Fun While It Lasted

Office Depot isn't selling variable value Visa or Amex gift cards any more.  I was using my Chase Ink card to buy them and get 5% back on the office supply store bonus category.  After fees it worked out to be 4% back everywhere.  They still sell gift cards to select stores, so 5% on Amazon and Bass Pro Shops still works.  I still have a decent collection of cards, so I'm not stopping cold.  Good deals are always temporary, there usually will be another.

A Few Jets at BCN

Update: I stopped at Office Depot while picking up my cleaning and they still had the Vanilla cards.  Worked just like last month, this deal might not be dead yet.

Lufthansa A380 First Class Review

I flew on Lufthansa's A380 in first class before I started this blog and it was an amazing experience.  A friend asked me to write a post on it and let the pictures tell the story, so here goes.

In 2011 I used some United miles for a Luftastic flight experience and a few days in Copenhagen.  I was able to find a first class seat on the new A380 from SFO to FRA and I quickly built my trip around that award space outlier (I used ANA to search, but United.com would work too).  I also wanted the Lufthansa First Class Terminal experience in Frankfurt and grabbed a FRA-DTW flight in the antiquated A330 first class (more later).  The DEN-SFO, DTW-DEN, and FRA-CHP-FRA flights were wide open and easy to make work.  A quick call to reservations and I was booked.

Lufthansa's A380 first class is an amazing product that puts United to shame.  The seat is outstanding with ample space.  It reclines into a fully flat bed and the flight attendants will make your bed while you change into your special Lufthansa PJ's. 

A380 First Class Seat and Personal Space

View From 2A

Flight Attendants Made My Bed, Then I Messed It Up

Lufthansa's flight attendants are the best I've encountered. The crews always proper and polite.   They also seem to genuinely care about your flight experience. I wish I could fly with them every trip.  They even helped explain the caviar service (it was my first time). The food was amazing.  The eggs and super crispy bacon (by request) were cooked fresh and better than room service.  

Post Departure Snack and Blue Label

Caviar Service

Salmon Fillet

Made to Order Breakfast, With BACON!

The cabin is unlike anything else.  There is increased humidity to help you feel refreshed.  The sound absorbing material was great, it was as loud as regular airliners when I wear earplugs or Bose noise cancelling headphones.  The bathroom is epicly huge.  The electric window shades were a fun touch too.

A380 Bathroom, It's Huge

First Class Lavatory

First Class Cabin Forward Section

I was disappointed to hear the captain announce we were 20 minutes from landing and I can't wait for my next Lufthansa A380 flight in first class.  

Morning Light

American Miles Are On Sale Too

American is following US Airways' lead and selling miles at a discount.  The American deal gives up to a 50% bonus on purchased miles.  This isn't a very good deal because 90,000 miles costs $1,809 and that isn't enough for a business class award to Europe.

American Airlines 737 Taking Off From LGA

US Airways Is Selling Miles For Cheap Again

US Airways is running a 100% bonus on purchased miles again, up to 50,000 free miles.  If you want to fly around the world in business class, 90,000 miles will cost $1,575.  I wouldn't buy miles to hold onto them, but only buy them to top off my account for an award I'd want to book soon.  These promotions happen every month or two.

You Don't Have to Fly US Airways When Burning Their Miles

Taking a Few Pictures Along The Way

I brought my good camera and lens on my mileage run last weekend and got two dozen fun pictures that will make their way into future posts.  I played with the zoom and was able to catch some fun details.

US Airways Flight Deck Crew at PHL

Double Free Night Credits Bonus at Omni Hotels

I signed up for every hotel loyalty program I could find as part of a research paper I am writing for class (8 weeks until I graduate!), including Omni Select Guest.  Today I found an email promotion for double free night credits on all stays before April 1st (not sure if it's a targeted promotion).  This isn't a status fast track bonus, but just a free night award fast track.  Even though I have no plans to stay at an Omni (I need SPG stays), I signed up.  You never can know travel plans for sure.

There's an Omni hotel in San Francisco

Lufthansa Slim Line Airbus Seats

Slim line seats are coming to the US, Southwest is adding narrow seats and extra rows on their jets.  Lufthansa (and Swiss and Austrian Airlines which they own) has updated their Airbus fleet with these seats.  They are super skinny and have almost no padding. They are fine for a one or two hour flight, but I wouldn't want to be stuck in them for longer than 2 hours.  I do like the seat pocket redesign that provides more knee room.

Lufthansa Slim Seats

Leg room and seat back design

Center seat blocked for business class