Europe - Business Class or Economy with Stopover?

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nzkiwiman

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#243335 6-Dec-2018 17:21

At the start of November I headed over to Europe via Dubai and after the 17.5 hour flight to Dubai vowed never to do that ever again - it was too long, I couldn't sleep and had terrible jet lag for several days..

In May I am heading over again, this time via Asia and am trying to decide - do I fork over the extra for business class (I am heading on a cruise with my father and we get "flight credit" - depending on the actually rules, we might be able to pay more to upgrade), or do I travel in economy and have a day or two stopover on the way to and from Europe ..

Thoughts from seasoned travellers?

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#2140695 6-Dec-2018 17:21

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engedib

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#2140707 6-Dec-2018 17:37

I would do the stopover, even stay up to a week :)

We are doing this in the last couple of years, and extending the stopover is very cheap, helps a lot with jetlag. Have already been in Singapore, Malaysia, China, Thailand this way, Next year Japan is on the list, or somewhere else, depending on the tickets.

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#2140758 6-Dec-2018 18:10

I have done stopovers in most asia cities over the years when travelling economy but now have decided business class is the way to go if it is an overnight flight. However, Premium Ecnomy is fine for an all-day flight which is many flight to asian stopovers due to time zones. Still consider stopovers for jet-leg mitigation then business for overnight to Europe.

Note Japan is not such a big shift in timezone but an interesting place to visit.

Also if travelling with wife / partner check discounts on companion fares.

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#2140761 6-Dec-2018 18:34

Don't go via China if only transit what ever you do! If staying for a break then it's OK

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#2140765 6-Dec-2018 18:40

I usually try to do a stopover. You can stay in a nice hotel for a night or two, eat and drink whatever you want, do some tourist stuff and shopping and still spend way less than premium economy

sbiddle

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#2140824 6-Dec-2018 21:01

I don't think there is really is an answer.

Plenty will disagree but IMHO flying via Asia is almost guaranteed jet lag due to the timezones. All my recent trips to London have been in business via the US, but even years ago in economy I never fared as bad as I did in economy via Asia.

The simple reality is if you want to feel refreshed ready to go when you arrive in London with no real comprehension of having just flown half way around the world then you'll only achieve this in business, but you will pay a significant premium for that.

I really love Japan, so would highly recommend that as a stopover if you are going that way.

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#2140832 6-Dec-2018 21:32

I think age plays a factor too. I’ve done direct several times in my 20’s and 30’s, and with toddlers, which is punishing.

Having done it most recently I’d go for the stopover and live a little, but you need at least 3 days to help adjust, which will start smashing your budget. Quality Asia isn’t cheap :-)

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#2140893 7-Dec-2018 07:26

I think getting lots of rest and sleep in the week leading up to when you leave can help a lot. Every time in recent years I have done a trip to London or Paris I took a week's leave either side of my trip to help with the jetlag effects. And maybe watch out for what you do on your stop-over nothing too tiring. Many years ago I went to London via LAX, & I went to Disneyland and probably racked up eight or ten hours walking around. The next day involved an all day sight seeing transfer to LAX and an early evening departure to LHR. By the time I got to London I was a wreck, just falling asleep at random times sitting on a hard chair. I put it down to not being rested before leaving NZ & trying to do too much at Disney. That is the only trip when I have had bad jet lag.

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#2140900 7-Dec-2018 07:58

My anti jet lag tip is to drink all the booze. I know 99% of travel experts and medical professionals disagree with this strategy, but I swear by it. I then sleep like a baby and wake up feeling perfect at the other end!

trig42

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#2140908 7-Dec-2018 08:35

We did AKL-DXB-CDG in May, but stopped for a night in Dubai (you land in Dubai early morning, and our flight our was 3PM next day). We got some shopping done and did a Safari in Dubai, which meant we slept really well that night. Was only an 8 hour flight to Paris the next day, so really easy. No jetlag on arrival.

Did have decent Jetlag on the return leg LHR-DXB-AKL with only two hours in Dubai. Slept pretty well on the plane as it wasn't full and we could move around the plane until we found space to stretch out a bit. Still was all out of whack when we got home - waking up at 2am ready for the day and starving hungry, then nodding off and not being able to stay awake at 2pm. Took about 4 or 5 days to come fully right.

i have no real interest in transiting through the US (all the stories I've heard sound like long lines and officials that DGAF), but would consider a stopover there (San Fran would be cool), though I believe travelling that way around the world (East-West) is better for Jetlag.

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#2140959 7-Dec-2018 10:00

Usually fly business (lucky me), but I tend to not sleep much (if at all) - so couldnt say if you would sleep better on business or economy.

I guess that depends on what sort of sleeper you are.

Business is obviously MUCH more comfortable - Warning - if you try it once you will never want to go back. Though economy is ok around the pacific.

What I can say, is that having gone through Korea several times on the way to Europe, Korean Air pays for a stopover because the onwards flights to France/Germany etc arent available until the next day.

What this means is that you land in Seoul around 4pm. Get free shuttles to a very nice hotel complex right near the airport, get given meal vouchers for dinner, breakfast and shuttled back to the Airport the next morning. Everything is exceptionally well organised. They have a huge food court sort of area (depending on the hotel) and a huge variety of restaurants to choose from. The hotel I stayed in (think it was the Sheraton) was very quiet and it was superb to have a stretch of the legs and a shower, something good to each and a nice normal quiet bed to sleep in. I slept like a log each time and had very little jet-lag when I arrived in Europe. NOTE:They do not provide this free stopover on the way back to NZ though.

I understand Korean Air provide this on all NZ->Europe flights (economy or business) so maybe they are worth checking out.

EDIT: You would probably have to check this with a travel agent - Not sure if it is offered online. It is called STPC (STopover Paid by Carrier). Other airlines do provide similar if there is too much time between connecting flights.

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#2140966 7-Dec-2018 10:12

sbiddle:

My anti jet lag tip is to drink all the booze. I know 99% of travel experts and medical professionals disagree with this strategy, but I swear by it. I then sleep like a baby and wake up feeling perfect at the other end!

+1 worked for me for the past 16 years. But could be huge hangover or fall a sleep at the airport, almost missed a flight once in Frankfurt :D

helping others at evgenyk.nz

nzkiwiman

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#2141071 7-Dec-2018 11:20

Last night I found out that we may have been "conned" by the travel agent (or she just didn't know) - rather than getting $2400 credit for airfares each, it looks like we are only getting $1200 each ($2400 per couple). That will mess with the budget .. and means that business class is definitely out as an option (in the last week cost of business class has gone from $2600 each to $4600 each (one way) - so not sure if we saw a promotion that has now ended)

My father has refused to travel via the USA onto Budapest (where we join the cruise) so Asia looks likely. I wanted to come back via Hong Kong anyway and it looks like Singapore is my father's preferred option on the way to Europe. We just need to figure out the exact details with the travel agent.

Last year I did Japan and Singapore as holiday destinations and Hong Kong the year before.
For Pokemon reasons I would like to transit through Malaysia but I have no actual reason to visit the country - a day tour of KL from Singapore in 2008 was enough

trig42

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#2141119 7-Dec-2018 11:46

That Airfare credit is a little bit tight, but $2400 each wold have been too much IMO (You can get return to Europe for $1500-1700 on the 'bigger' airlines).

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#2141228 7-Dec-2018 15:54

all $ being equal business class

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