marymarra

I hope this is the right forum for this question; we are going to Europe on vacation this summer and can fly first only one direction; just seeking opinions on which direction to choose--going or coming home; I guess a major consideration is getting a good's night sleep on the way over, but I'm wondering if I am missing other variables. I would love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks!

Mary in D.C.

J62

Given a choice I'd definitely fly first going to Europe. I'd even be happy with 'just' business class. Flying overnight you miss a night's sleep. On return you depart and arrive in the same day - it makes for a long day, but not as much jet lag as being sleep deprived.

When I fly from NYC I try to take a late evening flight. I eat dinner before I get on the plane, and use the flight to get as much sleep as possible, so I don't particularly care what they serve for food in any class.

suze

No contest. The flight over! So you can arrive as rested as possible. Who cares once you're coming home (lol)!

rkkwan

Main question is whether you want to spend the extra money or miles for "rest/sleep", or you want to have more time to "play" while awake.

Eastbound is usually overnight and flight time is a little bit shorter. Return is a longer flight during the day.

marymarra

thanks you guys--I was thinking flight over makes more sense, but then my husband just brought up rkkwan's point.

Anyway, I should have said, too, that, in these times, this is a fun "problem" to contemplate!

Happy to hear from everyone!

rkkwan

Let me add something. A flight from the US East Coast to western Europe is too short to get enough rest, whether you're in coach or business/first. Especially if you take a flight that leaves early.

You really won't get more sleep and rest if your flight departs 4pm on the East Coast and arrives Europe at 6am there, which is midnight or before here.

Choose your flights carefully. If you want to rest/sleep on the way over, get one that departs as late as possible.

And my experience with flying US-Hong Kong is that I still have the same issue with jetlag even if I flew in the front.

DonTopaz

I assume that the choice is between First and Business, not First and Economy. (It would be unusual to fly F in one direction and Y in the other.) All things considered, I'd take F on the way back.

I fly to Europe either on round-the-world tickets or frequent flier tickets, about half the time in business and half the time in first. I usually fly to/from Boston. The flight from BOS to western European cities is only about 6-6.5 hours flight time, sometimes less, which doesn't leave a lot of time for sleep. I pretty much always eat dinner before the flight, then just put on my eyeshades and earbuds and try to sleep for the whole flight. While I get a better rest in a F seat than in a C seat, the difference really isn't all that much. The lounges in BOS are the same; the F arrival lounges in Europe are certainly better than the C lounges, but I can get a shower and breakfast in either one.

The flight from Europe to Boston is an hour longer, typically in the afternoon. If I'm in F, I can get a better meal and, more importantly, much more personalized service, than if I'm in business. The longer flight means more time to enjoy the service. And, depending on the airline, the F departure lounge can be a good place to spend an extra hour or two.

There would be exceptions to this. If I had the very bad luck to be on United, for example, I'd take the F bed to Europe and not take a chance on their uncomfortable-for-sleeping C seat. Their service and food in F is certainly nothing to look forward to, either. Also, SWISS may still have some Barcalounger business seats that are useless for sleeping, and I wouldn't take those on an eastbound TATL.

(BTW, it sounds like few if any of the previous responders have flown in F to/from Europe -- what's up w/that?)

clevelandbrown

If you have the time, I would look at the price differential; I would expect that you could take a day or two extra on each end of the trip to recover, and possibly do a little sightseeing, and still come out ahead financially with tourist class tickets. I.e., if the front cabin tickets would cost you $2000,each, more than tourist tickets, you could bask in near luxury for a day or two for your $4000, and still have money left over.

As to which direction, outbound the flights are usually shorter and overnight, but even if you can sleep easily on a plane, they keep waking you for dinner, breakfast, and notices to fasten your seatbelt, so you don't get your normal rest. Coming back, the flights are a bit longer, but usually during the day when it is difficult to sleep, and again, they keep interrupting you.

If you can get some rest, I think I would want to get it on the outbound leg, since you will be in a new place on arrival, where you would want to be alert, and most of us cram so much into our itineraries that we don't have extra time on arrival to recover; coming home, you can afford to be lethargic on arrival, since you are in a familiar place, where they speak your language, and you can always catch up on your sleep at work.

Rastaguytoday

First or business depends on two major things.

How long is your flight?

Are the beds in business truly lie flat beds or flat beds at an angle?

If the beds are truly flat beds in business class I would fly business to Europe. You'll be spending most of your time sleeping, so a flat bed makes it much nicer.

You will almost always get truly flat beds in first class.

I've flown both classes to Europe many times and I'll take business flat beds for the trip over. and First class for the trip back.

I'm awake for all of that very nice food and drink.

In addition to the airline's web site,check out www.seatguru.com to see what kind of beds you might have.

dutyfree

I would do the flight home so you can "play"-wine,movies,better food and attention,etc.

wally34949

Flying over, is how I would vote. However, the flight home is longer (due to the winds) so you would be in first class longer on the way home.

But get a good nights sleep on the way over so you are ready to take on Europe as soon as you arrive. You will do a lot of walking in Europe!

Momliz

flying over! no doubt about it, so you can arrive rested - yes, you can't sleep 8 hours, but you'll feel so much better than you would in coach.

Could you, instead of F one way and cattle class the other, go in Business both ways? I would think the price would end up the same...

cary999

Alternative for flying there. Instead of spending $$$$$$$ for 1st, go over a day early and spend $$$ on a hotel room. For sure more comfortable than airline, sleep whenever or not for 24 hours, and a days time cushion in case of flight problems.

regards - tom
ps - or, if you lots of $$$$$$ do both!!!

gail

Variation on suggestion from cary - take a day flight over (there are a few to some destinations - we did Boston-London flight at about 10 AM). You lose a day, but that costs less money than first class.

By the time you arrive, get luggage, get to hotel it feels like time for dinner and sleep. You wake up in AM refreshed and ready to go at an early hour. No jet lag.

rkkwan

Other options:

How about you do it on the way over, and husband on the way back?

Or take the QM2 instead?

Debi

I would do it coming home... I don't sleep on planes at all (never been able to), so I would use the pampering for when I was totally worn out from vacation, and that last little "perk" before I got back to the real world..... PLUS, you'll get through Customs earlier...

Fabio

I agree with rkkwan

return flight westbound is a bit longer and in daytime. You may appreciate the first class features better than while sleeping. Ok you may sleep better but then the flight is so short that you miss a lot of first class. I am from EU and asked myself the same question two years ago: flying first on the FRA-BOS flight or on the flight back ? Then I was happy with my decision for the westbound flight.

Fabio

another point !!

on the flight back home, if in first, you may reduce the sadness that holiday is over and you can't wait to board your flight home ! On the flight to Europe you can compensate the coach with the happiness that you are starting your vacation !

annw

I think Fabio makes a good point.
Do you want the vacation to start as soon as you get on the plane going over? Or last as long as possible coming back? It's often hard enough to come back!

I fly to Europe from San Francisco, and coming back is a hideously long day, often with a layover at JFK. I do try to sleep on the JFK-Europe leg, so business would be fine (preferably with flat bed, though I'm usually on Delta which is OK but not full flat) and then I'd enjoy First coming back when I can't sleep much anyway. If the choice were First/Coach I would definitely trade in for Business both ways if possible.

frogoutofwater

In my experience, rizzuto has it right.

Assuming that: 1) you're talking about First in one direction and Business in the other and 2) both Business and First have lie flat beds (e.g. like BA does), I would choose Business to Europe and First home. You're mostly sleeping on the way over, and it's a shorter trip, so you're "wasting" your First experience.

If, however, you're talking about 1) Economy in one direction and First in the other (e.g. if those are the only two options on the plane) or 2) Business in a not truly lie flat bed in one direction and First in the other, then I would pick First on the way over so I could be comfortable sleeping, and Economy (or not-flat Bus seat) on the way back, which will be a day or afternoon flight.