The title says it all, but let me lay out the context. I booked our stay at The Kahala last week using the American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts program. Among the AMEX FHR benefits at the Kahala are:...
Review: SWISS A320 Business Class Zurich to Rome
This flight review is more about the journey than the flight itself. I was treated to incredible views of the Alps that made this one of the most beautiful flights I’ve ever taken. After an early departure from the...
United CEO Turns Down Lucrative Bonus
United CEO Oscar Munoz has turned down a lucrative bonus package, claiming it sends a message on accountability. In a note to employees, Munoz said in part: [Y]ou may hear that I did not receive a bonus for 2017....
Review: SWISS First Class Lounge Zurich (A Gates)
SWISS recently opened a beautiful new lounge in the A Gates area of Zurich Airport (ZRH). Here’s a detailed review. For questions on access, read this. The lounge is open daily from 5:30a to 10:30p and seats 86 people....
The Kahala: Still a Treasure in Honolulu
I took my wife to The Kahala for our brief trip to Hawaii last week. It remains my favorite hotel on the island. No full review is necessary because the hotel has not changed much from my last review...
Nutgate and Watergate 2.0: The Disgraced Sisters of Korean Air
Two heiress sisters. Two different controversies. One swift punishment: they’re both out of the family business. For now at least… We all remember the “nut rage” incident onboard a Korean Air flight from New York to Seoul in 2014. Cho...
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: April 22, 2018
Hello from LA. I’m back from Hawaii after a wonderful, albeit brief, getaway with my wife. In terms of top news for the week, we’ve now learned more about the new Marriott-SPG loyalty program. It looks good (for the...
Hyatt Offering Quasi-Variable Priced Awards – Good and Bad
Some Hyatt hotels have recently started to issue prices above their Category award level by using some clever trickery. While increase prices are never good, this may not be all bad. You decide. If you are considering booking travel or signing...
Free Apple on Delta Ends Up Costing $500
A free snack on Delta ended up making a trip to Paris far more expensive. Crystal Tadlock says a Delta flight attendant gave her an apple toward the end of her flight from Paris. She took the piece of fruit...
Review: Conrad Cartagena – Ocean View Suite
During our spontaneous trip to Colombia, we had a chance to try the Conrad Cartagena. Just the second Conrad in South America, this resort offered a ton of amenities and friendly service, but it’s not quite the whole package...
Resort or City: Conrad Cartagena Makes You Choose
When putting together the last minute pieces of our spontaneous trip to Cartagena, Colombia we decided to book our four nights at the Conrad Cartagena, a stunning, secluded resort just outside of the city. But just how far outside...
Accessing Lufthansa or SWISS First Class Lounge With a Double Connection
Can you access a Lufthansa or SWISS First Class lounge with a double connection? Depends upon whom you ask. I was traveling on a Lufthansa First Class ticket (LAX-MUC-ZRH-FCO) and had reached Zurich. Per Lufthansa’s lounge access guidelines, first...
Southwest Gives $5,000 to Each Passenger on Flight 1380
Southwest Airlines is trying to minimize its legal exposure by preemptively paying off passengers aboard the ill-fated Flight 1380. Earlier this week, that Boeing 737-700 flight from New York to Dallas was forced to make an emergency landing in...
How Would You Handle a Brat Playing Loud Video Games on Airplane?
As the proud father of one, I’ve undergone a radical transformation when it comes to baby on airplanes. I used to be part of the crowd that loved to “hate” on babies making noise, but now am one of...
Review: Helvetic Airways Fokker 100 Business Class Munich to Zurich
Helvetic Airways offers contract flights for Lufthansa and SWISS. This short flight from Munich to Zurich was operated on behalf of Lufthansa. While not in every case, these Fokker 100 flights tend to operate from a remote stand in...
The One Way Lufthansa First Class Lounge in Munich Beats Frankfurt
Earlier today I published a comprehensive review of the new Lufthansa First Class Lounge in Munich. But I figured one aspect of the lounge merited its own post. That’s the outdoor patio–the one thing that the Lufthansa First Class...
Review: Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich (MUC)
Lufthansa’s First Class Lounge in Munich has one advantage over its counterpart in Frankfurt. That’s a beautiful outdoor terrace that serves as a tranquil place to relax before your flight. Other than that, though, it is just like the...
Review: Lufthansa A380 First Class Los Angeles to Munich
This flight review is going to be a bit different than my usual ones. It will be a bit more casual, since I just reviewed Lufthansa’s A380 First Class product last year and (thankfully) very little has changed. But...
Introduction: A First Class Business Trip
My next trip report will chart my recent trip to Italy and France. As I explained here, I took a rather circuitous route to reach Rome. All for you. All so I could review two first class lounges I...
I’m Taking a Break in Hawaii
After nearly two weeks of being away from my family, it is good to be back home. I was hoping my son would still recognize me when I walked through the door and he did…in fact, he came running...
