Trip Reports

Category Archives for Trip Reports.

Review: United Airlines Business Class, Sydney – San Francisco

by Gary Leff

Jul 10 2022

At the end of 12 days in Australia, my wife, three year old daughter, and I were set to fly back to the States on United award tickets in business class, Sydney – San Francisco. Flight UA870 was operated by a Boeing 777-300ER, the airline’s largest aircraft, and every seat was booked.

Here’s the experience in a nutshell: United Airlines business class is (usually now) a better seat than the airline used to offer, but one with less space than you’ll find on Delta, American, Air Canada or Air France. United has good bedding, an the wifi worked on my flight, but the rest of the soft product from food to service was subpar.

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Review: Qantas Business Class, Gold Coast – Sydney

by Gary Leff

Jul 04 2022

I flew Sydney to Gold Coast on Virgin Australia, and then back to Sydney on Qantas. That gave me a taste of two different Australian domestic options on the same route, and they were remarkably similar. (Jetstar and REX also fly between the two cities.)

While there wasn’t any award space on Qantas for my trip up to Gold Coast from Sydney, for our Thursday morning return there was plenty available. In fact the short flight can be booked in business class for just 9000 British Airways Avios one-way per person and $76, which is a nice value against a ~ $525 fare.

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Review: Virgin Australia Business Class, Sydney – Gold Coast

by Gary Leff

Jul 04 2022

Normally I’d be inclined to pick up Qantas tickets in coach for the short 1 hour 20 minute flight, using my American AAdvantage status for priority check-in and boarding, lounge and extra baggage. But those were pricing at around $300 in economy for the one way trip while Virgin Australia was asking $200 for business class.

And I was really curious to see what Virgin Australia was like after having been acquired out of bankruptcy (“administration”) by private equity.

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Review: Hyatt Regency Sydney

by Gary Leff

Jul 04 2022

My overall Hyatt Regency Sydney review is that everyone was friendly, and service was fine. It’s in a good location, with small rooms, but the ability to upgrade to a suite here was a real advantage. Sadly the club lounge was still closed.

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Review: Air Canada Signature Suite Vancouver [2022]

by Gary Leff

Jun 25 2022

What makes the Signature Suite special isn’t that it’s an exclusive space within the Air Canada lounge. What makes the lounge is the food – a nice buffet, sure, if you’re in a hurry but a menu to order from that’s a cut above other lounges with sit down dining.

The food here is better, for instance, than I’ve had in United Polaris lounges or Qantas First Class lounges (and the latter can be quite good). Signature Suite dining is curated by Canadian chef David Hawksworth.

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Review: Hyatt Regency Vancouver [Australia Trip Report]

by Gary Leff

Jun 25 2022

I booked the Hyatt Regency Vancouver and used a confirmed suite upgrade. That put us in a parlor suite, which is basically two connecting guest rooms where one room has been converted to a living room (a sofa bed replaces the bed in the second room).

This hotel had no room service and its club lounge has closed (whether it’s ‘still’ closed or permanently closed is unclear). Nevertheless full housekeeping service was available and Globalist breakfast in the hotel’s restaurant was remarkable for one thing: stamping that tip is included on the bill to sign.

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Trip Report: Returning To Australia After Three Years, Part I: Austin – Vancouver

by Gary Leff

Jun 20 2022

This is the setup to a report on my just-completed Australia trip, with Air Canada business class awards on the outbound and United The trip started with Air Canada’s brand new Austin – Vancouver flight, followed by a stopover and then a visit to Air Canada’s Signature Suite – along with their Toronto lounge, the best business class dining in North America.

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