Take a look inside United’s newly configured Boeing 777
You can spot a Boeing 777 by the pinched (vs cone-shaped) rear tip of the fuselage (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Slowly but surely, United is rolling out its popular true lie-flat business and first class seats across its international long haul fleet.
According to its website, all of the carrier’s Boeing 747′s and 767′s now have the new business and first class seats. The revamp of its Boeing 777-200 fleet is about halfway there– with 24 out of 46 completed.
United is also installing brand new coach seats in its B777′s, and reconfiguring the cabin from a 2-5-2 to a 3-3-3 layout. (You can see a seat map here.) United’s B777′s are 11-13 years old, on average. Eventually, Continental’s 22 B777′s will be folded into the United fleet, but for now will remain with Continental’s BusinessFirst configuration– which also offers a true lie-flat seat.
From SFO, United has deployed the newly configured B777s on nonstop routes to: London, Tokyo-NRT, and Shanghai.
In December, United invited me out to its maintenance hanger at SFO where most of the reconfiguring is taking place. Below you’ll find photos and info on the new design. Once you’ve had a look, or if you’ve flown on one of these birds, leave your comments about it below!
Check out how big the first class section looks without seats-- like a gymnasium! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
At the back in coach, the B777 is now configured 3-3-3 vs. the old 2-5-2. The new Weber seat "pivots" back, instead of leaning back into the face of the person behind you. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Knee-room in Economy Plus is not bad! Economy Plus provides 34" of "pitch" -- three more inches than standard coach at 31". (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Every coach seat gets a new 7" seat back screen with 150 hours of programming with a variety of movies (all free), television programs, games, and music. If you'd rather BYO entertainment, United's also installed two power outlets for every row of 3 coach seats-- which means you might have to share the juice. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
United and British Airways are the only two carriers to offer front AND rear-facing business class seats. United said it can fit more business class seats into the cabin this way-- and has received few complaints from rear-facers. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Here's another angle so you can see what I mean by forward and rear-facing seats. All biz class seats now have a power plug, USB 2.0 plug and iPhone/iPod input plug. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Seats are configured 2-4-2 which means two middle seats for each row. But there's a nice wide armrest separating them. However, it will still take some maneuvering to get out of the middle seat if your seatmate is in full recline. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Plenty of legroom and a big 17" screen in both business and first class (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
There are eight "First Suite" seats on the B777 configured 1-2-1. Niiice! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Here's a full frontal view of the big First Suite seat. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
There's plenty of storage space for personal effects in the First Suite-- nice on those long hauls to Asia! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Many thanks to the fine folks at United Services at SFO for taking us behind the scenes! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
So, what do you think? In coach, is 3-3-3 better than 2-5-2? The lie-flat seats in biz are clearly better than the previous version. And how do you think the First Suite stacks up against competitors? Please leave your comments below.
(Chris McGinnis publishes The BAT and The TICKET blogs for frequent travelers. Do you have comments or questions about this post? Email Chris.)
- United and British Airways are the only two airlines in the world to offer forward AND rear-facing business class seats. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
How to use your phone overseas- and not spend a fortune
(Photo: Jorge Quinteros / Flickr)
Did you get a shiny new iPhone or smart phone for Christmas? Are you worried that it might cost you a fortune if you dare to turn it on overseas? In this guest post, longtime BAT reader Jim Braude offers some excellent tips for staying connected when overseas– whether you use an iPhone or an Android device. Braude divides his time between Atlanta and Paris managing a delightful collection of guest apartments in both cities that he rents to travelers.
Learn From My Mistakes!
The first time I came here [to France] with my iPhone I didn’t pay attention to details or warnings, resulting in an $1800.00 bill after just two weeks. Now I’ve learned the tricks and happy to share them with you. — Jim Braude, ourhomeinparis.com
1 – Use the wi-fi! Most hotels and all of our apartments have unlimited wi-fi use. Of course, it makes sense to do as much data transfer as possible using the wi-fi network, as it’s the 3G that nails you if you go over your limit (see next point). More coffee houses are adding wi-fi too as a free perk, but be careful if non secured.
2 – AT&T has three features that greatly reduce the bill:
>Global messaging – 200 international text messages for 30.00
>International roaming – data – 125MB for $49.99 – this is greatly reduced recently. If you use it with ONAVO (see below) it’s more than enough for a once-an-hour check of emails for a full month.
>International roaming – voice – $5.99. Cheaper long distance to the US. But I use SKYPE when on wi-fi instead, which is even cheaper.
3 – SKYPE – nothing beats Skype to Skype video calls, free and with the newer Macs you get really clear sound and picture.
4 – ONAVO is a free app for iPhone that compresses data and greatly reduces the amount of data transmission– it literally halves your incoming data bill.
5 – PHONE TAG – for $9.99/month. I forward my incoming voice calls to my phonetag number, it then computer-generates a voice to email message, and sends me an email. This also makes it unnecessary to check voice mail which I prefer. It’s not perfect– occasionally the computer will make some odd choices in its translation from voice to text– but it includes an attachment of the actual voice message that you can listen to if needed as a back up.
6- CHANGE SETTINGS. Change how often your phone checks for email from every fifteen minutes to every hour during the day and change to MANUAL setting at night unless you have wi-fi setting and wi-fi remains on 24/7.
7- WHATSAPP - an almost free app (99 cents) for international texting, works great [across iPhone, Android and Nokia platforms].
8 – GET AN APARTMENT - when a homeowner gets cable service in France, it costs only 5 euros more per month for the owner to add unlimited free calling to the US or Canada from a fixed line. Warning: some carriers do NOT allow free calls to mobile phones–only to fixed lines– so confirm that first. And confirm whether the country you are calling is on the free list. When you install cable (and wi-fi and phone) in your apartment, calls to the US and Canada are almost always free, from both both fixed line and mobile.
9 – PICKPOCKETS – the number one most stolen item in France is the iPhone. DO NOT leave it on a table top at a cafe. A young man covered mine with a newspaper as he asked me a question and took my iphone away in seconds, but I caught him in the act. Avoid using on the subway as you are alerting those around you that you are a prime target. Never leave your iphone in backpack or purse that is behind you rather in front of you.
Do you have any other money-saving or hassle-reducing tips on using your mobile phone overseas? If so, please leave your advice in the comments box below!
Q: What is the longest flight from SFO?
Seatback screen aboard an Emirates B777 showing the route of our 15.5 hour flight from SFO to>>>
Q: What’s the longest flight from SFO?
A: The longest flight from San Francisco International is Emirates’ nonstop, 15.5-hour flight to Dubai on a Boeing 777.
Q: When flying from San Francisco to Dubai, would your heading be west or east?
A: Neither! The 8,100-mile flight between SFO and Dubai heads due north—right over the North Pole!
Last fall, Emirates invited me to take this monumental, nonstop journey to the other side of the world. Here are some notes and photos from the flights—in both directions. C’mon along for this spectacular ride– and see the North Pole…
Photo: Chris McGinnis
Emirates flies a Boeing 777-300 between SFO and Dubai in a three-class configuration: First, business and economy. Depending on time of year, economy class roundtrip nonstops cost between SFO and DXB are in the $1,000-$1,500 range; business class fares range from $5,000 to $7,000; first class roundtrip fares are $8,000+.
Emirates says its load factors out of SFO are very healthy– around 80% on average. It says that SFO is at the “top of the list” for deployment of one of Emirates 15 giant A380s, however, at this time the double-decker does not have the range to fly SFO-DXB with a full load during the hot summer months, so there are no set plans to switch to the A380 for now.
Emirates recently opened a brand new 9,500 square foot business class lounge at SFO’s International Terminal A (the southern side).
Forty-two business class seats are configured 2-3-2 on the B777, with a cocoon-like back shell that provides plenty of privacy. Most surfaces (such as the tray table, and even the toilet seat lid in the lavatory) are covered in a classy burled walnut veneer; there are power outlets for laptops, noise canceling headsets, and oversized inflight amenity bags– one for men, another for women– full of all sorts of goodies. While there is no in-flight internet, passengers can send and receive text messages from their seats at $1 per message. All seat functions (including recline, in-flight entertainment or IFE controls and even massage) are controlled by the hand held unit you see in the armrest pictured above.
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
After a 3:45 pm departure from SFO, we headed due north on a clear day, right over the top of Mt Shasta, Portland, Seattle, Vancouver and the snow-capped peaks of British Columbia at sunset. What a view! I tried to get some work done on the laptop, but found it difficult not to watch the show unfold out the window.
I was particularly impressed with Emirates’ IFE system, which provided a 3-D, virtual-reality-like experience that (to me) was much more entertaining than the thousands of movies, TV shows and games from which passengers can choose. For those who don’t want to view the scenery out the window, electronic window shades raise or lower at the touch of a button.
Photo: Chris McGinnis
Upon boarding, flight attendants served a round a Veuve Cliquot champagne to business class passengers. After about two hours, flight attendants then proffered scented hot towels and warmed mixed nuts and then poured a nice Stag’s Leap Chardonnay, which was followed by a nice meal, briskly served, since many passengers were readying for sleep. I chose halibut, potatoes, grilled asparagus and tomatoes (my seatmate had the Lamb biryani). Food was on par with other foreign carriers I’ve flown– and head and shoulders above what’s typically found in business class on US carriers. Service was efficient, not obsequious or doting.
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
While I was hoping to stay awake long enough to peer out at the North Pole, the two glasses of Chardonnay, the meal, the melatonin and this nice linen covered mini-mattress (see above), full sized pillow and cozy comforter convinced me otherwise. (I did see The Pole on the return, though! Keep reading…)
Business class seats on Emirates B777 are of the “angled lie-flat” variety (vs true lie-flat) which disappointed me at first. However, the tilt was barely detectable once the seat was fully reclined– and get this: I fell asleep somewhere over the Yukon Territory, and woke up seven hours later somewhere over Iran! By far, the longest, best night’s sleep I’ve ever experienced on a plane.
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
After our 15.5 hour journey, we landed in Dubai the following day at about 7:45 pm. Dubai International Airport (DXB) is simply stunning. What you see above is baggage claim– which should give you some idea of what the entire airport is like– big, bright and beautiful. It felt like a brand new Las Vegas casino– minus the gambling, which is illegal in Dubai.
Sixty percent of Emirates passengers use Emirate’s giant DXB hub as a connecting point to the carrier’s extensive network of flights– especially to India. As a matter of fact, 50% of all Emirates passengers from SFO end up flying onward from DXB to Indian cities such as Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi.
India-bound passenger’s other options include flying from SFO via Asia or Europe. At one time, United and Emirates participated in a frequent flyer program partnership where Mileage Plus members could earn United miles when flying Emirates to Dubai. However, Emirates says that United decided to terminate that partnership last May.
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
All business and first class passengers get free transportation via a fleet of black Volvo station wagons stationed outside the airport to their hotels in Dubai (most are about 15-30 minutes away). There is also the quick, slick Dubai Metro rail system that connects the airport to the city– however, note that it has limited hours on Fridays, which are holy days in the Arab world.
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
This photo, taken from the roof of the Shangri-La hotel shows the towering Burj Khalifa, currently the tallest building in the world. In the lower right corner is a Dubai metro station. It all looked like something out of a science fiction movie.
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
On the day of my return flight, I arrived at the airport early to investigate and enjoy what I’d heard was one of the poshest business class lounges in the world. I was not let down– from the spray of fresh flowers at the entry, to the multiple buffets serving traditional English breakfast, full Indian meals, baked potatoes with all the toppings, salmon with capers, shrimp, endless refrigerated shelves of desserts, juices, tea, and coffee. The selection boggles the mind.
Morning is peak time in the Emirates business class lounge, and the place was packed– almost uncomfortably so. I was told that this enormous lounge could accommodate up to 1,600 travelers, and I think it was running pretty close to capacity that day. Seeing the crowds, and knowing that everyone in the lounge had paid several thousand dollars for their business class tickets made me wonder to myself, “What global financial crisis?” (See additional photos here.)
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Flying back to SFO took us over the North Pole once again, and this time I stayed up for the action. In the photo above, you can see our routing over the top displayed on the IFE system.
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
That’s it! The money shot! In this photo, I’m looking out the window straight down on the North Pole. (See the big striped candy cane? 
)
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
After the excitement of seeing the North Pole, it was time for a snooze. Note how Emirates has cleverly installed thousands of tiny fiber-optic white lights (that actually twinkle) into the ceiling of the aircraft to let you know that it’s time to sleep. Nice touch.
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
For Muslims, who must face east for their daily prayers, Emirates in-flight system displays this icon several times throughout the flight in the IFE system– the arrow points east toward Mecca, no matter which direction the plane is pointed in.
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Almost home!
(Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Forward facing cameras on the B777 broadcast the view as we approach SFO and touch down at about 1 pm pacific time.
(Chris McGinnis publishes The BAT and The TICKET blogs for frequent travelers. He was a guest of Emirates Airline on this roundtrip flight. Do you have comments or questions about this post? Email Chris.)
San Jose gets new Tokyo nonstops
Advertisement for ANA's new 787 Dreamliner at Tokyo's Haneda Airport (Photo: Infradept / Flickr)
Yesterday, Japan’s ANA (All Nipp0n Airways) announced that it would bring nonstop service back to Mineta San Jose International airport starting this April. (American Airlines offered SJC-NRT nonstops until 2005).
What’s most exciting about the announcement is that ANA will deploy the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner in the route. ANA is the launch customer for Boeing’s newest aircraft and the San Jose flights (as well as those to/from Seattle) will mark the first commercial Dreamliner flights in the US. Currently, ANA only flies the 787 on intra-Asian routes.
So far, all we have is an announcement– There is no firm start date for the flights and when I checked on ANA’s website today, San Jose is not yet listed as an origin or destination city.
Here’s part of ANA’s announcement:
Flying long-haul services to these two key West Coast destinations will enable ANA to maximize the Dreamliner’s efficiency and performance. The Dreamliner uses 20 per cent less fuel than similar-sized aircraft, making it the first mid-sized airplane capable of flying long-range routes, and offers new standards of passenger comfort because of its composite structure and interior design.
Shinichiro Ito, President and CEO of ANA Group, commented: “We are very pleased to announce the launch of further international Dreamliner services to these two new destinations on the west coast of the United States. We will make full use of the efficiencies of the 787 as well as capitalizing on our close relationship with United and Continental Airlines to enhance the competitiveness of our joint ventures with these two Star Alliance partners.”
“Seattle is an important international business hub and home to companies such as Microsoft, Amazon and, of course, Boeing itself while San Jose is in the heart of Silicon Valley. Passenger demand to fly to both destinations is high, not only from Japan but from many Asian cities. The launch of these new services will make ANA the only Japanese airline to operate the two routes, as well as the only carrier to operate the Narita-San Jose route.”
ANA currently operates daily nonstop flights from San Francisco to Japan using Boeing 777-300ER with new “Inspiration of Japan” interiors.
A few minutes with Richard Branson
Last week, Virgin America launched new nonstops between San Francisco and Palm Springs (one daily in each direction; $180 round trip).
As usual, the swashbuckling Brit billionaire Sir Richard Branson showed up from the other side of the world to lead the celebration for the new service.
The fete included free cosmopolitans for everyone at SFO’s new Terminal 2, speeches by dignitaries, paparazzi and a troupe of crooning Rat Pack lookalikes as passengers waited to board. Plus, there was the obligatory ribbon cutting with Palm Springs mayor Steve Pougnet. (SEE PHOTOS BELOW)
After the short flight south, an 8-foot wide red carpet welcomed passengers at Palm Springs International– and led to a catered party at the terminal including a full bar and thumping DJ for the enjoyment of all.
In the midst of all this, I was able to snag a few minutes with Branson in seats 1A and 1B on the flight to Palm Springs.
He told me that his spin through SF was actually at the tail end of a weeklong business trip that made my eyes crusty with jet lag…
He started from home base in London and flew to Nairobi, Kenya for a conference about overcoming barriers to business success in Africa. Then it was on to Johannesburg, South Africa to promote his new book “Screw Business As Usual” and to open one of his new Virgin Active gyms.
From there he jetted up to Israel to promote his new space travel venture, Virgin Galactic.
From Israel he buzzed over to Portugal to investigate the country’s decriminalization of personal possession of drugs– “It is time to end the war on drugs worldwide. We must stop criminalising drug users,” he says on his blog.
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After Portugal, there was quick stop back in the UK before flying to San Francisco for the Palm Springs launch plus an appearance at an environmental conference with Governor Jerry Brown out at the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park.
As soon as Branson got off the plane in Palm Springs, he made some witty remarks on the tarmac and cuddled with a couple leggy flight attendants (our arrival in Palm Springs was surprisingly wintry). Then it was off to a waiting helicopter that sped him to LA where he filmed a television commercial with Nike that evening.
After that, he told me he was headed to Necker Island, his private Caribbean island, to celebrate his 29-year-old daughter Holly’s wedding, “under the stars on the ruins of the main house, where I was married many years ago.” (The house was destroyed earlier this year by a fire caused by lightening.)
During his 24 hours in San Francisco, Branson told me he bedded down at the posh St Regis (“lovely Christmas decorations in the lobby; that hotel does on the ground what Virgin does in the air,” he said.). He also said he had an excellent, fresh lunch next to the fireplace at the super-hot Cotogna in SOMA (reportedly with financier Dick Blum, spouse of Senator Dianne Feinstein).
Just before our chat, Branson had walked the length of the A320, shaking hands, flashing his big toothy smile back at the cameras, and chatting with the media and astonished passengers—he was totally “on.”
But after hearing him describe his business trip and brutal itinerary leading up to this flight, I had to ask, “How do you deal with all this…the cameras, the conferences, the jet lag?”
“Well, I drink lots of water, avoid alcohol and occasionally take melatonin or a sleeping pill to help get some rest.”
And then, looking wearily and longingly toward the front of the plane he said, “And sometimes I sneak into the lavatory for about three minutes just to be alone.”
Richard Branson, Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet and SFO chief John Martin cut the ribbon (Photo courtesy: Joe Enos)
A red carpet welcome under wintry skies at Palm Springs International
Virgin America’s Puerto Vallarta fiesta flight (photos)
Last Friday Virgin America inaugurated new nonstop service between SFO and Puerto Vallarta. Below are photos from the kick off fiesta at the airport, and from the carrier’s first flight down to PVR on which The BAT was invited. To celebrate, Virgin’s offering sale fares as low as $316 round trip for travel through March if you book by Dec 5.
Arriving for the 9:30 am departure SFO-Puerto Vallarta
A little holiday spirit in the air
Media credentials for the event
At the gate in T2
Free Mexican breakfast buffet for all passengers (that's our plane in the background)
Mariachis on hand to serenade passengers
Yes, there were frozen margaritas for the morning departure
Ribbon cutting by Virgin VP Ross Bonanno
Adios SF! We are headed south for the 3.5 hour flight
Tequila con Chocolate served in flight
The mariachis flew down with us...and serenaded us
Puerto Vallarta Airport shows Virgin America their love with water cannon salute
The 10 largest airlines in the world
United-Continental now numero uno in el mundo
Interesting nugget of aviation news from AP today:
A series of mergers over the last decade has created a group of mega-airlines that reach almost every corner of the globe. Here are the world’s largest airline companies based on the number of miles their passengers flew in 2010:
- United Continental: 181,939 million
- Delta Air Lines: 165,900 million
- American Airlines: 125,443 million
- Air France, KLM: 125,043 million
- Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian: 108,811 million
- British Airways, Iberia: 97,384 million
- Southwest, AirTran: 97,360 million
- Emirates: 89,266 million
- China Southern Airlines: 68,689 million
- Qantas Airways: 62,082 million
Source: AP calculations on International Air Transport Association data
All except #9 and #10 fly to SFO…. which airline do you fly most? And why?
American Air Bankruptcy: No impact at SFO for now
An American Airlines B737 loads up at SFO (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
American Airlines is filing for bankruptcy protection as they try to cut costs and unload massive debt built up by years of high fuel prices and labor struggles according to AP. The company says that there will no impact on travelers for now. American said it would operate normally while it reorganizes in bankruptcy, but hinted at future flight and staffing cuts. The airline said it would continue to operate flights, honor tickets and take reservations. It said the AAdvantage frequent-flier program would not be affected.
Important: American is NOT shutting down. It’s filed for Chapter 11 protection, which means it will continue to operate while it reorganizes. Chapter 11 protection is a well-worn path taken by nearly every major US carrier at some point in the last 20 years. (Southwest Airlines is the exception.)
American and its Oneworld alliance partners have had a dwindling presence at SFO for a couple years now. AA exited SFO-Honolulu in September and left SFO-Boston last year. Partner QANTAS left SFO-Sydney last year. The carrier walked away from Oakland in 2008. It stopped flying its famous “nerd bird” flights between San Jose and Austin in 2009.
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From SFO, American flies nonstop to only its hubs at New York-JFK, Chicago-O’Hare, Dallas-Ft Worth, Miami and Los Angeles– and in all those markets faces stiff fare competition from low fare carriers like Virgin America, Southwest and JetBlue.
Last year, American inaugurated new service and a posh new Admiral’s Club at SFO’s swank Terminal 2, which it shares with Virgin America. While that presence won’t be affected in the short run, if the carrier continues to shrink at SFO over time, it will be interesting to watch what happens at T2.
How do you feel about American’s bankruptcy? Will it affect your decision to fly American?
Paying up pays off for holiday trips
Why wait in a long holiday taxi queue? Reserve a car instead! (Photo: Enrico Salad / Flickr)
As the peak holiday travel season approaches, everyone’s looking for a deal or a steal. But the truth of the matter is that bargains are difficult to come by during the Thanksgiving and Christmas peak travel season.
And if you snag what you think is a bargain, you might end of “getting what you pay for.”
As a matter of fact, paying a little more at this time of year usually translates into more peace of mind, more quality time with friends or family, and the increased likelihood of a low-hassle trip home for the holidays…. which is what we all want.
Here are six examples to illustrate what I mean:
1> Take a nonstop flight. While you might be tempted by the price of a one-stop flight, by choosing one, you are increasing your chances of a delay or cancellation by 100%! Why take that chance, especially if you are headed home for just a few days, and a delayed or canceled flight could spoil the entire trip?
Cost: $50 to $200 depending on flight length
Example: Flying during peak Christmas week between San Francisco and Atlanta, you’ll pay $660 for a six-hour one-stop journey on Frontier connecting in Denver. On the other hand, fly four hours nonstop on Delta or AirTran and the fare is $730– $70 more. Worth it to fly nonstop? I think so. (Fares checked Nov 13 for flights departing Dec 23, returning Dec 27 and are subject to change.)
2> Book your trip via a real, live travel agent. Most budget-conscious travelers shy away from travel agents who charge fees. But as the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) likes to say, “Without a travel agent, you’re on your own.” Most travel agents can use their experience, connections and clout to help get you out of sticky situations, plus they’ve got knowledge and experience to offer you the best alternatives when or if you get stuck.
Cost: $20-$50 or negotiable
Example: ASTA’s motto surely rang true last year when a monster storm blew up the East Coast on Christmas day, stranding travelers across the country. Most of those who booked trips via travel agents were able to get through to them by phone and adjust travel plans faster than those who only had airline 800-numbers. (Note: Be sure the travel agent you choose has an after hours emergency number.)
Rooms dip as low as $80 over Xmas at a brand new Best Western near Dallas, TX
3> Stay at a hotel. Why burden the in-laws with the stress of houseguests during the already stressful holidays? Instead of bunking on that lumpy sofa bed or stuffy guest room, book a nearby hotel. Tip: Due to lack of demand from business travelers, most hotels are dirt-cheap during the holidays, especially those located in suburban office parks. Travel expert John DiScala, who edits the popular johnnyjet.com website suggests that the holidays are a great time to consider redeeming loyalty points for nicer hotel digs, saying, “For example, Hilton HHonors points can also now be used to upgrade an existing reservation to a premium room or suite at hotels worldwide, with no blackout dates.”
Cost: $50 to $100 per night, depending on location.
Example: A nice, newish Hilton Garden Inn in the northern Atlanta suburbs costs only $67 per night during Christmas week—but book it two weeks later when business travelers are back on the road and you’ll pay nearly twice that much– $127.
4> Review your charge card benefits. Most banks have added a slew of new benefits to charge cards in recent years to woo free-spending, credit-worthy frequent travelers, so you might be packing more power in your pocket than you know. While annual fees are higher for such cards, many now offer benefits that come in handy for holiday travel such as waived baggage fees, access to airport lounges, early boarding privileges, early check in/late check out or upgrades at hotels, concierge services and more.
Cost: $100-$500/year
Example: While the American Express Platinum card sounds expensive at $450/year, the benefits can pay off big time when it comes to peak travel season. For example, the card gets you out of the airport holiday mayhem and into 600 airport lounges (gratis) around the world, covers up to $200 airline fees from checked bags to in-flight food or cocktails, and Global Entry membership, which gets you to the front of the line US Customs and Immigration. For a $95 fee, the new Chase/United Explorer card offers early boarding, one free checked bag, and two United Club passes. Many high-end cards also offer concierge services that can help get you out of travel jams—worth a call if you get stuck!
5> Book roomier airline seats. While you can always pay a lot more to sit in first class, you can now pay a little bit more, and get a more comfortable coach seat. During the busy, crowded holidays, that’s money well spent. While getting a few extra inches of room always helps, the real benefit of paying for a better economy seat is that you usually get to board early—with elite level flyers—which means you get first dibs on scarce overhead bin space.
Cost: Varies based on carrier and flight duration– $10-$100 per segment
Example: I frequently take advantage of last minute upgrades to Virgin America’s Main Cabin Select seats, which offer a few extra inches of legroom at exit rows and bulkheads, free in-flight food and booze, and early boarding privileges. While reserving a Main Cabin Select seat in advance can be expensive, cheaper last-minute upgrades (24 hours prior to flight) can make a good flight a great one. Delta recently added roomier “Economy Comfort” seating on transcon flights between SFO and New York City.
6> Hire a car service to/from the airport. There are lots of reasons why you should use a car service for a ride to or from the airport during the holidays. First, don’t burden friends or family with the chore of driving to the airport during rush hour traffic to pick you up or drop you off. Second, when arriving, you walk straight to your waiting car instead of waiting in those long, cold taxi queues at airports that form during peak holiday season.
Cost: 10%-20% more than cab fare
Example: Last month I was greeted by a taxicab queue at SFO at least 100 people deep after returning from a 15-hour flight from Dubai. Wish I had booked a car service! In New York, I always use the economical Dial 7 car service (212-777-7777) which costs $5 or $10 more than a cab, but offers a comfortable sedan ride to/from Manhattan versus the tight squeeze, bumpy ride, and possible wait for a NYC Taxi.
Where are YOU headed for the holidays? Please leave your comments below.
United to install fleetwide inflight wi-fi (finally!)
To me, the introduction of in-flight wi-fi is the best thing to happen to air travel since the introduction of the jet engine. I love it. It makes me more productive. It makes the flight go by much faster. I now choose my flight based on whether or not it has wi-fi. And relatively speaking, it does not cost that much at $6 to $15 per flight.
While SF-based Virgin America has had inflight wi-fi since it first took off in 2007 and Delta Air Lines and AirTran completed fleetwide installations last year, United, the largest carrier at SFO, has only offered it on flights to or from New York.
That’s about to change.
Today United has officially announced that it has selected Panasonic Avionics Corporation to provide Wi-Fi connectivity on more than 300 United Airlines and Continental Airlines mainline aircraft beginning in mid-2012.
And the wait might have been worth it…. That’s because the Panasonic Ku-band system that UAL has chosen will work on flights WORLDWIDE! Across oceans! That’s because the Panasonic system utilizes a satellite based network to provide connectivity. The biggest drawback to the Gogo system used by Virgin, Delta and AirTran is that it’s dependent on a ground based system of antenna, so it only works when flying over the US—once you fly overseas, the service quits. (Gogo does have plans to eventually adopt a satellite-based system; Row 44, which supplies wi-fi to Southwest Airlines, also uses a satellite-based system).
Jim Compton, United’s executive vice president and chief revenue officer said, “As a global carrier, we selected satellite-based Ku-band technology to enable customers to stay connected on long-haul overseas flights, something no other U.S.-based international carrier currently offers.”
United expects to install the Panasonic system on Airbus 319 and 320 and Boeing 747, 757, 767, 777 and 787 aircraft. Customers will be able to use their wireless devices such as laptops, smart phones and tablets onboard those aircraft to connect with internet service using the in-flight hotspot.
United’s entire mainline fleet will be equipped with Wi-Fi by 2015. Details regarding the installation schedule and pricing are not yet available.
This is super exciting news for United devotees who have felt left behind when nearly every other carrier was offering inflight wi-fi.
How do you feel about this announcement? Will it impact your decision to fly United instead of another carrier? What’s the most you’d pay to be connected to the internet for a flight from SFO to Tokyo…or Frankfurt? Please leave your comments!
Holiday Travel: “Dead Week” airfare sale
Photo: Flickr / Andertho
If you’ve been putting off business trips, blown off your family back home, or missed that romantic weekend away because airfares are too high, you should check out the new “dead week” deals offered by Southwest and AirTran.
Dead weeks are the annual low points in travel demand each year, which ironically come in the midst of the peak holiday travel season. And when demand plummets, so do prices. However, the catch is that you’ve got to travel when everyone else is staying at home.
Dead weeks typically fall during the first few weeks of December right after the big Thanksgiving rush, and again right after the Christmas/New Years rush in early January.
In a 72-hour sale that starts today, Southwest and AirTran are now offering some pretty remarkable fares for travel during this period. Keep in mind also that hotel rates and car rental rates plummet (except in NYC during December). There are also tons of last minute deals as desperate suppliers try to dump unsold seats, rooms and cars. Note that many Rocky Mountain destinations are great for skiing in January.
Here are the deals from Southwest and AirTran…I imagine by the time you read this other airlines will have matched them. For 72-hours only, you can purchase one-way tickets for $35, $65, $95 or $125 based on length of travel (Add $25-$35 to each of these round trips to cover taxes/fees. Fares are not valid on SUNDAYS.)
- For travel up to 450 miles, fares are $35 one-way, $70 round trip. (Most destinations in California)
- For travel 451 to 1,000 miles, fares are $65 one-way, $130 round trip. (Boise, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Portland, Salt Lake, Seattle)
- For travel 1,001 to 1,500 miles, fares are $95 one-way, $190 round trip. (Bozeman, Denver, Albuquerque)
- For travel 1,501 or more miles, fares are $125 one-way, $250 round trip. (Atlanta, Dallas, New York, Chicago, Washington)
These low fares are available for purchase through 11:59 p.m. PST October 20, 2011, for travel beginning Nov. 30 through Dec. 14, 2011 and Jan. 4 through Feb. 15, 2012. See www.southwest.com.
As a part of the effort to spread low fares farther through the integration of two airlines, AirTran Airways will launch a parallel fare sale. See www.airtran.com.
(Chris McGinnis publishes The BAT and The TICKET blogs for frequent travelers.)
Clever Virgin America campaign: Twin-tested
You may have missed this Virgin American video campaign if you’ve not been to Dallas recently… but it’s clever enough to share here in SF— especially if you are into twins.
The videos are part of a Virgin campaign in Dallas–Fort Worth that invites local travelers to determine the “best of two airlines.” In the videos, three sets of twins are sent on trips…one twin on Virgin America, the other on “the competition.” After the flight, the twins compare their experiences– with, I might add, predictable results considering this is a Virgin campaign. Nonetheless, it’s fun to watch!
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(Chris McGinnis publishes The BAT and The TICKET blogs for frequent travelers.)
SFO to get posh new biz/first class lounge
Entry at the Emirates Lounge in New Delhi-- expect similar touches like marble, polished wood and gold letters at SFO (Photo: C. McGinnis)
Dubai-based Emirates Airline has announced that it will open a new business and first class lounge on the A side of the international terminal at SFO later this year.
It will be Emirates’ only lounge on the West Coast…not even LAX gets one of these posh perches.
(Want to see what’s in store for SFO? Scroll down for my slideshow of photos inside Emirates lounges in Dubai and Delhi.)
Emirates currently operates a single daily Boeing 777 SFO-Dubai flight from the G (left) side of the international terminal where it provides business and first class passengers with access to United’s lounges.
The new 9,502 square foot club will be located on the A (right) side between gates 3 and 5 (on the left as you walk from security) and directly across the terminal walkway from the British Airways lounge.
As in other Emirates facilities around the world, cost does not seem to be much of an object with the SFO lounge—expect marble floors, gold Rolex Clocks, fresh flowers, HD televisions, exclusive restrooms and showers, a business center, workstations and free wi-fi. (See slideshow below for a peek of what’s in store.)
Crowding should not be an issue since the lounge will be exclusive to Emirates first, business and elite frequent flyers. (Emirates says that it will not share loung access with any other carriers.) An Emirates 777 holds only 50 first and business class passengers, but the lounge is designed to accommodate a maximum of 265, including a dining area for 77.
Chefs will prepare and present a wide array of hot and cold dishes from an on-site kitchen. There will also be a full bar (flights depart SFO at 4:45 pm…conveniently close to cocktail hour).
Unusual: Business and first class passengers will be able to board the flight from a jetway door located in the lounge leading directly to the plane.
On a recent trip through Dubai to India, Emirates invited me into its massive lounge at its hub there. Since the look and feel of its lounges are pretty standard around the world, what you see in these photos should match up pretty closely with what we’ll soon see at SFO:
Entry point at Emirates flagship business class lounge at Dubai-DXB which can accommodate 1,800 passengers-- and still gets quite crowded at peak times. There's a separate first class lounge I was unable to get into. (Photo: C. McGinnis)
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One of four dining areas at the Dubai lounge which can accommodate 1,800 passengers (Photo: C. McGinnis)
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Check out this lox and bagel spread (Photo: C. McGinnis)
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Loungers for naps (photo: C. McGinnis)
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Shrimp (Prawn) sandos (Photo: C. McGinnis)
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One of a wide selection of desserts and pastries (Photo: C. McGinnis)
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Full bar stocked with premium brands (Photo: C. McGinnis)
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Rolex wall clocks at Dubai Int'l-- a standard in all Emirates lounges (Photo: C. McGinnis)
(Chris McGinnis publishes The BAT and The TICKET blogs for frequent travelers.)
Using American Express points on Virgin America
Good news for folks with big stashes of American Express Membership Rewards who like to fly Virgin America: You can now convert Membership Rewards points into Virgin Elevate points to redeem online for any unsold seat on any Virgin flight, without blackouts or restrictions. Bad news is the conversion rate: 200 Membership Rewards points convert to just 100 Elevate points.
Virgin’s Elevate program is based on a “points per dollar” system, so the number of points needed to redeem for award travel vary based on price and seat availability. Virgin provided the following example in its news release: ”…a flyer booking a roundtrip ticket from New York to L.A. with Virgin America at a cost of about $320, could redeem that flight for 15,399 Elevate points, equivalent to 30,798 Membership Rewards points, which is comparable to other airline programs that would require up to 50,000 miles.”
To be fair, I should point out that most other airline programs offer domestic award roundtrips for as few as 25,000 miles– but it’s getting increasingly difficult to find awards at that level.
Nonetheless, the new partnership is getting panned by bloggers who cover the points and miles game:
The Points Guy posted:
“…unfortunately the ratio is 100 Elevate = 200 Amex, so a disappointing 2:1 ratio. This is not a great deal because Elevate is a fixed value loyalty program, which mean you can redeem points for any flight and they are worth between 1.6 and 2.1 cents each towards airfare. So if you transfer Amex to Virgin America, you are valuing your Amex points at .8 and 1.05 cents a piece, which is very low. I conservatively value mine at 2 cents a piece and you can purchase points directly from Amex for 2.5 cents.”
Wandering Aramean said:
“The only slightly reasonable explanation for why one would transfer AmEx points into Elevate at these rates is if you’ve got almost enough for a reasonably high-value award already and you just need to top off the account. Otherwise it is quite a bad deal.”
However, Virgin America’s Patricia Condon begs to differ:
“We actually think this is a very rich reward program – given that Elevate points provide a much higher value than miles on a typical legacy airline program. You aren’t comparing apples to apples – as Elevate rewards apply in every cabin and fare class – with no blackout dates or restrictions. The value of our points are consistently worth twice as much (and sometimes more) than many legacy frequent flyer programs, given the reality of legacy airline redemption restrictions.” She also provided the following chart to help explain:
So what do you think, folks? Would you convert your Amex points into Virgin Elevate points…or not?
New name, but few changes at “United Club”
United Club lounge at Chicago O'Hare (Photo: Joevare / Flickr)
This week United and Continental celebrated the one year anniversary of their merger by christening their combined lounges with a new name: United Club. However, your Red Carpet club credentials will still get you in the door. So far, no significant changes have been announced, but United says, “In time, remodeled clubs will provide additional business-friendly features…including more workstations…” What could United do to make the clubs better?
Some details:
>United Club members now have access to 50 lounges in 39 airports worldwide, including two here at SFO.
>Memberships start at $475, but day passes are available for $39 online or $50 at the door.
>Clubs offer free wi-fi, beer, wine and liquor, breakfast and afternoon snacks.
>United Club members now have access to 25 more lounges that were once Continental Presidents Clubs.
>Due to its tight affiliation with Chase, United Clubs will no longer offer free access to American Express Platinum Cardmembers.
>United Club already has its own Wikipedia page.
>Starting later this year, Emirates passengers will get their own lounge at SFO, and no longer share facilities with United.
What’s your favorite United Club location? Why? What do you think of the new name?
