Would you ever give up a confirmed upgrade on a six-hour flight just to get home a few hours earlier? That’s what I did yesterday. I was flying from Newark to Burbank via San Francisco on United and had...
Remembering United Flight 93 at Newark Airport

Today marks the 17th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 09/11/01, a tragic day that catapulted the world into a new era of uncertainty. Four planes were hijacked and used as weapons of mass destruction, but one of them…United...
My Hong Kong Airlines Trip Just Got Sweeter!

Last month I took advantage of a great business class fare on Hong Kong Airlines for an upcoming trip to Asia. But now the trip just got even sweeter. What can beat a $688 round-trip business class tickets to...
Gross: Airbnb Guests Find Hidden Camera In Alarm Clock Pointed Toward Bed

When a British couple found what appeared to be a hidden camera inside a bedside alarm clock in their Airbnb room, they did not know what to think. Was it paranoia? Was this really a camera? But all the...
The Ridiculous “Story” Of The Sleeping United Pilot

United Airlines passengers stunned when pilot changes out of uniform and takes a NAP in first class an hour into the flight –UK Daily Mail United Airlines passengers stunned to see pilot take off clothes and fall asleep in first...
Review: Gulf Air A320 Business Class

Of all my flights on this trip, this one turned out to be the most pleasant surprise. Bahrain International Airport is one of my least favorites in the world and the transit process is always a pain. I queued...
An Oasis In The California Desert

The car trip home from Las Vegas to Los Angeles is one of the more loathsome U.S. road trips out there. Thankfully, there is an oasis in the desert. As you make the 4.5 hour journey along desolate I-15,...
My 59€ Upgrade on KLM

If you know me, you know that I don’t stray much from Star Alliance unless it is a “review” trip for the blog. Yesterday, however, I found myself on KLM and encountered an unexpected upgrade surprise. My business partner...
Review: Rocco Forte Villa Kennedy Frankfurt

A luxury hotel nestled in the heart of Frankfurt’s Sachsenhausen district offers opulent accommodations and beautiful common areas, but the service left something to be desired. My business partner John and I had some work in Frankfurt last week...
Why My German EasyPASS “Global Entry” Stopped Working

I landed in Frankfurt last week and proceeded directly to the EasyPass lanes. It was my first attempt at entering Germany with my new trusted traveler credentials obtained a few weeks prior. image: easypass.de The machine read my passport,...
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:...
Hidden In Plain Sight: Hyatt Globalists Points Worth More

As a World of Hyatt Globalist, I have been missing a value enhancement to my World of Hyatt points that were hiding in plain sight. The following corrects that notion. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a...
Overwhelmed at the Shenzhen Electronics Malls

During my status run to Hong Kong, I took a day trip to Shenzhen, a place I have never been before. Once I found my way into the city, I was on a mission to visit some of the...
Getting From Hong Kong to Shenzhen

During my status run to Hong Kong, I took a day trip to Shenzhen, a place I have never been before. Some of the information I found online was incomplete or incorrect so I wanted to share my efficient,...
A Decadent Meal in Etihad First Class

Each week, my Meal of the Week feature examines an airline meal from my travels over the years. This may be a meal from earlier in the week or it may be a meal served over a decade ago. In case...
JetBlue Strongly Hints At London Service, Citing “Obscene” Fares

Good news for us: JetBlue is hinting more strongly than ever before that it may soon start service to London with an expressed goal to bring down “obscene” premium cabin fares. obscene | əbˈsēn | offending against moral principles;...
Review: Gulf Air Business Class Lounge Bahrain (BAH)

I arrived in Bahrain at 8:55 A.M. and my connecting flight did not depart until 5:55 P.M., leaving me all day in BAH. I’ve been into Bahrain before and opted to head straight for the Gulf Air Falcon Gold...
Is Starbucks Fooling Itself In Milano?

Starbucks opened its first coffee shop in central Milan today, with more to follow. Are they crazy? First, congratulations to Starbucks on a beautiful new store. Starbucks calls it the “crown jewel of Starbucks global retail footprint” and I can...
Review: Etihad Airways A319 Business Class Abu Dhabi to Bahrain

While Etihad is nothing short of spectacular in many ways, it does not measure up to Qatar Airways on intra-Gulf flights. We departed from a remote stand, meaning a long bus ride from the gate to the aircraft. Etihad...
If American Airlines Asked Me To Pee In A Bottle…

If American Airlines asked me to pee in a bottle or hold it…I would pee in a bottle. After experiencing lavatory malfunctions on an AA flight from Phoenix to Kona, passengers were asked to urinate in bags or bottles....