For this week’s Meal of the Week, I want to share something that I hope airlines will take seriously: soup is the way to a passenger’s heart. I could do a post on the dozens of soups I have enjoyed...
It’s A Small World (of Hyatt) After All
My wife and I took little Augustine to Disneyland last week. His first ride, appropriately I think, was It’s A Small World. The ride, a Disneyland staple since 1966, takes you on a journey around the world with the following...
Three Observations on Singapore KrisFlyer Devaluation
Singapore Airlines is devaluing its KrisFlyer program on March 23, 2017. While the changes could have been far worse, there is no way to spin this as good news. Singapore KrisFlyer Devaluation Details Singapore Airlines awards are going up moderately, anywhere from...
Cute Video from Brussels Airlines
Brussels Airlines is celebrating its 15th birthday and launching an Extra Smile campaign (get it?) to make help make some worthy soul’s dream come true. Start with the video– Overlook the “Going the extra smile for you since (sic) 15 years” title and...
United’s Clever Trick to Keep Crews Out of Dangerous Venezuela
The situation in Venezuela is not getting any better. With violence increasing as the economy further descends into chaos, United Airlines now fears for the safety of its crews. Rather than suspend service completely, it has taken a novel to...
Review: China Airlines A350 Business Class Amsterdam to Taipei
China Airlines’ A350-900 in business class was every bit as impressive as I hoped it would be. Great service, great food, and a great seat made for a great flight. I had started in Los Angeles the previous morning, with a...
Review: KLM Crown Lounge Amsterdam
KLM’s flagship Crown Lounge in Amsterdam is the biggest business class lounge I have ever seen. The entrance does not look all that imposing, but walk in and the seating areas stretch as far as the eye can see...
Why Egypt Postponed Tourism Suicide
After another game of Russian roulette, Egypt has wisely decided that its bright idea to raise the price of tourist visas by more than 140% should be shelved. At least until July… Egyptian Prime Minister Sherif Ismail announced that plans...
Review: San Francisco to Amsterdam in KLM 787-9 World Business Class
Flying KLM for the first time was already a treat, but flying on KLM’s 787-9 in business class turned me into the child eagerly waiting for Christmas morning. KLM World Business Class Flight Preview Email After checking in online,...
First Look at Air France 787-9 Dreamliner
Air France is now in possession of its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Taking delivery last month, the carrier is currently utilizing the aircraft on its Cairo route but plans to “showcase” it on the busy Paris – London line this spring before...
Introduction: Adventures on SkyTeam
I’ve flown most Star Alliance and oneworld carriers, but very few on SkyTeam. When Garuda Indonesia offered 90%-off first class award redemptions, I sensed an opportunity not only to try SkyTeam’s premier first class product, but also sample additional...
Globalist for 24 Months: Mattress Running for Hyatt Status
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 on Facebook or Instagram, add us today. I’ve long been a fan of Hyatt hotels (as my reviews will show)...
Review: Hong Kong Disneyland
Though we had been to and through Hong Kong more times than we could count, we have some favorite spots in the city that make any layover greater than four hours worth leaving the airport. We had never taken...
United Beefs Up Domestic Network with New Routes
In December, I mentioned that United Airlines is refocusing on domestic flying. The plan is win back the road warriors and leisure travelers alienated during the Smisek era by focusing on operational reliability. United CEO Oscar Munoz recently told employees that United suffered...
New United Service from San Francisco to Munich
United Airlines will add daily summer service between San Francisco and Munich, running from late May through early September. Adding to flights to London, Frankfurt, and Paris, the new service to Munich will utilize a Boeing 787-8 and run...
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: February 26, 2017
Greetings from cold and rainy Seattle. I am speaking at FTU this weekend and it has been a lot of fun. If you have not yet been to FTU, consider the upcoming Minneapolis FTU in June. This weekend I...
Garuda’s Dangerous Gamble at LAX
Garuda Indonesia is coming to Los Angeles! The carrier has sought permission to operate 3x per week between Jakarta and Los Angeles beginning in November 2017. Garuda plans to use its three-cabin 777-300ER on the route and operate the...
Hyatt Place in Europe: A Whole Different Experience
On my way back home from the Garuda trip, I spent one night in Amsterdam at the Andaz and my second night at the Hyatt Place near Schiphol Airport. I loved the Andaz — it was exactly what I...
Hollywood Throws Out Bob Hope from Burbank Airport
As my home airport, I watched with great dismay as service to Burbank greatly shrunk during the Great Recession. Now with great delight I watch service returning to pre-recession levels. In a bid to draw even more travelers (and...
Five Reasons My Garuda First Class Flight Was Incredible
Hello from Amsterdam! The Garuda First Class flight is over and it was great. Really great. Here are five reasons my experience was incredible. #1 The incredible crew More than anything else, the crew was amazingly spectacular. Every moment of...
