As 2021 draws to a close, it is time for my annual “Top 10” series. Here, I’ll look back on my 10 favorite flights from 2021.
As a reminder, this is not a top-10 all-time list nor does it necessarily contain the 10 most luxurious flights I enjoyed this year. Rather, it represents my subjectively favorite flights. You’ll see the common thread among the list is the great service onboard. While it is difficult to quantify the value of great service, it certainly makes a flight memorable in a positive way.
10. Viracopos To Fort Lauderdale In AZUL A330 Business Class
AZUL was the surprise of the year, with a comfortable cabin, excellent service, and a pair of tasty meals on my overnight flight from Sao Paulo to Florida.
9. London To Los Angeles In Virgin Atlantic A350 Business Class
The new A350-1000 marks a revolutionary improvement for Virgin Atlantic. It is an unbelievably great product compared to the last generation herringbone seats.
8. Vienna To Chicago In Austrian Airlines 777 Business Class
Austrian always impresses with great service and a wonderful onboard menu, including a separate coffee menu.
7. London To New York In American Airlines 777 Business Class
We had the entire business class cabin virtually to ourselves and received superb service from Julie.
6. Chicago To London In United Airlines 787 Business Class
This flight was all about Gun, the amazing purser who took such good care of me and truly was the kindest flight of the year.
5. Van Nuys To Oakland On Citation X
It was fun to introduce my family to the private jet experience…we could certainly make a habit of it.
4. Frankfurt To Los Angeles In Lufthansa 747 First Class
Despite a couple minor service lapses, this was still a tremendous flight on one of my favorite products in the world.
3. Singapore To Los Angeles In Singapore Airlines A350 Business Class
Great service and tasty food throughout the flight, plus eight solid hours of rest. Singapore still offers a full service product during the pandemic.
2 London To Tokyo In ANA 777 Business Class
The service on this flight was phenomenal, the seat (called “The Room”) comfortable, and I even got to see the Northern Lights from my window!
1. San Francisco To Frankfurt In Lufthansa 747 First Class
This was a bittersweet flight in that I left our passports on board, which created a huge headache when we landed. However, the flight itself was near perfect, with particularly good service (and thankfully, well-behaved children).
What was your best flight in 2021?
Royal Air Maroc and lucking out with the 787-9 from IAD. Service was wonderful, food was surprisingly good, cabin was empty, and I was ecstatic to be getting three weeks off the grid.
Lufthansa F from Chicago to Frankfurt. Nothing specific about the flight, was just so happy to see the return of LH F again and the FC Terminal.
And the favorite I wasn’t even on, AA from DCA to LAX and watching my daughter, who is 13, walk up the jetway all happy after her first solo flight to anywhere.
“And the favorite I wasn’t even on, AA from DCA to LAX and watching my daughter, who is 13, walk up the jetway all happy after her first solo flight to anywhere.”
How did you get till the gate without being a passenger?
Either he pulled some strings with a friend who works at the airport, or be booked a flight then canceled it after making it to the jet bridge?
Unaccompanied Minor Pass. A few data points on these passes for those with kids is that you can’t access the lounges and TSA Pre will not work.
As I only took two flights this year it didn’t make sense to comment in both the best and worst sections.
Best: Southwest 737-800 STL-MKE. Had a row of 3 to myself.
Worst: Southwest 737-800 MKE-STL: Did not have a row of 3 to myself but the middle seat stayed empty.
Thats it.
This is awesome, made me laugh. Thanks and you win the Internet today!
Thanks and Happy and Safe New Year!
Didn’t have one international flight in 2021. Brutal. So even your worst flights look good
What are your 10 most average flights?