2016 - Year In Review

I saw penguins in the wild! This has been a long standing travel goal and I was able to accomplish it in 2016. It was part of a round the world trip I took with four one way mileage awards. I also enjoyed driving around southwest Australia (get full coverage and satnav from Hertz). I also made progress on my quest for lifetime status. I am now 75 nights away from lifetime platinum status with SPG (and Marriott). I'm also 150,000 miles from lifetime Star Alliance Gold thanks to United.

2016 wasn't all smooth sailing. I had two United trips cancelled and refunded because of irregular operations. It was extra frustrating because I lost upgrades, status opportunities, and two days. Lufthansa also went on strike and interrupted a trip to Europe with <24 hours notice. Air Canada also canceled a transatlantic flight on me. I flew a total of 159,969 miles this year.

2016 Paid Travel

2016 Total Travel

Travel Highlights of 2016:

• Best inflight experience: British Airways A380 first class. The seat and service were superb. QANTAS's A330 business class from SYD to PER was outstanding and vastly superior to their A380 business class product. The slow cooked lamb on QANTAS was also my favorite inflight meal. Their domestic service is the best I've ever experienced.
• Plane spotting at airport hotels is fun. Just ask for a room with a good view and they usually can accommodate. Having an airport scanner helps.
• I won a Lufthansa FCT ducky. 
• The Air New Zealand 75th anniversary exhibition in Auckland was a fun surprise. The Pima Air & Space Museum was fun and is available year round.
• New Aircraft: E175, B789.
• New Airports: GUM, AKL, PER, JNB, CPT, ORY, TUS, HKG, MEM.

Favorite Photos:

View of London from my A380 Seat

Aircraft at HNL

Lounge View at IAH in the Morning

Paris is Lovely

Denver also Photographs Well

Southwest 737-300 Take Off from PVD

Brussels Airport - Sigh

I Love 747's

I Really Love 747's

737 Landing at SYD

Strangest Shower Handle of 2016

As Adam Carolla has ranted and raved, shower handles in hotels are complicated and need some standardization. Starwood hotels should all use the Heavenly Shower System or the Speakman Anystream 2005. I'm batting less than .500 this year on those items. There is no standard for the shower control handle(s). I prefer a basic Grohe model, but I'm not running things yet. The winner of 2016's contest for the strangest, pictured below, was at a Westin and told the temperature. I experienced worse function and worse design, but this is the all around winner for strange.

Westin SFO Shower

Fun Photo

How did your status quest go in 2016?

Morning At Denver International Airport

SPG and Total Rewards End Partnership

SPG and Caesar's Total Rewards are ending their relationship at the end of the year. Not a big loss, but still inconvenient for some.

Viva Las Vegas

QATAR Coupon Code

That's a nice Christmas Hanukkah late December gesture.

As a small token of our appreciation, enjoy a special discount of up to 10% off Economy Class tickets and up to 15% off Premium Class tickets when you book using the promo code* ThankYou2016.

Book your ticket from December 21, 2016 to January 3, 2017 for travel between January 11, 2017 and June 14, 2017*.

QATAR Dreamliner in CPT

New Favorite Airport Hotel

I have a new favorite airport hotel, it's the Westin SFO. I have a great view from my room and get superb reception on my ATC scanner. Also the airport shuttle runs frequently, the rate is low, and the breakfast is nice. It is a slightly dated Westin, but I can overlook that. You want to be on the top floor in rooms 701-714 or 767-780. As an added bonus, it is across the street from a park with great views of the field, a nice walking path, and cool bay breeze. I sadly only brought my iPhone this trip, but next time I'll bring a real camera.

View From The Park

View From My Room

Alaska and Delta Break Up

Alaska and Delta had an It's Complicated relationship status for some time. It's official now, they are breaking up. Alaska is still friends with American Airlines. I guess I'll have to credit my Delta trips to Delta now.  Added bonus: short distance trips on Alaska cost fewer miles.

Delta is now Alone in the North West