Flight Review - American AIrlines Trancon Service from New York to LA in Business Class
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- Опубліковано 4 лип 2024
- Tier Point Runs to the West Coast will typically involve a leg of over 2,000 miles which will usually be a coast to coast flight. These are best done on one of American Airlines' A321 Sharklet planes, which are specifically equipped to service this route, a route which is usually filled with travellers happy to pay for a premium experience.
It's described as a "Flagship Business" experience, on a par with how they brand their international services. But is it actually that good???
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⏰ Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
2:23 - Finding these Planes
2:56 - JFK Terminal 8
6:02 - The Plane and the Seat
10:23 - Settling In...
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great video, I think United also still have that seat on their 757 Transcon fleet (you have to look for the wide bodies to get polaris seats)
I remember 757s.... Barely.....
It's a nice touch that The Captain welcomes you on board like they sometimes do on Delta.
I wouldn't say it was a welcome but he was standing outside the cockpit at least!
The Admirals Club that used to be next to the Flagship lounge (now the Greenwich lounge) to the right of reception has been absorbed into the Greenwich lounge space. The Bridge Bar there is quite decent. It’s an under-used space because most don’t realise it’s there.
Including me!!! I only learned about it when I watched someone else's video when I got home! Went through that lounge twice out and back and had no idea it was there!
Yes, the original AAdmirals Club in the main terminal is gone but there is still one in the pier.
Thanks for the awesome videos Matt! Keep it up :)
Glad you like them!
Happy Easter Matt! Great review as always, flight looked not bad.
Thanks Callum - it was a good flight - I'm just allergic to that seat!
Nice review, great video as per and happy easter!
Thanks and Happy Easter to you too
Thanks for the info + video!
Thanks as always for commenting!
There is also an additional gin bar further into the Tasting Room to the other side and another bar. On the A321T I always go for the aisle seat to be able to lower the armrest for more space and able to get out during meal service. I actually quite love the beet timbale, that's the kind of food I can eat everyday.
Thanks - I was in that Greenwich lounge twice and never found that extra lounge space - its kept a secret and I've contributed to that inadvertently!!!
Hope you’re well Matt, I’ve always wanted to try AA business just for the ice cream sundae 😂 informative and entertaining as always
Doing well thanks! The sundae is quite special but I'm not sure its a decision maker when choosing an airline!
Hey Matt. Another great video! been shouting out your page a lot with fellow customers/clients! Hoping they been showing up 💪🏾
Thanks mate - getting good views so thanks if you've been assisting!!!
15k subs?!!! Congrats!!!!
Thanks - another step on the road!
Hi Matt. good analysis, I have taken these flights a few times, another option on the IFE is to connect your phone/tablet to the free onboard wi-fi service, this gives you a far larger range of entertainment and choice.
Thanks Mike - I will talk about the wifi delivered entertainment on the return flight but it wasn't obvious that it was available alongside the stuff on the screen!
Very interesting as always. Not a great business class product (I don't like 2-2 configs) but I could "endure" it as part of a TP run - especially at that estimated value. Perhaps you are supposed to tip the oil over the starter and set fire to it...?!
Salad a la flambe? Might have made it more palatable!
Always a great video, but for as long as I can remember US First Class (on just about any airline) was always better than Business Class Inter-Europe any day of the week. No comparison by any stretch of the imagination.
Ooooh.... That might be worth addressing in a video....
Well, I missed Thinking about Turkish Airlines. 😂👍👍👍
Excellent video, Matt! Well reported and nice touch with "not the best sleep to sit in" 😂
Thanks! The occasional gag is good for retention!
I did the same flight as part of my tier point run in January.
My flight from LHR landed at JFK in the evening and my flight to LAX was 6am the next day.
There wasnt much point staying in a hotel for a few hours sleep, so stayed in the Greenwich lounge until it closed, then sat in the terminal (too scared to sleep) until the lounge opened again around 5am ish?
The things we do for a Gold Card.
Needless to say, I slept the entire journey from JFK to LAX in the nice flat bed.
Good for you - a lot cheaper than a couple of hours in the TWA hotel!!! I'm 53 and I always think those days are behind me but I suppose it is possible if you're at least partially jetlagged and have a bed available as soon as you get on the plane!
The 321T's are going to be disappearing over the next 18 months, replaced by 321 XLR's, these will have new seats up front. The food is a strange one, I don't fly the route that often (i'm LAS based) but it seemed to me something was missing, though it's not, if you understand what I am saying. Over the last 6-9 months the meals in first have really gone down hill, combine that with a first class seat that seems to have had all the padding removed and I think i'm heading back to Delta, as much as that pains me.
It'll be interesting to see what they go for in the XLRs... Should be live about the time I next need to make one of these trips! I know what you mean about the food - indeed the whole experience.... So many people are regulars on that route, and have developed their own techniques for coping with it, that the full service offered is rarely taken up... The attendants seemed almost surprised when I wanted headphones or to know what the wine actually was!
Thanks for the video. I know your meal wasn't all that good, but still beats what you get on UA on a similar route.
Hope you are well
Thanks David - I did an AA non-A321T on the way back to the East Coast and you are right that the offering is diminished!!! Not done a transcon on UA but I believe the food is nothing to get excited about!
Nice video Matt, thanks for showcasing the AA Trans-Con business class product in 2023/24. This still seems a bit off compare to the recently upgraded United Polaris, JetBlue MINT and Delta One, hopefully AA will up their cabins soon!
I have reviewed MINT and and Delta One and whilst Mint was good, nothing really overwhelmed me! Room for improvement all round
Not sure if you checked it out and it just didn't make the cut, but heading straight through the Tasting Room and on to 'The Bridge' is my go to place in the Greenwich lounge. Another two manned bars, and an area that has always been incredibly quiet and relaxing - well worth checking out next time!
Thanks - its a bit of a hidden delight as I had no clue it was there on either time I was in that lounge on this trip!!!
NIce review coverage. Yes access to the standard and flagship lounges is done on some strange set of rules and occasionally theyve worked for me other times the staff have taken pity and let me in (and other times not). I've flown business in the US internally on AA a lot but never been on these sharklet things.WIll be doing another internal flight in July but wont be this will be the old stuffed armchair sort.(LA-Chicago)
ETA I see i will be flying to and from Hawaii from LA on an A321 Neo. is that different or the same?
I flew on a "regular" A321 on the way back to the East Coast which will be on the channel in a couple of weeks - probably a bit better than the Stuffed Armchair but still not brilliant! LAX to Hawaii won't be a sharklet
Hi Matt,
Thanks to your channel,I’m doing the Abu Dhabi -Jakarta run in 2 weeks and then a west coast run , including the above flights in August . My wife says that you’re a v bad influence…. Keep it up !!
Ha ha! I've heard lots of reports of +1s disapproving of this sort of stuff.... Right until they float through the First wing for the first time on a cloud of champagne....
Great video, lucky you didn't fly out from Newark, lounges situation there is shambolic
Not flown out of Newark since 2003 so I'm probably due another visit!
@@MattsPlanet at busy times if you are not in business class expect 1.5-2 hour security queue.
Thank You ✈️
Thanks for watching!
Hi Matt, hope you are well,
Thank you for this very entertaining video! Sarcasm is such a beautiful form of art if done well! In Goa at the moment, New delhi for a few days tomorrow.
As always, Thank you, be safe
Regards
Thomas
Thanks Thomas. Thinking of heading to Goa towards the end of the year - a few days in Mumbai too as I've never been.... Recommended??
@MattsPlanet if what most people say about it to not go, sounds like music to your ears, then it will be amazing all round! It's mad chaos, it's beautiful in its simplicity, oh, and 3 large beers and some crisps came to £3 !!
Hi Daddy Matt! Just so happens that I also uploaded today an American Airlines' (well, American Eagle operated by Envoy Air) one-hour First Class product on board an Embraer E175. Wasn't technically a tier point run as it can't be since I flew on 27 Mar, but I do plan on doing proper premium cabin runs throughout the remainder of the year. I may do a transcon, but only to book in Basic Economy first and then upgrading later at check-in if the price is right. It's a gamble, but oh well. The Miami option for example, can go for (in Basic Economy) as low as 100 quid and on a 777!
A 777 on a domestic route would be fun!
I don't need transcontinental flights at all. As not only a cat but also one who is a member of the Council of Deciding Things, I have access to the network of deep underground caverns, where we go to discuss issues. These caverns are joined up by secret underground cat railroads. ( High speed mag-lev trains to be exact ). At hub interchanges you can see well dressed cats carrying briefcases full of important documents walking about their business, upright on two legs. Actually you wouldn't see it, because you're not allowed down there.
This is my payback for being a dog person?
@@MattsPlanet You suffer narrow seats and ridiculous little foot cubbys, whereas us cats lounge back in deeply padded armchairs on our secret trains.
I think I'd actively avoid a 2-2 business layout, it looks awful. You've zero privacy and have to climb over someone to go to the loo. How much was 'First' if that was showing as $1400-1500?! Those just look like their regular transatlantic biz seats
Those First seats are expensive - I think a lot of occupants are concierge keys or people benefiting from upgrades. Not me though!
Looks nice but not quite JetBlue business class I don’t think
Indeed!
I did like the American Vusiness search. It was well worth it. I was scared as all of the bad reviews but excellent. The Greenwich lounge was nice in relation to myc. Flagship lounge really nice it was dead in miami. Nice review as usual. The foot in American is a hit and muss but nice
Thanks - those flagship lounges can be really nice
Wow. What a let down. I'm booked onto one of those BOSLAX in November having heard great things about them and I'm pleased, I guess, to have so many months to get the disappointment out of the way in advance. I'll be returning PHXJFK on a Max8 suicide plane though, so maybe best not to grumble. And that lounge, crammed to the gills. Double yuk. I feel for you.
I mean it wasn't terrible! One of the best ways of flying coast to coast, excluding flying via Doha, which takes a while!!!
I flew Boston-LAX in February and it was quite nice. The lounge at Boston is reasonable by AA's and BA's standard. Generally their early flights tend to be better - maybe it's a staff energy thing?
The business seat is pretty much what UA uses on its transcon, and it’s old business class on overseas flights before Polaris. AA is removing the F cabin for mor business seats through this year.
Thanks - I do need to get a move on if I want to fly on that F seat!
We used AA points (15K) to upgrade from J…and because our routing between JFK and BOS was via LAX (yeah really weird routing rules) with an immediate turnaround at LAX, both flights were upgraded into F.
Try flying a BA 320 in Club “Europe” for 5hrs to Amman or Cairo and then you will realise what a poor/dire business class product is compared to this AA offering.
I'm doing AMM in 2 weeks time so I will be able to compare!!!
I've taken the Flagship Business class seat 4 times now from JFK to SNA (John Wayne) and from BOS to LAX and quite honestly I generally like it. True it's not as good a actual seat as something like BA's Club World but I've generally found the service really good, bar one of the flights where it was terrible. I do come from the weird position that I only take day flights so aren't interested in the sleep element. The food has usually been better than BA's and they've been more generous with the booze than BA. I agree the wine list thing is really annoying though. As there isn't any formal list the staff should know what's available, but they don't, so when I asked what dessert wines they had they just looked blankly at me.
Thanks - I didn't know they flew into SNA - that was my local airport when I lived in Orange County... And I try really hard to only take day flights these days too - daylight makes for a much better video and sleeping on a plane is a real chore at my size and my age!!!
Yes the SNA flagship route from JFK is a bit random! There's no lounge at SNA though which is a bit of a downer. It was part of my on-going quest to visit all the US presidential museums - Nixon's is near there.@@MattsPlanet
I've flown that aircraft type twice between JFK & SFO in flagship first. Enjoyed it both times. Cash fare in summer 2021 and an amazing points redemption February 2023. The second time I was able to get into the Chelsea lounge, which I loved.
Flagship first is going to be retired and the 321t replaced with the 321xlr, with the new flagship suites/ premium economy and economy. The Ts will be converted to regular 321s. I'm thinking in the next year or two.
Thanks - I suppose a 10 year life for that business seat is enough!
Hi Matt
I'm sorry for such a very basic question, but I'm new here. I joined the Aegean program in Star Alliance. When traveling with Turkish Airlines, do I have to register for the program with TA and transfer their points to Aegean? Is it enough that I am registered in the Aegean program and it works for all Star Alliance members?
Have a nice trip 🙂
No worries - happy to help. All 3 Alliances work the same in that you can put any member airline's frequent flyer number into a booking with another member and the points will collect in your scheme. So put your Aegean FF number into the Turkish booking and you'll be good. You should be able to find a dropdown in the Turkish "Manage my Booking" section - that'll show all airlines you can earn points with. Pick Aegean, pop in the number and you'll be good to go. When you check-in, its always worth checking the number has appeared on the boarding pass - it sometimes can get lost and if you notice before you fly you can get it re-added. Cheers!
Will you be posting a review of this tier run at some point? Costs, point accurals, etc.
I certainly will! Probably a two or three parter - planning and booking, outbound and return
There is an AC at T8 still, but it’s basically the existing AC in the satellite. I guess only used by those with AC membership now. There is no AC in the main building anymore.
There's an AC still in T4 and T5...
@@MattsPlanet at JFK? Why would there be an admirals club in two terminals AA doesn’t fly from?
@@AlexisKarfopoulos You're absolutely right - I just finished my video on LAX - CLT and had the lounges in LAX in mind.... There is indeed a C gate AC at T8 in JFK and the AC in the B Gates got eaten up by the Flagship lounge, although I didn't notice this on either of my recent visits!
Hey Matt, Any comments about the new Qatar link up? Worth it?
Any extra options a partnership adds is good to me!
I burnt my throat so im drinking hot chocolate to watch you and play roblox
I hope you get well soon!
@@MattsPlanet thx hope u gd
Noticed that Qatar are offering up to 50% bonus if you buy extra Avios. Do you think it’s worth doing if you’ve got some spare cash and plan to use it for future flights ?
I did the sums and its 1.17p per avios with the bonus which is not a brilliant deal.... You can boost avios you've earned through BA for 0.92p each which is about 25% cheaper.... So if this is the only way you can get them in bulk and you have a clear plan for them which will deliver value above this then go crazy, but I won't be taking this offer
Thanks Matt for taking the time to reply. I’ll look at BA boost instead
Hmm. I like the ingenuity of having a First, Business & Economy product on an A321, are they doing too much? JetBlue seem to better utilise their Airbus offering with their Mint suite on this and many other routes. Still though, for a touch over £300, I'd take it.
Thanks Jamie - I think AA is waving the white flag on having 3 classes and is removing their F cabins later this year. They call business first anyway....
7:20 I’m surprised how poor quality business is on this aircraft
It was fantastic when it was new!!! Times move on - this seat hasn't!
Nice review. That seat looks really uncomfortable
10-15 years ago it would have been a leading business class seat. Times change!!!
@@MattsPlanet indeed.
Matt is personal friends of Mason
Who is Mason???
Mason said he went to university with you.
@@stoehrcov I don't remember a Mason although it was a long time ago... Don't think I've ever shared which University I went to so that may resolve things?
Not a bad price but a poor business class product for a flight of this duration. No surprise there however. Thanks for the upload.
Its about as good as you get domestically in the US these days!
@@MattsPlanet You’re right. However I admit it’s vastly better than what B.A. offers on a nearly 4 hr flight which is just economy with the middle seat blocked off and a very average meal service😁
@@paullewis2413 I'm booked on BA to Amman next month which is a similar length - provisionally titled "BA's Worst Flight"....
Coffin bed?
Coffins are wider!
Great vlog but product seems very... stogy ...? Nothing special? Seems to be declining ..
It was probably amazing 10 years ago but time moves on and its not aged well!
The slow but steady decline of the US is evident in pretty much everything these days. Shame
What are you talking about? R U talking about US aviation/travel or something else? Domestic business is a million times better than european business in everyway. And there is no 1st class on narrowbodies eith ANY european carrier. Very occationally european carriers will use a widebody aircraft for european/short haul flights. Though on long haul widebodies te US carriers are lagging alot
I'll not comment on the non-aviation side of the US, but their aviation sector has for a long time developed without worrying too much about how it compares to other markets....
The original flagship transcontinental service was far superior than what you got. The inflight service was more personal than today. The A321T’s are a joke and AA is redoing them into the standard 2 class like the other A321’s they.
Still better than a regular A321!
@@MattsPlanet yes.