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Home  >  United Airlines  >  I Just Flew With The Trumps On United…In Economy Class
United Airlines

I Just Flew With The Trumps On United…In Economy Class

Matthew Klint Posted onSeptember 12, 2018September 12, 2018 43 Comments

I knew something was up when a Secret Service officer appeared at the gate of my United flight from Newark to San Francisco prior to boarding.

“They’re just going to walk right on. No stopping,” the agent specified. You can always spot a Secret Service officer based on the pin he or she is wearing.

The gate agents nodded in approval and started processing what looked to be like paper tickets but were probably releases for the Secret Service officers to travel with loaded weapons onboard.

This was the flight I wrote about earlier today that I had moved to at the last minute. I had a window seat toward the back of the plane, but decided to wait for misconnects in order to (hopefully) secure an upgrade or at least an EconomyPlus seat.

As boarding near completion, the VIPs were quickly whisked onto the plane: Donald Trump Jr. and his girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle. Several agents accompanied them onboard and 2-3 actually joined them on the flight.

I ended up scoring an exit row aisle seat in row 21, the best economy class seat on the plane as far as I am concerned, and was the last passenger to board the plane.

Onboard

I entered through Door 1 and expected to find Donald and Kimberly in the first row of business class. But they were not there. In fact, they were not in business class. I walked back to my seat and lo behold, guess who was seated in the aisle and middle seats directly in front of mine?

At this point, I was confused. I help my fair share of B-list celebrates at Award Expert and all of them insist upon flying in business class. Was this official business that mandated economy class in light of the Tom Price + Scott Pruitt scandals? Did they book at the very-last minute like I did and had no other option? Why not take his father’s private 757?

In any case, passengers left them alone during the flight. No one came up and asked for pictures or read them the riot act. They just watched movies. United serves a complimentary meal in EconomyPlus and Kimberly ordered chicken teriyaki with a glass of chardonnay. Donald ordered just a Coke Zero “in a can” and ate some food he had brought onboard from Saison in the terminal (read my review here). Both were annoyed that their seat would not recline, the problem of sitting in front of an exit row.

We landed on-time and the pair were not whisked off the plane. I did have a brief word them after the flight, since Kimberly and I both worked with Dana Perino (at different times). I also gave them an Award Expert business card and said to let me know if they ever needed last-minute flight help. Shameless?

They were soon on their way through the terminal. One person saw them and began heckling, “Lock him up” but most paid them no attention.

CONCLUSION

I know public figures fly all the time and it is no big deal. I honestly thought the Trump clan would fly private, though. I’m glad to see they do not have the same fears flying commercial as our favorite televangelists. They were very low-maintainence during the flight. Have you ever flown with a member of the Trump or other presidential family?

image: Kimberly Guilfoyle / Instagram

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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43 Comments

  1. Chris Reply
    September 12, 2018 at 12:51 pm

    Shamelessly plugging your business and trying to get clients…..no shame in that at all! Michael Jordan once said, “Republicans buy sneakers too.” If I were you I would try to get Kimberly, Don Jr., even Kimberly’s ex, Gavin Newsome. Republicans and Democrats fly commercial.

  2. Christian Reply
    September 12, 2018 at 1:00 pm

    C’mon Matthew, the business card move was unworthy.

  3. Greg Reply
    September 12, 2018 at 1:11 pm

    I guess she still has SF ties after being married to the mayor Gavin.

    I’m going to guess the issue was no biz class for sale when they booked.

  4. Chris Reply
    September 12, 2018 at 1:18 pm

    Sorry, but this little personal Trump-related anecdote isn’t going to get picked up anywhere. It doesn’t portray them as hateful, racist, megalomaniacal Hitler-types. What a breath of fresh air. Glad to see you’re not one of those unhinged anti-Trump types who feel the need to spread their hate for the guy every chance you get. For all I know you may well be anti-Trump (I’m not exactly his biggest fan, lol), but at least you’re not the unhinged type. Keep up the great work!

  5. Gene Reply
    September 12, 2018 at 1:24 pm

    @ Matthew — Donald Trump is the worst thing ever to happen to this country. There, I said it.

    • Chris Reply
      September 12, 2018 at 1:45 pm

      (Release the unhinged! lol)

    • J Munene Reply
      September 12, 2018 at 2:40 pm

      Hate is making you irrational. Maybe you are the worst thing that happened to America.

  6. Dom Reply
    September 12, 2018 at 1:29 pm

    A friend flew DCA-MCO with then-2nd Lady, Jill Biden. He tells me that gate agents told the passengers the overhead was full and all carryons needed to be checked. He had notebook computer with batteries, so was allowed to bring his on, where he found lots of room in the overhead. Mrs. Biden got off before everyone else upon landing, otherwise it was a normal flight.

  7. Paolo Reply
    September 12, 2018 at 1:37 pm

    That woman could pass for Jocelyn Wildenstein’s twin sister. This is the smarter ( it’s all relative) but creepier of the 2 sons, the one fond of shooting protected African wildlife.

  8. geoff Reply
    September 12, 2018 at 1:38 pm

    Was this flight Yuge or bigly.? Greatest flight ever. It was really fantastic:).

  9. Chris Reply
    September 12, 2018 at 1:47 pm

    I can only imagine if Gary Leff wrote this article! Thanks for candidly and honestly relating your experience.

  10. Justin Reply
    September 12, 2018 at 1:51 pm

    These days I think a lot of politically minded people fly in economy for political reasons. Stories about “elites” travelling in business class or domestic U.S. first class are easy fodder for social media, so it’s probably worth more for politicians to endure some hours in economy in exchange for the positive press (ie. your blog post) while mitigating any potential unfair negative press from flying in first.

    • Chris Reply
      September 12, 2018 at 1:55 pm

      Ivanka always flew economy on ATA….wide was f/a

      • Chris Reply
        September 12, 2018 at 1:56 pm

        WIFE NOT WIDE….crap!

        • pmv Reply
          September 12, 2018 at 4:26 pm

          did you just call your wife “wide” …. i know someone sleeping on the couch tonite…. lol

    • Jake Reply
      September 13, 2018 at 3:20 am

      Maybe they are not as full of themselves as some of the folks here are.
      Thank you for the clear headed reporting Matthew.

  11. Mark Reply
    September 12, 2018 at 2:01 pm

    “The gate agents nodded in approval and started processing what looked to be like paper tickets but were probably releases for the Secret Service officers to travel with loaded weapons onboard.”

    Lol, That’s not the way that it works. The agents would have been cleared back at TSA. By the time they got to the plane there was no question about their weapons.

    • Matthew Reply
      September 12, 2018 at 2:25 pm

      I’m just talking about paperwork formalities.

  12. Doug Reply
    September 12, 2018 at 2:32 pm

    The heckler needs to grow up.

  13. DaninMCI Reply
    September 12, 2018 at 2:35 pm

    They need the Sheila Jackson Lee upgrade program it sounds like to me.

    • Matthew Reply
      September 12, 2018 at 2:49 pm

      I was going to write that but didn’t want to be accused of being partisan, which is not my intention.

  14. Wayne Reply
    September 12, 2018 at 2:52 pm

    I would not have minded having junior as a plane mate (or anyone else) as long as I got my upgrade.
    Ninety-five segments on Delta this year. Only eight missed upgrades. And those were in the first row of Comfort+. Life is good lawfully under the radar at the front of the bus.

  15. MeanMeosh Reply
    September 12, 2018 at 3:17 pm

    Too funny. You’re the second former UPGRDr to have a celebrity politico sighting in the last month. Brad was seatmates with John Boehner flying home from SYD to LAX. Unsurprisingly, Boehner was in First Class. Surprisingly, though, he was equally low maintenance.

    • Matthew Reply
      September 12, 2018 at 4:48 pm

      I don’t know how Boehner could get through that flight without at least vaping.

  16. Sexy_kitten7 Reply
    September 12, 2018 at 4:44 pm

    But did they use the bathroom? I can’t always hold it on these TCONs (especially with a drink or 2).

    • Matthew Reply
      September 12, 2018 at 4:47 pm

      They did use the lavatory (both got up at the same time) about midway through the flight.

      • Sexy_kitten7 Reply
        September 13, 2018 at 2:47 pm

        Together??? This ain’t no 777 😉

  17. Boardingareaflukie Reply
    September 12, 2018 at 4:48 pm

    Was once on a Delta ATL-LAX flight that then-Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and his girlfriend were on and, like me, they were in Economy. Some LAPD security detail were on the flight with them.

    Even if they were offered an upgrade completely independent of taxpayer dollars, it seems for appearances this is what a lot of high profile government people do. But it still surprises me that a member of that family actually might’ve been concerned about the appearance of taxpayers supporting them sitting up front.

  18. Shaheed Hasan Reply
    September 12, 2018 at 6:48 pm

    “No one came up and asked for pictures or read them the riot act. ”
    Do u know why?
    No one in right mind will talk to Donald Dump’ s family…No one wants to be seen in public with Dump’s… it is a shame forever.

  19. Peter Reply
    September 12, 2018 at 10:29 pm

    How refreshing that a travel blogger does not go along with the herd mentality. Lucky is insufferable when he mentions anything political as it is clear he is liberal because he thinks he has to be because he is gay. So much for critical thinking!

    Bravo Matthew. I am glad to know that you respect your conservative readers.

    • Michael Reply
      September 13, 2018 at 9:16 pm

      So much for critical thinking if you attribute Lucky’s political preference to the fact that he’s gay.

  20. RNP Reply
    September 12, 2018 at 10:36 pm

    If you fly every monday for early flight from DCA to LGA, you will see Trump Jr. all the time. I have seen him multiple times

  21. John Walsh Reply
    September 12, 2018 at 11:43 pm

    “I was so shocked that they were flying commercial!”

    Do you live under a friggin’ rock? What kind of travel blogger are you? Shamelessly shilling on behalf of the Trumps.

    https://people.com/politics/robert-mueller-donald-trump-jr-airport-photo/

  22. Xtina Reply
    September 13, 2018 at 1:54 am

    I flew PHX – DCA on AA with the Obama daughters in either 2006 or 2007. They boarded first and I thought they were just unaccompanied minors. But then I realized they were boarding with several incredibly fit men in casual wear who were clearly Secret Service agents. The girls were seated in nearly the last row of economy. I was in the bulkhead and obviously didn’t go back to gawk, but the flight attendant reported back. She said the girls were very nice and just had their headphones on and watched movies the whole flight (as you would expect from any teenager!) I heard on the news the next day that the family had been in Hawaii and the girls stayed a few days longer.

    I will say our bags were more delayed that usual for DCA! I assume all their luggage was pulled out first and so ours didn’t get on the belt until about an hour after arrival.

  23. ATC Reply
    September 13, 2018 at 4:06 am

    BFD!!! Who cares?

  24. Samantha Reply
    September 13, 2018 at 7:39 am

    Daddy doesn’t allow the kids to use his plane and Jr doesn’t have any money. He strapped for cash. Kim is mortified and this charade of theirs ending soon.

    • Bill Reply
      September 14, 2018 at 5:38 pm

      How do you know Trump Jr. is strapped for cash? Heard he was miserly but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have it. Did you see Ivanka’s take just from the DC hotel for last year? Donald Jr’s would be similar if not higher.

  25. Trisha Reply
    September 13, 2018 at 7:53 am

    I was on a flight in in economy several years ago sitting in the row behind Mrs, Gates – Bill’s mom. Economy.

  26. Justin Reply
    September 13, 2018 at 1:07 pm

    I have a friend who used to be in high and ultra-high net worth private asset management – essentially dealing with very wealthy individuals and families. He tells me that it’s not uncommon for very wealthy people to fly in economy class or stay in 3-star hotels. For some, it’s just not something they value even if they could easily afford it I guess.

  27. Frank Reply
    September 13, 2018 at 2:51 pm

    Don Jr. and his son were in coach on my last Delta flight from SLC to JKF. Overheard the flight attendants talking about it before boarding. Was surprised how loud, indiscreet and profane the flight attendants were when talking about Don Jr’s family. Ironic given that level of coarseness is what many folks hate about the Don.

  28. dotti Reply
    September 13, 2018 at 6:51 pm

    GENE UR AN IDIOT!! CHRIS THANKS FOR POSITIVE COMMENTS…President Trump’s daughter,her husband fly commercial in economy but get evil comments from brain dead left sided liberals!!!

  29. Pingback: Sri Lanka's Leader Plays Seinfeld With His Country's Airline and Why the FAIR FEES Act Will Raise Fares - View from the Wing
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