My feelings about Continental remained mixed. Since the airline joined Star Alliance in 2009 I have flown on them quite a bit, on a mix of domestic and international flights. Overall, I give high marks to Continental, though I...
Note to Self: Leave Red Wine Out of Checked Bag
I would not necessarily label it a rookie mistake, but I arrived back in Frankfurt from Kiev this afternoon to find my well-wrapped and padded bottle of red wine shattered and all over my blue jeans in my checked...
Overland Journey from Dubai to Muscat, Oman
It was not just Iran that I visited during my trip to Dubai last week–I also had the chance to travel across Oman, though my time in Muscat was much more limited than I had hoped for. Oman has...
Bargaining to Sleep on Kish Island, Iran
With no idea where we would sleep that night, my friend and I sat down to strategize. The airport had free wi-fi and I scoured the internet for hotels in Kish. I did find a listing of hotels, but...
Trapped in Iran!
For those just joining the story, be sure to check out Parts One, Two, and Three. Outside immigration, we hailed a taxi who agreed to take our UAE dirhams. There are no banks on Kish Island that accept U.S....
Dubai to Kish Island, Iran on Kish Air + Interrogation at Iranian Border
With a 12:30p departure to Kish and a late arrival from Muscat the previous night, it was nice to sleep in for a bit. We arrived at Terminal Two in Dubai at around 11:00a and had no trouble checking...
A Spur of the Moment Trip to the Islamic Republic of Iran
It all started around the brunch table Saturday in Dubai. I casually mentioned that Kish Island, a small Iranian island just 30 minutes from Dubai by air, would be an interesting place to visit. Why Iran? For years I...
It Has Been One Heckuva Day
For those of you wondering why I was missing in action the last couple days, stay tuned for a fascinating report that will cover my time in Dubai and Oman, but primarily Iran–yes, Iran. And there was drama in...
Frankfurt to Washington Dulles in United Economy Plus
With 1K status now in the bag (in fact, I was surprised to see that I have banked over 120K EQMs already this year after all the flights credited), my travel on United for the year may be over....
A Weekend in Finland and Estonia
Hello from Helsinki. My travels around Europe continue and this weekend I am in the Baltics after a smooth flight on Lufthansa from Frankfurt this morning. Today I am going to head down to Tallin, Estonia and spend the...
Washington Dulles to Frankfurt in United Airlines First Class
Although I have traveled all over the world in international first class, I had never tried out United’s first class longhaul product…until last week. UA’s international first class service is often criticized, especially when compared to its competitors, but I...
Hamburg to Frankfurt on Lufthansa: It Felt Like I was in 1955
Last night I took an early evening Lufthansa flight from Hamburg to Frankfurt. I’ve got to say, it felt like I had stepped into a time machine. In the United States it is rare to see people dress up...
A Rundown of My Whirlwind Week of Travel on United/Continental
Re-qualification for 1K status on United is a daunting task while living in Germany. While I do a fair amount of travel within Europe, it is primarily for leisure and on cheap Lufthansa tickets that do not earn miles. When...
Humor and Wit: My Favorite Kind of Trip Report
I enjoy writing trips reports (and am working on the report from my trip to Asia last month) and work hard to include a dose of humor here and there in my writings. Humor is difficult for me, though. Not...
Frankfurt to Denver in Lufthansa First Class
In July 2009, I journeyed to Israel and Egypt with my brother and uncle. My uncle and I traveled together in first class and the trip report below will highlight some of the flights we sampled. New York to...
Cairo to Frankfurt in Lufthansa First Class
In July 2009, I journeyed to Israel and Egypt with my brother and uncle. My uncle and I traveled together in first class and the trip report below will highlight some of the flights we sampled. New York to...
Zürich to Tel Aviv in EL AL Israel Airlines Business Class
In July 2009, I journeyed to Israel and Egypt with my brother and uncle. My uncle and I traveled together in first class and the trip report below will highlight some of the flights we sampled. New York...
New York to Zürich in Swiss International Air Lines First Class
In July 2009, I journeyed to Israel and Egypt with my brother and uncle. My uncle and I traveled together in first class and the trip report below will highlight some of the flights we sampled. New York to...
Robbed and Battered in Bangkok
It has been a taxing day. My wallet was stolen and if I have to deal with one more tout I am going to rip someone’s head off. And to top it off, I was assaulted by a local today for...
How to Score a Free Upgrade on JetBlue
As I mentioned yesterday, I gave JetBlue another try out of Burbank yesterday. Everything went exactly according to plan… JetBlue offers extra legroom in the first five rows and emergency exit rows of their A320s that they sell for...
