Trip Reports Archives - Benjamin J Travel

Trip Report: British Airways 777-200 Premium Economy | Houston to London Heathrow - World Traveler Plus - Blog Review

Trip Report: British Airways 777-200 Premium Economy | Houston to London Heathrow

2 October, 2018 Benjamin J Travel Comments 0 Comment

Making my way to London for a long weekend, my in-flight product would be British Airways on the 777-200 in Premium Economy from Houston to London Heathrow. I’ve reviewed the British Airways 777-200 experience in Club World but it’d been a while since I’d been aboard a British Airways 777. Premium Economy is branded as World Traveller Plus but I will refer to it as Premium Economy in this review. The Cabin: Configured in a four-class arrangement (First, Club World, World Traveller…

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Lounge Review: The Qantas London Lounge - Bar - Champagne - Blog Review

Lounge Review: The Qantas London Lounge

30 September, 2018 Benjamin J Travel Comments 2 comments

Making my way home from London to Dallas via Miami, I was surprised to learn that my British Airways flight would be departing from Terminal 3. While Terminal 3 is a bit dated, it does offer the best OneWorld lounges in London Heathrow. Not only would this give me a chance to grab a delicious breakfast at the Cathay Pacific lounge, but it’d also allow me to visit the The Qantas London Lounge for the first time. I arrived at…

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Trip Report: TAP Portugal Lie-Flat Business Class | A330-200 | Lisbon to Boston Blog Review

Trip Report: TAP Portugal Lie-Flat Business Class | A330-200 | Lisbon to Boston

22 July, 2018 Benjamin J Travel Comments 0 Comment

Making the journey back home from Oslo, my transatlantic segment would be aboard an A330 in TAP Portugal Lie-Flat Business Class. In its long haul fleet, TAP Portugal operates A330s and A340s with their Business Class cabin current undergoing an retrofit. I selected my particular itinerary so that I could experience TAP Portugal’s new Business Class cabin on the A330 featuring it’s new lie flat seats. I left my Airbnb extra earlier to have a bit of time to hang out…

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Trip Report: TAP Portugal Intra-Europe Business Class | A320 | Oslo to Lisbon - Blog Review - Airbus - tap portugal a320 seat map

Trip Report: TAP Portugal Intra-Europe Business Class | A320 | Oslo to Lisbon

16 April, 2018 Benjamin J Travel Comments 0 Comment

Beginning my extended journey home from Oslo, the first leg of my journey would be in TAP Portugal Intra-Europe Business Class aboard an Airbus A320 from Oslo to Lisbon. Scheduled for an 6:55 PM departure, our flight time would be at 4 hours from gate to gate. Tap Portugal refers to their Business Class cabin as “Executive Class”. Boarding was slightly delayed and the gate area was packed but ultimately the boarding process was orderly with Business Class and Star…

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Lounge Review: Polonez LOT Business Lounge | Warsaw - Blog Review WAW

Lounge Review: Polonez LOT Business Lounge | Warsaw

11 April, 2018 Benjamin J Travel Comments 2 comments

Arriving from Brussels and awaiting my flight to Chicago, I found myself with a long layover in Warsaw. I ultimately had time to visit two different lounges, both the LOT Business Lounge (also referred to as the “Polonez” lounge) lounge and the Bolero lounge. The Bolero Lounge is located on the non-Schengen side of Terminal A, while the the LOT Business Lounge is on the Schengen side. The LOT Business Lounge is a LOT Polish operated lounge, serving LOT Polish…

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Trip Report: American Airlines 737 Business Class | Puerto Vallarta to DFW Blog Review First Class

Trip Report: American Airlines 737 Business Class | Puerto Vallarta to DFW

2 April, 2018 Benjamin J Travel Comments 0 Comment

Making the short 2.5 hour journey home from Puerto Vallarta to DFW, we enjoyed a lovely flight with American Airlines in Business Class on one of their workhorse 737s. We had originally booked a one way ticket in Economy Class, Chris and I were upgraded thanks to my Executive Platinum status. Our complimentary upgrades cleared about 4 days prior to departure. My upgrade was complimentary and Chris, who holds Gold AAdvantage status, redeemed two 500-mile upgrade “stickers”. Premium cabin seats…

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Trip Report: American Airlines 777-200 Business Class | Honolulu to DFW

Trip Report: American Airlines 777-200 Business Class | Honolulu to DFW

1 April, 2018 Benjamin J Travel Comments 6 comments

Making our way home from Hawaii, our journey home would be aboard American’s 777-200 from Honolulu to DFW. The 777 is the workhorse between American’s fortress hub in in DFW and Honolulu. American has completed the retrofit of their 777-200s. You can expect a lie-flat seat in Business Class on all of American’s 777s across the fleet. The Cabin: SeatGuru isn’t exactly accurate on their seat maps American’s 772 so unfortunately a bit difficult to predict which Business Class seat…

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Lounge Review: Plumeria Lounge Honolulu | Hawaiian Airlines Blog Review HNL

Lounge Review: Plumeria Lounge Honolulu

28 December, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 0 Comment

Due to some island hopping on our Hawaii trip, we departed from HNL twice times in a week. On the first departure, we tried to enter the Plumeria Lounge was but turned away due to being over capacity. This was a Tuesday around 2 pm. On our second attempt, entry was no issue and the lounge was nearly empty. The Plumeria Lounge is a bit tricky to locate as there isn’t much signage for it throughout the airport. Once you are…

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Trip Report: Alaska Airlines 737-800 Economy Class | San Diego to Honolulu Blog Review Legroom Airline Food

Trip Report: Alaska Airlines 737-800 Economy Class | San Diego to Honolulu

26 December, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 0 Comment

Making the journey to Hawaii for a 10 day holiday, our final outbound leg would be aboard Alaska Airlines from San Diego to Honolulu. This was an award booking with American Airlines AAdvantage miles with the first segment form DFW to San Diego on American Airlines. We’d been upgraded thanks to my Executive Platinum status on the first leg but we wouldn’t be eligible for an upgrade not the Alaska operated flight. Award booking method for this flight: Economy Class…

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Lounge Review: Qantas First Class Lounge Sydney Restaurant Dining Blog Review Airline

Lounge Review: Qantas First Class Lounge Sydney

11 November, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 2 comments

Not quite ready to leave Australia but time to head home, we started our long journey back to Texas in the Qantas First Class Lounge Sydney. We had woken up quite early so I was still quite sleepy as we made our through the long security queues. The Qantas First Class Lounge Sydney is located just beyond the duty free shopping in Sydney’s Terminal 1. Access to the Qantas First Class Lounge Sydney is granted to those traveling in a premium…

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Trip Report: SAS GO Economy Class | London Heathrow to Stavanger to Oslo | 737-800 Transit Time in Stavanger Blog Review Go Light SAS

Trip Report: SAS Go Economy Class | London Heathrow to Stavanger to Oslo | 737-800

29 October, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 0 Comment

Making my way to London to Oslo after my flight from Dallas, I had snagged a cheap ticket on SAS in SAS Go Economy Class with a connection in Stavanger. While I would have preferred a nonstop, the cheapest nonstop that worked for my departure time was over $400 USD. The SAS Go ticket was only $100 USD. That major price difference make my decision for me. Plus, it’d be a chance to fly through a new airport I’d never…

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Lounge Review: TAP Portugal Premium Lounge | Lisbon Terminal 1 Star Alliance Blog Review

Lounge Review: TAP Portugal Premium Lounge | Lisbon

26 October, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 0 Comment

Located in Lisbon Airport’s Terminal 1, the TAP Portugal Premium Lounge serves TAP Portugal’s premium cabin customers, Victoria elite guests, and Star Alliance flyers. The TAP Portugal Premium Lounge is located on the sixth floor, above the main concourse of Terminal 1, just past security control and up the escalator. The lounge staff at the front desk was friendly and polite. Check-in was a prompt after a quick scan of my boarding pass. Access to the TAP Portugal Premium Lounge is…

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Trip Report: British Airways 747-400 Economy Class | Dallas DFW to London Heathrow LHR Blog Review

Trip Report: British Airways 747-400 Economy Class | Dallas to London

15 October, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 1 comment

Flying one of my most frequent routes, Dallas to London, I’d be flying aboard the Queen of the Skies aboard a British Airways 747-400 in Economy Class. While I prefer the upper deck on the 747, I snagged an off-peak award with British Airways Avios that I couldn’t pass up for only 16,250 Avios points one-way. Award Booking Cost Points Used: 16,250 British Airways Avios Taxes and Fees Per Ticket: 153.10 USD Total Cost: 16,250 BA Avios + 153.10 USD…

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Lounge Review: Bolero Lounge | Warsaw Chopin Airport Blog Review Priority Pass

Lounge Review: Bolero Lounge | Warsaw Chopin Airport

22 September, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 0 Comment

Making my second lounge strop in Warsaw Chopin Airport before my LOT Polish flight to Chicago, I hopped over to the Bolero Lounge on the lower level of Terminal A. The Bolero Lounge is located on the non-Schengen side of Terminal A at Warsaw Chopin Airport. I’d already spent some time in the LOT Polish Polonez Lounge on the Schengen but wanted some lounge time after passport control. Part of the Priority Pass network, I gained access to the Bolero Lounge…

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Trip Report: LOT Polish Business Class | 787 | Warsaw to Chicago Airline Blog Review

Trip Report: LOT Polish Business Class | 787 | Warsaw to Chicago

17 September, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 0 Comment

Making my way from Warsaw to Chicago, LOT Polish Business Class on the 787 would be my ride across the Atlantic. After a nice flight from Brussels to Warsaw on LOT Polish, I was looking forward to my firs long-haul flight with LOT Polish. I’d spent some time in the Polonez and Bolero Business Class lounges before heading to the boarding gate. The boarding process was a bit delayed and boarding commenced about 20 minutes late after the scheduled time….

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Trip Report: Cathay Pacific 777-300ER Premium Economy | Los Angeles to Hong Kong Airline Blog Review

Trip Report: Cathay Pacific 777-300ER Premium Economy | Los Angeles to Hong Kong

31 August, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 2 comments

Making my way to Singapore, my outbound transpacific leg would be in Cathay Pacific 777-300ER Premium Economy. After spending some time at the Qantas First lounge in the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT), I decided to head to the gate a bit early. Our flight was to depart from Gate 153 although no boarding the time was published on my boarding pass or in the lounge so I decided it wouldn’t hurt to head the gate a bit early. As…

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Lounge Review: The Wing First Class Lounge | Cathay Pacific | Hong Kong Blog Airport Review

Lounge Review: The Wing First Class Lounge | Cathay Pacific | Hong Kong

30 August, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 0 Comment

Connecting in Hong Kong on my flight from Singapore onward to Los Angeles, I had a bit of time to pass on one of my favorite airports. I’ve visited most of the Cathay Pacific lounges at HKG with the The Pier First Class Lounge being my favorite. On this layover, I opted to spend my time in The Wing First Class Lounge. The Cathay Pacific Wing lounge has a Business Class section on the lower level and a First Class…

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Lounge Review: Iberia Dalí VIP Lounge | Madrid Terminal 4 Sala VIP Airport Blog Review

Lounge Review: Iberia Dalí VIP Lounge | Madrid | Terminal 4

28 August, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 0 Comment

Continuing my journey from Dallas to Milan, I had a bit of an extended layover in Madrid. I was connecting from American Airlines and had arrived in Terminal 4S, connecting onto an Iberia flight to Milan. I’d visited the non-Schengen, Iberia Velázquez VIP Lounge in Terminal 4S many times. But this would be my first time having a chance to visit the Iberia Dalí VIP Lounge on the Schengen side of Terminal 4 in Madrid. After clearing immigration, I took the tram…

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Trip Report: LOT Polish Business Class | E190 | Brussels to Warsaw Embraer Airline Blog Review

Trip Report: LOT Polish Business Class | E195 | Brussels to Warsaw

26 August, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 0 Comment

Continuing my journey home from the Côte d’Azur, my second segment would be aboard LOT Polish Business Class on an Embraer 195 regional jet. This would be my second time flying aboard LOT Polish after a trip to Krakow, Poland last year. The entire cabin of the E195 is in a 2-2 layout with a curtain separating the Business Class cabin from Economy. The first four rows were designated as Business Class but the seats in Economy Class are identical to…

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Trip Report: Brussels Airlines Business Class | A319 | Marseille to Brussels Airline Blog Review

Trip Report: Brussels Airlines Business Class | A319 | Marseille to Brussels

24 August, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 0 Comment

Starting a very nontraditional routing home from Marseille to Dallas on Star Alliance carriers, my travels would begin in Brussels Airlines Business Class aboard the A319 from Marseille to Brussels. This would be my first time aboard Brussels Airlines and my second time at the Brussels Airport. As much as I hate early flights, my itinerary left me with little choice but a 6:40 AM departure from Marseille. I took an Uber from my Airbnb rental in Aix-en-Provence and arrived…

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