PaxEx 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: 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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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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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

Do Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy Passengers Receive Lounge Access?

7 November, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 4 comments

The Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse in London Heathrow has to be one of my favorite airline lounges in the world. Following up on a frequent reader question that I get, do Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy Passengers Receive Lounge Access? The short answer is no. Unless you have equivalent elite status with Virgin Atlantic (Gold) or a partner airline such as Delta (Diamond, Platinum and Gold Medallion members). Other than qualifying elite status passengers, Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse access is reserved for passengers…

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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: 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: 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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Lounge Review: Returning to the Iberia Velázquez Sala VIP Madrid | Terminal 4S | Using Your oneworld Elite Benefits on Iberia Award Travel Takes Work

Using Your oneworld Elite Benefits on Iberia Award Travel Takes Work

13 August, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 1 comment

I’ve just returned home from my nice week in Madrid and had somewhat of an interesting trip home. As a follow-up to my prior post on booking this trip, I was worried I”d signed myself up for a frustrating flight experience with Iberia.. I’ve had plenty of frustration with their strange baggage policies, slow agents at Madrid, and dingy aircraft. I’ve come to learn that using Your oneworld Elite Benefits on Iberia award travel takes work. As a OneWorld elite status…

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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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My Next Travel Gamble: Flying Home With Iberia via Chicago Madrid Terminal 4S

My Next Travel Gamble: Flying Home With Iberia via Chicago

8 August, 2017 Benjamin J Travel Comments 3 comments

As you may know, I’m currently spending the week in Madrid. I flew American and British Airways Business class on the outbound which was an overall pleasant experience. For the return, I booked a rather undesirable routing home via Amsterdam with an overnight layover on Iberia and American Airlines. I had planned to return home this Saturday but the overnight layover didn’t put me back in Dallas until Sunday. Thanks to my Executive Platinum status with American Airlines, I can…

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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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