Welcome to my next trip report, which will cover the recent 14-leg journey I took around the world.
It all started when I noticed ANA had released some first class award space on its A380 from Honolulu to Tokyo. As the latest A380 to enter service, I was keen to test it out, especially because it included ANA’s new first class suite.
But then I thought, why stop there? Why not use the summer lull to make this an “epic” review trip? So I started constructing an elaborate itinerary around the ANA flight.
When the dust settled, I came up with the following:
This trip report will include the following reviews:
- ANA Honu Lounge Honolulu (HNL)
- ANA First Class Suite Honolulu (HNL)
- ANA A380-800 First Class Honolulu to Tokyo Narita
- ANA First Class Suite Tokyo (HND)
- Thai 747-400 First Class Tokyo Haneda to Bangkok
- Thai A350-900 Business Class Bangkok to Guangzhou
- China Southern Lounge Guangzhou (CAN)
- China Southern A380-800 First Class Guangzhou to Beijing
- Cathay Pacific Lounge Beijing (PEK)
- Cathay Pacific 777-300 First Class Beijing to Hong Kong
- The Deck (HKG)
- The Pier (HKG)
- Cathay Pacific A330-300 Business Class Hong Kong to Colombo
- ShangriLa Colombo
- SriLankan A330-300 Business Class Colombo to Kuala Lumpur
- Cathay Pacific Lounge Kuala Lumpur (KUL)
- Plaza Premium Lounge Kulala Lumpur (KUL)
- Royal Jordanian 787-8 Business Class Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok
- Royal Jordanian 787-8 Business Class Bangkok to Amman
- Ryanair 737 Amman to Milan via Bucharest
- Sheraton Hotel Milan Malpensa Airport
- Air Italy A330-200 Business Class Milan to San Francisco
There are several lounge reviews that I am skipping because I already have comprehensive reviews posted. This entire itinerary took place over a span of less than eight days.
How I Paid For It
The trip constituted seven tickets; including what I consider to be two outstanding awards redemptions, one bad award redemption, and four revenue tickets.
- Ticket One – $307.60 (but I had a United compensation voucher)
- Los Angeles to Honolulu on United
- Ticket Two – 80K United miles + $30.90 in taxes
- ANA A380-800 First Class Honolulu to Tokyo Narita
- Thai 747-400 First Class Tokyo Haneda to Bangkok
- Thai A350-900 Business Class Bangkok to Guangzhou
- Ticket Three – 50K American miles + $49.60 in taxes
- China Southern A380-800 First Class Guangzhou to Beijing
- Cathay Pacific 777-300 First Class Beijing to Hong Kong
- Cathay Pacific A330-300 Business Class Hong Kong to Colombo
- Ticket Four – $550.00 (including $4.19 Orbitz booking fee)
- SriLankan A330-300 Business Class Colombo to Kuala Lumpur
- Royal Jordanian 787-8 Business Class Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok
- Royal Jordanian 787-8 Business Class Bangkok to Amman
- Ticket Five – $78.66
- Ryanair 737 Amman to Milan via Bucharest
- Ticket Six – 92K British Airways Avios + $385.63 in taxes
- Air Italy A330-200 Business Class Milan to San Francisco
- Ticket Seven – $83.30
- San Francisco to Burbank on United
I will not be covering the two United flights in this trip report.
It was tough to pay so many miles for the Air Italy flight considering the alternatives (Lufthansa First Class for 70K and the same fees), but you sometimes duty calls over comfort. And I did end up having a wonderful flight on Air Italy…
CONCLUSION
These flights occurred less than a month ago, but it already seems so distant. Thanks for reading and let me know if there is anything you’d like me to focus on in this report that I may have not have mentioned above!
I’m interested in reading about CAN, And the rest with great variety Safe Travels
I’m locking down RTW20 1.0 next March and transiting CAN from HKG on the way to DOH to experience Qatar 1st & especially the lounge in Doha. using AA miles I could have flown CAN-DOH-LHR for 90K, but only 2.5 hr transit, so two bookings for 112,500 miles and a day in Doha (nice). Snagged a 70K Alaska Award for 1st in Cathay JFK-HKG afternoon flight to watch for the North Pole. 🙂
You’re going to love the Al Safwa lounge!
That’s a long list of reports. Good on you for kickstarting another series of reports, and wishing you all the motivation it takes to write them (it’s labour intensive – I speak from experience). Thanks for your dedication to this blog with everything else that’s going on, and say hello to Augustine and Heidi for me!
Will do! Thank you for your words of encouragement Alvin.