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.
Review: JAL Sakura Business Class Lounge Frankfurt Terminal 2
As far as I was concerned my trip to visit Tokyo for two nights and three days officially started in the JAL Business Class lounge at Frankfurt airport but, technically speaking, my first flight of the day has been a British Airways positioning flight from London which arrived into Frankfurt shortly after 2pm .
British Airways flights arrive into the same airport terminal that houses the JAL lounges (T2) and, fortuitously, my flight arrived into a gate just a few minutes walk from the lounge doors - no passport control or security to navigate so it was incredibly convenient.
Tokyo Trip – Introduction (How I Booked & How Much I Paid)
Shortly before American Airlines significantly devalued its AAdvantage Miles (by hiking up the cost of awards) I decided to book a few flights that I felt I may not be able to afford after the devaluation. I hadn't ever seriously considered using my miles for First Class travel as Business Class is more than good enough for me most of the time but that suddenly changed.
Review: Qatar Airways 777-300ER Business Class Daytime Flight (KUL-DOH)
My flight to Doha from Kuala Lumpur was on a Qatar Airways 777-300ER and this would be the third new Qatar Airways aircraft I was going to experience on this trip. Before visiting Kuala Lumpur I hadn't reviewed the airline's 787 Dreamliner or A340 Business Class cabins and now I was about to see what the 777-300ERs Business Class cabin was like and what kind of service you get flying between Kuala Lumpur and Doha in the daytime.
Review: Malaysia Airlines First Class Lounge Kuala Lumpur
I've visited the Malaysia Airlines First Class lounge in Kuala Lumpur twice this year (both at different times of day) so, rather than post two separate reviews, I'm combining my experiences of a morning and an evening visit into one post.
Review: Plaza Premium Lounge Kuala Lumpur (International Gates)
After a fun few days in Kuala Lumpur, during which time I finally got to visit and see inside the Petronas Towers, it was time to head back to Kuala Lumpur International airport to catch my Qatar Airways flight back to Doha.
As in most cities you may visit while flying with Qatar Airways, Kuala Lumpur International doesn't have a dedicated Qatar Airways lounge. Here the airline's premium cabin passengers are provided with an invitation to the Plaza Premium lounge upon checking in.
Review: Qatar Airways A340 Business Class Night Flight (DOH-KUL)
One of the reasons I booked my trip to Kuala Lumpur was because the routing gave me a chance to try out three different Qatar Airways Business Class products none of which have been reviewed on Traveling For Miles before. Before this trip I already had a very good idea what the 777-300ER experience would be like (on the Kuala Lumpur - Doha return part of my journey) as I had already reviewed the sister aircraft (777-200LR) on my Auckland trip earlier this year....but I had very little idea of what to expect of the airline's A340 Business Class cabin.
Review: Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Business Class Lounge Doha
There are a number of Business Class lounges in Doha but the mother of them all is undoubtably the Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Business Class lounge. I'm not entirely sure why I haven't reviewed it before but, as I paid the lounge a visit on this trip and remembered to take some notes, I thought it was about time I did just that.
I'd enjoyed my all-too-short Qatar Airways 787 Business Class flight from Rome and we'd landed in Doha more or less on time. The next stage of the trip involved passing though Doha security which can be a bit of a lottery. Fortunately there is a dedicate premium lane on offer and, while the lines for non-priority passengers appeared quite long, I was though security in under 5 minutes.
Review: Qatar Airways 787 Business Class Daytime Flight (FCO – DOH)
I was looking forward to trying out the Qatar Airways 787 Business Class cabin as I'd heard very good things about it from a number of people who have experienced it first hand. On top of that I had been impressed by the level of service on my Auckland - Doha flight earlier in the year so I was interested to see if that had been a one-off or if the airline could maintain those standards.
Review: AviaPartner VIP Lounge Le Anfore Rome (Qatar Airways & Priority Pass)
As I mentioned in the introduction, to connect to my Qatar Airways Business Class flight I took a British Airways positioning flight from London Heathrow to Rome where I had quite a few hours to kill (I've reviewed the BA A320 Economy class cabin relatively recently so I'm not going to review it here again) - I spent those hours at the AviaPartner VIP Lounge Le Anfore - a their party lounge used by Qatar Airways for its Business Class passengers.
London Heathrow and Paris Charles de Gaulle are the only two European Airports in which Qatar Airways manages its own lounges - in all other European cities the airline uses 3rd party lounges of the kind you normally associate with the Priority Pass and Lounge Key programs. In my experience this one of the weaknesses of Qatar's premium offering.
Introduction: Qatar Airways Business Class Trip Between Rome & Kuala Lumpur
Benjamin Franklin once famously said that "in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes" but, if he lived today, he would probably add a third thing to that list: If there isn't an excellent Qatar Airways Business Class fare between Europe and Asia available right now, one will be along very soon!
In one of the many good Business Class promotions that Qatar Airways has offered there were some some great fares to Kuala Lumpur and, as I had never visited the city, this seemed like a good time to see what it was like. This would also give me a chance to review a number of Business Class products that have yet to feature on Traveling For Miles and, if I'm being completely honest, it was a good excuse to catch some much needed sunshine.
Review: Delta One Business Class 767 (Overnight JFK – MAD)
Amazingly, after more years of flying than I care to admit to, this was my first ever experience of flying with Delta and, as such, this was my first ever visit to Terminal 4 at New York's JFK airport.
I was really looking forward to trying out Delta's transatlantic Business Class product (Delta One) as I wanted to see just how good a product the airline offers to make up for its atrocious rewards program (Delta SkyMiles has been nicknamed SkyPesos for a reason!).
Review: Courtyard By Marriott New York Chelsea/Manhattan
New York is one of the more expensive major cities in the world when it comes to hotel accommodation so I often find that even the more rudimentary properties in the city cost quite a bit. If I'm traveling with Joanna I don't mind spending a bit more on accommodation but when I'm traveling solo, as I was on this occasion, I resent paying anymore than I have to for a reasonable quality room.
Qatar Airways New Business Class Unveiled – Meet The “QSuite”
Earlier today Qatar Airways used a press conference at the ITB Berlin exhibition to launch its highly anticipated new Business Class seat to the world. After years of waiting to see what Qatar Airways would come up with after its CEO His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker had promised us a "Super Business Class" that would rival the First Class offerings from a number of competitors, we finally got to see what all the excitement and fanfare was about.
Review: Delta Sky Club JFK Terminal 4
In recent years most of my travels have been on OneWorld airlines so, to get a better perspective on what other options look like, I decided to make a conscious effort to try out a few other airlines when possible. Towards the end of last year this saw me trying out Air France's short-haul Business Class product, the Air France 777-300ER Business Class cabin (which I loved) and Delta's DeltaOne Business Class product out of New York - that's how I came to find myself in Delta's Sky Club at JFK.
Review: Qatar Airways 777-200LR Business Class (AKL-DOH) – The World’s Longest Flight
On Sunday 5 February 2017 Qatar Airways launched its Doha to Auckland route which now holds the crown as the longest route (time-wise) in the world and, as luck would have it, I was booked to fly on day two of this new route - this is my review of that flight.
Tomorrow I’m Flying On The World’s Longest Commercial Flight (I Must Be Mad!)
This Traveling For Miles post is coming to you from sunny Auckland where I'm currently enjoying a particularly good flat white and thanking the weather gods for blessing my whirlwind trip with decent weather (every other time I've visited this city it's been mostly grey and overcast....and I've always visited in the summer!).
Review: Air France Business Class 777-300ER (CDG-JFK)
Air France would appear to start its international boarding process earlier than most airlines I've flown because, when I got to the gate with a little over an hour to go before departure, I was faced with a sea of travelers ahead of me and boarding had already started.
Review: Air France A320 Business Class (MAD-CDG)
This was my first flight on Air France in years (I'm not even sure I remember the last time I flew with the airline), it was my first flight in Air France's short-haul Business Class and my first flight in an Air France A320. That's a lot of "firsts". Combine those facts with the fact that I'd just flown in to Madrid on an Iberia A320 and you'll see why I was interested to see what Air France would offer.
Review: Sala VIP Puerta Del Sol Madrid T3
The Puerta Del Sol lounge is open from 04:30 to 23:00 7 days a week and caters to both SkyTeam and Star Alliance flyers departing from Terminal 3. It's also a Priority Pass lounge so, if you don't have status and you're not traveling in a premium cabin that's another way to get access.
A Look Inside SkyTeam’s New Beijing Airport Lounge
SkyTeam has provided the first pictures of its soon to be opened lounge at Beijing International airport and, based on these together with the details supplied, it looks like flyers are going to have a very nice lounge option available to them in the next few weeks.
Review: Iberia A320 Economy Class (LHR-MAD)
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My $888 Business Class Flights On Air France & Delta – Introduction
Because I like to plan my trips quite far in advance I've known for a few months that I have enough trips booked to lock up American Airlines Executive Platinum status for another year so, when an opportunity arose to try out something new, I jumped at the chance.
I hadn't flown with Air France for years and I had never set foot on a Delta aircraft in my life so, when I spotted the amazing Business Class fares on offer out of Madrid, I knew I had to make the most of the opportunity.
Review: Hugo Junkers Lounge Düsseldorf (OneWorld/SkyTeam)
The Hugo Junkers Lounge is on level 2 of the "Pier B" area at Düsseldorf Airport and, as it's a 3rd party lounge (i.e not run by a specific airline or alliance), it acts as Business Class lounge for a variety of carriers across all three major alliances....although Star Alliance is the most underrepresented.
Review: Cathay Pacific A350 Business Class (HKG-DUS)
I'd had a very nice time at Cathay Pacific's Pier First Class lounge but now it was time for the second reason I was taking this trip - to try out Cathay Pacific's Airbus A350. The first reason for the trip, to try out Cathay Pacific's First Class on the 777, had gone very well so I was looking forward to see what Cathay would offer on their newest aircraft.
Review: Cathay Pacific The Pier First Class Lounge – Hong Kong
Cathay Pacific does airport departure lounges very well (I'm not so keen on its arrivals lounge) but it's been a long time since I've had the chance to try out one of the airline's First Class lounges....so I was very keen to see what the Pier First Class lounge had to offer.
Take a Look Inside Aeromexico’s New 787-9 Dreamliner
Aeromexico's first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner has been delivered and the airline has been keen to show of some of the aircrafts new features - like a serve-yourself bar, ergonomic seats and touchscreen TVs.
This is the first of ten 787-9 Dreamliners that Aeromexico has ordered and will join the nine 787-8 Dreamliners already flying on Aeromexico's routes.
A Look Inside The New Qantas Business Class Lounge In Brisbane
If there is one thing that I like most about Qantas it's that it can do airport lounges very well when it puts it's mind to it. The First Class lounge in Sydney is fantastic, the Qantas First Class lounge at LAX is my favorite lounge in the US and I can't wait for the new Qantas lounge to open at London Heathrow Terminal 3 next year. All this is why I was particularly interested to see what Qantas would be offering at its new Brisbane International Lounge which opened its doors yesterday.
Review: Hyatt Regency Hong Kong – Harbour View King Room (Part 2)
I ended Part 1 of this review with a bit of a cliff-hanger saying that the Hyatt Regency Hong Kong offers the single best amenity I've ever seen offered by a hotel...and I really don't think I'm exaggerating.
If you don't happen to have access to a great roaming deal (like T-Mobile offers in the US) then you're likely to be at the mercy of wifi hotspots when you travel abroad...but not if you visit the Hyatt Regency in Hong Kong.
Review: Hyatt Regency Hong Kong – Harbour View King Room (Part 1)
The Hyatt Regency Hong Kong (full name: Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui) is located on the mainland side of Hong Kong right in the middle of Kowloon and in a very good position to explore that area of Hong Kong. It's also within a short walk (10 - 15 minutes) to the harbour where you can catch a ferry to Hong Kong Island....which is useful if you plan to visit Victoria Peak.
LOT Polish Airlines Adds Flights To Los Angeles…And That’s Great News!
LOT Polish Airlines is a member of the Star Alliance and, as of yesterday, the airline opened up reservations on its new route between Warsaw and Los Angeles which is scheduled to start in Spring 2017. The route will be operated by LOT's new 787-8 Dreamliners and will be the first direct service between Central Europe (a.k.a Eastern Europe of old) and the US West Coast.
Etihad Aligns Benefits Across All Its Partners & A Possible Way To Make The Most Of This
Etihad doesn't belong to an airline alliance but, thanks to its investment in a number of other airlines, it does have what it calls "a partnership". The partnership is made up of 8 airlines contains Alitalia and, more surprisingly, airberlin which is a member of the oneworld alliance. Up until now, from a flyer benefits perspective, the partnership hasn't been that well coordinated...but Etihad has just changed all of that.
Hong Kong Airport Express, Free Hotel Shuttles & Kowloon Check-In
Before I even arrived in Hong Kong I had decided that I was going to take the Airport Express from the airport into Kowloon (where I was going to be staying at the Hyatt Regency). I didn't want to take a taxi because they can be expensive (especially if you get caught up in traffic) and I didn't want to use Über because I don't have a great roaming plan on my phone and that's a bit of an issue when you're reliant on your phone to call and find your car.
Cathay Pacific Succumbs To 10-Across Economy Class Cabins And We’re To Blame
I expect airlines like American, Air France and Emirates to cram their passengers in to annoyingly tight seats that no human should have to endure but there are other airlines where we've come to expect better...and Cathay Pacific is one of those airlines.
Cathay Pacific has long been considered one of the all-round premium airlines in the skies and that's a reputation that has been earned not only because of the amazing service in its First Class cabin but also because the airline hasn't historically treated its passengers like self-loading cargo. But it looks like those days are nearly over.
Review: Cathay Pacific Arrivals Lounge – Hong Kong
I arrived in to Hong Kong at around 7am and, as I had no checked baggage to worry about and as I was one of the very first to disembark, it wasn't long before I was through immigration and customs and in the arrivals hall of Hong Kong airport.
I really wanted to have a shower after my overnight flight and, as I was pretty sure that the Hyatt Regency wouldn't have my room ready for me a that time of the morning, I decided to head to the Cathay Pacific Arrivals Lounge ("The Arrival") to see what was on offer.
Review: Cathay Pacific 777 First Class (ZRH – HKG)
I was having a pretty relaxing time in the Aspire First Class lounge and enjoying the freedom of the balcony that the lounge opens up on to but, about an hour before my departure time, I decided to head down to the gate.
I'm not normally one to get to the gate particularly early (unless I need to make sure that there will be room for my carry on in the overhead bins) but I wasn't exactly sure how long it would take me to the gate and I wanted to be one of the first on the aircraft to make taking pictures a lot easier.
CONFIRMED: British Airways Will Charge For Food On Short – Haul Fights
The rumors have been doing the rounds for a few weeks now but finally, today, British Airways has announced that it will be charging for all food and drink in the Economy Class cabin on its short-haul flights. The airline has confirmed that the change will be brought in at the beginning of next year and that the food will be catered by Marks & Spencer.
Review: Aspire First Class Lounge – Zurich
None of the OneWorld airlines have their own lounge at Zurich Airport's E-gates so the lounge you're directed to if you're flying with Cathay Pacific is the Aspire Lounge. The lounge is divided into a regular Aspire Lounge (available to OneWorld Business Class flyers, Emeralds/Sapphires and those with Priority Pass memberships) and a First Class Aspire lounge which is open to OneWorld Emeralds and First Class passengers.
Qatar Is Relaxing Visa Rules For Travelers On Short Visits
I'm an unabashed fan of Qatar Airways and that's primarily because the airline offers some truly fantastic Business Class deals from various cities in Europe to any number of cities in Asia. Unsurprisingly all of Qatar Airways flights route through their home base in Doha so, although this can take a little longer than a direct flight, it also offers an opportunity to visit Qatar.
Connecting At Zurich Airport – A Quick Look
As I often suggest travelers take "positioning flights" around Europe (and the US) to make the most of any great Business Class fares that come around or to make the most of award availability that appears somewhere that isn't your home airport, I thought I'd share my experience of doing just that at Zurich airport.
Cathay Pacific First & Business Class Trip – Introduction
I've never had a yearning to fly in First Class, it's not something that's ever really interested me. I've always been of the opinion that Business Class travel is more than enough for my needs and that the extra miles it would cost to fly in First Class could be put to better use elsewhere. This mantra has been with me for a while but it's taken a bit of a back seat of late thanks to two completely unrelated events.
British Airways Status May Be About To Become Much Harder To Earn (For Some)
I was sitting in an airport lounge idly browsing through my Twitter feed when I noticed two tweets, one after the other, which made me sit up and pay attention...literally. They weren't tweets from an official source but they were from someone who's got a pretty decent track record of getting information before it has been released and, if I understand these tweets correctly, some BA flyers are about to find that earning status is going to get a lot harder.
Hilton Is Changing Its Best Price Guarantee
All of the big hotel chains offer some sort of a "best price guarantee" but, as the hotel chains have started to use any excuse to weasel out of their own guarantee, they have become more of a marketing gimmick than an actual benefit to customers. Hilton is the latest of the big-chain hotels to change its best price guarantee and, as long as you can get the chain to honor it, the change could be a positive one for a lot of travelers.
Review: British Airways A380 First Class (SFO-LHR) – Part 2
In Part 1 of this review I focused on the British Airways A380 First Class cabin and seat while in this part I'll take a look at everything else that makes up the British Airways First Class experience. I've already said that although the British Airways First Class seat is spacious and comfortable it isn't that much better than some of the excellent Business Class seats you can book...so will all the other aspects of the First Class experience justify what BA regularly likes to charge for this cabin?
Review: British Airways A380 First Class (SFO-LHR) – Part 1
Back in July I took Joanna on a trip to Las Vegas and San Francisco (introduction and full details of the trip are here) and now we were on our way back to the UK. We'd already tried out the Cathay Pacific lounge and the British Airways First Class lounge at SFO and now we were about to fly back to the UK in First Class on a British Airways A380.
Finnair Will Fly To San Francisco In 2017
In news that's sure to be welcomed by oneworld flyers, Finnair has announced that it intends to operate a seasonal route between Helsinki and San Francisco from summer 2017. The Scandinavian airline plans to employ its Airbus A330-300 aircraft on the new route which will operate 3x/week.
Review: Iberia Business Class Airbus A330-300 (Part 2)
In Part 1 of this review I took a look at the Business Class seat that Iberia has installed on its A330-300 aircraft and in this part I'll take a look at the onboard Wifi, entertainment options, the food and the service. Bearing in mind this wasn't exactly the longest flight in the world I did somehow manage to get a really goof feel for what the aircraft offers.
Review: Iberia Business Class Airbus A330-300 (Part 1)
A few months ago I noticed that Iberia was in the habit of scheduling its wide-body A330 aircraft on its Madrid - London route and, as I hadn't checked out Iberia's long-haul Business Class cabin in the past, this seemed like a good way to see what the carrier offers. Sure, I wouldn't exactly get the full long-haul experience...but I would get a good look at the cabin, the seat and I'd get to see what the Iberia service was like.
British Airways Opening The “First Wing” At Heathrow T5
British Airways has revealed details of an upgrade it is introducing to the First Class check-in experience at Heathrow Terminal 5. From April 2017 British Airways First Class passengers and OneWorld Emerald card holders will have access to what the airline is calling a new "First Wing" which should make the whole check-in process feel a little more "premium".
Review: British Airways First Class Lounge San Francisco (SFO)
Joanna and I were flying out of San Francisco on British Airways but, because I'd done some research ahead of time, we knew that the Cathay Pacific lounge was our best option for somewhere to relax at SFO before our flight. I'd heard that the British Airways lounge at SFO gets quite crowded and that whatever the airline provides its First Class passengers isn't up to much so I wasn't exactly in any hurry to see what was on offer.
Review: Aspire Lounge Heathrow T5
I reviewed the Aspire lounge at Heathrow's Terminal 5 not long after it first opened and my thoughts on the offering weren't exactly very positive. Since then I've had a number of readers ask me about the lounge so I thought that it was only right that, a year down the line, I give the lounge another try.
Review: Cathay Pacific Lounge San Francisco (SFO)
Back in July I took Joanna on a trip to Las Vegas and San Francisco (introduction full details of the trip are here) as a small thank you for being so supportive of this blog and for putting up with all my traveling (there really is a lot!) The trip was a lot of fun but at some point the fun had to end and we had to head back across the Atlantic. This is a look at the Cathay Pacific Lounge at San Francisco Airport which was our first port of call on our way home.
Is This When American Airlines Will Officially Introduce Premium Economy?
Considering how much the product has been discussed it's surprising we still don't know quite a few things about American Airlines' new Premium Economy product. We don't know for sure which aircraft will have the cabin and which won't, we don't know what percentage of seats in each aircraft will be given over to Premium Economy and, perhaps most importantly, we don't really know when American Airlines plans on fully unleashing its Premium Economy product on the flying public....but we may now have a hint.
British Airways Doesn’t Understand Its Own Promotion
British Airways launched a Triple Avios promotion last week but, what should have been a simple enough promotion to understand, turned out to be confusing and contradictory. The blame for the mess lies squarely at the feet of whoever drafted the promotion details and whoever gave the go ahead to post those details to the British Airways website.
Quick Look: Holiday Inn Heathrow Ariel – Single Room (now a Best Western)
This is the second "quick look" post I've done of Holiday Inn properties at Heathrow (the first was the Holiday Inn Heathrow T5) and, once again, my visit was purely as a result of the IHG Summer Accelerate promotion I discussed earlier this week.
Just like with the Holiday Inn Heathrow T5 I spent enough time at the property to get a good look around (as hopefully the pictures will show) but I didn't stay the night so you should bear that in mind when forming any opinions from what I post here.
Quick Look: Holiday Inn Heathrow Terminal 5
I visited the Holiday Inn Heathrow Terminal 5 as part of my plan to earn some quick IHG rewards points before the summer Accelerate promotion ended. I spent a little bit of time at the property but I didn’t end up spending the night (that is something you need to bear in mind when drawing any of your own conclusions from this post).
I may not have spent the night but I knew I was going to be writing this post so I made sure to take a few pictures to show you what the property offers.
Grand Hyatt San Francisco – Grand Club Lounge Review
Our stay at the Grand Hyatt in San Francisco was part of Joanna's mystery tip (introduction is here) and I posted my review of the suite and the hotel yesterday. Today I'm taking a look at the Club Lounge that the Grand Hyatt San Francisco offers.
Review: Grand Hyatt San Francisco – Executive Suite
There were two things that were never in much doubt about our visit to San Francisco - we would be staying at a Hyatt property and we'd be staying at least 4 nights. The reason I was keen for us to stay at a Hyatt was because I wanted to use one of my Diamond Suite upgrades that comes with my Hyatt status and the reason for staying at least 4 nights was because I wanted to make use of the "4th night free" benefit that comes with my Citi Prestige credit card.
Review: Virgin America First Class A320 (LAS – SFO)
Before this flight I'd only flown Virgin America once before and that was in Economy Class on a flight between Chicago and Los Angeles. At the time I remember liking the in-flight entertainment options (I watched the Bears been the Packers on live TV) and I remember the flight attendants being friendly and helpful. But, if I'm being honest, none of that had too much bearing on why I booked Joanna and I into Virgin America First Class for the short flight between Las Vegas and San Francisco.
The New Delta One Suite Looks Fantastic!
You have to feel a little sorry for United and American Airlines (ok you don't really). United and American have been playing catch-up to Delta for years and things looked like they were starting to go their way. American Airlines finally has some excellent Business Class cabins on its long haul aircraft (the 777-300ER currently has the best Business Class seat across the Atlantic and the 787 seats aren't too far behind) and United must have been looking forward to a long period where it clawed back some of the customers it haemorrhaged to Delta with its own impressive-looking Polaris Business Class that is coming in December.
Review: The Club At LAS – Terminal 3
There are two "The Club" airport lounges at Las Vegas McCarran airport (one in T1 and one in T3) and, rather confusingly, they're both called "The Club At LAS". Joanna and I were traveling to San Francisco on Virgin America so we visited the lounge in Terminal 3.
The Club At LAS in Terminal 3 is located across from gate E2 and acts as the airport lounge for British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Alaska Airlines (amongst others) and is also part of the Priority Pass network of lounges. The lounge is open daily from 8 am until midnight.
Review: Aria Resort & Casino Las Vegas
I've been to Las Vegas more times than I can remember but I've never stayed at Aria before. I've walked through City Center (the complex within which you'll find Aria) on countless occasions and I've gambled in the Aria casino more times than I'd care to admit but, before this trip, I'd never seen inside one of the hotel's rooms.
Review: British Airways First Class 747 (LHR-LAS) – Part 2
In the part one of this review (posted earlier today) I took a look at the first impressions I got of the British Airways First Class cabin on the 747 aircraft as well as a closer look at the seat that was to be my home for 10+ hours. In this second and final part of the review I'll take a look at the amenities, the food, the entertainment options and the service before I go on to conclude my thoughts of the experience as a whole.
Review: British Airways First Class 747 (LHR-LAS) – Part 1
This was the first time I'd flown in First Class since 2012 and only the second time I've ever flown international First Class in my life (Business Class is more than enough for my needs) so I was particularly keen (ok, I was excited!) to see what it was going to be like. The fact that this was going to be British Airways First Class added and extra element of interest as I'm really not a fan of the BA Business Class product at all....so how would First Class turn out?
Review: Dublin Airport Executive Lounge – Terminal 1
The Dublin Airport Executive Lounge is where Joanna's mystery trip really started. All along she'd known that the first flight of our trip would be from Heathrow to Dublin but, from here on in, she wasn't really too sure where I was taking her.
British Airways doesn't have a dedicated lounge in Dublin Airport so the Dublin Airport Executive Lounge is where premium cabin flyers and oneworld elites flying from terminal 1 are directed to.
Review – Sofitel Heathrow Terminal 5
To get Joanna's mystery trip off to as relaxed a start as possible I decided to book the Sofitel at London Heathrow's Terminal 5 for the night before the first flight. Our flight wasn't a particularly early one (9:25 am) but anything that helps avoid an early wake-up call is a good idea to me. The Sofitel is linked to Terminal 5 by a foot bridge so, if you if you make a bit of an effort, you can get from your room to the British Airways check-in desks in under 10 minutes - great if you want a lie-in.
Joanna’s Mystery Trip – Introduction
If you follow me on Twitter and have seen some of my tweets in the last 48 hours you've probably noticed that I'm traveling (again!)....but this time I have Joanna with me. This is a trip should generate a few cool reviews which I'm looking forward to posting on the blog but, in essence, the trip is all about Joanna.
Review – The May Fair Hotel London
The May Fair is a hotel that falls under the umbrella of the Club Carlson loyalty program and is a property at which I've stayed a few times. In the Club Carlson point heyday (when the top Carlson hotels cost 50,000 points and when you would get the a second award night for free just for having the Club Carlson credit card) this property was fantastic value - you could have a weekend in London's Mayfair for just 50,000 points! Now the same weekend will set you back 140,000 points so things are a little different.
Review – British Airways Economy Class A320 (LHR-LCA)
British Airways has two daily flights between London Heathrow and Larnaca in Cyprus - one that leaves at around 7:20am and the other which leaves at around 11:30am. The first flight is the one I try to avoid if I possibly can because it's easily the worst of the two options - to catch it I'd have to get up way earlier than I'd ideally like to and, if that wasn't bad enough, it's operated by an Airbus A320...the workhorse of British Airways' short-haul fleet and a lot less comfortable than the 767 which operates the later flight.
Review: InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa – Overwater Bungalow
Joanna and I recently visited the InterContinental Bora Bora Resort - one of the most aspirational properties you can book with IHG Rewards points - and this is part 2 of the review of the resort. In part 1 of the review I looked at the location of the resort, the arrivals process, our check-in and the first impressions we got as we explored the resort's grounds. In this part I'll take a look at the accommodation we booked.
DOT Begins To Award Flights To Cuba – American, JetBlue & Southwest All Winners
Back in February the United States signed a historic agreement with Cuba to finally re-establish a true scheduled air services between the two countries. Although charter flights between the US And Cuba have existed for years the last scheduled flights between the US and Cuba took place over half a century ago.
Since the agreement with Cuba was announced, a number of U.S. airlines have been submitted applications to the Department of Transportation (DOT) for authority to operate routes between the U.S. and Cuba but, because of restrictions within in the agreement, not all the airlines can get what they ask for.
American Airlines Guts The AAdvantage Program – Elite Qualifying Dollars & New Status Level Added
American Airlines has just released details of what the AAdvantage program is going to look like going forward and it's almost universally bad news for miles & points collectors and those of us who've enjoyed what used to be the best airline loyalty program out there. The Delta-isation of AAdvantage is upon us so those with a weak disposition should probably stop reading now.
Cathay Pacific’s New A350 Premium Economy
Cathay Pacific has had a Premium Economy cabin for quite a few years now but its new A350 aircraft are set to be fitted out with an entirely new cabin and, up until now, we haven't really know what to expect.
Now Australian Business Traveller has broken the news that the new Cathay Pacific Premium Economy seat will be the B/E Aerospace MiQ seat that, coincidentally, has also been chosen by American Airlines for their new Premium Economy cabin. And it looks pretty good:
United Airlines New Polaris Business Class
After a lot of speculation and waiting United Airlines, today, finally announced its new Business Class product - United Polaris Business Class.
Rather than just an update of their Business Class seat United have revamped their entire Business Class offering from lounges and pre-flight dining through to a new onboard Business Class cabin with new seats, amenities and food/drink options. From what United have presented it looks like United Polaris Business Class is a make over from top to bottom.
Etihad Opens New First Class Lounge In Abu Dhabi
It's been a long time coming and faced a number of long delays but the Etihad First Class Lounge & Spa Abu Dhabi is finally open as of today.
Without having visited the lounge in person (clearly!) I'm not in much of a position to comment on what the Etihad First Class lounge in Abu Dhabi is like so, what follows is all the information and pictures Etihad has supplied so far.
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