Hotels, airlines and even car rental companies give us benefits that are good all year, but sometimes we treat them too preciously. This is the year to spend your upgrades early and often! 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 […]
Loyalty in 2019, Plan For 2020
At the turn of the year (and in this case, the turn of the decade) reflection is important before forging ahead. My loyalty experience in 2019 was interesting, 2020 feels more intentional already. 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 […]
Review: United Airlines 787-9 Business Class Sydney To Los Angeles + Lounge Hopping In SYD
After a fairly mediocre flight to Sydney, my return flight was a far better overall experience, even with an inferior seat. After arriving in Sydney from San Francisco a bit late, I had two hours before my “connection” back to Los Angeles. I used the time to make a “coffee” run between three lounges. I’ll […]
British Airways Faces A Lounge Challenge In London Heathrow
As part of its New Years resolutions for 2020, British Airways announced it will “refresh” its lounges in London Heathrow. That presents quite a challenge to a lounge network that is already overburdened with guests. My family and I flew from London to Frankfurt earlier this week out of Heathrow T5 on British Airways. Since […]
My 10 Worst Flights In 2019
Unlike my 10 Best Flights of 2019 post from earlier today, I’d say this list is a bit more controversial. After all, how bad can any premium product really be? But listing my 10 worst delayed domestic flights would hardly be worth a post. So here are my 10 worst flights of 2019, with the […]
My Top 10 Lounges In 2019
As 2019 draws to a close, it is time for my annual “Top 10” series. Here, I’ll look back on the 10 best airport lounges I visited in 2019. Note, this is my “top 10” list, but only my “top 10” list of lounges I visited this year. 10. American Express Centurion Lounge – Philadelphia […]
Review: United 777-300ER Business Class San Francisco To Sydney
Here’s a rundown of the first half of my whirlwind journey to Sydney, Australia in United Business Class in order to achieve 1K status for 2020…and of course for a proper cup of coffee. I’ve outlined the reason for the trip here, so will jump right to the flights. I proceeded directly from a Christmas […]
The Thrill Of Doing A Mileage Run Again…
I’ve taken many review trips in 2019, but my mileage run to Sydney was something I have not done in years. And it was thrilling. This wasn’t my first mileage run to Sydney. 1o years ago I took my first one…a LAX-HNL-SFO-SYD-SFO-HNL-LAX trip that included two stops on Honolulu. But ever since United tied RDMs […]
How My Mileage Run To Australia Nearly Died An Agonizing Death
Creeping delays, a late evening flight, and a 45-minute connection in San Francisco very nearly doomed my United 1K mileage run to Sydney. All day my flight from Burbank to San Francisco showed on-time, but all day I knew it would not be. That’s because of the “Where is this aircraft coming from?” feature on […]
I Am Flying From SFO To LAX…Via SYD
San Francisco to Los Angeles nonstop? Please, I’m flying via Sydney, Australia. Hello from 30,000 feet over the Pacific Ocean. If you read my recent 1K dilemma post, you’ll know that I wavered (and frankly agonized) over whether to make 1K status in 2020. For all the horror stories I hear about upgrades never clearing, […]
My Urgent United 1K Dilemma
Here we are the end of the year and I have a quick decision to make concerning United MileagePlus: push for top-tier 1K status in 2020 or settle for Platinum status. One of my commanding officers in the U.S. Air Force used to love saying, “A lack of planning on your part does not constitute […]
Review: United Airlines 787-10 Economy Class
I’ve flown United’s new Boeing 787-10 in business class, but how is it in economy class? Sometimes I will decline and upgrade even when it is is available. My supply of upgrade instruments is not unlimited and I made the choice to remain behind the curtain on my flight from Newark to Frankfurt. First, the […]
United Airlines Adds Two New Washington Dulles Routes
United Airlines is continuing its expansion at Washington Dulles with two new routes next summer, further growing its mid-Atlantic hub. In 2020, United will add service to Bangor, Maine (BGR) and Madison, Wisconsin (MSN). Service to Madison is effective May 8th while service to Bangor is effective June 4th. The Bangor route, 601 miles, will […]
United’s Bifurcated Approach To Aircraft Seating
Just what is a “Scott Kirby Retrofit”? Is that configuring a 767-300 with a staggering number of business class seats or squeezing more passengers onto a 787-8? My friend Gary from View from the Wing wrote a story yesterday entitled, “Leaked Seat Maps Show United’s 787s Are Getting A Scott Kirby Retrofit.” Working off seat […]
Unlike Matthew, United’s CEO Change Makes Me Reconsider Loyalty
United announced this week that CEO, Oscar Munoz, would step down with United President, Scott Kirby, taking over May 1st, 2020. Changes like these don’t affect flyers often but I’m reconsidering my loyalty to United. 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 […]
Editorial: Scott Kirby, New United CEO, Has Earned My Respect
He’s called the heartless bean counter, the tone-deaf numbers man who fails the basic empathy test. But I’d caution all of us to stop attacking incoming United CEO Scott Kirby before he even starts. News of Kirby’s promotion was met by a chorus of groans from United frequent flyers, who fear an acceleration of customer-unfriendly […]
United Replaces Close-In Booking Fee…With A New Close-In Booking Fee
For months, United has proudly boasted that it is doing away with the $75 close-in processing fee for awards booked within 21 days of departure. What it did not mention was that that dollar fee for close-in bookings would merely be replaced by a mileage fee for close-in bookings. I’ve written about the changes already. […]
United Will Operate More Boeing 787s From Chicago
United Airlines will concentrate more Boeing 787 Dreamliners at Chicago O’Hare next year. In August, United announced the 787 was finally coming to Chicago, United’s home base. That included service to: Brussels (starting on March 28, 2020) Frankfurt (starting on March 28, 2020) Munich (starting on March 28, 2020) In 2020, United will add the […]
First Time In First Class Terminal + Lufthansa A321 Business Class To Scotland
121pilot, a commercial airline pilot in the United States who has offered his insights and analysis on a number of topics on Live and Let’s Fly recently traveled with his brother and father on a very special trip to Scotland. He asked me if I would be interested in a trip report and I quickly […]
United’s New Domestic & International “Shuttle” Service
United Airlines will offer an hourly service from Newark to both Washington, DC and London in 2020. While not a formal rebirth of United Shuttle, the new flight schedule hearkens back to days of old. Andrew Nocella, United’s Chief Commercial Officer, announced the news at yesterday’s Media Day in Chicago. New Hourly Service From Newark […]
