To either go Premium Economy or Business or not go at all?

[KenAdams]

DD is 6 months and we want to go to visit family who live a 24 hour flight away (well, two 12 hour flights).

We want to go before she's 2 so we don't have to pay for her ticket, but I'm not sure we will be able to get through the flights if we go economy as DH is very tall anyway so we usually get seats with some sort of extra legroom and I think he might just feel ill being cooped up and having a baby on his lap for part of the flight.

I don't know if we would even get a bassinette if she was 18 months plus either so she would be on our laps (although I might be wrong about that).

Would it be more trouble than its worth flying economy all that way and should we just save up and upgrade, or would you just pay the cheapest and grin and bear it?

We would have to save up for the trip, we can't just afford to go on a whim.

Obvious question - have you had quotes for both seat type? We're talking multiple thousands more to fly business.

Worth every penny in my book, but serious money, especially for that length of journey.

I'd definitely check out the skycouch option flying via Auckland then. It cost me the 10% infant fare and $600 upgrade but we had three seats for DS and I which meant we both got a decent sleep. Book DH a seat across the aisle and you can take it in turns to get some horizontal sleep. Also handy as it created a safe place for DS to play; no gaps to fall down, the armrests tuck right up and DS was happy to run around on the two seats till he knackered himself out. Which was a nice change from wandering up and down aisles :)

Haven't travelled more comfortably ever than emirates business class (altho am sure their first class is even more luxurious)... From their own airport lounges to the onboard service/ comfort, especially on the A380.... Cheaper than s'pore airlines, yes you have a layover in dubai but thats all very comfortable too... Have a look at seatguru.com for pitch/layout info... Also did singapore in economy several times... Never again, would honestly rather not go as it was so hideously uncomfortable last time ( am average size/height 40+ and have done it with/ without babies and teens)

We've recently done return flights to NZ via Sydney and melbourne in economy with an 18-month old. We flew BA to hong kong and dd2 had a sky cot and slept for most of the flight, and as this is for bulkhead seats, you get slightly more leg room. It was like a car seat rather than a bassinet,

Qantas was not so comfy for her, as she just about fitted in the bassinet (no bigger option like BA), but she slept well from Melbourne to Singapore in it.

I found that Economy was doable with bulkhead seats and evening flights, but I would have loved to have been in business class instead.

We did the UK to NZ trip with a 3yp and 6mo, via Singapore with Singapore Airlines. We were in Economy with a bassinette - it was great! The bassinette seats have loads of extra legroom. The staff made a huge fuss of all the families with babies and made sure that we had all we needed.

When we did it again with Air New Zealand via Hong Kong, the DCs were 10 and 7yo. Economy again, but without the luxury of the extra legroom. Still fine really (apart from the bit when DS threw up over us all .. but that could happen in an expensive seat too!).

We flew economy (8 hour flight) with British Airways when DS2 was 1 year old and he sat in the baby chair they have, much better than a bassinette.

However the following year when he was just before his 2nd birthday we decided we had to pay for a seat for him as he would not agree to sit in the baby chair (even though he would have fitted) - we got 2 seats in the front row but not much legroom due to bassinette in front of us, and 2 behind (5 of us, me DH, DD, DS1 and DS2).

We have travelled with Emirates and Malaysia Air with DS to visit family in the UK from Australia. Both times in Economy, with a bassinet both times.
Malaysia Air were MUCH better, much more considerate to us having a baby with us.
It would be worth you checking the airlines websites as they will tell you the maximum weight for the bassinets, for our flights it was 11kg which DS was under. The second time we flew, lots of the little ones in my mothers group would have been too big, but DS is on the compact side!
Also, it's worth knowing that they won't guarantee you a bassinet until you check in, on the day they are allocated to the youngest babies first. On one of the emirates flights there was a couple who thought they'd get a bassinet but didn't and so had to have the child on their lap for the whole journey. And this was a packed flight so no spare seats.
If you can afford it business class is much better (not that I've first hand experience!), but it is a lot more expensive, it really may be better to consider a third seat.

We have travelled with Emirates and Malaysia Air with DS to visit family in the UK from Australia. Both times in Economy, with a bassinet both times.
Malaysia Air were MUCH better, much more considerate to us having a baby with us.
It would be worth you checking the airlines websites as they will tell you the maximum weight for the bassinets, for our flights it was 11kg which DS was under. The second time we flew, lots of the little ones in my mothers group would have been too big, but DS is on the compact side!
Also, it's worth knowing that they won't guarantee you a bassinet until you check in, on the day they are allocated to the youngest babies first. On one of the emirates flights there was a couple who thought they'd get a bassinet but didn't and so had to have the child on their lap for the whole journey. And this was a packed flight so no spare seats.
If you can afford it business class is much better (not that I've first hand experience!), but it is a lot more expensive, it really may be better to consider a third seat in economy.

I'd go in business but not premium economy as the difference isn't worth the price differential IMO. If you're lucky enough to get a quiet flight, you'll also be able to use a spare business seat for DD, meaning she will have her own little bed too! This is what DH and I have done the last couple of times back and forth from the US and DD has slept really well.
We have flown BA both times and if you get the back row of business seats (777 so no upstairs), it's easy to get in and out and the middle two seats face the same direction so DD and I had those and DH slept on the outside of DD, if that makes sense.
I'd also recommend getting a credit card that accrues points you can upgrade with, so we have BA Amex in the UK and Delta Amex in the US. We buy everything on these and pay them off each month, racking up the points nicely.
Good luck, whatever you decide.

It might be cheaper to stop in Singapore for a night or two.

I would go business if it won't leave you penniless. We traveled trans atlantic with twins, aged 5 months, booked two bassinets and only got one. We were offered a cardboard box for the second baby. It was a fancy box with the airline's logo and everything, but it was still a bloody cardboard box. This was a major US airline btw. OH spent the entire flight cradling 1 baby in his arms.

I do multiple long-haul flights/year with 2 young children and have done since they were babies. And all I can say is: seriously, it's only 24 hours. WTF. So you're a bit uncomfortable for ONE DAY. You will save thousands of pounds by flying economy.

Business class is tremendously more comfortable. Obviously. If you have that money, go for it. If not, suck it up. It's not that bad. You're not being waterboarded, FFS, it's just a bit annoying and squished.

And I would say it's much better for your DC to have their own seat in ecomony than on your lap in business class (also, much cheaper). I've done both.

I'd stop overnight after the first 12 hour flight if possible. The money you'll spend on a hotel room for one night won't come near the price of upgrading to business.

One last point: it's easiest to travel with children who are either too young to crawl/walk, or old enough to play Angry Birds for hours on end. So go soon, or wait a couple years.

Have done the uk->nz return trip a few times with children, all economy and over/under 2.

The easiest trip was the most recent (they were 5&4, had their own seats and spent the entire flight glued to iPads or asleep) legroom wasn't a problem and I didn't spend the entire uk holiday dressing the return flight :) flew with Cathay Pacific, great experience compared to Air NZ (though haven't tried the SkyCouch) - CP were cheaper than ANZ as well.

Given you're obviously not "money no object" as you say you have to save for this - I wouldn't waste your money on business or premium.

I also have done the return trip in economy with a 16month old and pregnant - flew out at 29 weeks and back at 35. (I know. It's not allowed. I did it anyway). 2 seats in Economy for me & DH, no seat for DS1. He was either asleep on a lap or in the sling. Admittedly I'm short, but it was fine.

I think you hould go in business class and hubby and dd can go economy.

My order of preference would be:
2x seats in business
3x seats economy
2x seats premium
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2x seats economy

Premium isn't significantly better as you'll still have to have the baby on your lap would would be miles better than 2x economy.

What can you afford? Go for the best you can afford surely?

Just to add, quite a few (maybe all, I don't know!) airlines will not let you sit in the emergency seats (with the extra legroom) if you are travelling with an infant under 2 as they worry that you can't open the emergency door with a baby in your arms.

We've travelled a few times with DD. Was definitely easier when she got her own seat, but it depends on the airline. The less legroom, the more difficult it was. With a good amount of leg room, it didn't seem so bad somehow.