I recently had the opportunity to experience Lufthansa First Class with my German wife Heidi — just wait till you read her account of the flight — and it reminded again that flying is so much more fun with a friend or loved one than by yourself. On this Thanksgiving day, I wish to point out that this flying hobby is great when you do it solo, but what makes it spectacular is sharing it with others.
We’ve been reading with both admiration and excitement about Lucky’s trip around the world with his father and most of the fondest memories of my travel were not solo trips–
1. First flight in an upgraded cabin, September 2004, ORD-LAX United 747-400 Upper Deck with my Uncle Bill
2. First Class in Swiss and Lufthansa First to TLV and CAI with my Uncle Dale in July 2011
3. Trip Around the World in Turkish, Lufthansa, Swiss, and Thai First with my brother in December 2010, LAX-ORD-MUC-IST-BKK-PEK//PVG-ZRH-FRA-JFK-LAX
4. Trip to my law school graduation with my father in May 2013, LAX-EWR-ZFV-EWR-LAX
5. Seeing the delight on my wife’s face as she experienced Lufthansa First Class for the first time, November 2014
6. Singapore Suites to Australia with Uncle Bill in June 2013, SIN-MEL
7. A mileage run from BUR-SFO-LHR-LAX-SYD-LAX-LHR-SFO-BUR with Uncle BIll (and bother on the LAX-SYD-LAX legs) in September 2010 (it was not a straight mileage run: we stayed in London for a few days and Australia and New Zealand for a week…)
8. Uncle Dale’s last plane flight, CLT-SFO in US Airways First Class in March 2012
9. Several trips to Asia and the Pacific via HNL with Uncle Bill on United Airlines, our favorite stopover point
10. Another trip around the world with my brother in September 2013, LAX-ORD-WAW-FRA-AMS-BKK-TPE-PEK-VIE-BRU-JFK-LAX
That’s just 10 (in no particular order) and while I have had incredible trips around the world alone, there is nothing like traveling with a loved one.
This is an incredible hobby of which I am beyond grateful to spend the bulk of my time pursuing, but what I love most about this hobby is being able to share in aspirational trips with others, enjoying not just the pampering of a business or first class seat and lounge, but forging incredible memories with those who mean much more than a destination, hotel, or class of service.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Hey Matthew, when you said ” reading with with both admiration” I think that’s an error
Thanks!