Good evening from Carmel, CA…I’m spending the holiday weekend at my favorite California Hyatt and have been enjoying the fresh air and beautiful weather with my family. Earlier today we drove down Highway 1 to Big Sur…it is always beautiful: Last week, Alaska Airlines introduced a draconian new restriction on Cathay Pacific, Hainan, and JAL […]
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: February 11, 2018
A pleasant Sunday evening to you from Los Angeles. It was a quiet week on the blog, but a busy week in life. I’m looking forward to the week ahead, but especially looking forward to a special family trip coming up next weekend. Here’s a review of the week’s top stories and a summary of […]
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: February 4, 2018
Hello from 35,000 feet. I’m on my way to New York for a quick business trip. I trust I’ll be back home, though, by the end of the day tomorrow. Who would have thought a little story on a peacock would have gained so much attention? It has been quite awhile since one of my […]
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: January 14, 2018
I’ve just begun my next trip…it will be a busy week and much of it is still unplanned. It has been a relatively quiet week in industry news, with Alaska and Virgin now operating under a single certificate. A primary focus of my blog over the past week has been on my surprisingly excellent trip […]
Introduction: A Trip to China on Finnair
For years I have wanted to try Finnair. A business trip to China allowed me to finally sample not just Finnair’s business class, but the Finnair A350. John and I were in Germany and had to get to Beijing. Although John’s first choice is always Lufthansa First Class, I talked him into trying Finnair Business […]
How the East Coast Storm Ruined My Weekend in Sunny LA
A horrific storm pummeled the East Coast last week, bringing commercial aviation to a standstill. As airlines continue to dig themselves out of the backlog, let me tell you about my weekend. At Award Expert, we don’t just book your tickets, take your money, and say goodbye. On the contrary, we provide trip assistance if […]
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: January 7, 2018
A very happy Sunday evening to you from Los Angeles. It’s been a horrible weekend in one respect. I’ll explain tomorrow. For now, I’ll just leave you with the top stories of the week and a link to each post over the last seven days on Live and Let’s Fly. TOP STORY: Why You Should […]
My Top 10 Lounges in 2017
In addition to many remarkable flights this year, I’ve also enjoyed many excellent lounges. Here’s a look back at my top 10 lounges of 2017. Although I have visited many superior hotel lounges, I’ve constrained my list only to airport lounges. 1. SWISS First Class Lounge (ZRH) In addition to a beautiful menu of locally-sourced […]
My 10 Worst Flights of 2017
Unlike my 10 Best Flights of 2017 post from earlier today, I’d say this list is a bit more controversial. After all, how bad can Lufthansa First Class be…or any premium product for that matter? But listing my 10 worst delayed domestic flights would hardly be worth a post. So here are my 10 worst […]
My 10 Best Flights of 2017
As the year draws to a close, here’s a look back at my 10 best flights in 2017. 1. Saudia 777-300 First Class, RUH-LAX The best flight of the year was due to one man: Chef Rahmi. I’ve never seen a more conscientious, hard-working, and resourceful onboard chef. Plus, Saudia’s first class hard product (with […]
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: December 24, 2017
It’s Christmas Eve and I hope, like me, you are spending it with family friends. I’m on “vacation” in Germany for awhile, but there is never really any true vacation in the world of blogging and Award Expert. Posts will be more limited over the next week to maximize time spent with my family, but […]
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 lounge and lounge-within-a-lounge in Los Angeles earlier this week. Here’s my review of the new lounge […]
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: December 10, 2017
I’m back in LA after a whirlwind trip to New York and Frankfurt. I’ll have more details on that trip tomorrow, including a dismaying incident at JFK. My focus over the last week has been on the SWISS First Class award cancellation. I have no new updates to report today, but will continue to keep […]
Why I Disagree with Lucky on Air Canada’s Strict Lounge Access Policy
Fundamentally, a business class ticket is a business class ticket…confirmed passengers who paid with miles instead of dollars should not be treated as second class citizens. From all initial reports, it appears Air Canada’s new Signature Suite in Toronto sets the standard for à la carte airport lounge dining in North America. I am very excited […]
Introduction: Adventures on Ethiopian Airlines and Qatar Airways
Two so-called mistake fares. One mega trip. It was a hard-fought battle, but eventually I prevailed and successfully reinstated my discounted business class ticket on Ethiopian Airlines. Soon thereafter, Qatar Airways published an amazing business class fare between Ho Chi Minh City and New York. Stitching the two legs together, I would fly to SE […]
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: November 19, 2017
I really enjoyed FTU this weekend. Not only was it fun to meet many readers, but it was a great crowd–I hope all who attended enjoyed it. I’m happy to report that I have no more (planned) airline trips until Christmas. It has been quite awhile since I’ve been able to spend more than a […]
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: November 05, 2017
Hello from Southern California…where I’m recovering from a relapse of sickness. Thankfully not the stomach flu I had last week, but another particularly strong head cold. I really need to lay off the travel… This week marks the final United 747 flight and I will be taking part in festivities in San Francisco and Honolulu. […]
Last Call: These Five United Awards Will Be More Expensive Tomorrow
In June United announced an award devaluation effective November 01, 2017. While a relatively modest devaluation as far as devaluations go, there are still five awards you should book today if you have no already done so. > Read More: Why I’m THANKFUL for Latest United Mileage Plus Devaluation 1. USA to Southeast Asia Business Class […]
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: October 29, 2017
Hello from Singapore…where I’m laying in bed sick. I’ll keep this brief. You’ll find a review of the week’s top stories below. Let me stress: take care of yourself. Don’t overdo it. But at the same time, take every opportunity you can to see this world of ours. I’ve been blessed to see so much […]
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: October 22, 2017
I’m back in LA after a fast-paced week around the world. My trip took another twist on the way to Ho Chi Minh City, which I will share tomorrow morning. As it was a relatively light news week, Live and Let’s Fly focused more on trip reports than breaking news. But importantly, Airbus and Bombardier […]
