I’ve flown Turkish Airlines many, many times over the years, but now I finally get the chance to fly the 777-300 in business class. Yesterday evening was a beautiful winter day in Los Angeles. It was brisk outside…like 52ºF....
Win a Free Trip to Australia from United Airlines
Is your name Sydney? United Airlines may have a free ticket to Australia with your name on it… To celebrate our new route between Houston, Texas and Sydney, Australia, we’re running a sweepstakes that calls on people with the...
Last Chance to Win a Free Lufthansa First Class Duck!
In a few hours, I will be using random.org to choose the winner of my Lufthansa First Class Duck sweepstakes. But you still have time to enter! Remember, to enter this sweepstakes, follow these two steps: Like my Live and...
Street Tacos in LAX Star Alliance Lounge
My love for Mexican food was recently satiated by extremely tasty street tacos at the LAX Star Alliance Lounge. > Read More: Star Alliance Lounge LAX Review If you read me regularly, you know that I am a hopeless optimist...
My Hyatt Globalist Status Requalification is Complete
Although I once questioned the value of it, I have successfully re-qualified for Hyatt Globalist status with 60 nights in the bag for 2017. Last year I barely squeaked by, earning Hyatt Diamond status with 25 stays. Hyatt has...
First Airbus A350 Service Starts at LAX Today
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) will finally see an A350 at the gates of the Tom Bradly International Terminal. Today, Hong Kong Airlines will launch new service to Los Angeles, adding a budget carrier to an already competitive route....
Zimbabwe Airways is Dead, Long Live Air Zimbabwe?
In the world of airline travel in the land of corruption, sometimes the best way to shed debt is to close shop and re-open a block away. That was the plan for Air Zimbabwe. Was… I haven’t addressed the...
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: December 17, 2017
After another trip to New York, I’m back in Los Angeles until tomorrow…when I’ll fly to Germany for Christmas. It has been a hectic month, so I am looking forward to some downtime. American Airlines’ opened a beautiful new...
Anti-Review: Valeto Carry-on High chair? What?
As a frequent traveler and occasional blogger I am always on the hunt for products that could make our lives easier. When products come recommended by Condé Nast Traveler, Forbes and key members of various traveling mom Facebook groups...
Hyatt On The Bund’s Xindalu – Shanghai
One of three restaurants at Hyatt on the Bund is Xindalu, a Chinese kitchen. I asked Neil at check in where a good place to go for Xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) near the hotel. He stated the hotel restaurant. Usually...
When Dynamic Award Pricing Goes Wrong
Increasingly loyalty programs are shifting from a fixed-price redemption for their loyal members to dynamically priced awards. This can mean cheaper prices for shorter distance flights where airlines need to fill seats and costs are low, but it can...
How Valuable is Your Time? Airline Bump Economics
Earlier today, I wrote about my oversold United redeye flight, where passengers were offered $2000 to take a flight the following morning. I’m still not understanding why there were not more takers. First, I do acknowledge we are talking about...
$2,000 for a United Bump…
My flight from Los Angeles to Newark on Thursday night was so full I was unable to get a seat on it. That, in and of itself, is not all that unusual during the busy holiday travel season. The...
Denied Lounge Access for Wearing UGGs
This story caught my eye because I just bought my wife some UGGs last week–I think they are very attractive footwear. Joanne Catherall claims she was denied access to the Qantas Lounge in Melbourne for having the temerity to wear...
Did Anyone Lose Their SWISS First Class Reservation with United?
As I prepare my legal case against Aeroplan, I have a question to anyone who recently booked SWISS First Class award space via United: is your reservation still intact? I’m trying to draw to sufficient data points to weigh...
Review: AA Flagship First Dining Los Angeles (LAX)
The new Flagship Lounge is nice, but I was most excited to sample American Airlines’ new Flagship First Dining experience at LAX. This lounge within a lounge is reserved exclusively for first class passengers traveling on longhaul international routes...
Delta Postpones Final 747 Flight
While United Airlines went out of its way to make its final 747 flight a commemorative event, Delta appears to have taken the opposite approach. The Atlanta-based carrier just postponed its final scheduled service on the 747. In a...
Win a FREE Special Edition Lufthansa First Class Duck
As promised yesterday, I am giving away a free Lufthansa special edition Christmas rubber duck to one lucky winner. I picked up this beauty in the Lufthansa First Class Terminal last Saturday in Frankfurt. Every holiday season, Lufthansa creates...
Flying a Private Jet from LA to Las Vegas
Earlier this week I had the chance to fly on a private jet from Van Nuys to Las Vegas…something I could easily get used to. This wasn’t my first time flying private, but it was a very different experience...
We Need More Airport Smoking Lounges, Not Fewer
The Centers for Disease Control argues that indoor smoking rooms must be eradicated from airports worldwide in order to reduce risk to second-hand smoke. I take the opposite approach: I believe non-smokers are better protected though MORE indoor smoking...
