Connecting through ORD or EWR

[Free2bMeForever]

I’m planning a trip to SYD next Easter (March 31) on UA. I’ll be in business class and currently have connection options of CHS-EWR (2 hr 54 min)-LAX (3 hr 46 min)-SYD or CHS-ORD (1 hr 7 min)-LAX (6 hr 17 min)-SYD. Which option would you recommend?  Both leave CHS between 10:59 and 11:35 AM.

 

Thanks!

[FlyerTalker]

Since overall travel time is about the same, I would go with the EWR option for one reason.  My connection times are spread out, so that I don't have a "more critical" connect in Chicago.  67 minutes at ORD may be doable, but for a long-distance itinerary, I like to have some buffer space at all of my connects, just in case something goes wrong.

 

Now a thought to you:  Is there a different connection through ORD that would "balance" out those connect times a bit?  I have to believe that you might have another option for a flight from ORD that gives you more time at ORD and less at LAX.

 

Finally, as much as I dislike ORD, I put EWR even further down the list.

 

 

[Free2bMeForever]

Great advice.  I went back and found a flight with 2 hr 54 minutes in ORD and 4+ at LAX.  Thanks so much!!!

[6rugrats]

I would always choose the earliest flight out.  And, I avoid EWR whenever possible. Good choice.

[Free2bMeForever]

10 hours ago, 6rugrats said:

I would always choose the earliest flight out.  And, I avoid EWR whenever possible. Good choice.

Thanks.  Good advice about earliest flight out, but I simply can’t make myself book a 6:30 AM flight knowing it means dragging myself out

of bed at 2:30 to be at the airport by 4:30 😉  If I miss a connection somewhere along the line, so be it.  I’ll deal with it.  I always fly into international ports at least 3 days early and typically more than that.  Being retired offers me a lot of flexibility for handling delays!

 

Edited June 12, 2023 by Free2bMeForever

[Zach1213]

It sounds like perhaps you're trying to stick to United? If so, can you get yourself on the one-stop CHS-IAH-SYD routing? It leaves at 4:25pm, with 3+ hours in IAH, and then nonstop from IAH in to SYD. Would avoid a double connection. 

[Free2bMeForever]

Interesting question.  When I search United’s website, it shows no one-stop flights available. Everything showing through IAH either goes to LAX or SFO before SYD.

[Globaliser]

12 minutes ago, Free2bMeForever said:

When I search United’s website, it shows no one-stop flights available. Everything showing through IAH either goes to LAX or SFO before SYD.

 

It looks like the non-stop IAH-SYD flight operates during northern winter 2023/24 but not during northern summer 2024 - so the last departure from IAH is Friday 29 March 2024.

 

Now for an entertaining question: What's happening to that aircraft? (Or perhaps that should be: When will UA's schedulers wake up to this glitch?)

[fbgd]

Since you're in business class the seating/aircraft is important on the domestic side.

 

ORD-LAX is probably a mix of regular domestic FC and widebodies with full lie flat seating. Going via EWR will almost certainly be lieflat, possibly even Polaris style seating on the EWR-LAX segment.

[Zach1213]

3 hours ago, Globaliser said:

 

It looks like the non-stop IAH-SYD flight operates during northern winter 2023/24 but not during northern summer 2024 - so the last departure from IAH is Friday 29 March 2024.

 

Now for an entertaining question: What's happening to that aircraft? (Or perhaps that should be: When will UA's schedulers wake up to this glitch?)

Ah interesting...for some reason I searched March 11, not March 31, so I guess that's why it showed up. But yeah, I can't figure out where that 789 is going to go after that...

[ericosmith]

On 6/11/2023 at 1:25 PM, 6rugrats said:

I would always choose the earliest flight out.  And, I avoid EWR whenever possible. Good choice.

That doesn't always work if you're flying from a small airport.  If the first flight out is the last flight in and that flight is delayed, you run into crew rest delays.

[Free2bMeForever]

On 6/12/2023 at 2:35 PM, fbgd said:

Since you're in business class the seating/aircraft is important on the domestic side.

 

ORD-LAX is probably a mix of regular domestic FC and widebodies with full lie flat seating. Going via EWR will almost certainly be lieflat, possibly even Polaris style seating on the EWR-LAX segment.

The ORD-LAX is FC seating, but I’m okay with that on a day flight.  Seating is 2-2-2.

 

On 6/12/2023 at 5:01 PM, Zach1213 said:

Ah interesting...for some reason I searched March 11, not March 31, so I guess that's why it showed up. But yeah, I can't figure out where that 789 is going to go after that...

I’ll monitor that. If it pops up at a reasonable rate, I might switch flights.

 

Thanks for the great info and suggestions!