Airlines Archives - Page 7 of 11 - Points, Planes and Passports

Meeting the AA Executive Platinum Status Challenge… In One Month!

BySean September 6, 2014January 1, 2024

I previously wrote about the details of the Executive Platinum Status Challenge with American Airlines for which I recently signed up. Well, I didn’t just blindly agree to the challenge — earning 25,000 elite qualifying points (EQP) in three months is no small feat, after all! Before I even asked for the challenge, I carefully…

Elite Status Challenges with American Airlines

BySean September 5, 2014September 24, 2014

Airlines – particularly legacy US carriers — value their elite passengers. These passengers are widely viewed by the airlines to be some of their most profitable passengers, and as such, those passengers are extended numerous perks such as priority boarding, free checked bags, and first class upgrades. For quite some time, most airlines offer published and…

Review: United Global First Class Sydney to San Francisco

BySean August 1, 2014January 1, 2024

A review of our flight back to the States from Sydney to San Francisco in United Global First Class on the B747-400. United Global First is an extremely comfortable way to cross the Pacific, though the seat privacy and catering lags in comparison to first-rate international carriers.

Review: Qantas Economy and Business Class Cairns to Sydney to Melbourne

BySean July 28, 2014September 6, 2014

We flew a couple of great domestic flights on Qantas — Cairns to Sydney in economy class and Sydney to Melbourne in business class. Both flights were fantastic domestic flights with good onboard product, and great service!

a body of water with a dock and buildings in the distance

An Evening in Cairns and a Flight to Lizard Island, AU

BySean July 22, 2014January 1, 2024

We spent an evening in the NE Queensland city of Cairns before flying to Lizard Island on Hinterland Aviation to meet our dive boat, the Spirit of Freedom

Review: Virgin Australia Economy Class Sydney to Brisbane to Cairns

BySean July 16, 2014September 4, 2014

A review of two Virgin Australia domestic flights from Sydney to Cairns via Brisbane in economy class.

Review: United Global First Class Los Angeles to Sydney

BySean July 7, 2014September 4, 2014

Our United Global First Class flight from Los Angeles to Sydney on the B747-400 featured very good service, an extremely comfortable seat, and simply dismal catering.

United Global First Class Lounges – Washington-Dulles and Los Angeles

BySean July 6, 2014September 4, 2014

A long few days of travel commenced with a couple domestic hops and several hours at both Washington-Dulles and LAX United Global First Class Lounges… and they both were distinctly different experiences.

2014 Mid-Year Travel Report

BySean July 3, 2014

As the mid-point of the year has now come and gone, I figured it was that time of the year to compile my travel statistics for the year thus far. Though I’ve taken a couple wonderful trips, my rate of travel lags FAR behind my pace in 2013.

Fifteen Days in Australia – Planning

BySean July 2, 2014September 4, 2014

Flying to Australia on frequent flyer miles in the Winter is no small feat. I used United miles to fly between the USA and Sydney in United Global First Class. Domestic Australia flights on Virgin Atlantic and Qantas were planned with British Airways Avios, American Airlines miles, and cash.