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Category Archives for FlyerTalk.

He Got a Real Pretty Rental Car, Ain’t He

March 25, 2015 by Mikel Bowman 1 Comment

Travelers share tales about being pulled over and written a ticket precisely because they were driving rental cars – and how they handled it.

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“First Class” Is to United What “I Saw” Is to Bill O’Reilly

March 19, 2015 by Mikel Bowman 6 Comments

It seems as a general rule we have lost our way with regard to the agreed upon meaning of the term “first class”. That or United is either crazy or lying to us.

It Seems Airlines Believe Loyal Customers Are Unprofitable Customers

March 3, 2015 by Mikel Bowman 4 Comments

When an airline provides perks to passengers who have paid a small fee, but deny the same perks to elite members of its frequent flyer program that tells me they don’t value loyal flyers very highly.

Is the Delta IT Team Undermining Delta SkyMiles Management?

February 25, 2015 by Mikel Bowman Leave A Comment

LBJ reported yesterday that Delta SkyMiles awards priced out differently if he was logged in vs. logged out. Oddly, prices were coming out higher for him when he was logged in.

The Future of Lie-Flat Economy Seating

February 23, 2015 by Mikel Bowman 5 Comments

While some in the Chinese airline industry are talking about standing room only “seating”, frequent flyers over on FlyerTalk are discussing the possibilities of lie-flat seating in economy class.

British Airways’ Club Europe Lowers the Curtain

February 19, 2015 by Mikel Bowman Leave A Comment

While the in-flight “benefits” of Club Europe are marginal at best, LondonCapeTownAnyday reports that British Airways appears to be in the process of reducing them even further.

The Department of Transportation’s Likely Next Step Regarding Mistake Fares

February 13, 2015 by Mikel Bowman 7 Comments

Shortly after the fallout from the recent United mistake fare is sorted, the Department of Transportation will not attempt to parse who is and isn’t acting in bad faith at all and will instead employ a more broad brush approach.

This Just In: United Will NOT Honor Denmark Mistake Fares

February 11, 2015 by Mikel Bowman 2 Comments

The initial report regarding how United intends to handle the mistake fares that were booked this morning, as reported by Ben Mutzabaugh at USA Today, is that United will NOT be honoring all of the tickets purchased. Notice the emphasized words. FlyerTalkers aren’t quite ready to give up the fight based on this news. Off…

Denmark Wiped Off the Map – Now What?

February 11, 2015 by Mikel Bowman 6 Comments

A mistake fare that caused tickets between Europe and the U.S. to price out at about $100 has been fixed. But that doesn’t mean the fun is over. In fact, in many ways the fun is just beginning.

Are Those Avios Program Comparison Charts on the British Airways Tails?

February 9, 2015 by Mikel Bowman Leave A Comment

Rather than study the new and old award charts and present a host of hypothetical travel scenarios and how the changes would impact earning and redemption, Sixth Freedom asks himself how he “would have been impacted over five years had the recent Executive Club changes taken effect on 1st January 2008.”

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Review: United's Island Hopper from Honolulu (HNL) to Guam (GUM)

Every points and miles enthusiast has his or her own dream itinerary, but few routes are as unique as United's Island Hopper, which travels from Honolulu to Guam with stops at several small islands in between. Here's TPG Contributor Michael Spelfogel's review of the Island Hopper flight experience.

As an aviation enthusiast, United Airlines Flight 154 (aka the Island Hopper) is the holy grail of flight routes: HNL-MAJ-KWA-KSA-PNI-TKK-GUM, or Honolulu-Marshall Islands-Kwajalein Atoll-Pohnpei Island-Micronesia-Guam. The flight departs Honolulu three times per week, making five stops on its way to Guam, with each of them being on a small atoll or island nation that relies on the flight as its only source of tourism and other goods coming to the island. Booking the Island Hopper is usually quite costly, but thanks to my 70,000 United MileagePlus miles, I booked an open-jaw round-trip flight with a two-day stopover in Pohnpei, allowing me to visit three of these tiny Pacific islands.

Booking the Island Hopper with United MileagePlus miles can be rather complex so I wrote a separate, detailed guide about how to do it . I was successful in splitting segments for each leg, an important victory because I was eligible for United Complimentary Premier Upgrades on each individual leg from MAJ to GUM. Although United representatives did not clear the upgrade in Honolulu (HNL), I was able to show my segment boarding pass to the gate agent at KWA and managed to get an upgrade for the individual flight.

Check-In and Boarding

Check-in at Honolulu International Airport (HNL) was relatively easy, as the airport wasn't crowded early in the morning. I was able to get my two traveling companions Economy Plus seats for free even though they did not have premier status (only I did) and were traveling on separate reservations. The agent also allowed us to check all of our carry-on bags for free, which was especially helpful because passengers have to remove all bags if they wish to deplane at any island along the route.

HNL also has TSA PreCheck , so we breezed right through the airport to the gate. The gate itself is confined to a small area so agents can do a passport check before you board. Be sure to pack plenty of snacks since you are only served one meal and one snack the entire 15-hour flight. You can also buy food at each island if you deplane, but options can be limited.

United has a special team and additional agents on hand to expedite the boarding process both at the gate area and on the plane. Flight attendants vigorously rearranged bags to make sure all carry-ons fit, ensuring the plane could push back on time — a late departure, even by just a few minutes, can mean a crew time out somewhere along the route should there be other delays.

Cabin and Seat

United uses an updated 737-800 for its Island Hopper route and we were happy to find that the aircraft is now retrofitted with outlets and televisions at every seat. Row 7, the first in the economy cabin, is a bulkhead Economy Plus row and the best on the plane — the first-class partition doesn't go completely down to the floor so you can stretch your legs out into first class. Be sure to look at SeatGuru's seat map of the plane, as some areas like row 12 are missing windows. The mechanic — yes there is an onboard mechanic — sits in 7C, so 7A is a great seat if you want to chat with the mechanic and have a nice view of the left side of the plane.

The Economy Plus seats are very desirable, especially considering the entire route takes almost 15 hours (on a narrow-body domestic-configured plane) if you do it all on the same day.

The First Leg: HNL-MAJ

The flight pushed back almost an hour late from the gate because of "weight imbalance" issues. Despite our tardy departure, the crew assured us that we were not in danger of a crew time out (apparently United builds in about a 3-hour window just in case). We taxied, took off from the Reef Runway and within minutes, only the Pacific Ocean could be seen out the plane window. Here's a cool time-lapse video I took of our takeoff from HNL:

The flight to Majuro (MAJ) in the Marshall Islands was more than five hours long, so I watched a few movies on the way. The only true meal was served on this leg: a sausage, egg and cheese sandwich that came with a fig bar, yogurt and a juice box. As I said above, pack your own food !

On each leg of the trip, my friends sat on the opposite side of me so we could get a bunch of great photos and for the first leg, the left side was the real winner. We flew over Majuro's narrow strips of land before descending to the first airstrip — the landings really are as spectacular as the FlyerTalk trip reports suggested.

In Majuro you can get off the plane but you have to re-board and risk losing precious overhead bin space — this is why I recommend checking your carry-ons if possible. We were able to get passport stamps in Majuro just by asking the immigration officials. MAJ has a small gift shop and food store in the terminal, but there's no free Wi-Fi.

Second Leg: MAJ-KWA

After re-boarding, we were quickly on our way to Kwajalein Atoll (KWA). As we were preparing to land, the flight attendants asked us not to take pictures as the island is being used as an active US military base — passengers whose final destination is not KWA are also not permitted to deplane at this stop. The approach was quite nice and I would recommend sitting on the left side of the aircraft to get the best view. In between each island is usually a short 45-minute hop, but soft drinks were served, so that was nice.

Third Leg: KWA-PNI

Before pushing back — well, turning around, as there is limited ground equipment here — I showed the ground staff my boarding pass that said "Upgrade Standby." There were now a few open seats in first class and the agent quickly ushered me up to the front. The premium seats are pretty standard for domestic first class, with individual outlets as well as larger seat-back televisions.

On the short island hops, first class passengers receive a snack in addition to any alcoholic or soft drinks. This came in handy as I had now finished all the food I'd brought with me and was starving. The banana and bag of pretzels were able to hold me over until our next stop in Pohnpei.

Our approach to this island was a bit different because Pohnpei is more like one large and mountainous island instead of several low-lying island chains. If you sit on the right side of the aircraft, you'll have a tremendous view of Sokehs Rock, which dominates the island's skyline. We actually chose to use our free stopover in Pohnpei, one of the islands of the Federated States of Micronesia, so we could explore the Nan Madol ancient ruins as well as several waterfalls and snorkeling spots around the island.

A Two-Day Stopover in Pohnpei

Spending two days in Pohnpei turned out to be one of the best experiences of our whole trip. We were the only three western tourists on the island and aside from a group of Japanese tourists, we basically had the entire island to ourselves.

We stayed at the 7 Stars Inn, which was comfortable, cheap and had free Wi-Fi, but not much more. Most people come to the island to scuba dive, but you should also consider renting a car and driving the circle road to explore the rest of the island.

On the far side of the island, we checked out the ancient Nan Madol ruins. Getting there was a bit challenging — our rental car broke down so a taxi driver actually took us the rest of the way to the ruins. We were also required to pay between $1 and $3 at three distinct checkpoints along the entrance road. Once at the site, we took our time exploring the inside of the temples as well as the barrier walls that bordered directly on the Pacific Ocean. This was one of the most beautiful ancient sites I have ever seen and it's not publicized at all!

After that, we took a 25-minute ride to Kepirohi Waterfall, a beautiful waterfall you can swim under!

While on the islands, make sure you try the tuna, which fishermen catch daily — I had some of the best raw tuna ever and it was usually $5 for a dozen large pieces of sashimi! The sunsets there are unbelievably beautiful and we made sure to find a scenic place to watch it each night.

Fourth Leg: PNI-TKK

After our short break from flying, we re-embarked on the next westbound flight from Pohnpei to Chuuk International Airport (TKK) in Micronesia.

Sit on the right side of the plane for great views of Pohnpei as the aircraft makes its turn out of the airport as well as awesome views of Chuuk Lagoon upon descent.

Chuuk is interesting in that it consists of a series of islands and uninhabited atolls. This was our second choice for the next stopover, as there are amazing opportunities for diving with shipwrecks, but we ended up choosing Palau instead.

After landing at TKK, we made friends with the captain and got to check out the cockpit as well as do a pre-flight walk-around. Apparently fire trucks follow the plane after it lands at each airport because they have to douse the tires in water to cool off the brakes, which don't have time to cool off between each stop.

Fifth Leg: TKK-GUM

The last leg of our journey was from Chuuk to Guam — after taking off, it was about a three-hour flight.

Back in economy, they served us a light snack, but the food overall was quite lacking. It was sunset when we landed in Guam and many of the restaurants at the airport were already closed for the night. Guam has both TSA PreCheck and Global Entry , which expedited the transfer process for passengers who were continuing to Hong Kong, Manila, Yap or Palau.

Bottom Line

The United Island Hopper proved to be a rewarding experience that combined aviation interest with the natural beauty of remote South Pacific islands. I don't think I would rush back to do the trip again in the very near future as it was not your typical beach vacation by any stretch of the imagination, but this is definitely a must for any aviation enthusiasts out there.

Have you ever flown on United's Island Hopper? Tell us about your experience below.

Economy Class & Beyond

Trip Reports

This post is updated as and when I post a report.

• Polishing Silver – A Tier Point run with Ryanair, American Airlines and British Airways – BHX-DUB (FR), DUB-PHL, PHL-SFO, SFO-JFK, JFK-LHR (AA), LHR-DUB, DUB-LCY (BA)
• Surprise, Surprise! Transatlantic surprises with American Airlines and British Airways – LHR-ORD (AA), ORD-LHR (BA)
• Exploring Innovation in a rush – To AIX 2024 with British Airways – Coming soon.
• Back in the Groove – To Chicago with British Airways, in Premium Classes, along with a surprise – LHR-ORD, ORD-LHR
• Back to Innovation, Back to Hamburg – To Aircraft Interiors Expo with British Airways – LHR-HAM, HAM-LHR
• Doughnuts on the Mound 4 – Back to Ireland, Back to Donuts with Ryanair – BHX-DUB, DUB-BHX
• Indirect Travel Fun with American Airlines and Finnair (Oh Yes, Chicago) – LHR-ORD (AA), ORD-HEL-LHR (AY)
• Older Yes, Wiser? No – A Day Trip to Switzerland with British Airways – LHR-ZRH, BSL-LHR
• Sweet Home, Chicago – Back to the Windy City With American Airlines (Main Cabin Extra) and British Airways (World Traveller Plus) – LHR-ORD (AA), ORD-LHR (BA)
• Aircraft Interiors Expo 2022 – Back in Person – To Hamburg with British Airways in Club Europe  – LHR-HAM, HAM-LHR
• Feeling Finnair – Off to Helsinki on bargain fare in Business Class  – LHR-HEL, HEL-LHR
• Doing it for the Tier Points  – More widebody fun with Finnair  – LHR-HEL, HEL-LHR
• Fall fun in the Windy City – To Chicago with American Airlines and British Airways – LHR-ORD (AA), ORD-LHR (BA)
• A Birthday Trip to Geneva with easyJet – BHX-GVA, GVA-BHX
• Escape to The Village – A trip to Portmeirion with Transport for Wales
• To Stuttgart and Schwabisch Hall – Off to Explore Innovation in seating with Recaro Aircraft Seating (LHR-STR, STR-LHR)
• A Change of Scenery (Travelling during a lull in a pandemic) – To Frankfurt with Lufthansa (BHX-FRA, FRA-BHX)
• Widebodies and Short Routes – To Madrid with Iberia and British Airways – LHR-MAD-LHR
• Part 1 – The Pleasure – LHR-ORD-LHR
• Part 2 – The Business – LHR-HAM-LHR
• Donuts on the Mound – 3 Bites of a Donut – BHX-DUB-BHX with Aer Lingus
• Summer Premium Travels – To Singapore and Bangkok with British Airways, Finnair, Qatar Airways and Scoot (LHR-OSL OSL-HEL-DOH-SIN, SIN-BKK, BKK-DOH-OSL, OSL-LHR)
• An Irish Aviation Enthusiasts Day Out, SailRail with Irish Ferries and Aer Lingus (BHX-DUB-BHX)
• Taking the Longer Way Home – To Chicago – with American Airlines and Finnair – LHR-ORD, ORD-HEL-LHR
• A Modelling Day Out with British Airways – To Barcelona in Club Europe – LHR-BCN, BCN-LHR
• Springing into Chicago with American Airlines and British Airways  – LHR – ORD, ORD-LHR
• Exploring the new at Aircraft Interiors Expo with FlyBe   – BHX-HAM, HAM-BHX
• Europe! Start Voting Now! To the Eurovision Song Contest with Brussels Airlines, Ryanair and Portuguese National Railways  – BHX-BRU-LIS, LIS-OPO (Train) OPO-BHX
• Train vs Plane: The Amsterdam Edition with Eurostar and British Airways  – LON-AMS, AMS-LHR
• Donuts on the Mound 2: More Donuts, More planes with Aer Lingus  – BHX-DUB, DUB-BHX
• Summer Tier Points – To San Francisco with American Airlines, British Airways, Aer Lingus and Ryanair  – BHX-DUB, DUB-JFK, JFK-SFO, SFO-JFK, JFK-LHR-DUB, DUB-BHX
• Aboard the Lufthansa Flying Lab and APEX Expo Boston- with Recaro Aircraft Seating  – LHR-MUC, MUC-BOS, BOS-FRA, FRA-LHR
• Long way home – To Chicago with American Airlines and Finnair  – LHR-ORD, ORD-HEL, HEL-LHR
• Train vs Plane: The Brussels/Christmas Edition  – LON-BRU, BRU-LHR
• Let’s Tallinn that again! With Finnair and NoRRA in Business Class… and an A350 – LHR-HEL, HEL-TLL, TLL-HEL, HEL-LHR
• Pleasure and Business – To Chicago and Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg with American Airlines And British Airways (featuring World Traveller  Plus and Club Europe) – LHR-ORD, ORD-LHR, LHR-HAM, HAM-LHR
• Doughnuts on the Mound – To Dublin with a bunch of #avgeeks – BHX-DUB-BXH with Aer Lingus
• Summer Adventures to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur with Qatar Airways in Business, British Airways in Club Europe and EuroTraveller and Malaysia Airlines in Economy – LHR-ARN, ARN-DOH-SIN, SIN-KUL, KUL-SIN, SIN-DOH-ARN, ARN-LHR
• A Celebratory Trip to Chicago with British Airways and American Airlines – MAN-LHR-ORD-LHR-MAN
• Life, The Universe and Everything – 42! – With British Airways in Club Europe to Zurich – LHR-ZRH-LHR
• Two for the Price of One – Off to Chicago and Hamburg with British Airways and American Airlines  – MAN-LHR-ORD, ORD-BOS-LHR, LHR-HAM-LHR
• Flight-Fight! Birmingham to Dublin, with an Aer Lingus and Ryanair Face-off!  – BHX-DUB, DUB-BHX
• There’s gotta be a oneworld way – with British Airways, Iberia, American Airlines and British Airways CityFlyer  – LHR-MAD, MAD-ORD, ORD-DUB, DUB-LCY
• Mr Kevincm returns to Washington – BAcon3  featuring the British Airways A380   – MAN-PHL, PHL-DCA, IAD-LHR, LHR-MAN
• Tallinn Tier Point Run with Finnair and NoRRA  in Business Class.. and an A350 – LHR-HEL, HEL-TLL, TLL-HEL, HEL-LHR
• Book it Danno! Tier Point Run II – To Hawaii with British Airways, US Airways and Ryanair  BHX-DUB-LCY-SNN-JFK-PHX-HNL-PHX-JFK-LCY-DUB-LHR
• Brrr Chicago! To the Frozen City with British Airways and Iberia  – LHR-MAD-ORD-LHR
• The Five Yen of Happiness – Japanese Adventures with Qatar Airways, British Airways and The JR Shinkansen Network   – LHR-FRA, FRA-DOH, DOH-HND, Many Shinkansens, NRT-DOH-FRA, FRA-LCY.
• Exploring the Unfamiliar – To Chicago, Washington DC and Boston with American Airlines and British Airways  – MAN-ORD, ORD-DCA-ORD, ORD-BOS, BOS-LHR-MAN  (I’ll write it one day!)
• Growing Old in Style with Cathay Pacific and British Airways in Business Class   – LHR-DUS, DUS-HKG, HKG-LHR
• The Last Push! 700 Tier Points to Gold with American Airlines, OpenSkies, Air France and Eurostar – Mostly in Business Class – BHX-CDG, CDG-JFK-SFO, SFO-JFK, EWR-ORY, ORY-LON-BHX – Also on FlyerTalk
• Saying Goodbye to the DC-10 – Circular Flights with Biman Bangladesh – BHX-BHX
• Cold Chicago, Warm Planes with American Airlines, the new American Eagle E175 and the British Airways 787 – LHR-ORD, ORD-YYZ, YYZ-LHR
• Hello Daytrip! To the Paris Pokemon Centre with British Airways – LHR-ORY and back –
• Viva Las BAcon! To BAcon 2014 with Aer Lingus, British Airways and American Airlines… with a lot of side adventures – BHX-DUB, DUB-LHR-ORD-LAS, LAS-DFW-LHR-DUB, DUB-BHX
• Blowin’ in the wind – Another Chicago Adventure with American Airlines and British Airways – MAN-ORD-LHR
• Adventures, Lufthansa and FTU Amsterdam – A mini adventure with Lufthansa – BHX-FRA-AMS and FTU Amsterdam, and AMS-FRA-BHX
• Back into action, Back to the Back – To Chicago with American Airlines, American Eagle and British Airways (LHR-ORD, ORD-YYZ-LHR) – (Also on FlyerTalk )
• Mmmmmmm! BAcon! To Denver and Beyond With Aer Lingus and British Airways  (BHX-DUB-LHR-DEN-LHR)
• Four Trains and a Wedding – Train and Hotels with Virgin Trains, Greater Anglia, The Holiday Inn Norwich and Chiltern Railways
• Big Plane, Heavy Plane! Short-Haul A380s with British Airways – LHR-FRA-LHR also on Flyertalk
• Making Brussels Interesting – To TravelMagic with Brussels Airlines – BHX-BRU-BHX
• Tiers and Dreams – Featuring American Airlines, A Tier Point Run, and British Airways’ new Boeing 787 Dreamliner . LHR-ORD,ORD-STL-DFW-SJU, SJU-DFW-STL-ORD, ORD-YYZ-LHR
• Farewell Miles – ANA, Asiana Airlines, Thai Airways and BMI to Japan, Hong Kong and Seoul featuring the new Boeing 787 – BHX-FRA, FRA-HND, HND-HKG, HKG-ICN, ICN-LHR  (also on FlyerTalk )
• A Last Star Fling? To Chicago with United and Air Canada – LHR-IAD-ORD, ORD-YYZ-LHR   – Exclusive to Economy Class and Beyond
• Creating a Photo – To New York aboard British Airways with their Airbus A318E – LCY-SNN-JFK, JFK-LCY (also on Flyertalk )
• Behind the Scenes: London City Airport – A look at the work of the staff at London City Airport and what makes an airport tick (also on FlyerTalk )
• Different Airlines – Same Routes – London To Chicago with American Airlines and British Airways Featuring Hurricane Sandy (LHR-ORD-LHR)   (also on Flyertalk )
• Oh, For the LOVE of Avios! To Hong Kong with Swiss and British Airways (BHX-ZRH-BCN, BCN-LHR-HKG-LHR-BCN, BCN-ZRH-BHX) – (also on FlyerTalk )
• Gold Run 2: Blame Canada! It’s only a mileage run anyway! With Aer Lingus, BMI, Air Canada and Continental – BHX-DUB, DUB-LHR-YVR, YVR-IAH-LHR ( also on FlyerTalk )
• Re-Creating a Photo – To New York with United, British Airways and BMI Baby –  BHX-AMS, AMS-IAD-LGA-IAD-FRA, FRA-LCY ( also on FlyerTalk )
• Going the Canadian Way: To Chicago with Air Canada LHR-YYZ-ORD-YYZ-LHR with Air Canada ( also on FlyerTalk )
• SEN for £128.20? A Swiss Adventure – BHX-ZRH-BCN-ZRH-BHX with Swiss and Helvetic ( also on FlyerTalk )
• From One Side of Birmingham to another (Post Birmingham Riots 2011) and Crossing back across the city one day later
• Multi-Modal Mayhem With Eurolines, Brussels Airlines, Air Canada and Lufthansa Birmingham – London – BRU-LHR-YYZ-LHR (also on FlyerTalk )
• A Smooch of Chicago and a Kiss of DC – with United – LHR-ORD-IAD-LHR (also on FlyerTalk )
• Narrow Minds and Narrow Bodies – To Denver with the New United, Aer Lingus and FlyBe – BHX-DUB; DUB-EWR-LAX-DEN-SFO-EWR-BFS; BHD-BHX (also on Flyertalk )
• Long Way Home – The Spring Commute with United and Continental  – LHR-IAD-ORD-CMH-IAD-EWR-LHR   (also on FlyerTalk)
• Atlanta or Bust! With Lufthansa and United  – BHX-FRA-ORD-ATL-IAD-LHR  ( also on FlyerTalk )
• Drinks in Belfast with the BMI Board (BHX-BFS, DUB-BHX) Heading into LCC territory with BMI Baby and Aer Lingus, and a ride on the Enterprise Service.  ( also on FlyerTalk )
• Kevin Gets a little Seoul – To Seoul and Hong Kong with Asiana and Thai in First and Business Class   ( also on Flyertalk )
• Mixed Classes, Infinite fun and/or Madness: The Autumn Run with United Airlines –  LHR-ORD-LAS-LAX-SFO-DEN-LHR    ( also on FlyerTalk )
• Gold Run – Mr Kevincm Goes to Washington with Aer Lingus and US Airways  – BHX-DUB-PHL-LGA-DCA-BOS-PHL-DUB-BHX  ( also on Flyertalk )
• Long Haul Commute With United  – LHR-IAD-ORD and back again in United Economy/Economy Plus   (also on FlyerTalk)
• Saying Goodbye to a Friend  – LHR-ORD-PHL-IAD-LHR  in United Economy/Economy Plus  ( also on FlyerTalk )
• The BA Y+/Y Class Experience  – LHR-BKK-SYD-SIN-LHR AKA Thank you, England and Australia (Cricket Teams)  ( also on Flyertalk )
• The Autumn Run with UA and US.. and some surprises  – LHR-ORD-LAX-LAS (LAS-PHX-LAX-LAS) – SFO-LHR  ( also on Flyertalk )
• How fast can a Premium Economy Product Drop? With BMI Premium Economy – ORD-MAN ( Also on FlyerTalk )
• Come and Be Scared with US! A US Airways Trip – LHR-PHL-SEA-PHX-ORD-PHL-LHR   ( Also on FlyerTalk )
• If you’re going to San Francisco – The SFO MegaDO 08 – with BMI and United  – LHR-SFO-LHR ( also on FlyerTalk )

Trip Reports Published on Flyertalk (which will slowly move over to this site)

• LHR-BRU-LHR… or “How do you burn a £50 BMI voucher without too much pain?”
• MAN-ORD (29/10 … or Did Kevin Make it to ORD?)
• Kevin goes for a little mileage run on UA – ORD/CMH/IAD/EWR/ORD
• ORD-MAN in BMI Premium Economy (with Pictures)
• Kevin’s American Adventure – MAN-ORD-SEA-ORD-MAN (4 flights, 2 weeks) in Y…

As time allows, I’m migrating the older reports to Economy Class and Beyond to build up an archive and a history.

You can also see where I’ve travelled with OpenFlights too.

If you represent an organisation that has been reviewed in a Trip Report and wish for clarification over any issue, please contact me directly at [email protected] stating your credentials and the nature of the query requiring clarification. A response will be sent to you as soon as possible. 

Welcome to  Economy Class and Beyond.  Your no-nonsense guide to network news, honest reviews, featuring in-depth coverage, unique research, as well as the humour and madness I only know how to deliver.

Follow me on Twitter at   @EconomyBeyond  for the latest updates! You can follow me on   Instagram  too!

Also, remember that we are part of   the  BoardingArea  community, bringing you the latest frequent flyer news from around the world.

Humor and Wit: My Favorite Kind of Trip Report

Thankfully, others fill the void. If you’ve got 20 minutes, pull up a chair, sit back, and enjoy one of the most humorous trip reports ( click here ) I have ever read, courtesy of eightblack on Flyertalk. UPGRD competes with Flyertalk so I try to avoid directing people back to the site, but this story was just too good not to mention.

Here’s a preview:

The phone rang… There was no hello. There never is. Just a deep breath, then a launch into a verbal tirade of abuse. About nothing. It was my mother. Now, I will admit, even though I am 44 and have children of my own, this woman still scares me…

About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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Matthew thanks for the kind plug. I was hoping that my 15-mins of fame over “on the other site” would help me meet women. Sadly, only men who lived with their mothers in a trailer park in Detroit were the only people who contacted me.

That and an angry woman with a short haircut who worked in a booth selling tickets for the Manly ferry. But she doesn’t count.

I like your podcasts…keep up the good work. I’d invite myself on as a guest, but the podcast would never make it past first base with the censor!

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I love to fly on smaller aircraft, and this experience was no exception.

Flight Review: Thai Airways Airbus A350 Economy Class From Bangkok To Taipei

Taking an almost three-hour flight on a widebody was an absolute breeze.

Flight Review: Brussels Airlines Airbus A320 Economy Class From Nice To Brussels Airport

Two airlines operate this route year-round, namely easyJet and Brussels Airlines. Which one is better?

What Are Southwest Airlines' Top Routes For The Boeing 737 MAX 8?

Southwest Airlines, a leading US carrier, uses the Boeing 737 MAX 8 for many of its routes throughout Hawai'i.

Flight Review: Singapore Airlines Airbus A380 Business Class From London Heathrow To Singapore Changi

The 12-hour flight went by quickly thanks to impeccable customer service and a spacious cabin.

Flight Review: Finnair's Airbus A320 & Embraer E190 In Economy

Finnair has a sub-fleet of E190s operated by N°RRA, let's board together and see what they are like

Trip Review: Delta Connection E175 SEA-PDX

A pleasant E175 hop from SEA to PDX results in some room for improvement for Delta Air Lines.

Flight Review: Air Canada's Airbus A330 Economy Cabin To Montreal

I left the flight pleasenty surprised by the whole experience.

Flight Review: Air Canada Airbus A330 Business Class From Montreal To London Heathrow

It was smooth sailing during the six-hour hop over the Atlantic.

Cabin Review: Exploring Etihad's 787 Long-Haul Economy

The cabin has some unique features.

Cabin Review: Etihad Airways Boeing 787-9 Business Studio

The hard product provides unparalleled passenger comfort.

Lounge Review: Star Alliance Lounge At Los Angeles International Airport

The lounge is located in Tom Bradley International Terminal.

Review: The Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge At Frankfurt Airport

Some consider the lounge one of Frankfurt Airport's best business class facilities.

Simple Flying In Flight: March's Top Trip Reviews

Take a ride with the Simple Flying team at 36,000 feet.

Review: Malaysia Airlines’ Golden Lounge At Kuala Lumpur International Airport

Simple Flying had the opportunity to enjoy a delightful lounge experience before a flight to Melbourne, Australia

Flight Review: Emirates Boeing 777-300ER Business Class London Heathrow To Dubai

While the carrier operates 6 Airbus A380s daily on this route, it also deploys a seventh service operated by the Boeing 777-300ER.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Were Seen Looking ‘in Love and Happy’ on Secret Lake Como Trip

Page Six and Daily Mail ran photos this afternoon of the couple out on Monday night in Lake Como, Italy. They were seen holding hands while on a stroll . Paparazzi also photographed them having a candlelit dinner in the garden of the Grand Hotel Tremezzo. Swift appeared to have on a navy dress, while Kelce was wearing a white sweater and dark pants.

An eyewitness told Page Six that the couple was able to fly under the radar in Italy. “No one noticed Taylor’s presence on Lake Como,” the source said. “They walked in the night and had romantic candlelit dinners. They seem in love and happy.”

Go Even Deeper on Taylor Swift

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s Full Relationship Timeline

How their whirlwind romance took off, from podcast shoutout to Super Bowl kiss.

Taylor Swift’s 30 Things I Learned Before Turning 30

Read Swift’s candid essay for ELLE about the life lessons she learned before hitting that milestone year.

Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn’s Complete Relationship Timeline

Swift spent six years dating Alwyn. Revisit the history that Tortured Poets is expected to explore.

Kelce confirmed that he was still in Europe on the latest episode of his weekly podcast, New Heights . He also raved about Swift’s last Paris show and shared that they didn’t stay in France long once he arrived.

“I really didn’t get to explore Paris too much,” he shared. “We’ll do that some other time. Yeah, I didn’t get out there in time.”

He had nothing but adoring things to say about Swift, her Eras Tour crew, and the audience at all her Paris concerts. “I mean, I don’t know if they’re just getting better or if I just keep forgetting how they are,” he said of her shows generally, as he has now attended five of them. “It was electric in there.” He said Paris in particular “was on a whole other level, man.”

He gave his accolades to the audience, telling them, “Shout out to Paris for showing up and showing up at all the concerts. It looked absolutely amazing for the first three shows. And that last show was every bit of electric and just energy all, all night, man. It was fun.”

Taylor's ‘Tortured Poets’ Songs Rumored to be About Travis

Taylor Swift Doesn’t Hide the Travis Kelce References in ‘The Alchemy’

Swift literally uses the phrase “touch down” in this song about a love that happens “once every few lifetimes.” Read the lyrics.

Taylor Swift’s ‘The Albatross’ Lyrics Seemingly Reveal the Warnings Travis Kelce Got About Her

Fans theorize this song captures the beginning of Swift and Kelce’s relationship and how they coped with public scrutiny.

Taylor Swift Sings About Wanting to Marry Travis Kelce in ‘So High School’

Swift is not subtle about her feelings about Kelce and their high school-like romance in this love song’s lyrics.

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