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Home  >  Etihad • JAL • Korean Air • United Airlines • Vietnam • Vietnam Airlines  >  How Shall I Get Back to LA from Ho Chi Minh City?
EtihadJALKorean AirUnited AirlinesVietnamVietnam Airlines

How Shall I Get Back to LA from Ho Chi Minh City?

Matthew Klint Posted onJanuary 12, 2018January 12, 2018 33 Comments

My Qatar Airways 777-3ooER Qsuite flight is right around the corner. But I have nothing booked home…

This is a review trip and I’m not planning on spending any time in Ho Chi Minh City. It’s a lovely city that I have visited in the past, but this time my objective is to come straight home…too much going on in LA.

There are easy choices…like fly United Airlines from Hong Kong or Singapore. I may well do that just to save time and keep building my lifetime status. But I feel like I’d be doing myself and you a disservice if I did not try out a new product on the way home.

Thus, I’ve narrowed it down to four options.

1. Etihad Business Class

I’ve flown Etihad First Class before on the A380 and 777 as well as business class on the A330, but the business class flight was only from Male to Abu Dhabi, so relatively short. I’d like to try the Business Studio aboard the A380. By the way, I will eventually get to the India + Maldives + Etihad trip report…

2. Korean Air First Class

I have yet to fly Korean Air First Class. I’d position to Hong Kong to try out the Kosmo Suites 2.0 aboard the 747-8 then the Kosmo Suites on the A380 to LAX.

3. JAL Business Class

I love JAL First Class and the temptation would be to just pay the extra 20K AA miles to upgrade. But I’ve never flown JAL before and

4. Vietnam Airlines + Virgin Atlantic Business Class

Vietnam Airlines operates a 787-9 to London…this would be my top choice…if there was award space on my date. It would force me to spend two day in Ho Chi Minh City. Now that’s not a bad thing at the Park Hyatt Saigon, but I don’t want to be gone longer than necessary. From London I’d hop on a Virgin Atlantic flight to Los Angeles, which also has the downside of exorbitant fuel surcharges. Note: I know I’ve pictured a Vietnam Airlines A350 above. I’d rather fly that.

5. United Airlines Business Class

I put this in here just because it would be easy, and with my backlog of reviews, maybe that is what I need. Just a connection to Singapore, maybe a night at the Andaz, then a nonstop flight to Los Angeles with no review necessary. I already reviewed Singapore to Los Angeles on United here. I’ll save Singapore Business Class for later in the year.

CONCLUSION

I am open to other options as well. What do you prefer I fly home from Vietnam?

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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33 Comments

  1. Cedar Swamp-Thing Reply
    January 12, 2018 at 2:50 pm

    No EVA availability? Well, then my vote is for JAL!

    • Matthew Reply
      January 12, 2018 at 3:04 pm

      I love EVA, but want to sample a carrier I have not yet flown.

    • tda Reply
      January 12, 2018 at 8:29 pm

      EVA was my first thought, too.

    • Duane Reply
      January 13, 2018 at 3:50 am

      Haha, I’m sitting in an EVA flight right now in HCMC about to go to LAX via Taipei. Love EVA, but looking forward to your review of another route.

  2. Brandon Reply
    January 12, 2018 at 2:57 pm

    JAL has some fairly reasonably priced one way business class tickets from SGN to LAX that are fairly direct and include JAL Sky Suite on the 777-300ER. Been eyeing it for the next time I go.

  3. Brandon Reply
    January 12, 2018 at 3:03 pm

    JAL is the way to go. Great service, great food, nice bed padding mat. Lot of good stuff on JAL. Can’t go wrong with them.

    • Brandon Reply
      January 12, 2018 at 3:37 pm

      The first comment is not from me, its from a different brandon. I swear.

  4. Thomas Reply
    January 12, 2018 at 3:11 pm

    What about China Airlines with a layover in Taipei. Not sure if you’ve flown them before though.

  5. Rob Reply
    January 12, 2018 at 3:14 pm

    For my post Qatar flight plans, I’m traveling from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Nang to try out the new Sheraton Da Nang Resort, then a short hop to HKG on Hong Kong express. A Cathay business class award flight over to Colombo and then finally a $1,300 r/t business class flight to Doha continuing to PHL. The return to CMB will start another trip going to India. That one will end with an award flight on Qatar from Chennai back to the US. I understand your interest in trying other products but between the reasonable prices, best in class service and beautiful aircraft and lounges I find little reason to stray from Qatar.

  6. MeanMeosh Reply
    January 12, 2018 at 3:28 pm

    Hop down to SYD or MEL and fly Virgin Australia J back home?

  7. IADDAN Reply
    January 12, 2018 at 3:34 pm

    How about United nrt-sfo or hkg-sfo for the new Polaris seats? You could do a mini review of that since I don’t think you’ve done a new Polaris seat review unless I missed in.

    You’d get your lifetime miles, pqm, and a mini review out of it.

  8. 121Pilot Reply
    January 12, 2018 at 3:42 pm

    My vote would be to see you fly Korean first and failing that JAL. If not those then Ethiad.

  9. Hal Reply
    January 12, 2018 at 3:46 pm

    Just go by boat/raft. That’s how the Vietnamese got here.

  10. Rohan Reply
    January 12, 2018 at 3:53 pm

    Putting the vote in for JAL!

  11. YYZFlyer Reply
    January 12, 2018 at 4:06 pm

    My vote is for Vietnam Airlines and Virgin Atlantic. You can easily fly any of the other airlines you mentioned in the future given that they all fly to LAX, while Vietnam Airlines doesn’t.

    • Matthew Reply
      January 12, 2018 at 4:57 pm

      I sort of lean in this direction. Hope some space opens…

  12. nfd Reply
    January 12, 2018 at 4:43 pm

    EY Business is the worst option

    • Matthew Reply
      January 12, 2018 at 4:57 pm

      Why is that?

  13. samuel Reply
    January 12, 2018 at 4:58 pm

    Hop a flight to Singapore and try out the new suites down to Sydney and then take Virgin Australia J back.

    • Matthew Reply
      January 12, 2018 at 5:40 pm

      Will fly both later in year on an Australian trip. Going twice to Australia already.

  14. Donald Reply
    January 12, 2018 at 5:08 pm

    Korean or JAL.

    Both are in cabins I’ve never close before but could do with points. I’d like to see what is be getting.

  15. Nick Reply
    January 12, 2018 at 7:28 pm

    How about Hong Kong Airlines. They have A350’s flying to LA, and it would make for an interesting review.

  16. UA-NYC Reply
    January 12, 2018 at 7:32 pm

    Anything
    But
    United

    Nothing to see, 10+ year old product, already downgraded Polaris experience

    • Matthew Reply
      January 12, 2018 at 7:51 pm

      The beauty of flying United is that I would not have to write about it! 😉

      • tda Reply
        January 12, 2018 at 8:35 pm

        Why not just fly EVA then? Wouldn’t it cost the same number and type of miles, require only one stop from SGN, and also not require a review, since you say you’ve flown it recently? Voluntarily downgrading to United would just be sad.

  17. Pigsy Reply
    January 12, 2018 at 8:20 pm

    Vietnam Airlines for reviewing

  18. hbilbao Reply
    January 12, 2018 at 9:12 pm

    Korean

  19. Kacee Reply
    January 12, 2018 at 9:33 pm

    Second vote for CI via TPE.

    Though if you fly KE you could review the new T2 at ICN.

  20. Credit Reply
    January 12, 2018 at 11:10 pm

    Any airline is fine as long you dress as a leprechaun or a gnome.

    Set yourself apart man. A traveling leprechaun!

  21. Chris M Reply
    January 13, 2018 at 2:11 am

    Dont do korean because you’ll be disappointed… or maybe thats the point of a review lol . last time i had the choice of flying biz from IAD (where I was) or first from JFK, decided for First and drove 4 hours to JFK to try the experience, and it was all but underwhelming even though i was one of only 2 passengers in the cabin. no caviar (foie gras was served), shit catering out of jfk, language barrier, little service (presumably due to language barrier). Should’ve just went with the Apex Suite out of IAD.

  22. JW Reply
    January 13, 2018 at 3:34 am

    VN has daily flights to London just departing different airports. If there is none departing SGN why not do a short hop on VN to HAN and get to LHR that way?

  23. SHANE TARR Reply
    January 13, 2018 at 6:56 am

    Fly with who you like. But 2 days in Saigon aka Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam Airlines to LHR and who you like from there would be my preference. Other options elicit boredom from the likes of me. By the way you could choose other far more interesting local hotels in Saigon such as The Rex.

  24. LX Reply
    January 14, 2018 at 4:21 pm

    JAL – would love to read a review before I try the product myself later this year…

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