Scandi Running Part 1- So This Is How It All Begins

Da Plane...

Get the background: The Scandi Run- Preview

I'm a big proponent of 'firsts.'  I love first tries, first place, first class.  That makes this weekend fit right in.  It's the first of at least three mileage runs that follow more or less the same pattern.  It's good then, that right after firsts with me, comes familiarity.  I'm aiming to have this thing down to a science by October. A kind of science that, sure, will be thrown way out of whack by weather, crew delays, and loose bolts, but there's a science to all that as well when you think about it.

It's a first for the Scandi run, and also a first inasmuch as it's going to be cold.  The potential level of cold really didn't hit home until today when I saw a picture of the ice burgs currently floating past Nyhavn canal.  Until this point, I'd been way to confident in my ability to suck it up for a couple days.  I've lived in Boston before, I survived, it's in the 30's, come on...

After that, I threw in an extra (couple of) coats, stopped at REI to buy better, more waterproof, and less 'I don't remember what snow looks like' gloves (REI in Los Angeles is the most pathetic place to buy winter gloves, FIY.), and pretty well gave up on my romantic and responsible goal of running a 5k through Norreboro the morning after I arrived.

Granted, the 30 degree weather may be considered by the Danes to be a 'heat wave' this time of year, but I'm a cold pansy at this point, and I'm pretty much going to have to come to terms with it.

I love to be invited...

I'm currently sitting at the bar (as one does) at the Qantas First Lounge in LAX awaiting my flight to London.  It's delightful as per always, and not yet overcrowded as I'm several hours before the late night flights to Sydney, Melbourne, and such.  So far, all's well.  As I've realized it's a published EXP benefit, I tried out the LAX Flagship Check in for the first time, and it was all kinds of line cutting fun.



This season, the Qantas lounge is doing lovely things with radicchio...Is a sentence I never thought I'd type...

Compared to CLEAR, it's basically a nicer version with a dedicated ticketing counter, and a concierge who rolls your luggage for you to the front of the pre-check screening.  It definitely saved me a few minutes, but it was more about the experience. With elite benefits being axed left and right, it's still a nice gesture.

With my several hours before boarding, I have to actively hold back and pace myself as I work through the menu.  I'd prefer not to admit that I also had a stop at the Flagship Lounge in T4 on the way here for a bowl of pho, but I will admit it, because mileage run, and that stuff was tasty.  Pro-tip- if you like it spicy, there's siracha on the bar by the bloody mary fixings. 

T-2 hours, and my incoming flight is about to land, the weather in the vicinity of London and Copenhagen airport looks passable, and so far I've only forgotten my power cube (remote power bank), so things are looking good to go.  Plus, I've got a lovely bartender serving me something called the 'Garden Party' which has mint leaves in it.  Granted, I've already expended my first flyer acquaintance, possibly by unnervingly confusing him by trying to explain what, exactly, I was actually seeking to accomplish by flying to Denmark 3 times for now reason, but that's not really a huge concern.  And really, he's here to 'talk about bonds,' so what does he know.  Besides, it happens more often, or possibly exactly as often, as you might think.

BA 747 "Queen of the Skies," in repose in the background.

Come on, let's go....

~CruisingAltitude

The Flagship We've All Been Waiting For

You see this view??  This used to be my view each and every stop through LAX.  Now, NOT SO MUCH!

You know what?  I'm mad.  Do you want to know why I'm mad?  I know you don't really, but this is my blog and so I'm going to tell you anyway.  Prepare to be humble bragged within an inch of your life!

Yes, you're seeing this.  There's bacon.

The new Flagship Lounge at LAX's Terminal 4 is too nice.  Yes, dammit, you heard me. There is good food, and not just in the exclusive 'flagship dining' area, but on offer to everyone else as well.  There's an impressive self serve bar with Grey Goose, Hangar 1, Black Label, Woodford, Bombay, and all manner of fun options, as well as a bloody mary station, and non-alcoholic beverages including cold brew and an espresso maker.  Plus this week- custom, made to order Pho.  In case anyone was wondering- they had me at NOODLES.



Décor like JFK, food much better.

It's quite a bit better than the location at JFK, and that's saying something because JFK isn't at all shabby.


Frikkin' pho station.  For serious.

 

Food....

....And more food.

And here's why that makes me mad.  I'm mad because I've been carefully cultivating my disgruntlement with the new renovations to the terminal 4 Admiral's club for months.  MONTHS, I tell you.  Despite opening a new location in terminal 5, the loss of square footage in terminal 4 has been severely detrimental to the customer experience, and that's putting it lightly.  It's overcrowded, overrun, and not relaxing at all. 

You could go down to terminal 5, sure, but that's a decent hike, and even that has been crowded of late.  Instead, I've been taking the new connector over to TBIT and hitting up the KAL lounge on my priority pass.  This is no hardship, as I'm addicted to the (free) $1.99 spicy noodles there.  However, access there isn't open until 12pm, and Mrs. CruisingAltitude isn't a fan of the food offerings. 

This is all to say that now I'm left in a frustrating, angry-ifying quandary- the new lounge is legitimately wonderful, not quite beating out the Qantas lounge, but definitely trying to.  However, I'm only allowed in a few times a year, when I'm flying internationally since I'm perpetually buying double-deep-discount tickets to everywhere.

Livid, I am.  So.... I angry-scarfed down my custom made pho, maliciously drank (a couple) glasses of Bollinger champagne, and finally belligerently swiped a few bottled beverages from the self serve fridge, and eventually wandered out to face up to the Qantas lounge dragons at TBIT.

My diamond shoes are definitely a little tight, and I fully admit this is all ridiculous, but so is flying to Hong Kong for 48 hours, so what do you want from me?

More on all of that soon....

~CruisingAltitude

Then Go East....Far East....

Welcome to 2018, we're glad you're here! Before we get in the air, we'd like to go over some important features of 2017.**

It was a year full of new adventures, and not just a few miles flown.  As per usual, I went considerably out of my way to get my American/Oneworld status done, racking up those 100,000 miles.  It was a year for circling the world (quite literally), exploring foreign countries that are not so far off, plenty that actually are, and sharing travel experiences with family. 

 

If you're interested, you can check out some of the adventures here:

 

Havana Running (Cuba, of course)

 

Around the World in 80 Hours (Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Colombo, Doha)

 

Yes, This Is Real Life (Doha, Amman, Colombo)

Whenever I'm questioning my plans, or debating which itineraries I might actually sort out, I put in the 'pro' column if I'll get to add a country to my 'visited' map I keep in my head.  Since I'm usually at the mercy of the major Oneworld deals and routes, I tend to wind up in the same places repeatedly- Hong Kong, Doha, Tokyo, etc.  So it can be exciting when there's someplace brand new.  

This year I added Cuba, Jordan (airport, it was quick), Finland, Estonia (check these out on Baby Flyer Blog), and Sri Lanka.  Not bad at all.

 

Sometimes, however, it's nice to play the hits.  That's why when I saw an impressive deal back to one of my favorites, and on the last weekend before last year's upgrades expired, I jumped on it.  36 hours in Hong Kong, here I come.  I'm even really taking this one 'old school,' and back-tracking to Dallas to catch the longest flight in American's network direct to HKG. 

 

I'm currently sitting in the lovely Qantas 1st class lounge in LAX before my flight, enjoying some Hamachi crudo and minute steak.  Life could be worse.  As an aside, I stopped by the NEW LAX Flagship Lounge as well.  Review of this soon!

 

 

As per usual, I'm playing the upgrade waitlist game for the outbound, but for a nice treat I was able to book the return via Tokyo Narita right into business class on my SWU upgrade!  So no matter what, I'll arrive back home in good shape.

 

So, what's a girl to do with two nights and a day in this fine city?  A few options come to mind...

 

 

I'm staying (again) at the Sheraton Kowloon, which has a top floor restaurant bar and lounge with a great view.  For what it's worth, people are always looking down on the Sheraton because in a strict sense it's outclassed by some of the other major chain offerings in Hong Kong- the Ritz, the JW Marriott, Conrad, and so on.  However, it keeps being my go-to for a few night's stay for a few reasons.  First- it's right on the Metro at Tim Sha Tsui, and has a shuttle from the Airport Express station at Kowloon.  Second- Even though it's sold as two hotels (the towers and regular rooms) you can usually use points to cheaply upgrade into a Towers room that comes with a high floor lounge with a very nice evening reception.  Third- There is a rooftop pool and spas that are great even in the rain.  Lastly- it's generally CHEAPER than the competition.  That alone puts it right up there. 

 

My suite at the Sheraton last time around.

This is all to say that setting up shop in Kowloon gives me some easy options before even going outside.  However, I fully intend to go outside.  I usually try to get out and take a hike or jog thought one of the parks each time I'm here.  In the past, I've done a morning jog around The Peak.  This time I may branch out....who knows. 

 

 

 And then there's the food...oh, the food....  This time, I'm in the market for some dim sum (of course), and want to find some traditional congee as well.  I think I've located a place that's near the hotel, and open until 2am.  This seems like a strange criteria, but here's the thing- flying to Hong Kong from the US essentially makes you nocturnal on arrival.  Your internal clock 'wakes up' around midnight, and if you're not looking to adjust, places open until 2 am are key.  Plus, Hong Kong is one of those "never sleeps" places.

 

So.... the bars are open until 2 or 3, congee until 2, and I think I found a dim sum place that opens for the day at 4.  Done and done.  A bit of day sleeping, some time in the pool, and it'll be time to head on out.

 

Thank various deities for international Uber.

 

As it turns out, I'm also not the only frequent flyer to think that this weekend is a great time to be in Hong Kong, so I'm looking forward to some meetups with other travelers and acquaintances.  All in all, it promises to be a good time....once I survive the 17 hour flight, of course.  Fingers crossed for the upgrade!!

 

Travel well,

 

~CruisingAltitude.

 

**Kudos to you if you get this reference.  

 

Around the World in 80 Hours Part 5: Lounging Like There's No Tomorrow (Because Tomorrow Was Yesterday)

**Apologies for any font or format issues in this post.  Writing on multiple devices while flying around the world makes stitching posts together later somewhat obnoxious. 

HKG Airport- Come for the status, stay for the cabanas.

Where we've come from:

Mileage Run Preview: Best Worst Decisions

 

Around the World in 80 Hours Part 1: In The Clear!

 

Around the World in 80 Hours Parts 2 and 3: Over the Ocean, and Past the Arctic....

 

Around the World in 80 Hours Part 4: Hello Hong Kong, My Old Friend

Where we're going to next:

Anyone who's done ultra long haul mileage running knows that if there's an art and a gospel to good Oneworld lounge planning.  I'd even going as far as to say that the lounge access is one of the biggest benefits to flying as a Oneworld elite, both domestically and abroad.  The other alliances don't come close to providing such a good network.  Star Alliance is probably second, and Skyteam is so far off you can't see them from here. All IMHO, of course.

If I was doing a promo video for the benefit, it would probably start with the words "Imagine a world where luxury comes standard...." and conclude with "....This is that world- Oneworld," all voiced over by a dulcet British accent, with just a slowly filling champagne glass in soft focus, and a 747 taking off in the distance. 

As an aside, yes I have been at the champagne bar.  And yes, this does explain a lot about this post, thanks for asking.

If there’s one other thing mileage runners agree on, it’s that the HKG airport ranks 1 or 2 on the list of all time best lounge airports.  The other contender is probably Sydney, but it’s generally not a place you find yourself on a mileage run thanks to the higher ticket prices. 

 

Anyhow, back to this particular excursion.  We headed back from the city in time to ensure a full 5 hours of lounge time, which we were hoping would be enough.  No, I'm serious.  This is serious business.  For serious.

We'd even devised a plan for where to go and what to do.  This is necessary when you want to hit up several lounges at HKG because it's a big airport, and you don't want to waste time backteacking on yourself.  You have to keep in mind that this is from the same people who have spent months plotting an around the world itinerary on a shoestring, all devised to maximize every last mile out of every last cent.  A little lounge strategy is nothing.

First up- The Wing. 

I've reviewed this lounge in several entries, but mostly HERE.  In short, this lounge is worth some significant time, especially if it's not overcrowded.  This time around I grabbed a cabana for a shower, and enjoyed plenty of time at having a few glasses of bubbly with the other mileage runners.  Never disappoints.

Second stop- The Qantas Lounge. 

This lounge is habitually overlooked and under appreciated by Oneworld flyers dazzled by Cathay's lounges. 

 

To get there from The Wing you go straight out, along the passport control entries, and keep going until you reach the far side of the departures terminal.  It's a bit of a hike, but you can cut back on the steps, you can sneak behind the food court on a narrow walkway/access corridor.  Don't mind the employees catching a few minutes on break, or the occasional trash cart wheeling through.  Just walk like you know where you're going. Just because you're going first class lounge hopping doesn't mean every minute will be glamorous.

The lounge is spacious, with great views of airport ops that The Wing can lack.  The service is also top notch- very friendly and personable.  We grabbed some spots at the bar, and they twisted our arms into trying the 'signature dish' of the day - BBQ pork, freshly sliced.  While there was a full bar on offer as well, most of us went with the Australian sparkling wine.  The lounge is full service, and also offers showers, a full buffet that changes through the day, and plenty of work and relaxing space.  It really is a best kept secret among the lounges, and is a great stop when The Wing gets crowded....or you're just in the mood for some planespotting and Aussie accents.

 Last stop was the lounge that's all in vogue this year- The Pier

 

The Pier is located at the opposite end of the main international terminal, a decent 10-15 minute walk using the moving walkways.  It happened to be just about as far as we could get from our actual next departure gate, and still be in the same terminal.  This was a fact that the incredulous agent at the door tried to explain rather forcefully to us several times.  She really couldn't sort out why we were there, since The Wing is right next to our gate.  "We just came from there, and we have a plan" didn't seem to make much sense to her. 

 

There's also a train down a level which can speed things up, but not by all that much once you wait for the elevators, and then the train.  Besides, we had to walk off the buffet at The Wing, and now the dish of the day at the Qantas lounge.  

Where The Wing is modern, open and airy, The Pier is cozy and tucked on the lower level, under the main concourse.  It's décor speaks more to a 'golden age' of travel, but still with the modern amenities, and plenty of well-maintained plush features.  Think leather high backed chairs, soft lighting, and wood paneled walls.  Oh, and a bar cart from which you can serve yourself a glass of port to finish your layover right.  

Being on the lower level, it also gets you up close and personal with the planes and airport ops in a way that our first two lounge stops didn't.  You feel like you're in a staring contest with a a380 from half of the windows.  The Pier also offers massage services, but you'll need to sign up well before your flight. It's easy to see how this lounge is a favorite of frequent travelers.  I easily could have given this place another hour or two and still not have been ready to leave.  Next time, next time....

 

Like The Wing, The Pier also has a sit-down, made to order restaurant with a full menu all day.  Their specialty are the Dan Dan noodles, and having heard plenty about them from other frequent flyers online, I had to give them a try.  So, this now probably counted as my third or fourth dinner of the day, to say nothing of the heavy dim sum lunch we'd taken in in Hong Kong just before heading to the airport. 

All too soon, it was time to roll out of there and head to the gate for our CX flight down to KUL.  As it was a partner flight, we were slumming it for the next 4 or so hours in coach.  No pain, no gain.

Up next- an aging CX 330, a long-ass Uber ride in KUL & some quality time by the pool.

~CruisingAltitude 

Around the World in 80 Hours Parts 2 and 3: Over an ocean and past the Arctic...

Part 2: We're Off!  

 

First step- AA Priority Check in at LAX

Welcome to the first mileage run of 2017!  The good news: everyone I’m traveling with cleared their upgrades into business class!! This makes a huge difference, in case you weren’t aware.  In short, it’s the difference between sleeping sitting up in a dining room chair, or tucked into a bed.  You choose.  Really, go on, choose. 

 

Anyhow, here we are. All happy and headed to Hong Kong.  Which is good, because I just heard we’re in for the full 15 hr flight, so we must not have a fast tailwind tonight.  Still though, only taking 15 hours to cross the Pacific is pretty darn impressive.

Which brings me to an important point – possibly the most important point of the weekend.  This world is small, extremely so.  In the time it’s about to take me to get a good nights’ sleep and have breakfast, I’ll cross an ocean that once took travelers months.  And I’m doing it without much, if any effort, on account of the massive GE turbine engines powering this 777-300. 

Which is all to say, I love this crazy hobby.  I'm even managing to love this extra long taxi time at LAX courtesy of the massive overbooking of flights and gates that the AA/US merger has made us accustomed to.  (But don't even get me started on the painful arrival delays because there's never a gate when you need one) What it also has allowed though, is the passing out of pajamas and the taking of pre-orders for dinner.  This, I’m actually a fan of.  Give that it's now well past 1am here, anything that speeds up the meal service and gets us to sleep faster is good.  

What’s a new experience though, is that we’ve apparently become victim of a rare “wind shift” that’s added an extra 30 minutes of taxi time to our take off while we roll down to the other end of the runway for an eastward departure.  I suppose I should just call myself lucky that we’re getting to experience an over-city takeoff, right?  Right.  

Ground delay aside, this flight is showing promise.  They've stocked mattress pads in business class, and haven't gotten rid of the spicy Asian salad dressing on the first course.  So far, so good!

Wheels up (finally), lets' go!


Part 3: Halfway there....Somewhere over the Pacific.

So, 8 hours in, 7 to go.  I’ve gotten some decent sleep, but a few more hours wouldn’t hurt.  You know you mileage run a lot when you get excited about 3 new episodes of Big Bang Theory on the IFE.  Just so you know, there’s 3 new episodes! 

This is the first time I’ve taken this flight to Hong Kong that leaves around midnight, instead of the afternoon flight.  On the one hand it seems like it should make perfect sense and wipe out jetlag naturally- you leave late at night, and arrive in the morning.  Simple, right?  Well….not quite, as evidenced by the fact that I’m putting together this post smack in the middle of the flightpath.  Somehow…don’t ask me how, my body remembers that it’s actually 9am in Los Angeles.


Mattress pad, blankie, all tucked in for the 'night'.

No one ever said mileage running was easy on the body and mind, and I'm not about to start now.  Tylenol PM, a snack, and let’s see if I can get a nap before landing.  I’ve got to be as human as possible for our layover.  As I’ve hinted at in the past…many times, I love Hong Kong and I’m looking forward to a few hours in the city, as well as some time lounge hopping at the airport before heading down to KUL. 

I suppose I should back up for a minute and report that the international lounge scene at LAX was great as always.  Qantas’ lounge is still the best in town, especially since the Admiral’s Club is currently under renovation and so they lack much space.  Hopefully, if the JFK Flagship Lounge is anything to go by, the pain and crowding may eventually be worth it.

Current offerings at the Flagship Lounge (self-serve)

So anyhow, a good time was had, and it was a great meetup place to collect the mileage running party together.  This weekend we’ve got two of us from LAX, one from DCA, and one from PHX.  Yes, by the way, in this world you’re known by your airport code.  Because I said so...as of right now, 35,000 ft over Mongolia (or something).  

It looks like we've got a great group for this trip.  Some I've 'run with' and some not.  It seems like just about everyone who's anyone in the mileage running community is headed East this weekend or next, getting a jump on 2018's qualification & probably burning some of their last expiring Systemwide Upgrades in style. 

Pork belly salad at the Qantas First lounge.  As I'll talk about later, apparently this month is all about pork at QF.

Back to the Qantas lounge though, I had a new experience this visit- We closed the place down.  I learned they actually have last call, and then 20 minutes later turn the lights up to kick everyone out, club-style.  Rude.  However, we had a midnight flight to catch, so I suppose they're excused.  At least we made the most of the time....and the free food!

Next up: A day in Hong Kong.

~CruisingAltitude

The Last Mileage Run of 2016, Part 1- Famous Last Words

Note-  I've been doing some actual blogging about the current mileage system recently, if you're the type who cares:

The New Math- Mileage Style
The Great Mileage Debate and;
Five Rules of Mileage Running

Now that that's out of the way, on to the rambling pre-flight post.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ahh, December mileage running, how much do I love thee? 

Well, if past predicts the future, then an awful lot.  It's the last run of the year, the bottom of the 9th....and other metaphors derived from sports games.  It's also the last travel weekend without a holiday attached to it- the ultimate freedom that all nicely takes place in pressurized metal tubes, and fluorescently lit corridors behind security checkpoints.  Perfection.

In prior years I've taken an early December weekend to see Shanghai (whilst trying to not breathe the air), stayed out until 2am in Hong Kong (whilst trying to find my Uber), and generally bounced back and forth across the US between LAX and BOS in aging 737s to the tune of 20k qualifying miles.  Please note- these were three separate years, I'm not THAT awesome. (Or crazy, or both)

This year, I'm taking it south of the border, and up in the mountains.  Get ready Quito, I'm coming for you... for about 36 hours. 

It's a pretty comfortable itinerary if you overlook the whole Quito and back in 2.5ish days thing.  Allegedly (equipment change shenanigans notwithstanding) the seats should all be lie-flat business and first.  LAX-MIA-UIO-MIA-JFK-LAX in 20 hours of flight time for 18k elite qualifying miles.  Easy-peasy, lemon-squeezy, right?  Famous last words. At least there's no upgrade waitlist angst this time around.

I'm taking a friend with me on her first mileage run, and she's already done the traditional introspective questioning of whether she's really going to actually fly to another continent for no reason.  I laughed, and let her know this is the shallow-end as far as bat-crap-crazy mileage flying goes.  Maybe not the kiddie pool, but definitely the shallow end. 

I then (helpfully? yeah, let's go with helpfully) explained how it takes 17 hours to fly to Hong Kong, and that doing the 18 hour layover is all the rage this year.  This, somehow, does not resolve the current issue for her.  All in good time.  She will undoubtedly learn to love this nonsense.  Either that, or I'm about to lose a friend. 

Anyhow, back to business.  T-24 hours to take off, and I've been debating the exact time I need to get myself to the airport.  There are several important factors here.  They all involve lounges, mimosas-hold-the-OJ, and what might be the earliest time some poor Uber driver might be cruising my neighborhood on a Saturday.

If I can make it happen, 5:30 am sounds like an auspicious time to roll into LAX tomorrow.  This gives me time to hit up the FSL for a shower and a to-go cup (more on this later), then arrive at the Qantas First lounge as they open their shiny geometrically patterned doors of flyer envy.  Therein will be breakfast made to order, and a drink to go with.  This at least, the travel Gods can't take from me.  My seat assignment, my phone charger, and my dignity maybe... but not my lounge access.

So, this all leaves just one short night of packing and obsessing left.  Why yes I am currently flight tracking our inbound 777 from Sydney with bated breath, thanks for asking.

Wish me luck & the next update should be on the go!

~CruisingAltitude

Lounge Destinations: The Qantas 1st Lounge at LAX

This post is part of my Lounge Destinations series, which reviews some of my favorite Oneworld lounges worldwide.

Also see:

"The Wing: Cathay Pacific 1st Class" and
"The Red Suite: JAL Haneda 1st Class"

The Qantas 1st Class Lounge that opened last year is a gift to all Oneworld flyers that depart from, or regularly transit, LAX.  What's an even bigger gift, is the newly (ish) finished airside connector from Terminal 4 to the Tom Bradley International Terminal.  Along with the recently re-opened tunnels connecting Terminals 7-4, this gives an entire half of the airport access to the newly renovated TBIT, its shops, restaurants, and lounges.

I'm looking forward to visiting here again before my last international flight of the year to Quito in a few weeks.  The lounge opens at 6:30 in the morning, so I'll be getting there as they open to make sure I have plenty of time before my 9:00 departure to MIA.

To get to the Qantas lounge from Terminal 4, take the TBIT connector, stay on the upstairs level, and follow the corridor around.  The Qantas lounge is the first one you'll come across.  If you're checking in at TBIT, after security, follow the signs up to the lounges.

Of the lounges available at LAX for Oneworld travelers, the Qantas Lounge is the top of the list.  It's a true first class experience.

So, how does one qualify for entry??

Credit: Qantas.com

The takeaways from this chart are: You must be flying in first class on Qantas or another Oneworld airline, be one of Qantas' Platinum One or Platinum elite flyers, or hold Emerald status with the Oneworld alliance.  Each of these categories also entitles you to bring a guest.

What's not stated clearly here is that to qualify using your Oneworld Emerald status, you must be traveling onward on a Oneworld INTERNATIONAL flight.  International flights exclude Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

In addition, you may be able to gain access under the following scenarios:

-You are arriving on an international Oneworld flight that would qualify, connecting to a domestic flight to your final destination, i.e. HKG-LAX-DFW.

-You have a qualifying Oneworld international flight within the next 24 hours, even if your first flight is domestic, i.e. LAX-SFO-HKG, where the SFO-HKG is early the next morning.

These are good rules to get used to, as they apply to the majority of Oneworld lounges, and AA Flagship lounges.

So, after you've gotten in, what should you expect?  The lounge is essentially one large room with quite a bit of seating.  The décor is very modern and comfortable, with a decent number of power outlets in each seating area.  However, in the peak hours before Qantas and British Airways load up their a308s, even this lounge can get full and fairly loud. 



Lots and lots....



....Of seating.

The amenities are likewise well done, with premium drinks, and a full service complimentary menu that's made to order.  Wine and soft drinks are available for self pour, and there are several small snack stations placed throughout the lounge.  However, there is no buffet, so you'll need to plan some time if you want to have a meal.

 

 

 

The restaurant has a menu that changes through the day.  Especially when they're not operating at full capacity, the service is quite prompt, so it shouldn't slow you down too much.  I've heard good things about many of the menu items, but my personal favorite is the fillet with chipotle butter, or if I'm in the mood for something on the lighter side, a salad and their current carpaccio.

 

The Breakfast Menu



Settling In For a Meal Before Our Flight



The Salt and Pepper Calamari



A Light Meal Before a Late Flight

There's also a bar that runs along the side of the restaurant area.  It is a full bar serving wine, beer, and cocktails, as well as having a great espresso and tea service.  Always nice to be able to get a genuine Aussie flat white stateside.

They prefer that you sit at the restaurant tables or at the bar if you're ordering from the menu, but if these are full, they'll also bring you your meal if you're seated elsewhere.  I've always found the service at this lounge to be top quality. 



The Modern Bar

 If I'm at this lounge on my own, I generally head for the bar and visit with the servers for a few minutes, while I eat, before finding a place to relax and work.  They're friendly, helpful, and will give you the rundown on the who's who of guests if they're in a chatty mood.  This lounge seems to be the go-to for LA's celebrity flyers, which can lead to some good stories.

 

The lounge also offers free shower rooms, complete with towels and amenities so you can get refreshed before your flight.  Ask in advance, especially at peak hours, as there may be a waiting list.  There are also workstations, computers, and free wifi.  This lounge doesn't offer spa services like some of the very top lounges, but it's still the best choice for the Oneworld flyer at TBIT if you have access.  Just make sure you plan plenty of time to enjoy!

 

Travel Well,

 

-CruisingAltitude

 

Want to know more about lounge access, and plan your flights so you can check them out yourself?  Let me help you!  Check out my consulting site to learn more.

 This post is part of #WanderfulWednesdays, Budget Traveler's Sandbox's #TravelPhotoThursday, #WeekendTravelInspiration, and #FlyAwayFriday at Time Travel Blonde. Check out these linkups!