Now This is What I Call an Upgrade: A blog about great or worst flights and how you can plan for the best.
I love flying. I do not love flying coach. It is a necessary evil to get to where I want to go. But occasionally I am able to upgrade my flight, either with points or with $$. This blog will talk about those flights and others that have been upgraded through points or $$.
Now This is What I Call an Upgrade: A blog about great or worst flights and how you can plan for the best.
As a frequent flier, I am always looking for ways to make my flight experience more enjoyable. In my next few posts, I will give my opinions on some of the best airlines. I will share what makes one airline better than another, based on my experiences and opinions.
In my first post, I want to discuss my top 3 favorite airlines. These are the best of the best in my opinion and are worth paying a little extra to fly with them (note: these are in order):
1) Singapore Airlines—This airline has it all. The food is amazing, the service is unparalleled and their cabin crew is so helpful and friendly. You will feel like royalty when flying Singapore Airlines and you won’t need to break your bank account to get there. They have a hub at Changi Airport in Singapore (SIN) but offer flights all over the world via their alliance with Star Alliance.
2) Korean Air—This Asian carrier has been voted “World’s Best Airline” by Skytrax for the last 2 years in a row. They offer 24/7 customer service via phone or email and have excellent customer
As a frequent traveler, I’ve had the pleasure of being upgraded on many flights. The first time my seat was changed from economy to business class, I almost cried. Everything about the experience was so much better than anything I experienced in coach. The seats were wide, I had plenty of legroom and there was a screen in front of me with hundreds of movies and tv shows to choose from. Not only that, but the food was decent and they offered free booze!
“Yay,” I thought to myself. “I finally made it.”
I’m exaggerating a bit here. It’s not like this happened all of a sudden. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I finally got enough miles to be upgraded regularly on United Airlines (though it wasn’t always guaranteed). But even though it took me awhile to get here, I’m finally at a place where I can fly up front most of the time when I travel for work or for fun. Here are some tips for getting upgraded yourself:
My name is Janet and I am a travel junkie. I have been flying since I was a child and now I fly at least once a week. My friends think I am crazy because I like to fly but they don’t understand that it is the best way to get from point A to point B. I spent years trying out different airlines, routes, flights and airports. Now that I have found the best combinations for my flying lifestyle, I want to share them with you.
I hope you enjoy reading about how to find the best flights and how to make your journey as enjoyable as possible.
I’ve been thinking about airlines ever since I got to the airport before my flight from New York to San Francisco this morning. My flight was due to leave at 9:45, but I hadn’t checked in yet, and it was already 9:15. I checked out the line at the United counter–it looked like a mob scene. I knew there was a way to check in online and print out my boarding pass, so I went over to a computer and did that–and found out, to my surprise and delight, that they had given me an upgrade!
I’m writing this on the plane, in business class. The seat is comfortable. They gave me a pillow and a blanket. There’s a TV screen at each seat and they’re playing movies. A few minutes after we took off they came by with coffee and croissants (I asked for whole wheat), then a while later they brought lunch (I had the chicken with salad).
My flight is going to be three hours long instead of five because we’re flying nonstop, so I’ll get to my meeting in time after all. And all this for just $3 more than coach!
The problems with flying can be a problem for all of us, but frequent travelers know the inconveniences all too well.
Baggage: many airlines are charging for checked bags, and restrictions on weight and size are making it harder to pack everything you need.
Seats: Seats seem to be getting smaller, and legroom has become an issue with tall passengers. Many airlines are now charging extra for preferred seating.
Weather: Weather delays and cancellations can cause a headache, especially if you have connecting flights.
Airports: Waiting in security lines at airports seems to be taking longer and longer.
Airlines: Unfriendly customer service representatives make it more difficult to get help when you run into problems with a flight.
These problems can make flying an unpleasant experience, but there are things that can help make your flight better.
When you get on a plane, do you know when you’re going to arrive? Of course not. No one does. If they tell you a time, they’re lying.
But if you’re flying Southwest Airlines, you do know something about your arrival: it’s going to be unannounced and unwelcome. That’s because Southwest has the best on-time record of any airline in the U.S.