed, livestock expenses, the electric bill, EVERYTHING goes on the credit card.

[wrp96]

The problem with BA out of Phoenix or Toronto is that's at least one connection from here, same thing with JFK. ORD and DFW are only 1 stop.

 

I am playing the miles game but I try to budget based on the fact that it will be out of pocket - then I'm pleasantly surprised if I don't have to pay.

[Gardyloo]

I am playing the miles game but I try to budget based on the fact that it will be out of pocket - then I'm pleasantly surprised if I don't have to pay.

That's a bit confusing - is this an award booking or paid? If award, are you doing a one-way award? Because if so you'll spend the same no. of AA miles as you would for a round trip, unless you put together a Oneworld award which will (a) be much less direct and (b) probably end up "costing" the same number of miles.

 

To answer the original question, and assuming you're sticking with AA, if time was available I'd actually go for the morning 777 from ORD. Daytime J, but especially F, is in my experience better than the overnight services, where they feed you and turn out the lights ASAP on many runs. If I'm riding up front I like to be awake for at least a portion of the trip, to take it all in. The ORD morning flight also seems to have much better upgrade or award inventory as a general rule, for what that's worth.

 

Besides which, the morning flights really knock jetlag for six, at least in our experience. Of course it often means flying to (ORD, BOS, JFK) the night before, so extra time and expense. But we think it's worth it.