Lounge Destinations: The Red Suite....

 

One of the best parts of a Mileage Run, or any well planned trip, can be free access to some of the impressive and luxurious Oneworld lounges.  In terms of lounge quality, Oneworld is king amongst the airline alliances.  From the Qantas offerings in SYD, to Galleries in LHR, to Cathay's spread of lounges in HKG, it really pays to be a Oneworld elite when traveling abroad.  I've been known to book 6 hour layovers, just to enjoy the lounges. 

For reference, the basic Oneworld lounge access policies are:

Further, you can generally have access to an airline's lounge when flying same day with them in a premium cabin.  Logic dictates here, so a business class ticket = business lounge access, and a first class ticket = first class lounge access.

There are also certain lounge pass memberships, and credit cards with lounges as a benefit, like Priority Pass, and Lounge Club, but neither of these apply to the JAL lounges, and I'll cover them in other posts.

This summer, I got the chance to try a new OW First Class lounge, courtesy of a run to Hong Kong and AA's new Tokyo Haenda to LAX nonstop flight.  My return ticket took me from HKG, to HND, and then back to LAX on the new 787 Dreamliner.  All my upgrades cleared, so I was already having a great trip. 

My ride for the journey home

Seat 6L- Very quiet and private

It was my first stop in HND, which is the smaller of the two main Tokyo airports.  I didn't have time to go into the city this time, even though it's closer than when you fly into Narita.  I was fine with this, because my layover turned out to be even better than expected.

I should say at the start that the lounges in Tokyo generally are right up there with the best in the world.  JAL's customer service and attention to detail make a layover at one of their lounges worth the wait.  Both of their lounges in Tokyo offer full buffet spreads, beer, wine, sake, and a full self-serve bar, as well as relaxing extras like nice shower rooms, complimentary massage service, and massage chairs.  Plus, the made to order sushi bar in NRT is worth a visit.

There are both First and Business class lounges at HND, and the First Class lounge recently underwent a stunning renovation.  Most importantly, as well as providing ample seating in the main parts of the lounge, space for work, and views of airport ops, they've gone above and beyond in adding a more intimate set of rooms to explore called "The Red Suite." 

 

The Red Suite is every aviation enthusiast's dream, and takes you back to the days of elegant travel.  At every angle, the décor and mood is impeccable.  From the vintage desk, complete with typewriter and model aircraft, to the complimentary shoe shine service, it makes every layover seem too short. 

Feel free to settle into one of the silky leather chairs in the suite, and reflect on the journey so far.



Hours were from 7:00 to about 23:00, I believe.  

 

 

 

You can pour yourself a crystal glass of chilled sake or champagne from the minimalist bar inside the Suite, and spend some time taking in the historical photos of JAL's past, peruse the walls of charts, or even challenge a travel companion to a round of chess in the game room before heading out to your flight. 

Get there with enough time for a game, maybe two.

Loser has to forfeit the aisle seat on the next flight.



If you look long enough, you just might be able to chart your way home....or to Sydney and back.

No detail has been overlooked, and with this re-vamp, JAL has set a new standard in lounge décor, not just for its own service, but for any airline offering a premium experience.  While it is not the biggest lounge in the system, any true travel lover won't be in a hurry to get to their next jet bridge too quickly.

Travel Well,

~CruisingAltitude

Ten Tips for Family Travel....

Oh, the places you'll go!  BabyFlyer takes in a morning view of a 737 at LAX.

Since BabyFlyer has been out and about quite a bit this summer, we've learned to approach flying at a whole new 'level.'  Overall, it's been great, and we've started to get into the groove of traveling as a family.  Since I've been asked many times for advice on this topic, I feel like this entry is overdue.  Hope it's helpful.

1) Don't panic.

Seriously.  Travel with infants seems daunting as a rule.  I've had many, many people visibly shudder when they think about having to take a baby on even a short flight.  However, it's just like any other challenge in learning how to be a parent- it can be accomplished with the right preparation, practice, and most importantly - attitude. 

2) Leave it at the counter.

As a rule, you don't need much in the airport or on the plane.  Take advantage of most airlines' generous baby gear checking policy.  In the new world of ever increasing baggage fees, you can still check a stroller and a car seat for free!  What's even better- you can put other bulky items in the car seat bag or stroller bag, also for free.  Think diapers, bulky toys, etc.  We've found that on average, even with layovers in our itineraries, we don't need the stroller or car seat in the airport while our baby is still small enough to be comfortably worn in a sling or carrier.  The times we tried taking the stroller with us, it ended up just being used as a luggage cart, while we carried the baby anyway!  So, ditch the extra gear at the counter, and travel light.   

Her "Airport Shirt."

3) Change is good.

Most people pack well for the baby on flights, but may forget about themselves.  Put it this way- if baby really needs an emergency change of clothes mid flight, you just might need one as well.  Throw at least an extra shirt in your carry-on. 

Be prepared for at least one in-flight diaper change on an average flight.  There are fold down changers on every plane, but not necessarily in each restroom.  Ask a flight attendant if in doubt.  As everyone knows, there's not much room in there, so just bring what you need- not the whole diaper bag.  There are also many products with this in mind- a table liner that has pockets for the essentials.

4) Timing is Everything.

When possible, try to plan flights not only around your baby's schedule, but also yours.  Think about the logistics of the day and don't set yourself up for failure.  The overnight flight might sound appealing because baby may get some sleep- but you won't!  Being overtired yourself, or stressed running through an airport on a short layover, can be as bad or worse than a tired baby.

5) Take the pressure off.

Babies' ears can be bothered by the change in pressure in the cabin during take off and decent, especially on older planes where the pressurization systems may not be as calibrated.  Feeding them, or offering a pacifier, will help them adjust and prevent the pressure from turning into pain.  Sucking and/or drinking will also help them relax during what is usually the loudest part of the flight. 

6) Seat selection.

Seat choice is overall a matter of personal preference, but here are a few hacks and guidelines to keep in mind when traveling with a child, especially a lap infant. 

First off, I should say that as a matter of safety, if you can purchase a seat for your infant and install a car seat on the plane for them, it's preferable to do this.  It's also generally more comfortable to have a place to put the baby down, and if you're traveling with a partner, results in a row to yourselves.  However, it goes without saying that air travel is expensive, and the ability to have your baby fly for free (or nearly free) for the first two years can't be overlooked, and many times makes the difference between being to afford the trip or not. 

That said, here are some things to think about when flying with a lap infant:

-Aisle or window?  In general, it's nice to be on the aisle in case you need to get up more than usual- to walk, soothe, or head to the bathroom for a diaper change.  However, if you're planning on feeding baby in flight and want more privacy, the window may be best, especially if you're traveling with a partner who can take the seat next to you.   

-Upgrades?  If you can manage it, whether by cash, miles, or status, moving to a bigger or extra legroom seat can make a big difference in you comfort level.  Keep in mind though that lap infants, and people traveling with children are not allowed in the emergency exit rows for safety reasons, so main cabin extra/premium economy or bulkhead seats are your best options in economy.  If you can move to first or business class, that's even better. 

Mom, I don't think I have enough legroom! - BabyFlyer tries out her first AA Flagship Suite.

-Flying in 1st?  Yes, babies are allowed in upper classes, and you have every right to sit with them there.  Fellow premium travelers generally are fine with, and even complimentary of, a baby traveling with attentive parent(s).  No one expects babies to be silent the whole flight, but it's a good idea to plan ahead and have age appropriate toys and activities to use throughout the flight- small interesting toys, even new toys just for the trip are great.

-Seat choice hacks?  A few last notes- If you're flying international on a wide-body plane, most airlines offer 'bassinet' rows in economy, which are non-exit bulkhead seats with fold down bassinets in front of them.  Calling ahead, and/or asking at the check in counter and gate may get you assigned one of these.  After takeoff, the flight attendant will provide a bassinet so you have a place for baby to sleep.  It's baby's first 'lie-flat seat!'  Also, if you're flying in the US as a party of 3 - 2 adults and a lap infant- find a row that's empty and have the adults book the aisle and window seats, leaving the middle empty.  On some airlines this automatically 'infant blocks' that seat, meaning it will be one of the last filled on the plane.  If it's a completely full flight at boarding, and the seat does get assigned, I promise you won't have a hard time switching with that person for the aisle or window.

7) Stay active.

As motioned above, bringing a good selection of (space-efficient, quiet) toys is important.  With older kids, new toys to be given throughout the flight to keep things interesting can be a hit.  Boredom is the #1 cause of fussiness, generally more even than tiredness, since on average, babies sleep well on planes.  It's the wakeful and playful times that require the planning for.  Also, think about packing a few snacks for them (if they're eating yet), and you too!

8) Get the gear.

You really don't need to invest in too many extras to travel with a baby.  A well packed diaper bag and some kind of carrier you probably already have will get you by just fine if you're a once or twice a year traveler.  However, if you're going to be making it a habit to head to the airport or the car rental on a regular basis, here are some things we've found particularly useful:

A light, simple car seat.  And I mean LIGHT and simple.  The Cosco Scenera NEXT Convertible Car Seat (Otto) (see below) is the current choice for travel.  It makes a good second car seat as it's reasonably priced, and only weighs in at just over 9lbs!  It's FAA approved, if you do end up bringing it on the plane, and installs fairly easily in rental cars (or, you know, taxi vans in Mexico).  I suggest practicing installing it a few times first at home, just so you're comfortable. 

 

Speaking of car seats, think about getting a fairly sturdy padded, car seat cover for checking the seat.  These will check for free, along with a stroller.

People also swear by the car seat rollers or straps that attach your car seat to your rollaboard bag.  These work great if you're planning on checking the car seat at the gate (get a light 'gate check' bag for this to keep it clean), or if you're going to be taking the car seat on board.  You can use the rolling seat as an efficient stroller going through the airport.

As mentioned above, babywearing is a great idea to get through an airport.  Keeps your hands free, and baby close.  Look for carriers that don't have metal (like the ergo baby, or a wrap) and you shouldn't even have to take them out of the carrier when you go through security, depending on the country.  In Mexico we had to take her out, but in pre-check in the US, she gets to stay put.

If your baby uses a pacifier, the last thing you want is for it to fall on the floor of an airplane.  It will be dirty at best, and rolled off several rows away never to return at worst.  We suggest getting a clip/leash like THIS one.  Also useful, are pacifier 'pouches' for storage on the go, and wipes in case it does hit the ground.  You can also use the wipes to clean the 'touch surfaces' of your seat on the plane when you board. 

9) Make the most of the layover.

There may be times when it makes the most sense to power through and take a longer nonstop flight, but it also may be more expensive, or impractical.  Layovers can be a great way to break up a trip, and give time to get organized for the next segment.  If you've been on the fence about getting a lounge membership, this might be the time to go ahead a do so.  Lounges in the US provide comfortable spaces to hang out in a quieter setting, food and drinks, family bathrooms, and some even have kids' rooms with toys, computer games, etc. 

10) Make (good) memories. 

Travel with babies doesn't have to be all worry and stress.  A well planned itinerary leaves time for fun too!  Airlines generally are glad to see their youngest flyers, and are in the process of reviving traditional welcome gifts- many have 'wings' to hand out, and American offers a "Junior Aviator Logbook" that gets filled out by the flight crew.  Many international airlines offer activity books, or other mementos for kids on their flights.  In the 'above and beyond' category - if you find yourself taking a flight with Etihad or Gulf Air, they have debuted onboard 'flight nanny' services to help parents keep their kids happy in flight.  Yes, this is really a thing. 

You can ask for the Jr. Logbooks on AA flights.  Only some planes have them, so you may need to ask more than once, but it makes a fun memento for kids to look back and see where all they've been.  

We're all generally so busy these days, that a travel day can be some of the longest time you might spend as a family without the usual distractions.  A little patience and planning ahead go a long way toward making it a memorable experience.  Enjoy it!

Travel well & enjoy the journey,

~CruisingAltitude 

The Inca Flightpath, part III....

(Note: the first part of this was written from my first Alaska Air 1^st flight (award, not counter upgrade) in awhile, going LAX-SEA.  It’s typical so far- I’ve managed to get awkwardly asked if we’re here ‘as an American upgrade’…what?  Since when would that be a thing?  Plus I’ve spilled half a glass of chardonnay on my laptop…and the flight’s still young.  Wish me luck.)

The first two parts of this trip report can be found

[HERE] “The why and the how of booking this trip” and;

[HERE] “The what and the ….who?? Of a trip to Peru”

I decided to finish up this post now since I’ve been getting a lot of questions (comments, complaints) lately from friends that they can’t use their AA miles ‘for anything.’  While I understand (and fully agree) that redemptions can be difficult, and likely aren’t the best option if you have a strict itinerary you need on a short timeframe, there are still plenty of memorable experiences that can be had using AA miles.  This trip is a prime example.  If you’re able to plan well in advance, and approach it with an open ended sense of adventure, I promise there’s plenty you can use those miles for.  But, if you really don’t believe me, feel free to donate them right here…I’m happy to take them off your hands. ;)

What you can get with those miles- A seat in front of the wing down to Lima

 

This entry is the story of the trip once we touched down in Cusco.  First off, I should say that, despite repeated assurances from doctors, I was very very nervous about the altitude and its potential health effects on Mrs. Cruisingaltitude, as we were newly expecting BabyFlyer at the time.  Spoiler alert- all was fine, and it was probably me who noticed the thin air most when I decided that the Andes was a great place to start a swimming regimen, on account of all the pisco sours, Inca corn, buffet breakfasts & the alluring pool at Tambo. 

This is not to say that we didn’t both feel a little out of breath here and there, but overall it didn’t slow us down.  I do think staying in Urubmaba helped, bringing the altitude down to an ‘easy’ 9000ft. 

My two cents on the sacred valley- it is what you want it to be.  It has as many historic sites as you could visit, plenty of hiking, and amazing vistas wherever you look.  However, it’s also a great place to kick back, take a deep breath, and enjoy some rest and good food.  I suggest splitting the difference and doing a little of both.

The drive into the Sacred Valley- Quinoa fields and the Andes

 

We spent 4 nights in the valley, one of which was an all day trip to Machu Picchu.  This trip is worth it, if you haven’t been, it would be travel blasphemy to go to the sacred valley and not make the trek out there.  However, it does take at least a full day, and will likely be the most crowded part of the trip.  From someone who likes to go ‘places no one wants to be, at times no one wants to go there,’ I just felt a warning was in order.  It’s also the part of the trip where you feel the most nickel and dimed, from the train tickets, to the site tickets, to little things here and there.  Still though, you should go.  Take ‘that picture’ and put it on the holiday card.

Take "that picture," put it on the holiday card.

Getting there requires a train ticket from either the station at Tambo Del Inka, or from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, which is at the base of the mountain.  We ended up not taking the one at Tambo Del Inka because it only stops once per day, in the morning with an evening return.  From Aguas Calientes, there is a shuttle that drives up to Machu Picchu if you’re not in the mood to hike up the hill (it looked like quite a hike).

My one tip here to avoid some of the crowds, is to forgo the hype of being there early in the morning.  Unless you’re set on (and have tickets to) the hike to Huayna Picchu, or want to take your time to do the Sun Gate walk, you really don’t need all day.  Plus, arriving in the afternoon means you arrive as everyone else is leaving.  Honestly, the lighting later in the day makes the shadows even more dramatic (and can I just mention again how later in the day you might actually get pictures without approximately 354563 other tourists photobombing you??).

We were able to take our time, and feel at some points like we were the only ones there.  It also cuts way back on the time you’ll spend waiting in lines to take the shuttle to and from Aguas Calientes. 
 

The remainder of the days we did one sight, and gave ourselves the remainder of the day to rest and enjoy the resort.  If you’re looking for a resort-style vacation, over say hiking the Inca trail, then I can’t recommend this itinerary enough.  What’s even better is that after doing the Machu Picchu day, these side trips will feel like a fantastic deal.  You can buy a several day pass to many of the local sites for around $15 USD, thanks to the strong dollar to Sol conversion.  Further, if you get smart about it, and walk a few blocks from the hotel (leave the front gate, make a right) to the gas station in town, you can hire a taxi driver for a fraction of what Tambo will quote you.  Even without bargaining (which was expected) we were able to get a driver to take us for several hours, all included, to see the Maras salt flats, and other sites, from between $25 and $35, all in.  We’re pretty sure even at that rate we were getting hussled by local standards, but we thought it was a great deal, so everybody was happy.

Maras Salt Pools- Don't miss this one.  Also, don't get tricked by the guy trying to get the tourists to taste the water because it "tastes like ice cream."  It does not taste like ice cream.

 

Day trips around the valley are a great deal, and more relaxing than the crowds at Agua Calientes and Machu Picchu.

 

 

One more thing while I’m on the topic of great deals- the one part of the Machu Picchu excursion which was a steal was dinner in Aguas Calientes, which is the town at the base of the mountain.  It’s along the river, and has quite a few modern restaurants as well as some hotels, a natural hot spring you can hike to, and a large amount of stores and shops selling local wares as well as the general tourist purchases- shirts, stuffed alpacas, and the like.  I’d recommend grabbing a meal before heading back to Tambo.  We had a wonderful dinner at a restaurant overlooking the river for about $35, all inclusive.  You could easily give yourself a night in Aguas Calientes after visiting Machu Picchu to break up that part of the trip and have more time to explore the area.

River view from dinner after hiking Machu Picchu

 

I also have to stop and give a plug here to the main restaurant at Tambo.  Usually, the in-house place, besides risking being formulaic, would be a ridiculous mark up over heading out.  Here, however, due to the SPG Platinum discount, it really wasn’t to high, and the food was authentic and very nice.  We ended up eating there several times.   We also had the breakfast daily as a Platinum benefit, and it was extremely good.  Strangely enough, I had the best Congee I've ever had....at that buffet...in Peru.  

The main dining room at Tambo Del Inka- We had several wonderful dinners by the fireplace.

I also recommend having Tambo make you reservations at the other places in town in advance if you want to check them out.  The night before we left, we decided to give Qanela a try for some authentic local food.  The staff was very friendly, and the food was solid. 

What I’ll never forget though, was that the kitchen appeared to be in a different part of the building altogether, and the one (hilarious, very enthusiastic) waiter who spoke decent English and so was serving us and the other table sent over from Tambo, had to literally (yes, using this word in its correct application) run back and forth to get each dish.  We tried so, so hard not to laugh (too much), and he definitely earned a tip.

 What’s more, half way through dinner, the power went out entirely.  This was one of those moments where you get reminded that, despite the Dreamliner flights, and the 5 star resort service, you are in fact, in a foreign country.  Honestly, it’s needed some times.  After about 20 minutes, during which the (out of breath, flashlight-carrying) waiter hurried even faster to bring candles to the tables, the lights came back on.  He then shouted that they could now ‘make all the pisco sours!!’ ….and the dining room erupted into cheers.  What’s life without these moments, right?  I’d do it all again.

Fava bean appetizer with Maras salt

 

 

Peru is also one of the places that really brings home how very little I actually learned in my college Spanish courses.  Mexico makes me feel like I know something, because I can ask where the bathroom is and order a beer.  This is mostly because the staff at resorts in Cabo and Puerto Vallarta don’t need you to speak Spanish at all really.  In Peru, not so much.  I’d recommend brushing up on a couple things- most importantly, remind yourself how to count to 10, and then by 10s to 100.  This is how you’ll know what to pay the Taxi driver. 

A sacred valley 'traffic jam'.  Yes, that's actually 4 donkeys.

Also on the topic of money, Peru is one of the countries where it is almost impossible to exchange currency in cash unless the bills you’re exchanging are mint-perfect.  Even a tiny tear along the edge will be cause for rejection.  Go to the bank before you leave if you’re going to travel with US currency and try to get new bills.  I’ve also had this issue recently in Malaysia.  It’s both ridiculous and frustrating going around a foreign airport trying to get someone to take your money!

This was the 'damage' for which this bill was rejected...

To wrap up the report on what really was a fantastic experience all around, I’ll just give my $0.02 on the return trip.  Firstly, make sure you head back to CUZ early enough that if you get in a little traffic, you won’t be stressing.  Secondly, and in opposition to the first bit of advice, don’t bother getting to CUZ early, because the airport is crowded, disorganized, and there’s no lounges or good places to wait.  So really, good luck with all that.  I suppose if you had your planning together, a day in the city would be a good end to the trip, and better timing than doing it on the way out, because you'll have gotten used to the altitude at 9000ft, and the move to Cuzco's 11,500 won't feel as big.

I thought it was raining in here...it was....

Our connection in LIM was late at night, but the lounges (there are 2, both contract lounges accessible by Priority Pass) were 24 hours.  The one we ended up in was fairly crowded until later, but had food, a bar etc.  I must have been tired though, because while I was exploring the lounge, I found a room with several massage chairs, and some loungers.  I was appreciating the touch when confusion set in- it seemed to be raining inside the club!?!?!  Yeah…. As it turns out, that room was actually open air, and I just couldn’t tell at night.  Couldn’t even blame jetlag, and I’m embarrassed it took me a significant amount of time to realize what was going on.  It was clearly time to head to the gate. 

The flight back was lovely, if not too short given how nice the plane was.  We arrived in good spirits & rested.  I'd do this trip again anytime, and may, as the availability is still wide open on LAN.  It was a fully enjoyable trip by all accounts, and definitely a good use of the miles and points.  Besides, it gives me one more check mark on all those lists of "places to see before you die" that Machu Picchu is always part of.  You could do a whole lot worse!

 

Travel well & fly safely,

~CruisingAltitude

Oh Tambo....I miss you already.

 

It's the end of the world as we know it....

British Airways tails at Heathrow from my last mileage run-your connection to Europe just got longer.

Well, this post could be about so very many things.  So very, very many things.

In the major headlines last week, a slim majority of UK voters decided to take their country out of the EU.  There are lots of feelings about this going around.  So very, very many feelings.  I have some, but that's not the point of this post, or this blog really.  What I will say though, is it's a sad week for the future of travel if you're considering transiting LHR on the way to other European cities.  Heathrow already isn't the smoothest connection, now add an exit from the EU passport control, possible additional tariffs, and no good can come of it.  On the other hand.... the pound and the euro are on the way down, so it's possibly a good time to snatch up some decent ex-UK tickets, if you're in the market.  So, you know, priorities.

So, there's that.  There are also quite a few other world events that could be in line with this post's title, but they're not what I'm supposed to be talking about here.

However, what is on topic for this blog, is American's decision to end the last great mileage program as we know it.  In fact, American was the first airline to 'invent' the frequent flyer program, advertising it with the simple "fly a mile, get a mile" slogan that has lasted decades, and became the model for the other carriers that followed.  Yet, under new management due to the US Air merger, starting August 1, this system will no longer be followed.  Instead of distance flown, all that will matter is how much you paid for your ticket.  This is extremely bad news for the large majority of flyers, your correspondent included. 

There is no point to this pic, I've just been typing far too many 'words' without a picture, so here's a nice view of takeoff from DUS.  Much better than the words.

The new system that has been set up, is targeted on two groups of travelers.  The first are the people who don't really belong to any mileage programs.  They don't use them, only travel a few times a year, and generally just book the lowest fare, no matter what airline it is, or how bad the product or service.  These people couldn't care less, and just want everything stripped down so that when they click purchase on Orbitz, they think they have a good deal (never mind that they'll probably end up getting nickel and dimed out of quite a bit of extra money along the way in fees for bags, food, picking seats, and the like.)  This new program allows AA to bottom-out the benefits they offer, scrape a few dollars per fare out of the overhead costs, and try and compete for these people with the likes of Frontier and Spirit.  Trying to be like the most hated airlines in the country.  Makes sense.  

The other, drastically smaller, group of flyers the new system is aimed at are the "1%" or less of flyers who habitually buy full fare business and first class tickets.  Everyone else in-between, they don't seem to care about retaining as loyal customers.  This is all allegedly well and good, I would suppose, for the bottom line according to current management.  However, if I'm being honest, if I had the corporate backing to be buying international business and first fares regularly there's no way I'd be picking any of the legacy US carriers at all.  I'd be going with the top service, and the flight and connection times that suited me best.  None of these criteria would lead me to a US based airline.  The product, and especially the service, is just simply better on most international carriers.  Even in economy the service on Japan Airlines, Qantas, or Malaysia puts any US airline to shame, jetbridge to jetbridge.

Nevertheless, AA has decided to forgo staying as the one international US airline with a true mileage program, rather than a spend based program, in favor of just doing what the others did.  I suppose if there's no competition doing any better, why bother.  My eventual reaction to this will be a post for another time, or not, if I know what's good for me.

So..... anyway.....to the point, and on a much better, if a bit nostalgic, note....

Given this particular 'end of the world as we know it,' with the blessing of Mrs. CruisingAltitude, I hurried up and booked one "last" true mileage run before the Aug 1 deadline.  As luck would have it, there was one weekend left where Hong Kong was still within mileage run territory.  As I've said over and over again, I love Hong Kong as a mileage destination.  It is an intersection of cultures, new and old architecture, and beautiful natural sights, all wrapped up in an accessible and visitor friendly urban landscape.  It really is one of the finest cities in the world.  Plus, and almost as importantly, it is very, very far away. 

Morning views from my last HKG run: Beautiful Hong Kong island in the foreground, Kowloon in the distance.

My itinerary this time takes me on the overnight flight to Dallas from LAX, letting me start off the journey at the Qantas 1st lounge, followed by time for a nap, shower, and breakfast in the DFW Centurion, before getting on the ultra-long haul flight to HKG.  At 17 hours, and over 8,000 miles one way, it's still the longest flight on AA metal you can fly.  My return, just under two days later, connects through Tokyo's Heneda airport on Cathay Pacific, before heading on home to LAX on one of AA's new 787s.  The HND-LAX is a relatively new route, and it will be my first stop at that airport, as I usually connect through Narita.  Unfortunately, the 5 hour stop will be just shy of enough time to really justify going into the city, but I've never complained about time spent in the JAL 1st lounge!

From the northeastern vector into TYO- beautiful sea and sky!

So, all in all, I'm trying to make the best of the 'last' real mileage run.  This trip will earn me over 33,000 miles.  If I take it after August 1 this year, it would barely have earned 8,000.  End of the world as we know it, indeed. 

With that in mind, I have some plans for my time on the ground.  I'll see how many of them I get to in the end, but for now I'm hoping to hit up any (or all of the following):

-At least one night of the 'Symphony of Lights' laser show.
-Enjoying the views from Kowloon from the waterfront, and possibly from the 118th floor of the Ritz at the 'tallest bar' in the world, Ozone. 
-Running the 5k loop path at the top of "The Peak."
-Finding the old "Checkerboard Hill" in Kowloon (See my ramblings about this HERE)
-Dim sum
-Possibly some time at the rooftop pool/spa of the Kowloon Sheraton Towers Hotel.
-Finding the perfect cocktail (after I find the way in) at Foxglove, and/or Quinary...and/or....and/or...
-Of course, some quality time before my outbound flight at the many fantastic lounges at HKG.

Yes, this is what I mean by 'quality time' at the HKG lounges.

In other words, I don't plan to waste this opportunity to send real 'mileage running' off with a memorable weekend.  Sure, there will still be mileage trips to gain status, but it's the end of an era for sure. 

I suppose the best light to cast this in, is to be thankful for the experiences that the AAdvantage program in it's last incarnation has allowed me, both on mileage runs and redemption trips-  I've seen every continent (save Antarctica), with stops in over 20 cities I otherwise wouldn't have been to, pet lions in Africa, been harassed by monkeys in Malaysia, and yes, had my share of memorable (if a bit strange) foreign airport and plane experiences.  What's more, I've made quite a few good friends who are just crazy enough to feel the same way about the occasional one-day trip to Tokyo (or Brazil...Doha....). 

So, what else is there to say about the end of this particular little world?  Where do we go from here? Another airline? (*cough* Alaska Air *cough*)  Something else entirely?  I'm really not sure yet.  For now, I'm just looking forward to the next adventure. 

~CruisingAltitude

A last backward glance at the 'old AA' - sunset over DFW and an endangered MD80 'Mad Dog' to go with.

Flyover Friday- Family Edition...

Mrs. CruisingAltitude and BabyFlyer take in the view of Puget Sound from Row 2.

Just stopping by to put up a bonus post to end the week.  This 'flyover' pic is from a recent trip to Seattle to visit my family and introduce the our newest traveling companion, BabyFlyer.  She's been a pro from the start, even if we're still working out the details of flying as a family of three.  It's a whole new world for sure, and I plan on doing a baby travel-centric post with my experiences and tips in the future. 

For this trip, we booked a mixed itinerary, a one way award ticket on Alaska using our AA miles in First, and the return in economy on American for an impressive $58 each on account of the new LAX-SEA route that AA has brought back recently.  As an added bonus, we cleared our upgrade at 100 hours out for the return, so we essentially had two round trip first class tickets for a $116 cash outlay.  Add in a stop at the new(ish) Centurion Studio at SEA, and you've got a fun and relaxing travel experience.  Or, as relaxing as traveling with a 4 month old can be :)

Happy weekend, everyone!

~CruisingAltitude

The Violet Hour....

"This is the violet hour ... when the affectations glow and valor is reborn, when the shadows deepen along the edge of the forest and we believe that, if we watch carefully, at any moment we may see the unicorn."  (Photo is actually first early light south of Tokyo on approach to NRT #nofilter)

Yesterday was a big day.  Well, a big about 90 minutes.  What happened?  Glad you asked....

AA.com put up a flash sale for domestic tickets from several major hub cities, selling insanely discounted tickets for various dates through the fall.  I mean insanely discounted, "unicorns" if you will, like these:

LAX-ORD and return- $65
LAX-DFW and return- $71

That's round trip. All taxes included. Yes, for serious, I can even prove it:

Yes, I know this ticket goes to Chicago for 2.5 hours.  What's your point?

This is not the first time this has happened.  Last year I picked up a couple of $81 dollar fares to Chicago and used them to visit our favorite restaurant (The Green Zebra), and on a later trip meet up with a friend from law school for coffee & later a new traveler friend for drinks.  All in a day's trip.  As an aside, the name of this post, as well as being pertinent to the actual point of this entry, is also the name of a cocktail bar I really meant to go to with said travel buddy...but there was a line...and ain't nobody got time for that on a 'same day turn.'

I'm just going to pause at this point to address what any of the maybe... 5...on a good day, maybe, people who might read this and are familiar with the recent changes to the AA earning system's brains are exploding with at the moment.  Yes, I am painfully well aware of the changes going down on Aug 1 that will make these tickets virtually worthless in terms of redeemable miles (there were actual tears).  However, depending on my year, I very may well be in need of some cheap EQMs, and you can't do better than this.  Even with my anger at AA, I've resolved myself to "one more year" of going for EXP status, since I've come this far already.

So, that being addressed, to the point.  Fare deals like this one only come around once in awhile, and once it gets out to the flyer community the mad dash to pick up the one or two seats per flight that are being discounted per day, I can only compare the ensuing chaos of booking to my childhood memories of the annual county fair's "barnyard scramble." 

What's the barnyard scramble?  Glad you asked...

This was an event that entailed a flock of chickens, rabbits, and the like, being herded into the main event arena, to eventually be pursued by an equally disorganized heard of the young attendees of the fair.  The kids got to keep what they could catch while chasing, screaming, and shoving other kids out of the way.  It was insane (but fun, when you're 7), PETA-angering chaos.  As a disclaimer, I grew up in a pretty rural part of the country, and most of these kids' parents had a nice little farm that said captured animal would be going home to.

So, to the point yet again.  At the end of the about 60 minutes where I was still able to find these fares, I amassed about 8 or 9 bookings put on AA.com's 24hr 'hold.'  I barely knew what all I'd grabbed, forgoing the time to select seats in favor of putting google flights to good use. In the end I emerged with 4 Saturday same day turns, and two 2 night weekend trips that I managed to get two tickets on, so Mrs. CruisingAltitude & the new BabyFlyer can join in.  One of these even has an outbound on the 787 Dreamliner, making it even harder to pass up!

The result of the scramble...

Which brings us to what I've come to think of as The Violet Hour.  This is the sometimes stressful time at about 9 or 10pm the night that hold expires, where you suddenly remember you have to fish or cut bait on all those tickets you have sitting there.  This happens to me a lot, usually on things a whole lot more of a commitment than $64.60.  If I had a dollar for every time I'd gotten into bed, and immediately said, "oh &^#@*&, I still have those tickets on hold" I'd have like...a lot of dollars by now.  I find at this point a glass of wine helps...or a cocktail... depending on the ticket price and itinerary to help make the call.  You contemplate, plan, bargain, and think if you REALLY want to go to Chicago in November, Kuala Lumpur in the rainy season, or Hong Kong any time for 18 hours (the answer's yes, always yes to HKG). 

There is no bad time to go to Hong Kong.

This Violet Hour, I conquered the challenge.  I scrambled for those unicorns, and managed to go through with several Chicago turns, as well as picking up a longer visit to DFW so Mrs. CruisingAltitude can visit her sister for a few days.  It's even better when the deals actually take you someplace you need to be.  It should help me finish out my EXP for the year, and besides, who doesn't want to spend their Saturdays in airports and on planes!?! 

Come on, let's go!

~CruisingAltitude
 

Um, where's Qatar exactly, anyway.....??

Seriously people, I learned in telling friends and family about this mileage run I'd planned, that no one really knows where Qatar is.  The Qataris should pay me (or upgrade me, I'd take the upgrade) to fly there on a mileage run, and write about their city, like I'm doing anyway.  I mean it.  It could influence like...dozens of people....maybe.  For those still wondering, here you go:


So, what I really should have said, is "I'm going kinda near where Dubai is.  You know, the one with the tallest building in the world, and the indoor ski slope in the desert, and all the oil money." 

Every mileage run I set out to have a few new experiences of the frequent-flyer type.  New cities, airlines, airports, and the like, as well as sometimes revisiting old favorites.  It keeps things interesting, and there's a never-ending list of 'firsts' you can have when you're hopping around the world at 500mph.  Last weekend I accomplished all of the above, and have some 36,000 miles to go with it.  

This run was my first time to the Middle East, and it was overall a pretty good introduction.  The run was a mix of American and Qatar (finally learned how to say it correctly, if the voiceover on the safety video is correct), made up of 4 segments- LAX-LHR-DOH and return.  On top of it all, I added standard Arabic to the list of languages I've learned to say 'thank you' in, a tradition I have before going to a new country.  I figure if I'm only in town for a day or less, that's probably one of the more useful things I can sort out.

So, thank you, gracias, grazie, merci, danke, tak, xie-xie, arigato, obrigado, terima kasih, and of course shukraan for reading.

The trip started off extremely well, with a few hours at the Qantas 1st lounge at LAX, thanks to the new TBIT connector that lets OneWorld elites traveling abroad access the MUCH better lounges at TBIT before their flights.  I've reviewed this lounge last year [here] on our way to Peru on LAN.  Short story- it was great then, and it's still great now, especially earlier in the day before Qantas and BA start filling the terminal up.

Next....the obligatory upgrade list drama.  For background, I've only missed clearing two systemwide upgrades in my mileage running history.  One was the nonstop LAX-LHR a few years ago, the other was the dreaded 18 hour DFW-HKG outbound.

On this trip, it looked like history was set to repeat itself, and I was agonizing over rolling the dice and not trying to stop over in Dallas to take the connecting flight, that tends to be much easier to upgrade on.  Even a few days out, it was showing sold out in business class.  There were many calls to the EXP desk comprising of begging and scheming, and continuous obsessive checking and re-checking of the seat count on ExpertFlyer.  There was also plenty of rationalizing- it's what you sign up for when you buy a dirt-cheap economy ticket and hope for the upgrade.

So, when the time came, I boarded and took my MCE seat.  I was okay with it, I really was (the free-flowing champagne in the lounge helped with this), I was getting settled in, meeting the nice guy sandwiched into the middle seat next to me, when one of my (awesome, fearless, and ever-capable) mileage running buddies starts yelling my name from seat 18G, and waiving his phone to show the coveted check-mark now next to my name on the upgrade list!

Best. Battlefield. Upgrade. Ever.

I don't think I ever even got my actual boarding pass, since the FA who had it just pointed from the other aisle of the plane and yelled "4J" at me as I scrambled to figure out what was going on. Long story short, 16J -> 4J.  All the winning...and the PDBs.

On arrival, we had a long layover in London before our onwards flight to Doha.  All I'll say about this is the following:  1) I have a massive love-hate relationship with Heathrow- I love many of the lounges, and the array of possible connections, but I kinda hate just about everything else.  Connections between the terminals, if even possible given their policies, are simply rage-inducing.  Because WHO DESIGNS AN AIRPORT WITH THE RUNWAYS TO THE INSIDE OF THE TERMINALS?  WHO DOES THAT?!?!?

For clarity on the above- when you fly with Qatar, despite being in the Oneworld alliance, you get banished to Terminal 4, which will hereinafter be known as the 'Reject Terminal of Despair.'  It's the Skyteam gates, which should tell you just about all you need to know.  The Reject Terminal of Despair is located pretty much in a different timezone from the others, making connections lengthy.  An additional rage-inducing fact is that, Oneworld membership not withstanding, Qatar has taken it upon themselves to banish Oneworld elites from their actual good lounges, in clear violation of the policy that the other airlines all follow.  I have lots of feelings about this.  It will come up again later in this entry.  I apologize in advance. 

Since they have to provide some lounge access, Qatar gives you an 'invite' to the Skyteam lounge.  It is both ridiculous, and disappointing.  I didn't even really take pictures of the Skyteam lounge, I just wasn't feeling it.  If I wanted to fly Skyteam, I'd move to Atlanta or something.  Interestingly....this will not be the most depressing lounge story of this trip report...just wait for it...

On the flip side, there is one shining ray of hope in this situation, which is that for some inexplicable reason, Malaysia Air is also stuck in the Reject Terminal of Despair.  Say what you want about their recent bad luck, but this is an airline that maintains top level customer service, and plays nicely by the Oneworld rules.  They operate a lovely set of lounges (business and first sides) in LHR T4, and our stop by there was definitely the highlight of the layover.  One unfortunate caveat though, is that they only open 3hrs prior to their departure times, so they're closed for several hours in the middle of the day.



So. Much. Better. 

Up next, we hopped on our "short" 7 hour flight down to Doha.  It was my first Qatar flight, and it was...fine, I suppose.  It was a fairly packed flight on an older A330, but nothing particularly bad for economy.  I slept most of the way, and woke up in time to take some shots of the long approach over the desert.

We landed on time into Doha, immigration was easy enough (you do have to pay a $25 visa on arrival), and we were out and into an Uber car in less than 45 minutes.  One odd thing about Uber here, is that every single car we got in was a Honda Accord.  Every single one.

We were staying at the Marriott Marquis, which is well placed right downtown.  However, 'Downtown Doha' isn't big at all.  All the hotels are situated within reasonable walking distance (though no one really walked).  The city makes a pretty decent impression- it's clean, modern, safe, and the architecture is very impressive.  More than anything, though, it's a business city, and there's very little else.  This, combined with being in an Islamic culture that hampers nightlife, makes it an easy stopover, but not a place you would need days on end to sight see around.

When asking what to do in the city, there were really two (maybe three) things that anyone told us about: the Museum of Islamic Art (worth the trip, very beautiful), and the Souq Waqif (so many spices, so many birds).

To make it all even more efficient, these two attractions are across the street from each other, connected by a tunnel under the main road that passes along the coastline at 'The Pearl,' which is a giant clam shell sculpture with, you guessed it, a pearl in it (I suppose if you wanted to stretch things, you could call this a 4th attraction).

Also, we were repeatedly told we should "Really go to Dubai."  "Did we have time to go to Dubai?"  "Had we been to Dubai?"  For some reason the answer, "No, because Emirates isn't in the Oneworld Alliance." wasn't satisfying to anyone.  

 

 The one other thing the concierge told us to do was to walk along the Corniche, (the '3rd thing') which is a long greenbelt park that stretches along the water from the museum, to downtown.  We did some of this by default going to the Museum, because it's right there, and you can't help it.  It does offer some great photo opps back across the water to the skyline, and would have been a great walk, if it hadn't been all of 106 degrees that day.  This area also gives you some views of what's left of Doha's heritage as a fishing port- a marina filled with wooden boats, most of which now seem to be in the tourist trade taking people out for harbor tours.

The Marriott was very comfortable and modern, and the service was impeccable, both at check in and in the lounge.  We had breakfast on arrival, and later went back for happy hour, which offered plenty of food and a few hours of hosted bar.  The pool and spa areas were also a great addition to the trip, especially after over 18 flight hours to get there.

After a nap, and a visit to the Museum, I decided to take the rest of the stopover to head out into the city, and see what the nightlife (if any) was like.  Our return flight wasn't until 3:30 am (!!), and my internal clock was insisting it was about 2 in the afternoon.  It's one of my rules of mileage running- obey your original timezone, or suffer the consequences.

One thing to know about Doha, as well as similar parts of the world, is that when you're looking for a drink, you have to head to one of the foreign-owned hotels.  I was prepared for this, so I took a walk to the Sheraton, which is located on the water, about a 20 minute walk from the Marriott.  (Did I mention nobody really walks in the city??  Yeah, well, except me apparently.)

What I was not prepared for, and still am not sure what all I'd do about it if I go back, is that in order to get into the hotel bars if you're not a current guest, they want to see your passport.  Your actual passport.  I do not take my passport out when bar hopping (I use the term lightly) in foreign cities at night, I just don't.  However, I had my regular ID on me, and after much admonishing about 'next time,' they did let me in.  I'll just leave this bit of info there, what you do with it the next time you find yourself in Doha and in need of a Carlsberg on draft (or whatever) is your choice.

Though, I will say that one of the more memorable experiences of this trip was definitely witnessing an all male (of course) Qatari cover band do a rousing rendition of "Royals" in a faux-Irish pub on the ground floor of the Doha Sheraton....so.....yeah. 

I eventually wandered back to the Marriott in time for one last drink at "Glo," which is the cocktail bar in the lobby, before heading up to pack up and set out back to the airport.  We didn't arrive too early, because we knew in advance the absolute hypocrisy we were about to encounter when we tried to get any amount of service on account of our Oneworld status with Qatar.

(I warned above there would be more about this....so here it is)

Qatar is well aware that as a member of the Oneworld alliance, they're obligated to provide first and business class lounge services to Oneworld Emerald and Saphire members, respectively.  This is something they most definitely do NOT want to do, reserving any and all actual privileges only to customers in premium classes.  Sorry, but that's not how it works.  The other airlines, yes, even the good ones, like Cathay and JAL, deal with the occasional economy traveling Oneworld heathen, because membership benefits them and their own elites when traveling abroad.  They, likewise, do not allow 1st class check in to Oneworld Emerald, which they are supposed to do.

It's all more of a you know what to Oneworld as their actual premium lounges in DOH are by all accounts some of the best in the world, on any airline.  They're also huge, and for the most part empty.   

To circumvent these rules, they just half-heartedly (not even that much really...more like quarter-heartedly) made an additional fake "priority" check in desk for Oneworld elites, and an even more fake set of "first and business class lounges" for the sole purpose of giving Oneworld elites a place to go, without having to actually provide them with the level of service that's required.  It's bad, like really bad....like....I really really wish it was even half as nice as a standard domestic Admiral's Club.  I swear to the deity of your choice, the food was 3 kinds of soggy sandwiches, there was one bottle of white wine, and I'm pretty sure at least some of the walls were temporary.  These lounges shall hereinafter be known as the 'Twin Lounges of Infinite Sadness."

Let me just give you a few alternate options to do with your time instead of waiting in the Twin Lounges of Infinite Sadness:

-Walk the entire Corniche in aforementioned 106 degree heat.
-Go back and see if that cover band takes requests.  No Free bird.
-Just have your Accord-driving Uber guy make random right turns around the city for awhile.
-Put on some mall-walking shoes, and see how many steps it is across the departures terminal it is.
-Take a variety of selfies with the stuffed bear sculpture in the middle of the terminal.  Change clothes mid-way if you have time. (Or for that matter, a change of clothes)

In other words, do literally anything else.  **Rant officially over**

 Now that I'm off that soapbox, the flight back up to LHR was actually quite pleasant, given that it was in economy.  It was their a380, and we got seats on the upper deck, which has a small economy section behind the much larger first and business class sections (as well as the bar area).  It was quiet, and not entirely full, so I ended up with a a window row of two seats to myself (the upper deck is a 2-4-2 config).  Plus, the plane is so massive, it handles any turbulence well, and I was able to sleep most of the 6 hour flight.  Here, I actually had some Emerald service, if only in the form of extra greetings from the FAs and Purser, and being asked what breakfast I'd like ahead of the rest of the cabin.  It was reminiscent of flying on CX- doesn't cost them anything, but makes you feel better.

What was unique about this route was that it was a true 'sunrise' flight- hitting altitude just in time for the first light to show up on the horizon.  It was the counterpart to those US transcons heading west at the end of the day, where you're chasing daylight.

 

We landed in LHR a full hour early, and transferred terminals, this time out of the Reject Terminal of Despair, headed for T3.  T3 houses the Flagship Lounge for AA, but also quite a nice BA Galleries 1st lounge, which is impressive in offerings given that it's more or less a satellite lounge counterpart to their actual lounges at T5.  Champagne from the gold bar for everyone!  Yes, it was 9 am, what's your point?

Then as it always does, it was time to roll on out, board the last flight and head back home.  I cleared the upgrade at 24 hours out, and as it always is on the  777-300, had a relaxing flight home to eat, catch up on sleep, and think over the events of the last 48 hours or so.

It was another memorable trip, and despite some lounge envy, was a great experience.  I'd definitely take the opportunity to go to Doha again.  It's a beautiful, safe, very modern city that definitely feels like nowhere I've been before.  The Qatari heritage is apparent everywhere, even among the high rises, malls, and manicured strips of parkland.  Plus, I can't say no to 18,000 qualifying miles, can I??

 I'd like to end this trip report with sharing Qatar Airways promo video.  You see, after watching it multiple times (it plays before each and every TV show or movie you select on their IFE, as well as before the safety video) I realized what it depicts is what well crafted mileage season feels like:  adventure, freedom, and luxury extras, all mixed in with a feeling that flying 8,000 miles in a day, going across the Pacific just for dinner, or connecting in a series of foreign airports without stopping, is somehow comfortingly predictable and easy.  Also, and possibly more importantly, that the urge to hop from New York, to Paris, to Doha, and then Shanghai is perfectly normal, and not, as some of my friends have implied, an un-diagnosed mental disorder....

[Click for Video] 

Where do I want to go??  Well, dinner with a view at the Intercontinental HK sounds pretty good.  Who's in?

Until the next departure, fly safe.

~CruisingAAltitude