After a relaxing few days in Goa, it was time to fly to Chennai. We chose IndiGo for our flight, which turned out to be a pleasant surprise. As a reminder, I’m in the midst of a “vintage” trip report to India/Maldives. Although this flight took place in 2016, it still captures what you can […]
Review: Park Hyatt Goa (ITC Grand Goa Resort & Spa)
My stay at the Park Hyatt Goa—now called the ITC Grand Goa Resort & Spa—was a reminder not to always let the blog dictate choice of hotel. Oh, the property was lovely. But unnecessary. Read on to find out what I mean. As a reminder, I’m in the midst of a “vintage” trip report to […]
Review: SpiceJet Bombardier Q400 Hyderabad To Goa
My SpiceJet Q400 flight from Hyderabad to Goa was smooth and punctual…unlike Hyderabad airport. As a reminder, I’m in the midst of a “vintage” trip report to India/Maldives. Although this flight took place in December 2015, it still captures what you can expect if you fly SpiceJet today and has not been previously published. Click […]
Review: Etihad A320 Business Class Abu Dhabi To Hyderabad
Here’s a quick review of my overnight flight from Abu Dhabi to Hyderabad on an Etihad A320 in business class. As a reminder, I’m in the midst of a “vintage” trip report to India/Maldives. But even though this flight review is a few years old, it still captures what you can expect if you fly […]
Review: Park Hyatt Hyderabad
I enjoyed a lovely three-night stay at the Park Hyatt Hyderabad, one of the best-value Category 2 Hyatt properties in the system. As a reminder, I’m in the midst of a “vintage” trip report to India/Maldives. My wife and I spent over a week in India, starting our trip in Hyderabad. We arrived early in the morning […]
Review: Etihad Lounge London (LHR)
The Etihad Lounge in London Heathrow T4, now called “The House”, is not what it once was…but still an above-average lounge at LHR. A disclaimer is appropriate here. I’m in the midst of my final “vintage” trip report…you can read the introduction here. Some of the pictures below will be from that trip, some will […]
How To Fly Emirates Business Class For A Small Fraction Of Retail Price
You don’t have to pay sticker price to fly business class on Emirates. Instead, you just need to buy miles strategically. Say you want to travel between Los Angeles and Dubai nonstop on Emirates in business class. You’re looking at a ticket that runs over $10,000 round-trip or nearly $7,000 one-way. Round-Trip: One-Way: Even if […]
Even When Delta Wins, It Loses
Delta is doing so well in so many ways. Exciting new service to India is coming. So why does Delta continue to levy petty attacks against Gulf carriers? I just don’t get it. It has been a great run for Delta. The best-run airline in the USA has reported consistent profits, boasts happy employees, an expanding […]
I Hope JetBlue Is Courting Etihad…
Etihad is shrinking while JetBlue is growing. That presents a strategic business opportunity at London Heathrow. Jet Airways is on the verge of collapse, but leaves behind some incredible assets…including three that may be particularly valuable to JetBlue. I’m talking about London Heathrow slots. Last week, Indian regulators revoked Jet’s license to transport passengers on […]
The Painstaking Process Of Plotting A Review Trip…
Like any addiction, the flying compulsion rears its ugly head without warning and with great force. I had to chuckle at Ben’s recent piece entitled, “My Very Logical, Methodical, Review Trip Planning Process…” He and I think about review trips in precisely the same way. Before I even take a look at award space or […]
Restaurant Review: Gaggan – Bangkok, Thailand
Winner of two Michelin stars and winner of the best restaurant in Asia, Gaggan is a progressive Indian restaurant in Bangkok’s Embassy district. Despite an outcry from the public, the restaurant will close forever in August of 2020. Here was our experience at one of the most exclusive restaurants in the world. If you are […]
When The Hotel Concierge Comes Through
On a recent visit to Bangkok Thailand, we stayed in a number of hotels at a variety of price points. It was a pair of concierges at the Hyatt Regency Bangkok Sukhumvit that made all the difference for our entire trip when they came through with an inside connection. If you are considering booking travel or signing up […]
Trip Report Roadmap for 2019
As we enter 2019, I want to give you an idea of what to expect in terms of trip reports this year on Live and Let’s Fly. The good news, or bad news, depending upon your perspective, is that I am about caught up on my multi-year backlog of trip reports. In fact, I only […]
Review: Hyatt City of Dreams (Manila) – Suite
During a mileage run to the Philippines, I was able to check out the Hyatt City of Dreams in Manila. This hotel uniquely combines luxury and value, especially when staying on World of Hyatt points. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new credit card please click here. Both support LiveAndLetsFly.com. If you haven’t followed us […]
What Happens When You Actually Smoke During A Flight?
The no smoking signs are ubiquitous, but so are the ashtrays (by U.S. federal law). So what happens when someone just decides ignore the signs and light up? In India, a smoker refused to extinguish cigarette on a recent flight, forcing his ejection and an extended delay for the other passengers onboard. Vistara flight 707 […]
Lufthansa Puts Lipstick On A Pig
If ever the “lipstick on a pig” metaphor were appropriate, this is the case. I recently wrote about the new service Lufthansa will operate between Frankfurt and Pune, India. The route has traditionally been operated by a Privatair 737, but Lufthansa’s partnership with Privatair ended. Due to the short runway in Pune, no wide body […]
Lufthansa: From Incredible To Outrageous
I thought Lufthansa’s decision to operate an A319 from Germany to India and charge ridiculous prices was incredible, but now it has done something outrageous. A couple weeks ago, when booking a last-minute Lufthansa first class award with Aeroplan, I noticed the fuel surcharge was higher than normal. The routing was LAX-SFO-MUC-MAD. Normally, taxes/fees run […]
Review: Dilmun Lounge Bahrain (BAH)
During my long layover in Bahrain I took a few moments to visit one of the airport’s Priority Pass lounges, called the Dilmun Lounge. It is located near Gate 16 on the departures level and open 24/7. Lounge amenties included: Seating for 60-70 guests Buffet featuring: sandwiches wraps fruit cheese soup hot dishes (Middle Eastern / […]
Review: Etihad A380 First Class Apartment
What is it like to fly in an Etihad A380 First Class Apartment on a shorter flight? This is part of my previously unpublished 2016 Gulf Carrier Mezze trip report. Although Etihad now uses a 787-9 instead of a A380 on this route, the soft product remains virtually unchanged. For now, at least. As Etihad […]
Review: Grand Hyatt Mumbai
While not in the heart of Mumbai, the Grand Hyatt Mumbai is a welcome escape from the hustle and bustle of India’s most populous city. After spending the day exploring Mumbai, I arrived at the Grand Hyatt around 3:00pm, exhausted. I had been unable to sleep the night before and had spent about 10 hours […]
