Review: Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel At Circular Quay
I only had three nights in Sydney on this trip so it was important to me that I booked somewhere central and within an easy walk of most things I'd like to see and do while I was in town. I was also keen to spend as little as possible while still enjoying a good amount of comfort so that meant booking a property with points and with a chain at which I have status. All of this made the Sydney Harbour Marriott a logical place to stay.
Review: Malaysia Airlines A330 Business Class (KUL-SYD)
I've flown in the Malaysia Airlines A330 Business Class cabin once already this year (I reviewed it here) but there's a very good reason why I'm writing about the cabin all over again. On this flight I was seated in a different seat to the one I enjoyed last time out and it made quite a big difference to my thoughts on the cabin.
I Don’t Understand What Hilton Is Doing With Its Loyalty Program
Hilton has been putting through a number of changes to its Honors loyalty program recently and, having sat back and taken a look at what's been happening, I'm not sure I understand what Hilton is up to. From where I'm sitting it would appear as if a large portion of the chain's customers no longer have all that much incentive to make more stays at Hilton properties than they may otherwise have done....and isn't that what the Honors program is supposed to encourage?
British Airways Confirms That It’s Scrapping Credit Card Surcharges
From 13 January 2018 an EU regulation comes in to force which makes it illegal for entities to charge fees for processing payments from Visa or Mastercard credit cards. On top of this, the UK government has brought in extra legislation to ensure that all other forms of payment are covered by the no-fee rule too so that covers Amex cards as well.
British Airways Is Improving Its Economy Class Food Offering….Sort Of….
I have no idea what's going on at British Airways nowadays as I'm starting to struggle to keep up with the direction the airline is attempting to go. One minute the airline is cutting the services it offers to passengers and then, the next minute, it acts like it had changed its mind (although it's certainly not framing its latest move as a change of mind).
Introduction: Sydney For 3 Nights Using A Super Cheap Business Class Fare & Points
Whenever possible I like to write an introduction to the trips I take to give readers an idea of how much things cost, how I book and when I use points and when I choose to part with some cash. The point of this is to hopefully show just how doable these trips are and how, with a little bit of planning and a little bit of flexibility, these are trip that a lot of people can book.
For this trip I managed to combine a truly fantastic offer from an online travel agency with some Marriott points to book myself a business class flight and three nights in one of my favorite cities in the world.
I Loved The Crews On My Recent Qantas Flights
I don't get to fly with Qantas all that often as, let's face it, international premium cabin awards on Qantas aren't exactly easy to find and the airline never seems to discount its premium cabins down to what I'm prepared to pay. Having said that, I have fond memories of the Qantas flights I took back in 2011 (in Premium Economy) and I'm a big fan of the Qantas First Class lounges in LA and Sydney.
I’m SUCH A Hypocrite!
For the Holiday season British Airways has quietly relaxed the guesting rules at its lounges in the UK but it doesn’t appear to have told too many people about it.
Some BAEC members were lucky enough to get an email letting them know about the temporary changes but most people (if they don’t read FlyerTalk) probably have no idea.
Why My Citi Prestige Card Has To Go
I recently wrote a post discussing annual fees and explaining how I go about deciding if I should keep a credit or charge card when the annual fee becomes due and, just recently, it was decision time on the Citi Prestige card.
I’ve been a fan of the Citi Prestige card since it was first launched and, even after the devaluation back in July this year, I still thought the card was worth keeping.
But things change and my recent review of what exactly I’m getting for my $450 annual fee didn’t come out looking too positive.
Is It “Gauche” To Ask For A Room Upgrade You’re Entitled To?
On a recent visit to the JW Marriott Hong Kong I found myself at the front desk politely requesting a room upgrade my Platinum status entitles me to (per Marriott's own rules). I posted this fact in my review of the property and a reader commented that he agreed with my stance but that a poster on Flyertalk had said that requesting an upgrade was "gauche" (even if it's an upgrade you're entitled to).
British Airways’ CEO Alex Cruz Just Doesn’t Get It
A couple of weeks ago British Airways CEO Alex Cruz was at the annual Aviation Club lunch and made a few comments about his airline that are worth a closer look.
It hasn't been the greatest year for BA with IT outages causing chaos, crew strikes forcing the airline to borrow aircraft from Qatar Airways and the airline's overall approval ratings as low as I can ever remember them...but Alex isn't letting all that get to him.
American Airlines 777-300ER Premium Economy Cabin Revealed?
Earlier this year, at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Transportation conference, American Airlines announced the Premier Economy retrofit schedule for the whole wide-body fleet. While the airline's 797-9 Dreamliners came ready-fitted with American's newest cabin American is having to retrofit the Premium Economy cabin to its existing aircraft....including its flagship 777-300ER.
Are British Airways Basic Economy Fares About To Get Better?
British Airways Basic Fares were once called "hand baggage only" fares and they started out life as a fare I would never, ever book. BA's Basic fares only apply to short-haul routes and, when they were first introduced, they stripped elite flyers of their seat assignment benefit. It didn't matter what status you held, if you booked a hand baggage only fare you did not get to select your seat at the time of booking.
Singapore Airlines Changes Fare Types, Miles Earning Rates & More
Singapore Airlines has announced that it will be introducing new fare types, changing its fees surrounding award redemptions and tweaking the number of miles its flyers earn from 20 January 2018.
Unusually for an airline making these kinds of changes not all the news is bad and how you view these changes will definitely depend on what type fares you book and how often you incur fees on award bookings.
The Math Tells Me Not To Credit Flights To American Airlines
I've been trying my hardest not to be one of those travelers who complains incessantly about an airline devaluing its frequent flyer program only to keep handing that same airline his/her cash on an ongoing and frequent basis.
American Airlines has destroyed the AAdvantage program for travelers like me (for a very small minority it may have improved) so my plan has been to avoid flying American Airlines as much as possible...but it's been quite hard.
Will Richard Branson Get To Kick Willie Walsh Where It Hurts? (Oh How I Hope So)
I really don't like Willie Walsh. I've never met the man and I have no wish to meet him, but anyone who thinks it's a good idea to stand up at a investors briefing in front of a slide that reads "show me the f*cking money" and then repeats the phrase is an idiot in my book.
Lufthansa’s Miles & More Program Goes Revenue Based
Yesterday Lufthansa announced that its Miles & More rewards program would be going "revenue based" from 12 March 2018 but, rather unhelpfully, we weren't given any more information than that. Today Lufthansa has finally provided the information that a lot of people have been anxiously awaiting.
Review: Cathay Pacific First & Business Class Lounge – Paris CDG T2
After flying in to Paris from Doha on Qatar Airways I had a few hours to kill before my connecting flight on to London. I had done my research before getting to Paris so I knew that the Cathay Pacific First & Business Class lounge would be the best place to spend some time.
The Cathay Pacific lounge is in Terminal 2 at Paris Charles De Gaulle airport and, more specifically, it’s airside in the connector building between Terminals 2A & 2C and one level up from the gates.
Review: Qatar Airways A380 First Class (DOH-CDG)
Ok, I’ll admit it – I was excited. I’m not exactly shy about how much I enjoy flying in Qatar Airways Business Class so the thought of finally trying out the airline’s A380 First Class product was a very nice one indeed.
Qantas 737 Economy Class review (SYD-MEL)
I recently got to fly in the new Qantas 787 Business Class cabin while the aircraft was operating a domestic route on a crew familiarisation flight but, to catch my ride on the Dreamliner, I had to position from Sydney to Melbourne - that's where the Qantas 737 came into play.
BIG NEWS: Marriott Announces New Credit Card Deal With Chase AND Amex
Marriott's takeover of Starwood threw into question the future of the hotel chain's credit card contract. Marriott has traditionally had its co-branded cards issued by Chase while Starwood has had a long association with Amex and we've been waiting to hear what the outcome of recent negotiations would be.
Now we know.
Marriott’s Strange New Innovation For Its Shower Doors
I'm sure most people have, at least at one point in their life, used the condensation on a mirror or a shower door to doodle a picture or to write a message. Well, apparently Marriott wants to tap into this practice with a new innovation.
Air France Clarifies My Flying Blue Status Question
Last week I wrote about something which appeared to be an anomaly with the way some Flying Blue members will see their Level Miles converted to Experience Points (XP) when the revamped Flying Blue program takes effect from 1 April 2018.
A reader, Alex, had got in touch with me to point out that, if you access details of the new Flying Blue program while in France, the conversion rate for Level Miles to XPs shows as being lower than it does for other countries.
Review: Malaysia Airlines Golden Lounge (Main Terminal) Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia Airlines has three lounges in Kuala Lumpur International Airport – one in the regional terminal (main terminal) and two in the satellite terminal from where the major international flights depart.
The two lounges in the satellite terminal (the Business Class lounge and First Class lounge) are currently closed for renovations with a scheduled re-opening date of 22 January 2018.
With that in mind, and because Kuala Lumpur is such a major transit point for travelers, I’m taking a look at 3 options oneworld flyers have when passing through
Review: The Qantas Lounge London Heathrow T3
It's here! The Qantas London Lounge at Heathrow Terminal 3 opened its doors to the media today and will open to guests from tomorrow (29 November 2017).
I was lucky enough to get an invitation to official opening hosted by Alan Joyce (Qantas Group CEO) and got a chance to see inside the lounge and to take some pictures of the new facility.
The Cathay Pacific First & Business Class Lounge Kuala Lumpur – In Pictures
I recently spent quite a few hours in Kuala Lumpur International airport and, as the Malaysia Airlines lounges in the satellite terminal are both currently closed for refurbishment, I took a look around to see what other options are currently available.
I’ve already posted details of the Malaysia Airlines C.I.P Lounge in the satellite terminal, which is where some Malaysia Airlines passengers are being sent but, as that facility is (a) temporary, (b) small and (c) not exactly impressive, you may want to know what the Cathay Pacific Lounge is like.
British Airways Confirms “Group Boarding” From 12 December
Last week I wrote about a strong rumor which suggested that British Airways was about to make some significant changes to the debacle it calls a boarding process. At the time I was confident that the information being provided on FlyerTalk was correct and now we finally have confirmation from British Airways itself.
The Malaysia Airlines C.I.P Lounge Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia Airlines has three lounges in Kuala Lumpur International Airport – one in the regional terminal (main terminal) and two in the satellite terminal from where the international flights depart.
The two lounges in the satellite terminal (the Business Class lounge and First Class lounge) are currently closed for renovations with a scheduled re-opening date of 22 January 2018.
With that in mind, and because Kuala Lumpur is such a major transit point for travelers, I'm taking a look at 3 options oneworld flyers have when passing through
UK Government Will Increase Taxes On Premium Cabin Bookings
The UK government has confirmed that it will be increasing its Air Passenger Duty (APD) rates on long-haul premium cabin fares in April 2018 and again in April 2019. APD on all short-haul fares will remain frozen (as previously announced) as will APD on long-haul Economy Class fares from 2019.
Are Flying Blue Members In France About To Get A Raw Deal?
One of the great things about having people interested and engaged in the miles and points world is that we have eyes everywhere. Where one of us may miss something that an airline or hotel chain has said, posted or done someone else will see it and flag it up.
TFM reader Alex left a comment on my post about how Flying Blue status will be earned from 1 April 2018 saying that Flying Blue had already changed one of the details of the new program before it has even launched.
Review: Qatar Airways Al Safwa First Class Lounge Doha
The Al Safwa First Class Lounge in Doha is one of those places you really have to see to believe because it's unlike any other lounge airline lounge I've ever been in. The Al Mourjan Business Class lounge in the same terminal is probably one of the best Business Class lounges around....but, in its own way, the Al Safwa Lounge is on a whole other level.
Qantas 787 Business Class Cabin Review
The first Qantas 787-9 Dreamliner landed in Sydney on 20 October and since 6 November the aircraft has been flying domestic routes as the airline gets its crews accustomed to the new aircraft.
This aircraft will not commence service on an international route until mid-December when it starts flying to LA so this is one of the first looks at what the Qantas 787 Business Class cabin is actually like to fly in.
GREAT NEWS: Delta Will Offer Complimentary Upgrades To Delta One On Domestic Routes
Delta will be adding its Delta One premium cabin to a number of new domestic routes from next year and, in an announcement today, the airline has confirmed that it will be shifting its domestic upgrade policy to include Delta One cabins going forward.
British Airways Actually Improves Something – The Boarding Process
The British Airway boarding process has, for a very long time, been a joke....especially if you're flying short-haul. What happens, in essence, is that the gate agents yell "charge!" and everyone tries to get on the aircraft at the same time.
In truth things are better on long-haul than short-haul but that's akin to saying that dysentery is better than cholera - both are still pretty terrible.
Review: Qantas First Class Lounge Auckland
Getting to the Qantas lounges at Auckland International Airport first means navigating your way through the maze of duty free shops you’ll find after you clear airport security.
Once though the duty free zone look for a sign pointing to the right that looks like the one below and follow the direction of the arrow.
How To Earn Flying Blue Status From 1 April 2018
Earlier today Flying Blue (the loyalty program for Air France/KLM) announced a raft of changes to its scheme, one of which included a whole new way of attaining Flying Blue status. I covered all the details of the Flying Blue announcement earlier but, as I've had so many questions about the new way of earning Flying Blue status, I thought I'd address that in a little more detail.
The InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown Is Now Open and It Looks Good!
IHG has announced the opening of the 5-star InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown which forms part of the Wilshire Grand Center. That puts the property a 5 minute Uber ride or, if you're feeling adventurous, a 15 - 20 minute walk away from the Staples Center and LA Live.
Citi ThankYou Program Drops Hilton As A Partner
As of January 2018 Citi will lode the right to issue Hilton co-branded credit cards as the hotel chain gives American Express exclusivity over its credit cards. With that in mind it's not all that big of a surprise that Citi has announced that it will be dropping Hilton as a transfer partner for its ThankYou points program.
See Inside Airport Terminals With Apple Maps
One of the new features built in to the new iOS update (iOS 11) is an enhancement to the Apple Maps app which allows users to search for an airport, zoom in on the map and see inside the airport's terminals.
I'm more of a Google Maps person than an Apple Maps person so I didn't notice this feature when it formed part of a beta release earlier this year (for San Jose and Philadelphia airports only). Now Apple has added a few more airports
British Airways May Kill Avios, Will Invest Another $200m In Club World, Has 72 Aircraft On The Way & More
British Airways had an investor day last week (on November 3rd) at which Willie Walsh managed not to say anything blindingly crass (unlike last year) and Alex "low-cost" Cruz didn't announce that the airline would start charging for in-cabin air so, by British Airways standards, it went well.
Qatar Airways Buys A Stake In Cathay Pacific & Makes Things Uncomfortable For American Airlines
Qatar Airways already owns a little over 20% of IAG (the parent company of British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus), around 10% of LATAM in South America and now it has announced that it has taken a significant stake in another of its oneworld partners - Cathay Pacific.
Flying Blue Goes Revenue Based – Full Details Here
At the beginning of October a mistakenly published mileage calculator combined with an eagle-eyed traveler alerted us to the fact that the Flying Blue rewards program (the program for Air France/KLM) would almost certainly be moving to a revenue-based system. Today that is exactly what Flying Blue has announced.
Singapore Airlines New A380 Business Class – Full Details & Thoughts
Last Thursday Singapore Airline finally revealed what it plans to do with the cabins on its new Airbus A380s and, while a lot of focus has been on the new Suites Class product (which I took a look at on Friday), today I thought I'd take a critical look at the new Business Class seats on the Singapore Airlines A380.
Singapore Airlines New A380 Suites – Full Details & Thoughts
Yesterday I was traveling and, because airlines somehow just know when I have almost no internet access and therefore can’t post much, Singapore Airlines revealed its new A380 Suites Class product to the world.
I managed to post the images Singapore Airlines has released but I also promised a more in-depth look and my thoughts on the new product….so here those are.
Review: Qantas Business Class Lounge Auckland
Getting to the Qantas lounges at Auckland International Airport first means navigating your way through the maze of duty free shops you’ll find after you clear airport security.
Once though the duty free zone look for a sign pointing to the right that looks like the one below and follow the direction of the arrow.
Qatar Airways Adds Another New Thai Destination To Its Route Map
Qatar may still be having issues with its neighbors but that doesn’t appear to be stopping Qatar Airways from adding new destinations to its route network on what feels like a monthly basis.
Qatar Airways will be starting a seasonal service to Chiang Mai from 12 December, the airline already operates services to Bangkok, Phuket and Krabi and now it has announced that it will soon serve its fifth Thai destination – Pattaya.
Singapore Airlines New Suites, Business Class & Premium Class In Pictures
Singapore Airlines has today finally released details of its long anticipated update to its airbus A380 premium cabins including images of its new Suites Class, Business Class and Premium Economy cabins.
Review: SkyCity Grand Hotel Auckland
Auckland is one of those cities where you’ll find it pretty hard to use most of the well known hotel loyalty currencies as, aside from a Hilton and a Crowne Plaza, there aren’t any other centrally located hotels that are part of one of one of the large international chains.
It’s because of this that I found myself booking the SkyCity Grand Hotel for a two-night stay I had in Auckland.
Review: JW Marriott Singapore South Beach
I normally don't have more than one or two reasons for booking a particular hotel but, in the case of the JW Marriott Singapore South Beach, I had four very good reasons for wanting to visit. Firstly I wanted to use up some of my Marriott Rewards points, secondly I wanted a property where we would be making the most of my hotel status (I have Platinum status with Marriott), thirdly the hotel looked to have a convenient location and finally I don't think any of the bigger blogs has reviewed this property yet - it's still reasonably new.
Travelers Flying To The US From Hong Kong Can No Longer Use In Town Check-In
I love the option of checking in in downtown Hong Kong because the lines are often non-existant and, if you have baggage to check-in, it means you don't have to schlep it all the way to the airport on the train - you check in at the station and the next time you see your bags is at your destination. It's great.
Sadly, however, travelers heading to the US will no longer be allowed to use this option with immediate effect.
Review: Malaysia Airlines A330 Business Class (KUL-AKL)
Even before this trip started I was looking forward to trying out the Malaysia Airlines A330 Business Class cabin more than the equivalent cabin on A380. While the A380 still offers a Business Class cabin that dates back quite a few years Malaysia Airlines has fitted an all new cabin to its A330 fleet and I'd been hearing good things about it.
British Airways Eliminates Its Generous Baggage Policy – No Notice Given
British Airways, the airline that once called itself the "world's favourite airline", has changed its baggage policy to remove one of the last passenger-friendly benefits it offered....and this move comes with no notice to passengers or, it would appear, to anyone outside of the airline.
Kimpton Rewards Will Be Merged With IHG Rewards In 2018
IHG purchased Kimpton back in 2015 but, at the time, chose not to integrate Kimpton’s Karma Rewards program in to its own IHG Reward program. This was seen by many as a peace offering to Kimpton loyalists who didn’t want to see their preferred boutique chain engulfed by the IHG behemoth.
Since then there have been various rumors circling around as to what IHG had planned for Kimpton Karma Rewards, but nothing much ever seemed to happen….until today.
Review: Malaysia Airlines A380 Business Class (LHR-KUL)
I'd never flown with Malaysia Airlines before this flight so I was very interested to see what the airline was all about.....especially as the airline has been going through some pretty tough times over the past few years.
Review: Malaysia Airlines Golden Lounge London Heathrow T4 – First Class
I'm going to be flying with Malaysia Airlines in a little over a month and it was while I was looking over my upcoming itinerary that I remembered that I hadn't yet posted a review of my visit to the Malaysia Airlines Golden Lounge at London Heathrow earlier this year....so here it is.
I Booked A British Airways Tier Point Run – 520 Tier Points For $1,407
I don't normally cover Tier Point runs as, to be frank, they're not really my forte (I'm still learning all I need to know about earning Tier Points easily) but one of the fantastic transatlantic Business Class fares I wrote about last week seemed like a good opportunity to help out a friend of mine who was looking to earn some BA Tier Points.
FANTASTIC: Southwest Announces It Will Serve Hawaii From 2018
The airline that so many of us have been hoping will one day fly to Hawaii has finally said that it plans to do exactly that. In an address to employees Southwest CEO Gary Kelly confirmed that the airline plans to operate flights between the continental US and Hawaii from next year.
LATAM Now Connects Santiago & Melbourne Non-Stop
LATAM now connects Santiago with Melbourne using its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and, as that aircraft has a decent Business Class offering, this could be a very nice way to get across the Pacific to Australia (or to route the other way)....especially as part of a round-the-world-itinerary.
Air France Launches Seattle Service From Summer 2018
Air France has announced that it will launch a non-stop service between Paris Charles de Gaulle and Seattle from summer 2018 using its Boeing 777-200 aircraft.
Did Hilton Honors Lie To Members Or Is Something Else Going On?
It should come as absolutely no surprise to anyone when I say that you should never take at face value anything a loyalty program representative says/types when they announce something. Loyalty programs have been lying to members for as long as I can remember and, while the person delivering the message may not be aware that he/she is lying, someone high up inside the loyalty program always knows exactly what they're doing.
The Amex Centurion Lounge Hong Kong Opened Today
The American Express Centurion lounge portfolio continues to grow and now not just in the US. The new Centurion lounge in Hong Kong opened its doors today making it the first Centurion lounge outside of North America.
Another Devaluation? Is Air France/KLM’s Flying Blue Going Revenue Based?
In what appears to be a bid to offer fewer and fewer redeemable miles to customers, airlines around the world have slowly been moving to a revenue-based system for mileage accrual. In a nutshell this means that the number of miles you earn for a trip is now linked to how much you pay for your fare so, unsurprisingly, this isn't a popular development for flyers like me who like to pay as little as possible.
Review: Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge Hong Kong (Business Class)
I recently wrote about a visit to the SilverKris Lounge in Hong Kong where Joanna and I used the First Class area courtesy of our Singapore Airlines Suites Class booking. The SilverKris Business Class lounge shares and entrance with the First Class facility so, while I was there, I took the opportunity to take a look around the Business Class area and to take some pictures.
Dilemma: Do I Book A Business Class Flight On An Airline That May Go Out Of Existence?
Ok, you're going to have to bear with me here as the question posed in the headline isn't quite as dumb as it probably sounds. What I'm looking at right now is a great Business Class fare for travel between Europe and Los Angeles that suits my purposes perfectly.....except for the fact that the carrier I have to book through may well not exist by the time it comes for me to fly. While that sounds like a straightforward decision that I have to make it actually isn't that simple.
Hyatt Will Add The Párisi Udvar Hotel in Budapest To Its Unbound Collection
Hyatt has announced that it has entered into a franchise agreement which will see the Bruden House hotel in the centre of Budapest renovated into what Hyatt is calling "an upper-upscale 110-room hotel".
The property is expected to reopen as the Párisi Udvar Hotel "in 2018" - there is no indication in the press release when in 2018 we can expect the doors to open.
Big Devaluation In Hilton “5th Night Free” Benefit
I'm certainly not going to put myself forward as an expert on all things Hilton but a recent change Hilton has made to the wording of how its "5th Night Free" benefit works reads like a massive devaluation to me.
Delta Significantly Improves Its Business Class Between The US & UK
Delta has announced a shake up in its routes between the US and UK which will take place from next summer. The shake up sees Delta change the aircraft it operates on three of its routes to the UK as well as relinquishing one of its New York - London flights to its partner Virgin Atlantic.
Hong Kong Airlines Schedules Flights To San Francisco
Hong Kong airlines is following up its recent announcement of flights between Hong Kong and Los Angeles (due to start in December) by scheduling service to San Francisco in 2018.
The Hong Kong based airline launched its first route to North America earlier this year when it started flying to Vancouver at the end of June with its Airbus A350 aircraft. Now, with LA service due to start 18 December the airline has published its planned schedule for San Francisco.
Uber Loses License To Operate In London
The transport regulator in London (Transport For London) has said that it will nor be renewing the private hire operator license issued to Uber London Limited.
The current license expires on 30 September 2017 and Uber had 21 days to appeal the decision during which time it can continue to operate.
Review: Singapore Airlines A380 First Class Suites – Regional (HKG-SIN)
This was my first time experiencing Singapore Airlines First Class....and it wasn't just First Class....it was Singapore's "Suites Class" on the A380 and, waiting in the Hong Kong KrisFlyer Lounge, I was almost giddy with anticipation.
Good News: Oneworld “Not Looking To Add A Formal Additional Tier”
With airlines like American offering up to 5 elite status levels (if you include the invitation only "Concierge Key" level) and British Airways offering 3 official levels and possibly even a 4th and 5th (if you separate out Gold Guest List flyers and Premier card holders) some have been questioning whether or not the oneworld alliance needs to add an additional tier.
Qatar Airways Announces Cardiff Service Launch
You know that summer is drawing to a close when airlines start ramping up their new route/service/schedule announcements. Recently we've heard from United about its new routes to Europe for 2018, Delta scheduling its Atlanta - Shanghai service, United Airlines (again) announcing a new route to Sydney and Cathay Pacific announcing new routes to Europe.
Now we have news that Qatar Airways has finally settled on a start date for its proposed route between Doha and Cardiff, the schedule has been set and fares loaded into the system. More importantly, Business Class awards are currently available on the new route.
Review: Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge Hong Kong (First Class)
I didn't really know what to expect of the First Class SilverKris lounge in Hong Kong as, on the one hand Singapore Airlines has a strong reputation as a premium carrier (so the lounge should be good) but, on the other hand, Hong Kong isn't the airline's base and lounges at outstations are never as good as the ones at an airline's home.
The JW Marriott Hong Kong Reviewed (Lots Of Pictures!)
I booked the JW Marriott Hong Kong for a number of reasons but the two main ones were that I'd heard good things about the property overall and I'd heard good things about the Executive Lounge that, as a Marriott Platinum member, I would have access too. After a good Business Class flight from Tokyo I was looking forward to finding out if the hotel lived up to the reviews.
Review: Cathay Pacific A330 Business Class (NRT-HKG)
After a really great few days in Tokyo we took the Narita Express train from Shinjuku station to Tokyo’s Narita airport where we were due to catch a Cathay Pacific A330 Business Class flight to Hong Kong from Terminal 2.
Cathay Pacific’s check-in areas are in area D of Narita airport and, as there was no line at all for First Class check-in (courtesy of my oneworld status), getting our boarding passes and lounge invitation didn’t take long at all.
Review: Cathay Pacific First & Business Class Lounge Tokyo Narita T2
After a very nice few days exploring Tokyo it was time for the next leg of our trip - it was on to Hong Kong in Business Class with Cathay Pacific. I'll be reviewing our flight on a Cathay Pacific A330 in the next few days but first I thought I'd take a look at the First & Business Class Lounge the airline offers its customers at Tokyo Narita's Terminal 2.
Hyatt Regency Tokyo – King Room In Pictures
In an earlier post I explained the thinking behind my decision to give up a reservation at the Park Hyatt Tokyo in favor of the Hyatt Regency Tokyo so this was the hotel Joanna and I stayed at on our recent trip.
I reviewed this Hyatt Regency earlier in the year so another full review seems a little pointless...instead I thought I'd share a little more info and some pictures of our room as it was slightly different to the room I had earlier in the year.
Japan Airlines (JAL) 777 First Class In Pictures
I tried and reviewed the JAL 777 First Class product between Japan and Europe earlier in the year so, although this was the cabin Joanna and I flew between London and Tokyo on our trip to Asia, it doesn't make all that much sense to write another review.
Having said that they do say that a picture is worth a thousand words so I thought I'd pull together some images from our flight.
Tokyo, Hong Kong & Singapore Trip – Introduction (How I Booked & How Much I Paid)
For the second year in a row I decided to book a trip for Joanna and I without actually telling Joanna where we were going. Last year the trip was primarily paid for in cash while this year I was very keen to book as much of it as possible with miles and points.
Review: Qatar Airways 777-300ER Business Class Overnight Flight (ICN-DOH)
I've reviewed the Qatar Airways 777-300ER Business Class in the past but, as that review was for a daytime flight and on this occasion the flight was overnight, I think it's worth taking another a look at what the offering is like.
My flight was scheduled to take off from Seoul Incheon Airport at 01:20 and boarding was called at 00:20. As there is no First Class cabin on the Qatar Airways 777s I was first onboard and had a few seconds to take some unobstructed pictures of the cabin.
Review: Asiana Business Class Lounge Seoul Incheon Airport
Qatar Airways doesn't have its own lounge at Seoul Incheon airport (it doesn't have its own lounge at a lot of European airports either) so it has an agreement in place with Asiana which allows Qatar Airways Business Class flyers to use the Asiana Business Class lounge before their flights. I got a chance to try out this lounge on my recent trip to Seoul.
Review: Courtyard Seoul Namdaemun
I had picked the Courtyard Seoul Namdaemun as my base in the South Korean capital for its convenience in the centre of the city (10 minutes walk to Seoul Station and even closer to a number of subway stations) and because it was reasonably priced compared to my other options. On top of all this I had never visited a Courtyard property outside of the US so I was interested to see how an Asian Courtyard would compare to, for example, the Courtyard Chelsea in New York.
Using The Airport Railroad Express (AREX) To Get From Seoul Incheon Airport To Downtown Seoul
As we often see nice Business Class fares published for travel between Europe and Seoul, and as Korean Airlines is a popular Chase points redemption from the US, I thought I'd share my experience of getting into downtown Seoul from Seoul Incheon airport on the off chance that this helps someone out.
Review: Qatar Airways A320 Business Class (PSA – DOH)
I had wanted to try out the Qatar Airways A320 Business Class product for quite some time so, when I saw a great fare between Pisa and Seoul (via Doha) which would allow me to see what it was like, I jumped at the chance.
Review: Sala VIP Lounge In Pisa (Qatar Airways & Priority Pass)
Qatar Airways has very few lounges of its own around the world so, most of the time I fly with the airline, I find myself using 3rd party lounges while I wait for my flight - on this trip and in Pisa things were no different.
Review: British Airways First Lounge At London Gatwick
British Airways moved into London Gatwick's South Terminal back in January this year and this was my first chance to take a look at what the airline has done at its new Gatwick home.
Review: Virgin Atlantic A330 Upper Class (Business Class)
When booking our flights from New York to London on Virgin Atlantic I'd had a decision to make: Do I book us to fly out of JFK where Virgin has a highly lauded Clubhouse lounge and fly on an Airbus A330 or do I book us to fly out of Newark (where the lounge isn't really anything special) and fly on Virgin's Dreamliner which is reported to have the best Upper Class cabin?
Review: Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Newark (EWR)
My visit to the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse in Newark was the second thing I was doing for the first time in the space of a week (the first had been flying in Virgin Atlantic's Premium Economy cabin). Had reviewing a Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse been uppermost in my mind when booking this trip I would have made sure I was flying out of New York's JFK airport (where the Clubhouse is said to be very good indeed) but, instead, I had chosen to fly out of Newark so that I could try out the Virgin's Upper Class product on the 787 Dreamliner (the fare on the 787 out of JFK was far too expensive).
Review: Japan Airlines 777-300ER First Class (HND-LHR)
I'd had a pretty good experience with my JAL Business Class flight a few days beforehand so I was looking forward to seeing what the airline would offer in its long haul First Class cabin. With a scheduled travel time of over 12 hours there would be no shortage of time to try out the product properly.
Review: JAL Sakura Lounge (SkyView) Tokyo Haneda
The Japan Airlines Sakura SkyView lounge wasn't on my "must visit list" while I was at Tokyo's Haneda airport but, as I appeared to have time and as the word "SkyView" had grabbed my attention I decided to go and see what the lounge was like.
Review: American Airlines 777-300ER Economy Class Night Flight (LAX-LHR)
On my flight from London to Los Angeles my upgrade had cleared at check-in despite having been requested 6 months ahead of my flight (a new reality now that American has changed how it prioritizes upgrades) but this was the flight on which my upgrade request really counted. It has been at least 7 years since I last spent a 9 -10 hour overnight flight in Economy Class and I can't say that I was looking forward to that run ending.
We’re Off On Another Mystery Trip….And It Should Be Very Good!
Tonight Joanna and I will be flying out of London Heathrow for 11 nights on a trip that Joanna knows very little about. She has no idea where were flying to or if we're visiting one location or more but she does know that we'll be going somewhere warm - a girl needs to know what to pack! I did something similar for Joanna last year as a "thank you" for putting up with the hours I work and the numerous trips I take throughout the year...but this year I think I've done better.
Review: Qantas First Class Lounge Los Angeles
I'm a big fan of Qantas Lounges and one of the major benefits I get out of my oneworld Emerald status is that, no matter what cabin I'm booked into when flying out of Los Angeles, I get access to the Qantas First Class lounge at LAX's Tom Bradley International Terminal.
Review: Virgin Atlantic A330 Premium Economy
Joanna and I had been planning to visit New York for some time and we were still in the middle of making our plans when the travel Gods smiled down on us in two wonderful ways.
First Virgin Atlantic came out with some fantastic premium cabin fares for travel between London and New York and then Amex came out with an offer of $200 off a $1,000 spend with Delta.....and it doesn't really get better than that.
Review: No.1 Lounge London Heathrow T3 (Priority Pass)
Joanna and I found ourselves visiting the No.1 Lounge at Heathrow Terminal 3 on account of two things - we were flying on an airline which with which neither of us has status (Virgin Atlantic) and I have a Priority Pass membership which gives me and at least ten guests complimentary access (I love my Chase Sapphire Reserve card!)
Review: JAL First Class Lounge Tokyo Haneda
As you would expect, Japan Airlines has a number of lounges at Tokyo's Haneda airport.....but there's only one First Class lounge. The JAL First Class Lounge is located after security in the International Terminal on level 4. The easiest way to find the entrance is to look for gate 112 and to follow the signs that lead from there.
Review: Alitalia A320 Economy Class (FCO-LHR)
I normally book my short-haul European flights on British Airways as I can credit them to American Airlines AAdvantage and earn a few miles out of what is usually a pretty disappointing experience...but this time I couldn't do that. My Qatar Airways flight from Doha wasn't due in to Rome until 18:55 and the last British Airways flight from Rome was scheduled for around 8pm - that would be cutting things a little fine and could land me in trouble if my Qatar Airways flight faced any kind of delay.
Review: Hyatt Regency Tokyo
The Hyatt Regency Tokyo, in partnership with a few other central Tokyo hotels, offers a paid bus service from both Narita and Haneda airports but, as I wasn't in the mood to be driven around Tokyo as others were being dropped off art their hotels, I chose to take the train into Shinjuku station and walk the 1,000 yards to the hotel.
Review: JAL 787 Business Class
My JAL 787 Business Class flight was scheduled to depart from gate D5 at Frankfurt airport's terminal 2 and because of where the JAL lounges are positioned I had to pass through security to get to the gate.
There's even a warning sign posted outside the entrance to the JAL lounges letting passengers know that, unlike most other airports, there's no lounge past airport security.
Review: JAL First Class Lounge Frankfurt Terminal 2
The JAL First Class lounge opens between 4:00pm and 8:00pm so, as I arrived into Frankfurt a little after 2:00pm I had spent around 90 minutes checking out JAL's Sakura Business Class lounge next door. Come 4:00pm I decided it was time to see how JAL's First Class lounge compared and I was genuine interested to find out what, if anything, the airline had done to make the First Class lounge special and different from the Sakura lounge next door.
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