My 15.5-hour flight from Los Angeles to Dubai on Emirates was comfortable and restful. While there were some service lapses, how can I complain about two great meals and 10 hours of sleep? I booked this ticket using 82,500 Alaska miles two days before travel. Emirates tends to open award space at the last-minute and […]
A Lufthansa First Class Tradition Becomes An Emirates First Class Tradition
Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, but when it comes to the Lufthansa First Class Terminal in Frankfurt, I always opt for dinner for breakfast. Now I do the same on Emirates. I’ve written before about the wonderful filet mignon that I start off each Lufthansa First Class trip with. There’s nothing like […]
The Best Lounge At LAX For Young Children
Traveling with infants or children is often not only stressful in the air, but on the ground. But one lounge at LAX stands out as the superior choice for parents or guardians traveling with young children. The oneworld lounge in the Tom Bradley International Terminal has a dedicated area for children. Unless I missed them, […]
Review: The Air France First Class Ground Experience
I was impressed by many things on my recent Air France first class trip, but what impressed me most was the ground service. Although I already reviewed the La Premiere lounge in Paris yesterday, the whole ground service experience deserves a dedicated post. Many airlines offer excellent ground service, but none as comprehensive as Air […]
Review: Los Angeles International Lounge (LAX)
The Los Angeles International Lounge in the Tom Bradly International Terminal at LAX is the “leftover” lounge. Emirates and Etihad have their own lounge at LAX. Oneworld and Star Alliance both have first class and business class lounges. SkyTeam uses the Korean Air lounge. Then there’s carrier like Philippines Airlines, EL-AL, and Hong Kong Airlines […]
Review: Thai Airways A380 First Class Osaka To Bangkok
While it is always fun to try a new A380 first class product, I did not expect such a great flight on Thai Airways…my best overall flight ever with them. After spending about 40 minutes in the Thai Airways Royal Orchid Lounge in Osaka, boarding was announced and I walked over to the nearby gate, […]
Review: Qatar Airways A380 First Class Doha to Paris
After literally a day in the Al Safwa lounge, I ventured back into the terminal and proceeded to the gate for my connecting flight to Paris. This would be my first time aboard a Qatar Airways A380. Boarding had started early and I found myself one of the last passengers onboard. Stepping onto the aircraft, […]
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: GVK First Class Lounge Mumbai (BOM)
We laugh about Emirates First Class being gaudy and pretentious, but the GVK First Class lounge in Mumbai Terminal 2 takes ostentatiousness to a whole new level. That’s a backhanded compliment, but I did enjoy this lounge. It’s gold and ornate, a bit much for the confined space, but arguably a welcome change of scenery from […]
Review: Middle East Airlines A320 Business Class Dubai To Beirut
Other than the smoking, I had a wonderful flight on Middle East Airlines from Dubai to Beirut. In my teaser about this flight, I mentioned that the pilots were smoking onboard. I must mention it first here, for I know that it is a deal-breaker for many of you. Indeed, as I stepped onboard the […]
Review: Air France 777-300ER Business Class Paris To Dubai
My first ever flight on Air France presented a startling revelation, to me at least: not only was Air France acceptable, it was excellent. I arrived in CDG’s Terminal 2 early and proceeded to the “Sky Priority” check-in area. There was a line to enter this area: every passenger’s name was checked against a manifest. […]
Review: Emirates A380 First Class Dubai to Frankfurt
By almost every measure, my second flight on Emirates in first class far surpassed the first. With excellent food and service, my only complaint that the flight was too short. Boarding commenced directly from the first class lounge, a great feature of the A Councourse lounge. Please note this review is from 2015. Click here […]
Review: Emirates A380 First Class Los Angeles to Dubai
Emirates First Class is rite of passage for any aficionado of miles and points. I was absolutely giddy with anticipation for my flight. But were my expectations too high? Check-in was easy at LAX and the the agent did not even bat an eye when she asked me where I was heading and I said […]
Review: Emirates Lounge Los Angeles (LAX)
While not as fancy as other top-tier first class lounges, the Emirates Lounge at LAX offers a truly exceptional buffet and plenty of room to spread out prior to your trip to Dubai. The lounge is only open between 12:45p and 4:45p.m. during the summer and is used only for Emirates passengers. If you’re flying […]
Next Up: Los Angeles to Frankfurt via Dubai in Emirates First Class
My next trip report will be a short one, covering my journey from Los Angeles to Frankfurt via Dubai in Emirates First Class onboard the A380 for both sectors. Whenever I post a review that is more than a year old, I inevitably receive a complaint that my review is no longer relevant or out […]
Why I’m Excited About the New LAX American Express Lounge
American Express officially announced today it will open a lounge at LAX in 2019. We’ve known about this lounge for several months thanks to various leaks from LAX board meetings, but the official announcement comes with exciting details. First, the lounge will have a spa (much like the spa in Dallas, which is great). Second, […]
Review: ANA 777-300ER First Class Chicago to Tokyo
My ANA first class expectations were quite high going in, so I was ecstatic when they were exceeded. The seat and service were exactly as expected, but the meals onboard were not just great, but tremendous. This review is from 2016. I outline my reasons behind publishing older flight review here. Further, note that Gary […]
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 I’ll say at the outset that Lufthansa First Class never disappoints. Always Say YES To An […]
Qatar Airways First Class vs. Qsuite Business Class
I’ve received many questions asking whether I prefer Qatar Airways First Class or fancy new Qsuite Business Class. Here’s a comparison of the two products. Qatar Airways still offers first class aboard its A380-800 aircraft. Thus far, Qsuite Business Class is only available onboard its 777-300ERs. I’ll be comparing a flight from Doha to Paris […]
Review: Qatar Airways 777-300ER Qsuite Business Class New York to Doha
After spending the day in the AA Flagship Lounge, it was time to fly to Doha aboard Qatar Airways’ new Qsuite Business Class. The flight departed from Gate 14, jut a few paces from the lounge. I was unable to check-in online since my destination was Vietnam, which requires a visa for U.S. travelers. Instead, […]
