I’ve now got a one-way ticket to Dubai, but nothing back. It’s time to get creative.
My first thought was to fly Kuwait Airways in first class back to New York. This was a flight option that Ben and I toyed with last year for our trip. Unfortunately, the price of the ticket has shot up dramatically. Since Kuwait Airways is not easily achievable with points, I don’t see great value in paying a huge sum to sample it.
I’ve never flown Air India before and thought about flying home via Delhi or Mumbai. But in light of the bed bug incident and generally poor maintenance, I have no desire to fly on Air India at this time.
Aeroflot is another option, but I’d want to stop in Moscow and don’t have the time (or even the visa yet). I also see no cheap business class ticket from Dubai.
So that leaves me with a few viable options. I just published an Emirates First Class review and could look into flying home in Emirates Business Class.
Another option would be taking a flight to Delhi or Mumbai and then take United home. I wouldn’t necessarily review it, but United now has the 777-300ER on the Mumbai to Newark route and I’m chasing 1K status this year. I could also review Jet Airways or Emirates on the shorter flight to India.
Lastly, I could travel down to Abu Dhabi and give Etihad a try in business class. Etihad is under severe pressure to reduce expenses and I’m curious to see if business class service has been cutback.
What do you think? Emirates, Etihad, United, or something else? Help me find a cheap business class ticket from Dubai!
I’d personally like to read about Emirates business. I have plans to take trips to the Maldives and Indonesia and Emirates will be a candidate carrier but I don’t think I have the points to score an aspirational first class fare.
As many short haul business flights as possible across Europe to connect with a Norweigan EDI-NYC.
An exciting trip with maximum variety (or insanity).
Wish I had the time, but not this trip!
Fly Emirates business to Warsaw, Poland (I don’t think they offer first on this route) and connect to LOT Polish 787-9 to LAX. You’d be the first blogger to review the only nonstop from Central Europe to West Coast.
You wrong. Austrian fly Vie- Lax nonstop.
Fly Emirates business to Warsaw and connect to the only nonstop flight from Central Europe to the West Coast. You’d be the first major blogger to review it.
Traveling to East Coast this time. Have not reviewed LOT in a few years and would love to review it soon.
You can fly Dbx- Vie on A380 ( think theu have firts) and then VIE-IAD or NYC with austrian. Direct
Don’t need another OS review right now. Nothing has changed since my review. But I do love the coffee menu and Do & Co catering.
Would you consider Air Canada? They fly from Dubai to Toronto and then you could connect to LAX. I believe you mentioned a few months back that you wanted to fly AC in the near future. They seem to be flying DXB-YYZ with a mix of 777s and 787s, but all have their new business class. Even a few of their flights from YYZ to LAX are served by 787s or if not the rest of the YYZ-LAX flights I think are served by their new 737 MAX aircraft.
I love this idea! Looking into it now.
Do etihad and try economy
If all else fails…
😉
What about stopping in Casablanca then air Maroc home (I am pretty sure you’ve reviewed this before). I’d like to try this redemption.
I enjoyed Royal Air Maroc very much, but since I’ve reviewed the 787 twice, won’t do so this time.
https://liveandletsfly.boardingarea.com/2017/08/03/royal-air-maroc-787-business-class-review/
https://liveandletsfly.boardingarea.com/2017/08/07/royal-air-maroc-787-business-class/
BOM-EWR switches to 77W late in October (ref Flyertalk). So make sure your schedule lines up otherwise you’re stuck in old seating.
Wow, good point. Trip is next month, so that won’t work!
Talk about first world problems! Try flying in the back like 90% of travelers! Yes, it’s a Krug/Don-free space but people have been known to survive 10-hours in Economy. Do it on AC and you’ll get a few PQMs for your 1K.
One-way pricing on Air Canada is a killer.
Take FlyDubai’s 737 MAX to Belgrade from Dubai, then connect back to LA on LOT or Austrian through Vienna or Warsaw
I look forward to trying FlyDubai new’s business class on a future occasion.
Or from Belgrade, fly Air Serbia to JFK, then fly JetBlue back to LA
Have reviewed both Air Serbia and JetBlue already (love them both):
Air Serbia:
https://liveandletsfly.boardingarea.com/2017/07/06/air-serbia-a330-business-class-review/
JetBlue:
https://liveandletsfly.boardingarea.com/2017/08/16/jetblue-a321-mint-class-review/
What do Oman Air prices look like? Take that to London and get a UA or ANZ mileage redemption from there?
Or maybe find a way to WAW and take LOT from there? Can’t remember if you’ve reviewed that or not.
Will check on Oman Air pricing. I like that idea.
I have reviewed LOT from Chicago to Warsaw:
https://liveandletsfly.boardingarea.com/2017/03/22/review-lot-787-business-class/
Fly to Kyiv (KBP)
Then nonstop to (JFK)
On Ukraine International Airlines
Flew on Ukraine a couple years ago and loved it:
https://liveandletsfly.boardingarea.com/2017/02/16/review-kiev-new-york-ukraine-international-airlines-767-business-class/
Looking forward to trying the new lie-flat product soon.
Another thought – get a cheap cash ticket for the short hop to DEL or BOM, then 9W to AMS, then AC to LAX via YYZ. Book a long enough layover so you can check out that fancy “Signature Lounge” or whatever they call it in Toronto.
Signature Lounge is for paid business class tickets only that are departing Toronto on a longhaul flight. But flying 9W to YYZ is not a bad thought.
New idea:
Fly Phillipine Airlines all the way to LAX via Manila
Or Virgin Atlantic all the way to LAX so you can try the 787
Will fly Philippines once A350 is delivered.
PAL received their first A350 about 2wks ago! It’ll be a while before they put the plane in proper revenue flights though.
If your trip was later this year, I’d say Kenya Airways all the way to JFK.
But otherwise as you mentioned above, 9W from AMS to YYZ gets my vote, after flying a different KLM product than you have reviewed to AMS. Otherwise, Air Algerie to YUL via ALG? Or Air Italy out of MXP?
Air Italy is under consideration, but not finding a cheap fare or award space. Kenya Airways would be great.
Would want to fly Air Alergie only when I have time to visit Algeria (and Tunisia and Libya).
Etihad. Would be interesting to see what changed they have made… And compare with past and future reports as we’re sure more chances are coming.
I’ll soon a publish an Etihad report from a couple years ago. It would indeed be interesting to do a side-by-side comparison.
Etihad. Flew them back in March AUH-ORD in business and was pleasantly surprised with the service. I was prepared for something less than I was used to with them and thankfully it worked out well. Used AA miles.
I would vote for redeeming Cathay Pacific flights with Alaska miles. Not because of Cathay’s product, but due to the fact that you could redeem DXB-HKG-LAX on a single ticket. First class costs 70,000 miles. You could even add a stopover in Hong Kong. IMO this is the best use of Alaska miles. Just for fun!
This is a great idea if there is space.
Azerbaijan Airlines through GYD to JFK. Done.
LOL, I should have mentioned that in my post. I considered Azerbaijan, but the flight to JFK doesn’t run daily and doesn’t run on the day I want it.
Maybe a Camel?
Economy to Oslo or Copenhagen, and then for under 600eur business class to NYC with TAP… ?
I’d do that in a heartbeat, but it looks like those TAP fares are not available till next March. Do you see them available next month?
Yes I see them.
Check google flights.
Oslo NYC 2,3 August.
Copenhagen NYC 31. July, 3 August.
But only on those dates, then later again end of the month.
Me again, you could also fly CPH to Toronto with TAP, almost all days in August will work ;).
Do you know if YYZ has old seats or new seats on TP?
It depends on the dates, if Google Flight is accurate.
For example on 1. August it shows angeled seats (old), and on the 3. August it shows lie-flats (new) seats.
How about Flying Turkish airlines business class to JFK or LAX
Since I just reviewed Turkish last December, I’ll skip it this time:
https://liveandletsfly.boardingarea.com/2018/01/26/turkish-airlines-777-300er-business-class-review/
But I always highly recommend Turkish.
Trek over to Cairo. Cairo-JED-NYC in Saudia first class for ~$1900.
Fly to India, then take Jet + KLM joint venture flights to get home. You could also do something obscure like Ukraine International or Uzbekistan Air!
How about flying Jet Airways from Dubai to London via Bombay or Delhi!
And then you can fly from London to Los Angeles on Virgin Atlantic.
I have the same sentiment whenever I visit Dubai.
The best option is Aeroflot. You don’t need a visa if you don’t leave the airport and the connection is short. It will be at least 30% less expensive than local airlines.
I would just take Emirates business class back. Can’t go wrong.
Dude. AI is not the only airline to have bed bug issues. Let’s not forget BA has the same issues.
Safety wise AI is good. Honestly never had a bad flight with them.
How about SAS from Dubai to San Francisco via Copenhagen, then just fly back to Burbank on United