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OH will need to travel to Chicago for work once a month for the next few months. He is BA Gold, but the new tier point year and the new system means he is open to exploring travel with any airline.
Work will pay for a “reasonable” priced business class direct flight. Any tips? He plans on staying a whole week, probably mid week to mid week the first trip and then do a few days mid week only in subsequent months.
The only hotel near to the office is a poor Hilton, he has silver status (just demoted from Gold), but gold never gave him more than a few HH points (work pays for breakfast and F&B and there were no upgraded rooms in the hotel).
Look at United into Chicago. Lots of redemption opps for miles and they will likely do a one time status match and he should be able to satisfy the requirements to meet the conditions for renewal.
As for hotel, Chicago’s public transport is good. Is he near the L train lines? If so pick somewhere a couple of stops away, otherwise just Uber/Lyft to somewhere better.
As these trips are for work make sure he fully comply with any and all work visa requirements and restrictions with every I and T dotted and crossed.
Ask your OH to check with his company if they have a good immigration lawyer in the US. Likely to be needed.
On my work, people on the 2nd trip this year are already being stopped and interrogated extensively on why they are there AGAIN for business, and surely one of these times they’ll just stay illegaly.Can he get Global Entry – but may not be enough time if the trips are starting imminently
AA operate Dreamliners on the route. BA noisy B777s, United ancient B767s.
Fly AA, credit to BAC.Don’t prices shoot up if you’re not staying a Saturday night? What do they class as reasonable?
Don’t prices shoot up if you’re not staying a Saturday night? What do they class as reasonable?
He was thinking of nesting tickets.
…He was thinking of nesting tickets.
Has he read the Ts & Cs of booking?
…He was thinking of nesting tickets.
Has he read the Ts & Cs of booking?
Not yet, but I thought BA at least didn’t have an issue with nesting.
Lived there 17-20 flew everyone!
AA best overall if you get good seat. Read seat reviews and get ones not connected. Also annoyed me that they take headphones off you and hour before landing. AA flagship is best lounge in ohare t3. Credit miles somewhere other than AA (AA elites don’t get lounge on NAm domestics/carib).
BA CS is well CS.
United has some nice quirks, notably ice cream cart and polaris bedding. Miles don’t expire (think most *A do). Staff as variable as BA.
Defo get hiltn currensea if staying hilton.
+1 for L
On aa and United might have free same day change too online which might be helpful (I used to love it)
United : old plane, but Polaris seats are decent, customer service during disruption good, better priced redemptions, flexible same day change policy. Would definitely choose that over BA/AA. You can top up points earned with Marriot Amex in the UK at a decent rate.
Nesting lots of United returns from the US inside a long term BA/AA return might be cost effective, and fun to sock it to the man 🙂
United has some nice quirks, notably ice cream cart and polaris bedding. Miles don’t expire (think most *A do). Staff as variable as BA.
Correct, United don’t expire, AA is 3 years.
If you can book hotels through Rocketmiles you can earn lots of United. AA has their own RM portal which is appallingly bad unless you have a co-branded CC which is only available in the US.
AA has one of the worst records for cancellations and on time perf of all the US airlines.
I used to fly this route regularly, albeit my then employer would only permit economy (which, after the first trip, I always upgraded to an extra legroom seat as I’m not a small human)
As a result of needing Main Cabin Extra / Economy Plus, I never flew the route with BA due to the lack of extra legroom that didn’t also involve a narrower bulkhead seat. I eventually developed a preference for AA due to the newer planes. The other swing factor for me was the daytime return flight in the summer schedule… sleep properly in a hotel, work (read “watch films”) on the flight then sleep properly at home was MUCH nicer than a day at work, a poor night’s sleep on the flight and then a day struggling with jet lag! Unfortunately it looks like AA dropped it from this summer’s schedule.
If work is paying for business then some of my considerations won’t apply. However business on an AA flight will give extra food options bookable ahead of time (not something available on BA metal) and T3 departures will guide a better selection of available lounges too explore, so AA would still be my preference Vs BA. I can’t comment on UA long haul business class having not (yet) experienced it, but in terms of status and points the options within Star Alliance may or may not make sense for you, vs crediting to a One World airline.
I was in Chicago for vacation earlier this month. If OH wants more space and an aparthotel option for these trips consider Sonder (now part of Marriott so you earn nights (but not the bonus nights at the minute) and points). My stay was at Sonder The Burnham but there are a few sites in Chicago.
Thanks all. Very helpful.
OH has found flights via Dublin, which would pre clearance at least, that are “reasonably” priced.
It seems that AA booked through BA is the way to go.
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