YHMYYZspotter From Canada, joined Sep 2006, 197 posts, RR: 1 Posted (5 years 10 months 1 week 6 hours ago) and read 2207 times:
Hello A.net
I have a question regarding travelling to Seoul, South Korea. I will be leaving on September 20th and returning on September 30th 2007 and I have many choices of airlines to choose from all within about $1000 round trip from either Toronto or Buffalo. My choices are basically, NWA, Air Canada, Delta, Asiana, American Airlines or United.
I know that's a lot of choice there but does anyone have any recommendations or warnings about some of these airlines? The good and the bad? Has anyone travelled to Seoul from my area before on one of these airlines? I have read reviews from all airlines but like most reviews they are completely mixed. I would like to get some of your opinions on this?
AlexPorter From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 2, posted (5 years 10 months 1 week 3 hours ago) and read 2159 times:
Thanks for giving dates! That helps a lot. I see the only non-stop is insanely expensive, so let's ignore it for now. Within the lowest $200 range, the options I'm seeing are (I've excluded some redundant options):
- UA/KE/DL/DL BUF-ORD-ICN-ATL-BUF A320/B772/B772/CRJ9 21h45m/18h29m $1158
- UA/KE/DL/DL BUF-ORD-ICN-ATL-BUF A319/B772/B772/CRJ9 17h50m/18h29m $1191
- AC/UA/UA/AC YYZ-SFO-ICN-SFO-YYZ A320/B772/B772/A320 19h45m/21h30m $1192
- UA/UA/UA/UA YYZ-SFO-ICN-SFO-YYZ A319/B772/B772/A319 21h20m/17h29m $1192
- AC/UA/UA/UA YYZ-SFO-ICN-SFO-YYZ A320/B772/B772/A319 19h45m/17h29m $1192
- AA/KE/DL/DL BUF-ORD-ICN-ATL-BUF E145/B772/B772/CRJ9 17h05m/18h29m $1219 - UA/OZ/OZ/AC YYZ-SFO-ICN-SFO-YYZ A319/B772/B772/A320 21h10m/19h15m $1264
- AC/OZ/OZ/AC YYZ-SFO-ICN-SFO-YYZ A320/B772/B772/A320 19h35m/19h15m $1264
Of your transpacific options, which are the most important, Asiana is by far the best in my opinion (and as surveys have shown), when compared to Korean, United, and Delta. So, this gives you two similar options through SFO for $1264. Both return legs are the same, but on the way there, you have a choice of United with a 3h26m layover, or Air Canada with a 2h00m layover. The two are really quite similar. If you pick UA, you get Channel 9, while if you pick AC you get a bigger plane (if the difference between an A319 and A320 even matters) and a better layover. Otherwise there really isn't any difference at all. None of the three airlines serves the same terminal in SFO and the connection is the same walking distance, and both flights have food for purchase. So basically you could pick either of them. I found them on Kayak.com and you can link to them from there.
YHMYYZspotter From Canada, joined Sep 2006, 197 posts, RR: 1 Reply 3, posted (5 years 10 months 1 week 2 hours ago) and read 2154 times:
Hello AlexPorter, this is GREAT information! Thanks for all your help!
So you would not recommend United Airlines for the entire flight eh? I found a flight on travelnow.com which is the same site that airliners.net uses to book flights and it is as follows:
When translated to Canadian is not much more these days. maybe 1130.00CA
How bad is united's service? I would love to fly OZ, my friend flew them on her way and loved it. But if it saves me a couple hundred dollars is it worth it?
AlexPorter From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 4, posted (5 years 10 months 6 days 21 hours ago) and read 2141 times:
If it saves that much that UA should be fine. They generally aren't anyone's favorite or anything, but they'd be fine. If you can get on Asiana within about $150 or so (or whatever type of fare difference feels appropriate to you) then their flights will be much better, if you're willing to pay for them. If UA is by far the cheapest then it should be fine, but nothing special.
YHMYYZspotter From Canada, joined Sep 2006, 197 posts, RR: 1 Reply 6, posted (5 years 10 months 6 days ago) and read 2113 times:
Well I bought my flight, if interested for closure. Unfortunately I didn't get Asiana. Everywhere I looked it was too much. I went with United all the way actually booked it off their website. Here are the details:
I think UA will be OK. I was told by a UA agent on the phone that the 777's have seatback TVs and there is the chance of having channel 9. As well apparently its complimentary alcoholic beverages on pacific routes, at least thats what their website says. I was able to pick my seats for free on all segments and got the window every time! My first trip in a 777!
Anyways I look forward to the trip and thanks for all the help and look for a Trip report when I get back
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