Given the United devaluation and the American-US Airways merger, such that US Airways could leave Star Alliance as early as late this year, if you want to use pre-devaluation United miles or Dividend miles on a Star Alliance award, now is the time to be putting that together. Some readers have been asking me how I would rank the business class airline products that can be booked as part of an award, so here are my picks:
1. SWISS Business Class
I've flown SWISS Business Class a couple times, on their Bangkok to Zurich route and also SWISS Business Class Zurich to Montreal. They have a strong hard product in staggered configuration, and I highly recommend selecting a seat in the more private “mini cabin” between first class and the main business class cabin. I wouldn't say the food blew me away, but it was better than what I've had in Cathay Pacific Business Class, and about on par or a bit above with what I've had in Singapore Business Class. One of the better bets for award availability are ZRH-PEK in the first part of 2014.
On a side note, if you have any aspiration to book SWISS First Class and aren't a top Miles & More elite, make sure to book that before the end of 2013 with Lufthansa Miles & More miles (for example using the 50,000 bonus from the Lufthansa Miles & More card) since starting in 2014 it will only be bookable by top Miles & More elites.
2. Asiana Quadra Smartium New Business Class
Asiana's old business class is still angled flat, so if you book a long haul award in Asiana Business Class, aim to book Asiana's Quadra Smartium New Business Class, which is wholly lie flat. It's available on the Boeing 777-200ER (also termed 77L or 77W) routes between Seoul ICN and LA (LAX) or San Francisco (SFO). Asiana has some of the best food and service on board, with L'Occitane amenity kits even in Business Class. You may even want to spend a few more miles to book Asiana First Class, although sadly Asiana Suites don't seem to be bookable any longer as partner awards, using United or US Air miles. See No More Asiana Suites First Class Award Space?
3. Singapore Business Class
One of the best meals I've had on a business class flight was in Singapore Business Class, even though it was a regional flight and unfortunately had angle flat bed seats. But long haul flights are flat beds, with a nice wide seat that is quite comfortable (see my husband's Singapore Business Class Review). You also have “Book the Cook” options for many flights, and these are especially good out of Singapore. Note that Singapore releases limited inventory to its partners, so you won't be able to book Singapore Business Class using United or US Air miles into or out of the U.S.; you'll instead need to book something to or from Copenhagen, Cairo, Istanbul, Australia/New Zealand, India, the Middle East, or within Asia. Service on both my flight and my husband's flight was very good, although of course can't compare to the more personalized attention of Singapore First Class or Singapore Suites.
4. EVA Royal Laurel Business Class
While I haven't personally flown EVA Business Class, some of my Award Booking clients have and enjoyed it. Seats are in a reverse herringbone configuration, similar to Cathay Pacific Business Class in a 1-2-1 layout. Service and entertainment options get strong reviews, but the main thing that lets this product down is the food–I'd almost go so far as to suggest you bring your own, from the reports.
5. ANA New Business Class
ANA's new business class is in staggered configuration, providing easy aisle access and great flat beds. Mattress pads are Nishikawa Sangyo's “Air Cyclone” and meant to provide greater padding and comfort, together with matching ergonomic pillows. The new business class is on the 787 routes to and from Japan. ANA New Business Class on the 77W certainly looks a lot more comfortable than my angled flat seats in old ANA Business Class. Best bets for ANA New Business Class are routes from NYC JFK, Chicago ORD (morning flight), and to a lesser extent LAX and SFO.
6. Austrian New Business Class
Austrian's new business class offers flat bed seats in staggered configuration, so similar to SWISS, which offers aisle access to each passenger and more privacy than non-staggered, non-herringbone configurations. Don't expect much in the way of an amenity kit (in general SWISS, Lufthansa and Austrian are laggards when it comes to amenity kits) but there are noise cancelling headphones, touch screen controls for the IFE and DO & CO catering, which most folks seem to love although I view as a minus given the completely inedible meal I had from them in Lufthansa Business Class from Munich to Moscow. There's even an entire coffee menu, a nice touch for coffee drinkers.
7. Turkish Business Class
Turkish Business Class offers a flat bed seat, with tons of leg room, although less private than staggered or herringbone configurations, so better for couples that are traveling together. There are onboard chefs (which remind me of Etihad) although catering is actually by DO & CO, as with Austrian above. I personally haven't flown Turkish yet so I'll reserve judgment. Per reports, expect somewhat efficient but not overly friendly service.
8. Thai Airways Royal Silk Business Class
Thai Airways has a nice staggered flat bed business class product if you're lucky enough to be on the A380. Window seats offer more privacy but are also harder to get into and out of, due to the small space between the seat in front of you and your side table. Aisle seats are easier to get into and out of, but you may be more disturbed by foot traffic. If you're flying Thai out of Bangkok, be sure to take advantage of a complimentary 30 minute massage. So why don't I rate Thai Business Class higher? Mainly because so many of the business class routes are still angled flat.
9. Lufthansa New Business Class
I don't think I'm alone in disliking even the new Lufthansa Business Class seat, with its lack of privacy and tiny space for your feet, although certainly a flat bed is better than an angled flat product. Would it have killed Lufthansa to install staggered seating, similar to SWISS and Austrian, rather than reinventing a wheel in a worse way?
Anyway, if you have US Dividend Miles this will likely be a moot point, since Lufthansa Business Class awards, even when made available to partners as indicated with the ANA Tool, are mostly not bookable with Dividend Miles, apart from certain flights on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Call it revenue management, aka Parkerization, with US Air already one foot out the door of Star Alliance. Matt at Upgrd has an interesting post describing his conversations with US Air folks, and it may be possible, with luck and a lot of persistence, to find a US Air agent willing to do a long sell to book you in Lufthansa Business Class. But in Matt's latest update, he notes that there has since been a memo that forbids US Air agents from doing long sells on Lufthansa space so don't count on it.
Now, there are certainly other Star Alliance business class products you could book, such as on Brussels Airlines, Air China, Air Canada, and of course US Airways and United, and they might form an important part of a larger and great value award, but I wouldn't go out of my way to fly them.
Do you plan to book any of these business class awards with pre-devaluation United miles or US Air Dividend miles before US Air exits Star Alliance?
Related Posts
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United Award Chart Devaluation: Redeem Miles Before February 1, 2014
Best International Business Class Seats for Sleeping
Lufthansa 50,000 Bonus Miles & More Card Returns
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