I remember the desire I had to fly F having sat in C so many times. If this is the itinerary you end up with it will be great.

That being said, since your trip is not until Sep, many options are going to open up between now and then. You think you're done, just wait. It's like a construction site. I would guess by the time you fly the itinerary will look different.

 

Am I a fool for considering replacing FRA-EWR LH F for FRA-JFK SQ C (A380)?

 

Interesting choice - give up FCT/FCL and likely better, more personal service for a newer, maybe better overall seat and definitely better IFE, get some miles back too.

When I did FRA-JFK on SQ, it left from the awful A5 gate IIRC - bad ground experience, no lounge anywhere w/o a long walk and going through security, and the gate itself was a solo-security line pigpen where everyone crammed in with only a little kiosk for retail. That alone would give me hesitation (if that was "their" FRA gate) - though not sure if that gate is A380-equipped.

I'd stay on LH F personally.

 

Thoughts:

Has your +1 ever been to the FCT? If not, hmmm, that's a tough one to give up. Certainly a classy way to end a trip ^

Keep in mind also that if you arrive in LX C and depart SQ C, all you get is SEN/Business/*G lounge access, whereas departing LH F gets you, well, a lot better. Personally I'd want some lounge time after JNB-ZRH-FRA before getting on another 8 hour flight...

Also, not sure of your timing, but SQ26 leaves pretty early in the am -- certainly not a "drinks and caviar" flight. Obviously the new SQ C seats are amazing, but for a day flight they matter less.

If it were me, frankly I'd stick with a (hopefully later) FRA-EWR flight in LH F. You get some R&R at the FCT, and if you get the right flight you don't have to leave at the crack of dawn and can at least have a proper LH F lunch.

 

Alright folks, options just keep opening up. I think we won't take the SQ A380 thanks to the advice above. Especially since LX F opened up.

Stick with ZRH-FRA-EWR. FRA-EWR is an A340 so old F

or

ZRH-YUL-LGA with ZRH-YUL on the LX A330, so new F.

I have never transited through Canada before. Would 2.5 hours on the ground in YUL be enough time? We would clear C&I in YUL and would not have to do it again in the US right? Is clearing C&I and security in YUL an efficient process? I would imagine the MLL facilities are nice and have showers... Thoughts appreciated.

 

Another interesting choice! Did both LH F and LX F on a trip this summer - food great on both, hard product definitely much newer and nicer on LX, but the ZRH F lounge was surprisingly lacking for me, especially relative to the FCT/FCL. So overall ground experience on LH is much better.

You'd do everything in YUL (C&I) if you go through Canada. Should be plenty of time. MLL is great there, like a nice LH SEN lounge.

Toss of the coin - FCT and being driven all the way to the plane (vs. just being driven to the E terminal at ZRH and having to clear security twice) would swing it for me.

 

2.5 hours is more than enough - you will enjoy arriving in LGA as a domestic flight.
I think the new YUL transit procedures is that you dont even have to pick up your luggage anymore, just go through US C&I as a connecting pax.
No showers at MLL.

I would not even hesitate ZRH-YUL-LGA over the FRA option.

 

That would be good. But despite the comfort of the AC Y seating, the convenience of the airport and the opulence of the MLL you've left out a very large negative experience if you exit.

Immigration Canada

 

Is that because we will only have access to the Transborder MLL at YUL? I notice the International MLL does have showers, but I take it it's only for departing pax. I notice there are only snacks or light fare listed for the lounge. Are there meal offerings?

 

yes, but if you are connecting, you dont go thru Immigration Canada proper.

and yes, access to transborder MLL only.
Depending on time of day, there should be hot soup, pasta and salad.

 

And beer on tap, decent wine and sodas in a fridge; And yes, I'd probably connect through YUL if I were coming home here to Washington to have a direct flight back home into Reagan instead of flying to Dulles...

By the way, the same thing goes for YYZ; Transborder doesn't have a shower, but the full International has a nice set of showers in its MLL.

-jeremy

 

Dumb question, if I have booked a F award, but one of my segments is on LH C (A380) and F is available, is there ANY way I could get up into First on same day of travel? Or does that rule still apply that once you start travelling on an award ticket, you can't change anything?