Trip Reports – Page 2 – Benjamin J Travel

Trip Report: Iberia Economy Class | A340 | Madrid to Chicago Airline Blog Review

Trip Report: Iberia Economy Class | A340 | Madrid to Chicago

23 August, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 1 comment

As you you may know, I’ve just returned from a week in Madrid. Originally booked on American Airlines for the flight home, I changed my return journey and booked an Iberia Economy Class award for 20,000 Avios from Madrid to Chicago. I’d never really had a great experience with Iberia before but for 20,000 Avios, it was a cheap way to get home. Award booking method for this flight: Economy Class flight on Iberia Madrid to Chicago: 20,000 Avios +…

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Lounge Review: Star Alliance Business Class Lounge LAX Los Angeles TBIT Blog Review

Lounge Review: Star Alliance Business Class Lounge LAX

18 August, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 2 comments

Arriving earlier at LAX for my Swiss Business Class flight to Zurich, I’d have plenty of time to check out the Star Alliance Business Class Lounge at in LAX’s Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT). Positioned near the other premium lounges on the 6th floor of TBIT, I headed up the escalators to the lounge entrance. Access is permitted to Star Alliance Gold passengers and those traveling in a premium cabin on a Star Alliance carrier. Check-in was quick and friendly…

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Trip Report: British Airways Club Europe | A321 | London Heathrow to Madrid Airline Blog Review

Trip Report: British Airways Club Europe | A321 | London Heathrow to Madrid

10 August, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 1 comment

After a nice Business Class flight with American Airlines from DFW to London, the final leg of my journey would be from London Heathrow to Madrid. I’d be flying about British Airways in Club Europe aboard an Airbus A321, a workhorse of BA’s intra-Europe fleet. I had about a three hour layover at Heathrow and I spent most of my time in the Galleries First Lounge in Terminal 5. Although, ideally, I would have rather spent my time in the…

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Trip Report: American Airlines Business Class | 777-300ER | DFW to London Heathrow Blog Review August 2017

Trip Report: American Airlines Business Class | 777-300ER | DFW to London Heathrow

8 August, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 2 comments

I’ve written extensively about American’s Business Class product on the 777-300ER on the DFW to London route as well other routes like Sydney to Los Angeles. But I wanted to write-up a “mini review” of my latest journey aboard American Airlines Business Class. Boarding from Gate D23 (which I despise for it’s compact space), the boarding process started right on time for AA 78 from DFW to London Heathrow. Boarding was slow as there was only one agent scanning boarding…

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Lounge Review: Galilei VIP Lounge | Pisa International Airport Blog Airline Review Italy

Lounge Review: Galilei VIP Lounge | Pisa International Airport

7 August, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 0 Comment

Bound for London, my sister and I were flying British Airway from Pisa to London Heathrow after wrapping up a nice time in Florence and the surrounding region. While we were staying in Florence, there a more flight options out of Pisa than the Florence airport. Plus, award availability on British Airways was much better from Pisa. After riding the train from Florence, we took the brand new Pisa People Mover to the airport. The ride takes less than 5…

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Trip Report: American Airlines 787-9 Economy Class | Dallas DFW to Paris CDG Blog Airline Review

Trip Report: American Airlines 787-9 Economy Class | DFW to Paris

3 August, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 2 comments

Making my may to Paris for a quick extended weekend, I’d be traveling with American Airlines in 787-9 Economy Class. I was pleased when American “upgraded” this route from an older 777-200 to a 787-9 although now that nearly all 777-200s have been retrofitted, the 787-9 is newer but a slightly smaller passenger capacity. Before departure, I spent about an hour in the DFW Amex Centurion Lounge before heading to my gate about 15 minutes before departure. American loves to…

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Trip Report: British Airways 777 Club World | DFW to London Heathrow Dallas Blog Review

Trip Report: British Airways 777 Club World | DFW to London Heathrow

2 August, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 0 Comment

Thanks to the joint transatlantic venture between OneWorld partners American Airlines and British Airways, there isn’t a shortage of flight options between Dallas (DFW) and London Heathrow (LHR). We had purchased tickets from Dallas to Budapest in British Airways Business Class cabin (branded as Club World) for a fantastic cash price. We were looking forward to the experience in 777 Club World and our trip to Budapest. Our journey started in the Amex Centurion Lounge at DFW but ultimately spent most…

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Making my way to Nice for a week in Provence, my the final leg of my outbound journey would be in aboard Swiss A320 Business Class. After a nice journey aboard Swiss' 777-300ER in Business Class from Los Angeles to Zurich, I was looking forward to another Swiss flight. My connection in Zurich was just under two hours so I spent most of my time in the SWISS Business Lounge in Terminal A. About 15 minutes before scheduled boarding time, I headed over to Terminal A and to our boarding gate, A81. Boarding started right on time and I boarded with the Priority group for Hon Circle, Miles & More Senator, Business Class, Miles & More Frequent Traveller, and Star Alliance Gold passengers. Boarding was orderly and I was the first passneger to board so I had a chance to snap a couple of quick photos of the cabin. Swiss' Business Class cabin on the A320 is standard for European Business Class cabins with a 3-3 layout just like the Economy Class cabin. However, for extra comfort, the middle seat is blocked in Business Class. The curtain between Economy and Business can be moved to adjust the size of Business Class depending on demand. On Swiss, the middle seat is not blocked with an extra tray table like it is on British Airways in Club Europe. We were served a light afternoon lunch for this short 90 minute flight. To be honest, I did't know exactly what I was eating as there were no menus distributed. It appeared there was an egg quiche, a pate with fish eggs, and a tiramisu style dessert. The food was a tasty but it also helped that I was quite hungry. Our final approach offered a lovely view of the Nice and the surrounding Côte d'Azur.

Trip Report: Swiss A320 Business Class | Zurich to Nice

29 July, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 0 Comment

Making my way to Nice for a week in Provence, my the final leg of my outbound journey would be in Swiss A320 Business Class. After a nice journey aboard Swiss’ 777-300ER in Business Class from Los Angeles to Zurich, I was looking forward to another Swiss flight. My connection in Zurich was just under two hours so I spent most of my time in the SWISS Business Lounge in Terminal A. About 15 minutes before scheduled boarding time, I headed…

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Lounge Review: oneworld Business Class Lounge LAX | Los Angeles

Lounge Review: oneworld Business Class Lounge LAX

26 July, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 0 Comment

After a long light from Hong Kong, I found myself with a long layover at LAX. With time to kill, I decided to check out the oneworld Business Class Lounge LAX in the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT). I had access to the more upscale Qantas First Lounge in the same terminal but I wanted to sample something new. Access to the oneworld Business Class Lounge LAX access is permitted to oneworld elites with Sapphire or Emerald status or those traveling in…

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Trip Report: Qantas A330 Economy Class | Sydney to Melbourne

Trip Report: Qantas A330 Economy Class | Sydney to Melbourne

24 July, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 1 comment

Making our way from Sydney to Melbourne, a Qantas A330-200 would be our ride for the short ride between Australia’s two largest cities. This trip report will cover our overall experience in Qantas A330 Economy Class on a domestic Australian route. I’d booked this particular segment with British Airways Avios as the cash price was bit pricey for such a short flight. British Airways (BA) Avios still represent a great value for short haul redemptions, especially outside on flights outside…

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Lounge Review: British Airways Terraces Lounge | Berlin Tegel Blog Review

Lounge Review: British Airways Terraces Lounge | Berlin Tegel

23 July, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 0 Comment

After a nice long weekend in Berlin, it was time to fly from out Berlin’s Tegel Airport (TXL). Arriving a bit early, we decided to spend some time in the British Airways Terraces Lounge in Terminal A. TXL is an older airport but I love the clean, yet brutal design of hexagonal terminal, a throwback to the 1960s. However the layout at TXL is a bit confusing to the unfamiliar passenger. The location of the Terraces Lounges is a bit vague…

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Trip Report: Trip Report: Swiss 777-300ER Business Class | Los Angeles to Zurich Blog Airline Review777-300ER Business Class | Los Angeles to Zurich Blog Airline Review

Trip Report: Swiss 777-300ER Business Class | Los Angeles to Zurich

17 July, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 3 comments

Making my way to the the Cote d’Azur for a week long holiday, my outbound journey would be in Swiss 777-300ER Business Class. I booked an award journey on Star Alliance carriers via Aeroplan, Air Canada’s reward program. Aeroplan represents a great value for transatlantic premium cabin bookings with roundtrip Business Class bookings from North America to Western Europe for 110,000 Aeroplan miles. After spending the day in Los Angeles, I arrived at the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) at…

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Lounge Review: Qantas T3 Domestic Business Lounge | Sydney Blog Terminal Paxex

Lounge Review: Qantas T3 Domestic Business Lounge | Sydney

25 June, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 0 Comment

After a very long flight in Economy from Los Angeles, a bit of refreshment was in order. Qantas hosts numerous lounges in it’s home airport but as our connecting flight was departing from Terminal 3. We headed to the the Qantas T3 Domestic Business Lounge. Access to the Qantas T3 Domestic Business Lounge is granted to those traveling in a premium cabin with Qantas or OneWorld carrier, Qantas Platinum/Platinum One, Emirates Platinum, or OneWorld Emerald in any cabin of travel. One guest…

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Trip Report: American Airlines 777-300ER Business Class | Sydney to Los Angeles

Trip Report: American Airlines 777-300ER Business Class | Sydney to Los Angeles

19 June, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 2 comments

Returning home from a fantastic trip in Australia, it was sadly time to head home to Dallas. On the bright side, our ride home would be in comfort in American Airlines’ 777-300ER Business Class from Sydney to Los Angeles. On our outbound journey, we had flown to Sydney in Economy Class which wasn’t quite as comfortable. We would be departing from Sydney’s International Terminal 1. After spending about 45 minutes in the Sydney Qantas First lounge, it was time to head…

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Trip Report: American Airlines 777-300ER Economy Class | Los Angeles to Sydney

Trip Report: American Airlines 777-300ER Economy Class | Los Angeles to Sydney

13 June, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 0 Comment

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] Heading out on a long holiday in Australia, we made the long journey from Dallas to Sydney on American Airlines. We had snagged a steal of a price on a roundtrip Economy ticket from Dallas to Sydney for ~$750 USD. Roundtrip flights from Dallas to Sydney typically average well over $1500 USD. On the outbound, our primary segment was American Airlines 777-300ER Economy Class from Los Angeles to Sydney….

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Lounge Review: New York LaGuardia Amex Centurion Lounge | American Express

Lounge Review: New York LaGuardia Amex Centurion Lounge

26 May, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 0 Comment

Heading home form a nice weekend in New York, we headed to LaGuardia for the flight back to Dallas. LaGuardia Airport is at the top of most travelers’ list as the worst airport in the Untied States. Sadly, I have to agree with that sentiment: it’s just an awful airport. Our Uber dropped us off at the wrong terminal so we had to take an out-of-the-way shuttle to Terminal B. We arrived about an hour before our boarding time so…

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Lounge Review: Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse & Upper Class Wing | London Heathrow Trip Report: Virgin Atlantic A340 Upper Class | London Heathrow to Atlanta

Trip Report: Virgin Atlantic A340 Upper Class | London Heathrow to Atlanta

21 May, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 0 Comment

Heading back to to Texas after wrapping up a siblings trip with my sister, Virgin Atlantic A340 Upper Class from London Heathrow to Atlanta would be our transatlantic segment. I had recently flown both Virgin Atlantic Upper Class on the A330 and Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy on the 747 and you should know I’m already a fan of Virgin Atlantic. I have a love-hate relationship with the A340 with it’s roaring four engines. It’s a beautiful aircraft but most airlines haven’t…

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Lounge Review: Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse & Upper Class Wing | London Heathrow Trip Report: Virgin Atlantic A340 Upper Class | London Heathrow to Atlanta, Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy Lounge Access, Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy Passengers Receive Lounge Access

Lounge Review: Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse & Upper Class Wing | London Heathrow

12 May, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 0 Comment

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] Wrapping up our siblings trip to Italy and the UK, Virgin Atlantic Upper Class would be our method for costing the Atlantic via Atlanta. While this wasn’t my first flight in Virgin Atlantic Upper Class, it would be my first time originating at London Heathrow with Virgin Atlantic. This would finally be my opportunity to experience the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse and Upper Class Wing! The only other Virgin Atlantic lounge I’ve experienced is the…

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Trip Report: British Airways 747 Economy Class Boston to London Airline Review

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

9 May, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 2 comments

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] Making our way to Florence for a siblings trip, my sister and I found ourselves in British Airways’ 747 Economy Class from Boston to London. A short hop just over 6.5 hours, the flight from Boston to London is on the short end of transatlantic flights. I flew in this same cabin and aircraft from London to Dallas just about 2 months ago. We had arrived from DFW on…

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Lounge Review: Las Vegas Amex Centurion Lounge | American Express

Lounge Review: Las Vegas Amex Centurion Lounge

19 April, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 0 Comment

[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] After our Virgin Atlantic flight from London Gatwick, we had wasted good hour at The Club at LAS. I can’t believe I had actually “forgotten” that there was an American Express Centurion Lounge in our terminal! After realizing this, we headed over to the Las Vegas Amex Centurion Lounge. Located in the D Concourse of Terminal 1 in the Las Vegas airport, the Las Vegas Amex Centurion Lounge is part of…

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