WWYD? Business VS Economy class, Layover VS Direct

[Tik-Tok]

We're planning a trip to Maui next year as we have enough Aeroplan points for the flights. Myself, wife, and 4 year old daughter. We have enough points to either fly direct to Maui, and direct back in economy... ORRR, we have enough points to fly to YVR economy, and then from YVR to Maui in Business class (and vice versa on the way back).

Which one would you pick? I'm pretty on the fence about it. Direct flights are great, but I've never flown business class before so that's kind of appealing too. Plus I'm not sure which will be better for a kid, just having her sit there for 7-1/2 hours, or break up the flight a bit with the 90 minute layover, and then 6-1/2 hour flight in a bigger comfier seat. She's pretty well behaved, but not perfect.

[pheoxs]

With a kid I'd do the two flights, especially since its not adding that much time to the overall trip.

[Buster]

Direct. Time is more valuable than leg room and a free meal.

[killramos]

And if you connect and something fucks up with the plane you are stuck in some random cities airport hotel on your time off.

Compared to direct you are either at home or at your destination, either of which you can live with.

[ExtraSlow]

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Direct. Time is more valuable than leg room and a free meal.

Direct for sure.

[ThePenIsMightier]

Direct.
Also -1 for Hawaii and +1 for Southern California. Closer and cheaper.

[dirtsniffer]

Direct

[Brent.ff]

Direct. The additional boarding and departure negates any time off plane for the kid

[bjstare]

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Direct.
Also -1 for Hawaii and +1 for Southern California. Closer and cheaper.

That's the only way they are even comparable. Literally everything else is better in Hawaii. Like by a massive margin.

[Tik-Tok]

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Direct. Time is more valuable than leg room and a free meal.

This is true, however I guess another part of the equation is arrival time.

Comfy class departs early in the AM, and arrives at 1pm Maui time, cattle class doesn't depart until mid afternoon and arrives at 7pm. So that's 2 hours of extra time getting there, but 6 hours extra actually being there.

[Sugarphreak]

..

[Tik-Tok]

So, I should put my wife and kid in economy, and take the bigger seat and free booze for myself? I like this plan.

[Buster]

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Kids in business class? Should be a minimum age limit IMO

I take first class to avoid the annoyance personally

Sorry not much help, haha. Less time on the flight is probably better though, not like kids benefit from even larger seats and free booze anyway.

who flies First Class direct from YVR to hawaii?

[killramos]

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who flies First Class direct from YVR to hawaii?

Apparently no one, hence why the flight is so cheap on points.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[speedog]

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So, I should put my wife and kid in economy, and take the bigger seat and free booze for myself? I like this plan.

Yeah, I know that would've never been okay with my wife. Do it and let us all know what she thought of the idea.

[rage2]

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Kids in business class? Should be a minimum age limit IMO

I fly business with kids whenever the opportunity presents itself. Non stop service for drinks and snacks, enough room where they can’t kick the seats, they’re basically silent the entire flight.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[finboy]

Direct, and arriving in the evening if possible to help reset the clock as fast as possible

[taemo]

fly mid-week instead of weekend.. return flights are usually empty
we had 2 rows of seats all for ourselves.