Route: Orlando International (MCO)-Chicago O’Hare International (ORD)
Distance: 1,008 miles
Duration: 3hrs 15min
Departure: 6:58PM
Arrival: 8:26PM
The Preflight
My SO and I arrived from London Gatwick aboard the Virgin Atlantic 747 and had about a four hour lay-over before our flight home to Chicago. We arrived at Terminal B Gate 81 and thanks to Global Entry quickly cleared CBP in about 20 minutes. After taking the tram to the domestic check-in area we made our way to TSA PreCheck. The domestic security area was packed and despite having PreCheck it took us roughly 30 minutes to finally make it pass the check point.
The airport tram took us from the central security area of Terminal B to Airside 3 where American Airlines mainly departs from.
There is a small Admirals Club at MCO next to Gate 54 and 55. There were great views of the airplanes from the lounge sitting area.
AA A321
Food offerings included the usual cheese cubes, hummus, pita chips, hot coup, celery sticks, cookies and brownies. There was also a build-your-own salad bar and hot mac and cheese.
Mac and cheese and salad
Our bird N909NN, a B737-800, was delivered to American Airlines back in 2012. Luckily, it was parked directly in view of us from the Admirals Club.
N909NN B737-800
The Flight
Boarding began on time and my SO and I made our way back to the last row of the first class cabin in row 6. There are 16 first class seats in a 2-2- configuration from rows 3-6. There are no rows 1 or 2.
First Class 6A
American Airlines currently has three sub-fleets of B737-800s. The “Classic” sub-fleet of B737s do not have seatback IFE screens in first class. Meanwhile, the “Enhanced” fleet features seatback IFE screens and larger overhead storage bins. Finally, the “Oasis” sub-fleet features American’s newest Domestic First class product which has personal device mounts but no seatback screen. This aircraft was a “Classic” B737.
Each seat featured 40″ of pitch with 20″ of width. The padding on the leather seats felt very worn and tired.
In the center between the two seats were two 110V outlets.
110V outlet
We pushed back about two minutes early and had a beautiful dusk view of the American A321 at the gate next to us.
AA A321
After a very quick taxi to the runway we departed in the dark above Orlando.
I connected to the inflight entertainment on my laptop and browsed a few of the movies and TV shows.
AA IFE
Service began with some pipping hot towels followed by a ramekin of warmed mixed nuts and my usual Bloody Mary.
Bloody Mary and mixed nuts
For dinner, I opted for the cholesterol rich braised beef short ribs with mac and cheese accompanied by a fresh garden salad. I also had a delicious pretzel roll.
Braised Beef Short Rib
My SO went with the vegetarian four cheese ravioli which she nibbled on.
Four Cheese Ravioli
As we approached Chicago O’Hare the flight attendants came through the cabin with warm snickerdoodle cookies. Regrettably, my SO’s favorite chocolate chip cookies were not loaded on this flight.
Snickerdoodle cookie
We approached Chicago from the southeast and had some stunning views of the downtown skyscrapers off to the port side of the plane as we flew over Lake Michigan.
Enjoy!
After landing we taxied for about 20 minutes making two loops around O’Hare as we waited for a gate assignment. Eventually we got our gate assignment for K20. Thanks for the ride!
This was a perfectly fine Domestic First class flight with AA. The seat, food, and service were exactly what I expected.
Route: Boston Logan International (BOS)-Chicago O’Hare International (ORD)
Distance: 865 miles
Duration: 2hrs 49min
Departure: 12:19PM
Arrival: 2:07PM
The Preflight
After arriving from LHR the day before and spending a night at the Hyatt Regency Boston, we were finally on the last leg of the journey home to Chicago.
American Airlines departs from Terminal B at Boston Logan International Airport. There was a very nice Admirals Club.
Our flight departed at noon so we arrived in time for breakfast. I enjoyed the breakfast taco bar with scrambled eggs, bacon, and corn salsa. My SO had some granola and fruit.
Admirals Club Breakfast
Ironically, the lounge had great views of the Air Canada and Delta gates. I was surprised at just how many Air Canada flights there were.
E175LR Pushing Back Dash 8
We made our way to the gate for an on time boarding from Gate B11 at 11:37AM. Next door was another AA B737-800.
B737-800
Our bird 19 year old bird, N955AN, was delivered to American Airlines in August 2001.
The Flight
American has 16 Domestic First class seats aboard their B737s. There are three distinct sub-fleets of 737s in the AA fleet; “Classic”, “Enhanced”, and “Oasis”. Retrofitted “Oasis” planes feature Americans newest Domestic First class seat with 37″ of pitch and 21″ of width. The older “Classic” non-retrofit planes have 40-41 inches of pitch and 20 inches of width. This aircraft was a “Classic” AA B737.
There was a small blanket at each seat.
Seat 4A
Within the two older non-retrofit B737 sub-fleets (“Classic” and “Enhanced”), planes delivered before Dec 2013 (like today’s plane) do not have seat back AVOD. The B737s delivered after Dec 2013 (“Enhanced”) do have AVOD at each seat.
No AVOD
Each seat had a 110V outlet.
110V Outlet
Shared between the seats was a small cocktail tray.
Drink Holder
There was a bi-fold tray table with a dedicated cup spot.
Tray Table
When folded out completely; the tray table was massive. This is in contrast to the pitifully small tray tables aboard American’s LUS A321s.
Tray Table
All of the in-flight entertainment was available on a personal device.
IFE Entertainment
We had a great crew on this flight who were super friendly. Pre-departure beverages were offered and I had a Bloody Mary.
PDB
We pushed back on-time and had some nice views of Terminal B.
American B737-800
Take-off
15 minutes after take-off flight attendants came through with a beverage service. I had another Bloody Mary and my SO had a glass of orange juice.
Beverage Service
A ramekin of warmed nuts followed.
Warmed NutsCloud Surfing
Lunch was served on this flight. My SO had a salad. The chicken was rather sad looking and extremely bland.
Salad
I had pre-ordered the Zoe’s Charcuterie plate. Normally, it is served with pita chips but apparently catering forgot to load them… so I was given Fritos instead. The hummus was pretty good.
Zoes Charcuterie Plate
Warmed gooey chocolate chip cookies were handed out for dessert.
Chocolate Chip Cookie
I also had a cup of black coffee.
Coffee
The remainder of the flight was uneventful and mostly had views of clouds.
Cruising above Lake Michigan
It was a cloudy day in Chicago and had some gray views of Chicagoland on our approach to runway 27L.
We landed about 10 minutes early and taxied for another 15 minutes.
United B767
Thanks for the flight!
B737-800
This flight was another standard Domestic First trip with American Airlines. We got predeparture beverages which was nice and I always appreciate a warm chocolate chip cookies. Until next time AA!
Route: London Heathrow (LHR)-Boston Logan International (BOS)
Distance: 3,259 miles
Duration: 7hrs 35min
Departure: 11:39AM
Arrival: 1:32PM
The Preflight
After spending New Years Eve 2019 in Abu Dhabi with a flight aboard the Etihad Apartments on New Years Day 2020, we decided to spend a day in London before our flight back to the United States.
Ahead of our 11:20AM flight to Boston, my SO and I arrived at LHR Terminal 5 around 8am. We made our way to the First Class check-in area and then through to the dedicated security lane.
First Class Check-in
Passing through the Galleries First Lounge we made our way into the Concorde Room. We decided to have breakfast first and I had an excellent Full English Breakfast. My SO had the pancakes which were good as well (sorry no pictures!).
Full English Breakfast
After the breakfast we found a daybed on the terrace area which had a great view of the tarmac.
Concorde Room Apron View
Still feeling a bit peckish, we both ordered food from the a la carte menu. I had the smoked salmon and my SO had a bowl of granola.
Smoked Salmon and Granola
Boarding was at the B gates which required a quick ride on the train. From exiting the Concorde room to the gate the transit took about 10 minutes.
Our gorgeous 21.4 year old Queen of the Skies, registration G-CIVX, was delivered to British Airways back in 1998.
B747-400
Next door was a BA B777-200 having some engine issues.
B777
Boarding was a bit chaotic with those with the dreaded SSSS on their boarding passes and their families invited to board first before Group 1.
Boarding
The Flight
We boarded after standing in the Group 1 lane for about 15 minutes as the gate agents made multiple overhead announcements for passengers with SSSS on their boarding pass.
I was shown to my seat in the nose by one of the First Class crew. I was seated in 1K while my SO was in 1A. These two seats are probably my favorite seats on any airplane, being in the nose of the 747.
Nose
The First Class seats are basically glorified reverse herringbone seats. There was 79 inches of pitch and the seats were 22 inches wide.
Two pillows were waiting at the seats. The larger one was very plush and comfortable.
1K1K
The IFE screen folded out.
IFE ScreenRoute
There was a small closet for storage as well as a hanger for jackets.
Coat Hanger
The ottoman area was quite narrow and not comfortable for a wider person to sit in.
Ottoman
The seat was showing some age and the carpet was pretty dirty. There was a 110V outlet on the floor to the right.
Foot Space
There was a chic ambient light lamp at each seat. The IFE control and seat control were on the right.
Console
The handset control was not the best. The green and blue buttons where broken which made playing Tetris impossible.
IFE handset
The ambient light switch and reading light switch were above the seat control dial, and the lumbar and headrest adjustment switches were below the dial.
In addition, there was a USB port, blind control buttons, and headphone jack.
Controls
I loved the stylish blinds with blue lighting.
Awaiting us at our seats where a pair of Meridian noise-canceling headphones. They were quite painful after an hour (my ears are big) and I switched back to my own pair of Bose headphones.
There were separate male and female amenity kits. The male kit came in a grey, velvety Temperley bag. It was very well provisioned with Elemis Spa products.
Male Amenity Kit
The cabin crew also came by to handout black Temperley branded pajamas. The male and female tops were different while the bottoms were the same. They were comfy but I miss the BA First logo on the previous PJ sets.
Male Pajamas
The First class cabin had two dedicated lavatories behind the cabin. One lavatory had a window while the other did not. Nothing special about the lavs and they both became dirty by the end of the flight.
Lavatory Window
Once my SO and I were settled in, the cabin crew came by with amenity kits and asked what we would like to drink. I had a glass of Grand Siècle which was served with a ramekin of cold nuts.
Warm towels were distributed.
Next, the menus were distributed. We both had pre-ordered our food online but there was no mention of our pre-orders when the cabin crew came by to ask what we would like.
Lunch MenuAfternoon Tea MenuWine ListBar Menu
A few minutes later, the customer service manager introduced herself to the first class passengers. We began our push back on time at around 11:20.
We passed by Terminal 3 with the flotilla of American Airlines birds. Within 20 minutes, we were cleared for takeoff.
American Airlines Terminal 3
Unfortunately, the double pane of glass at the windows blocked me from having a good view outside.
Window
About 20 minutes after takeoff, the cabin crew came around with drinks and canapes. My SO had a lovely Lanson Rose.
I stuck with the Grand Siècle. Canapes included blue cheese with pear chutney, grilled prawn with caviar, and air-dried ham. The Shropshire blue cheese was delicious, especially paired with the pear chutney.
Canapes Canapes
We decided to dine together and the cabin crew happily set up our table for two. A warm bread basket was offered.
Bread
We both enjoyed the salted butter.
Butter
I had the artisan oak-smoked salmon with English crab and sauce gribiche.
Artisan Oak-Smoked Salmon
My SO had the warm truffle linguine which she devoured.
Warm Truffle Linguine
A large bowl of side dishes were also given to us. The Dauphinoise potato was great, the braised red cabbage tender, and the honey-roasted parsnips had a good crunch.
Sides
For her main, my SO ordered the pan-fried fillet of halibut. It was covered in a lobster bisque. The halibut itself was cooked well but the lobster bisque was way too salty, even with our dulled taste-buds.
Pan-Fried Halibut
I elected for the seared fillet of Hereford beef. It was served over a delicious carrot puree and topped with caramelized onion. The tarragon jus was flavorful.
Seared Fillet of Hereford Beef
I asked for the beef to be medium rare and it was very well executed. Exceptional job by the cabin crew chef.
Medium Rare
I opted to have a cheese plate afterwards. The selection of cheeses was excellent and I appreciated the variety of crackers.
Cheese Plate
We also shared a delightful chocolate and orange celice topped with almond granola and sugared pistachios.
After the meal service we were offered a selection of chocolates.
Chocolates
I had a black coffee as well.
Coffee
The cabin crew did not proactively offer to make any beds for the first class passengers. I went back to the galley where the crew was and asked to have our beds made. I noticed that three passengers had fallen asleep with only the flimsy blanket provided at boarding.
The bedding itself was warm and plush.
Bed
I watched the air show for a while and managed to get about two hours of sleep.
Map
Afternoon tea was served about 90 minutes prior to landing. Again my SO joined me at my seat. I had another black coffee and we both shared a pot of English Breakfast tea.
Afternoon Tea for two
Warm scones with clotted cream were also served.
Afternoon Tea
There was a cucumber cream cheese sandwich which tasted rather bland. The roast beef with horseradish on malt bread had a strong kick to it. The prawn Marie Rose on a bridge roll was ok as well.
Savory Sandwiches
The patisserie featured a Victoria sandwich, a dry Dundee fruit wedge, and a decadent Chocolate raspberry cremeux.
Patisserie
We were not offered the cold cuts plate and when I asked for it, the cabin crew responded that we would be landing soon and they did not have enough time.
I absolutely loved the scones that were served. The clotted cream was perfect and just the right consistency.
Scones
With about 30 minutes to go the cabin crew made preparations for landing. They came through the cabin and collected the pillows and blankets. It was a gorgeous day in Boston and we had some excellent views on our landing.
Landing
We landed 1:50PM Boston time and had a short taxi to the arrival gate.
Arrival Gate
On the way to CBP we passed an Emirates A380-800.
Emirates A380-800
Overall, the food was excellent, the champagne top shelf, and the china and glassware elegant. However, I felt that I was inconveniencing the cabin crew when I made requests for drink refills, having our bed made, etc. In the end, this was one of my most memorable flights given that my SO and I were flying in the nose of a B747-400 in seats 1A and 1K.
Route: Charlotte Douglas International (CLT)-Munich (MUC)
Distance: 4,573 miles
Duration: 8hrs 45min
Departure: 3:59PM
Arrival: 6:09AM
The Preflight
Because our previous flight was delayed by almost two hours, what was originally a two hour thirty minute layover turned into a fifty minute layover in Charlotte. We quickly made our way to the Admirals Club to grab some water bottles and I managed to snap a picture of our bird at the gate.
American Airlines A330-200
Boarding began at 2:55PM and by the time we made it to the gate, general boarding had already began. Gate agents were scanning boarding passes and checking passports.
Our legacy US Airways A330-200, registration N286AY, was delivered back in 2013 making her almost seven years old.
N286AY
The Flight
Americans A330-200s feature 20 business class seats in a 1-2-1 configuration. These seats are the old US Airways Zodiac Cirrus Envoy Suites, which were the first reverse herringbone seats installed in the world.
Envoy SuiteEnvoy Suite
There was ample storage below the foot well for my shoes.
Foot Well
The IFE screen flipped out from the seat in front. It was fairly dated but serviceable.
IFE Screen
There was a small tray table that popped out from the left armrest.
Tray Table
Each seat featured a USB port, 110V outlet, and a three-prong headphone jack.
IFE Control, Power Port
The seat controls were on the left side above the arm rest. There was also a small compartment just the right size for a passport and a phone.
Seat Control
The armrest on the aisle side could be raised or lowered. There was also a water bottle holder.
Armrest
There was also a literature pocket on the floor in front of the seat.
Literature Pocket
Awaiting us at our seats were a pair of noise-cancelling Bang & Olufsen headphones. While nice, I still preferred my own pair of QC35’s.
Headphones
The amenity kit was stocked with the usual contents. My SO did not like the Allies of Skin hand cream scent.
Amenity Kit
Both the Casper branded pillow and duvet were waiting for us at the seat in plastic wrapping. I really enjoyed the large plush pillow.
Casper Bedding
The duvet was a bit stiff and rough but comfortable enough. With the air nozzles above both blowing hard I was very cozy under the sheets.
Casper Bedding
Just like the flight attendants on our previous flight from ORD-CLT; the flight attendants on this flight were superb. The purser Anne was very welcoming and doted on my SO and I.
Pre-departure beverages were offered from a tray. Options included water, orange juice, sparkling wine, or a Heineken.
Sparkling Wine
Anne the lovely purser then came by with the menus once we were situated.
Food Menu
Our orders were taken about 15 minutes later.
Beverage Menu
We pushed back on time and had a smooth takeoff.
It was a beautiful day without a single cloud in the sky. We had clear views of downtown Charlotte.
Downtown Charlotte
Service began promptly after takeoff. Anne first came down our row with water bottles.
Water Bottle
Delicious warmed mixed nuts and a glass of champagne followed.
Warmed Nuts and Champagne
Dinner service began just as the sun was setting.
Sunset
There was only one choice of appetizer and salad on this flight. Both were served on a tray together. The shrimp was described as “Cajun grilled” served over broccoli slaw with a harissa aioli. It was actually pretty good and the aioli had a nice kick to it.
A bread basket was also brought out and I had the excellent pretzel bread.
Shrimp and Salad Appetizer
For the main plate I had the braised short rib with morel jus. It was unfortunately cooked beyond well done. The asparagus and sweet potatoes were tender. By this time all of the pretzel bread rolls where finished and I switched to sourdough.
Braised Short Rib
Anne made her way through the cabin and generously topped off my glass of champagne.
Champagne
To finish, I had a delicious ice cream sundae topped with hot fudge, butterscotch, and pecans.
Traditional Ice Cream Sundae
After the meal service flight attendants set up a snack area in the galley. There was an assortment of fresh fruit, raw vegetables, chicken wraps, ham sandwiches, and hard-boiled egg bowls.
Mid-flight snacks
There was also a snack basket filled with the same offerings as on domestic flights.
Snack Basket
The rest of the flight was uneventful. Flight attendants made two passes through the cabin offering water for the passengers.
With 90 minutes until landing in Munich, breakfast was served. I had the three cheese and poblano pepper omelet with chicken sausages and roasted potatoes. The omelet itself was OK, very greasy and cheesy on the inside. The chicken sausages were good.
Breakfast
It was still pitch black outside as we made our approach and landing.
Unfortunately, we arrived at a remote stand at Munich. Flight attendants allowed all business class passengers to disembark first. We were bid farewell by the flight attendants and made our way to the buses.
I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by the business class product American Airlines offers. I had admittedly come in with low expectations and the entire experience exceeded them. The seat was very comfortable, the food was great, and the flight attendants phenomenal. I would happily fly American Airlines long-haul Flagship Business again.
Route: Chicago O’Hare International (ORD)-Charlotte Douglas International (CLT)
Distance: 599 miles
Duration: 2hrs 5min
Departure: 12:09PM (delayed 1hr 14min)
Arrival: 2:28PM
The Preflight
To ring in 2020 and the New Year, my SO and I were going to fly to Abu Dhabi to celebrate. Our routing involved three legs: ORD-CLT, CLT-MUC, and finally MUC-AUH.
We began the day in the Flagship Lounge at Chicago O’Hare since we were flying international business on the second leg of our journey from ORD-CLT-MUC.
I really do love the views of the apron from the Flagship lounge.
Snowy Morning
My SO and I enjoyed a few glasses of champagne. Cheers!
Flagship Lounge ORD
The weather was constantly changing that morning, from snow flurries, to sunshine, to cloudy. It made from some beautiful views.
Apron View
Due to the snow, our inbound aircraft from Charlotte was delayed. As such our departure got pushed back by roughly two hours. At 11:15AM, an hour later than the original boarding time, my SO and I headed towards the gate. We passed by some beautiful AA aircraft including a B787-8 and A319.
The plane taking us to CLT today was an A321, registration N931AM, that was delivered to American back in 2017.
N931AM
The Flight
American Airlines currently has two distinct sub-fleets of A321s. The Legacy US Airways (LUS) sub-fleet, dubbed “Classic”, features 16 Domestic First class seats, 15 Main Cabin Extra seats, and 156 Main Cabin seats. These “Classic” A321s lack in-seat power, have no IFE screens, and only have 36″ of pitch up front.
In comparison, the Legacy American Airlines (LAA) sub-fleet, dubbed “Enhanced”, features 16 Domestic First class seats, 36 Main Cabin Extra seats, and 129 Main Cabin seats. Each seat has a seatback screen and individual power ports. The first class cabin also has a very generous 39″ of pitch.
Our flight was delayed by about 45 minutes which resulted in an airplane swap. No complaints since we went from a LUS A321 to a LAA A321 (seat-back screens and in seat power!)
My SO and I were both seated in the last row of first class in 4A and 4C. There are a total of 16 seats in a 2-2 configuration.
Seat 4A
The LAA sub-fleet of A321s had both in seat power and IFE screens. Compared the the LUS A321s this seat felt positively luxurious. I pulled up the flight map immediately once I got seated.
Seat-back Entertainment
There was a generous amount of legroom at 39″. Each seat was 21″ wide.
Leg Room
The IFE remote was stored in the armrest. It was fairly clean and all the buttons were working fine.
IFE control
In the center armrest was a bi-fold tray table.
Tray Table
It was large enough for my laptop and a drink.
Tray Table
In between the seat backs was a cocktail tray.
Drink Holder
The flight attendants on this flight were simply phenomenal. Upon boarding, the flight attendant came by and offered to hang our coats. Once we got situated, the flight attendants came by to offer a pre-departure beverage (open bar!). I had a Bloody Mary and my SO had a glass of water.
PDB: Bloody Mary
Despite O’Hare having a dedicated de-icing facility, we were de-iced at the gate.
De-Icing at the gate
We had a fairly lengthy taxi to the runway. After about 30 minutes, we were cleared for takeoff.
About 15 minutes after takeoff our amazing flight attendants sprung into action. First up was a beverage service and I had a cup of black coffee.
Coffee
Because our flight was under 699 miles (599 miles to be exact) the meal service was only a snack basket. We were encouraged to try all of the snacks and we shared four of them.
The chickpea puffs were our favorite while the sunflower seeds and rolled oats cookies were interesting.
Snack Basket
The rest of the short flight was uneventful. We were offered another beverage service and the snack basket made a second round through the cabin.
North Caroline
We had a smooth approach and landed in CLT just in time to make it onto our next flight.
Despite the weather delay, I found this flight to be very pleasant. The flight attendants were both friendly, warm, and personable and made the entire experience pleasant. Until next time American!
Route: Chicago O’Hare International (ORD)-San Diego International (SAN)
Distance: 1,722 miles
Duration: 4hrs 36min
Departure: 10:52AM
Arrival: 1:02PM
The Preflight
I booked this Christmas day flight to go visit family who live in San Diego. ORD-SAN is my most flown route, having done this a total of six times over the past two years.
Departing at 9:55AM, I arrived at 7:50AM and made it through TSA Precheck in about five minutes. My favorite Admirals Club at O’Hare is the H/K Concourse club. There are two more Admirals Club’s at ORD, one in Concourse G and one in Concourse L.
There was a beautiful sunrise view from the AC windows.
A319 pushing back
For breakfast, there was an avocado toast station and a make-your-own breakfast taco bar. Both options had a generous amount of topping choices.
Christmas breakfast
The inbound flight from Miami was delayed by 20 minutes and our departure time was pushed back from 9:55AM to 10:12AM. O’Hare was fully in the Christmas spirit and American Airlines had a bunch of festive trees set up just outside the Admirals Club.
As I made my way to gate H6, I passed by the AA retro “Astrojet” livery.
American Airlines usually has a B737-800 for this ORD-SAN route, but on Christmas Day subbed in an A321.
Our A321, registration N158AN, was relatively new (3.8 years old). She was delivered to American Airlines in 2016.
The Flight
American Airlines currently has two distinct sub-fleets of A321s. One sub-fleet is made of legacy US Airways (LUS) A321s (“Classic”) that lack seatback screens and does not have in seat power. The other sub-fleet is made of legacy American Airlines (LAA) A321s (“Enhanced”) that have seatback screens and in seat power. Today, our plane was an “Enhanced” A321. There were a total of 16 first class seats, 36 Main Cabin Extra seats, and 129 Main Cabin seats.
My favorite seat aboard the LAA A321s are 25F and 25A. These are regular Main Cabin seats (not Main Cabin Extra) and can be selected without surcharge if on a regular economy fare. Both these seats feature unlimited legroom since there is no seat 24A or 24F.
Regular economy seats are 17.7″ wide but since this seat did not have a seatback in front, the tray table and IFE screen were in the armrest. This reduced the width to about 16.3″.
25A
One downside is 25A directly faces the flight attendant during takeoff and landing. I prefer 25F over 25A since 25F does not face the jump-seat.
Jump-seat
Unfortunately, the IFE screen folding mechanism was broken in my seat. The screen would not lock in the upright position forcing me to hold the screen upright the entire flight. When I asked the flight attendant if there was anything she could do, she told me to stream to my own device instead…
Broken IFE screen folding mechanism
Boarding began on time for the delayed departure time of 10:12. Once the doors were closed, we sat at the gate for another 40 minutes before finally pushing back at 10:43 AM. There was a long line of aircraft ahead of us in line and we waited another 20 minutes before it was our turn to take-off.
ORD
We had a smooth takeoff and the captain flipped the seat belt sign off about 15 minutes into the flight.
Flight attendants came through the cabin with a snack and beverage service. There was the option of Biscoff cookies or pretzels and a choice of beverage. I opted for the pretzels and a cup of coffee. I ended up using the tray table to keep my screen upright the entire flight.
Coffee and pretzels
We passed over some beautiful snow covered Midwest farmland.
Midwest
I managed to finish all of Hobbs and Shaw (Fast and Furious series) and part of Angel Has Fallen during the flight.
Clouds
An hour before landing flight attendants came through the cabin a second time offering beverages. I had a cup of Diet Dr. Pepper (no full cans were given out).
Desert
Landing was a bit bumpy due to the rain in San Diego (!) but was otherwise uneventful. As always we had great views of downtown San Diego on approach to runway 27.
Landing
Taxiing to the gate was quick and only took about 10 minutes until I made it off the plane. Thanks for the ride!
On my way towards the exit and I passed two different Canadian carriers.
Air Canada Express CRJ-900LRWest Jet B737-800
All in all, this was an OK economy flight with American Airlines. There was a delay of about an hour, my IFE screen mount was defective, and the flight attendants relatively ambivalent towards flyers. However, nothing terrible happened and I got home to visit the family.
Route: Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA)-Chicago O’Hare (ORD)
Distance: 1,713 miles
Duration: 4hr 13min
Departure: 12:52PM
Arrival: 5:57PM
The Preflight
This flight was the return on an itinerary I booked with my Alaska Airlines companion pass. My SO and I had spent a weekend being tourists in Seattle despite the rain and were making our way home to Chicago.
We arrived at SEA 10:20AM roughly two hours before our scheduled boarding time at 11:40AM. Thanks to my AMEX Platinum charge card, we had access to the excellent AMEX Centurion Lounge at SEA. There were amazing views of the taxiway and quiet a few widebodies passed by during our time in the lounge
Our aircraft was a 13.5 year old A320, registration N626VA, originally delivered to Virgin America in 2006. In Nov 2018, N626VA was formally transferred over to Alaska Airlines as part of their purchase of Virgin America.
N626VA
The Flight
Alaska Airlines recently completed retrofitting all of the ex-Virgin America A320s in their fleet to feature Alaskan’s newest seats which was introduced in Feb 2019. There are a total of 12 first, 25 Premium, and 114 economy seats on each A320.
The new slimline seats are similar to the Recaro BL3530 seats with 31-32″ of pitch. Each seat is 17.7″ wide and has the new memory foam seat padding.
29F
Alaska’s refreshed A320 cabin also featured ambient blue mood lighting.
Mood Lighting
Since the new slim line seats had a thinner back, there was more room for my knees. There was enough leg room for me to stretch my legs out comfortably.
Each seat featured a 110V power outlet under the tray table.
Legroom
One unfortunate causality of the Alaska retrofit of the A320s was the seatback screens. Alaska opted to remove all seatback screens and install a tablet holder at each seat instead. Next to the tablet holder was a nicely placed USB port
Below the tablet holder was a generic tray table. I appreciated how they opted for two cup holders instead of just one.
Boarding began on time at 11:40AM and was uneventful. Since we had purchased saver fares (basic economy), we boarded last in Group E. Luckily, there was still overhead bin space.
We spent quiet some time taxiing to the runway but it was a great opportunity to do some plane spotting.
AS B737AS A320FI B767Firefighter Training PlaneTaxi
Once in the air, we had some beautiful views of Mt. Rainier just as the sun was setting.
Mt. Rainier ViewsMt. Rainier
Flight attendants came through the cabin once the seat belt sign was turned off with cups of water first. After making one pass, they came by with a beverage service. I love the onboard coffee that Alaska serves.
Beverage Service
One thing my SO and I did in Seattle was visit Beecher’s Handmade cheese at Pike’s Place (typical tourists =)…). We both loved the grilled cheese and Mac n Cheese and funny enough, Alaskan serves Beecher’s cheese from the buy on board menu. I used my Alaska Airlines visa credit card for 20% off the fruit and cheese plate.
The cheese was delicious and the fruit was fresh. It was fairly loaded and there was enough for both my SO and I to snack on.
Signature Cheese Plate
The flight was smooth for the remainder of the way to Chicago.
We landed 20 minutes ahead of schedule at O’Hare and taxied for another 20 minutes.
Thanks for the ride!
I really enjoyed flying on Alaska Airlines in their main cabin. Like the previous flight the seat was comfortable, the coffee strong, and the cheese plate delicious.
Route: Chicago O’Hare International (ORD)-Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA)
Distance: 1,713 miles
Duration: 4hrs 48min
Departure: 9:06AM
Arrival:11:24AM
The Preflight
Using my Bank of America Alaska Airlines credit card companion pass, I booked this trip for my SO and I for a weekend getaway.
Alaska Airlines departs from Terminal 3 at O’Hare which is American Airlines’ main terminal. The two carriers still share some reciprocal lounge access despite scaling back their partnership over the years. My SO and I were able to access the Concourse G Admirals Club with our AS boarding passes.
We had some great views of the taxiway with the early morning American departure bank.
With 10 minutes to go until boarding at 7:25AM, we made our way to gate G6. Our A320, registration N847VA, was delivered to Virgin America back in 2011. She was formally transferred to Alaska Airlines in Nov 2018 after the merger.
AS A320
Boarding began promptly. However, during the boarding process apparently the jet bridge struck the fuselage of the plane and maintenance was called to clear our flight. We were delayed for about 30 minutes at the gate.
N847VA
Alaska Airlines was running a promotion with Starbucks the weekend of our flight. Anyone with a Starbucks cup was given priority boarding after Group B. My SO loves the Christmas cups and we got our cups before the flight. We were the only ones on this flight to use this perk… Happy Holidays!
Re-usable Cups
The Flight
Since the acquisition of Virgin America in 2016, Alaska Airlines has been retrofitting all of the ex-Virgin America Airbus aircraft to better harmonize the fleet. The old Virgin America A320s had 8 First, 12 Premium, and 129 economy seats while the retrofitted A320s have 12 First, 24 Premium, and 114 economy seats.
All retrofitted Alaska Airlines A320s also feature the new slimline seats designed by Recaro. Seats offer 31-32″ of pitch and 17″ of width. The seat itself was comfortable enough, just right for a sub-5-hour flight.
Main Cabin seats
Alaska decided to rip out all of the seat-back entertainment screens Virgin America used to have in economy and install tablet holders instead. There was a USB port for charging the personal devices.
Seatback
At knee level just below the tray table was a 110V AC power outlet . It was nice to have two separate areas for charging electronics.
Power Port
My Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e fit snugly into the tablet holder. Even with some moderate turbulence the tablet felt secure.
BYOD
Flight attendants began service 15 minutes after takeoff by offering cups of water.
They then came through with the beverage service and I had a strong cup of black coffee with my Biscoff cookie. I find that the coffee aboard AS is much better than other legacy US carriers, both strong and flavorful.
The flight attendants came through the cabin twice more later in the flight offering water both times.
Coffee and Biscoff
I managed to finish all of Avengers: Endgame from Alaska’s inflight entertainment streaming service through GoGo. There was actually a decent amount of newer movies and TV shows available.
We made up some time in the air and landed only 15 minutes late. There was short 10 minute taxi to the gate. Of course the weather was overcast and rainy the entire weekend we were in Seattle…
SEA GateThanks for the ride!
Overall, this was a perfectly economical flight from ORD-SEA for a quick weekend trip. My seat was comfortable, our flight wasn’t too delayed, and the coffee was strong.
Route: Philadelphia International (PHL)-Chicago O’Hare International (ORD)
Distance: 677 miles
Duration: 2hrs 7min
Departure: 5:57PM
Arrival: 6:40PM
The Preflight
Since my original itinerary MIA-DFW, DFW-ORD was derailed due to a mechanical issue with the MIA-DFW aircraft, I flew MIA-PHL instead. Luckily the MIA-PHL had no mechanical issues and arrived on time. I had a short 55 minute connection at PHL and spent the time plane-spotting.
There were quiet a few widebodies at PHL today including a British Airways B747-400 and a variety of American Airlines widebodies.
BA B747-400AA A330AA B767-300ER
Our A321 today, registration N549UW, was delivered to US Airways in Nov 2011. She was formally transferred over to American Airlines in Sept 2015 after the merger between the two airlines.
Boarding began on time at 5:10PM.
N549UW
The Flight
American Airlines currently has two distinct sub-fleets of A321s. One sub-fleet consists of all the legacy US Airways (LUS) A321s (called “Classic”) while the other sub-fleet consists of all the legacy American Airlines (LAA) A321s (called “Enhanced”).
This particular A321 was one of the LUS “Classic” A321s which are definitely the worse of the two sub-fleet types. There is no in seat power and no seatback IFE. Besides the ability to recline into the bulkhead behind me, the seat felt identical to the Spirit Airlines Big Front Seat. Seats are 21″ wide and have a pitch of 36″. Compare this to the LAA “Enhanced” A321s that have seatback entertainment, in seat power, and a whopping 39″ of pitch.
Awaiting us at each was a small blanket as well. No pillows were distributed.
4A
Boarding was slightly delayed by 20 minutes and we pushed back at 5:57PM local time. There was a surprising amount on Concierge Key members (3 total) on this flight. Flight attendants made no attempt to interact with the passengers and since I was in the bulkhead row another passenger (2A) asked me to hang his coat behind me….
No predeparture beverages were served and my seatmates request for some water was brusquely shutdown. We had a quick taxi to the runway and took off soon thereafter. Enjoy!
Once in the air flight attendants handed out warmed towels. Meal and beverage orders were taken at the same time. I think flight attendants went in order of status as she jumped around the cabin for orders. I went for a glass of red wine.
Streaming on board was with ViaSat. It was fast and the live TV had minimal pauses. I made a rookie mistake prior to the flight and forgot to charge my laptop. Since there was no individual seat power, my laptop died mid flight.
BYOD
Snack options where either a Fruit and Cheese plate or a Chipotle Black Bean Guacamole plate. I opted for the guac and it was excellent. It was served with a ramekin of toasted mixed nuts, bag of multigrain tortilla chips, and a small chocolate. The tray table was so small that I couldn’t fit my own device and the snack tray at once.
Chipotle Black Bean Guac
Once the snack tray was cleared, flight attendants offered another round of drinks. I love the AA branded glassware.
Red Wine
The rest of the flight was uneventful and we approached O’Hare from over Lake Michigan with a lovely view of downtown Chicago.
Enjoy our landing on 27L!
Despite the 20 minutes delay on departure, we landed in Chicago 10 minutes ahead of schedule. In summary, I’d say the flight attendants were indifferent and just went through the motions. Would I pay extra for LUS A321 business class with no seat power, a small tray table, and no IFE? Probably not. I’m just glad my upgrade cleared on this flight.
Route: Miami International (MIA)-Philadelphia International (PHL)
Distance: 1,017 miles
Duration: 2hrs 40min
Departure: 1:49PM
Arrival: 4:09PM
The Preflight
I had originally booked an itinerary MIA-DFW on the B777-200ER and then DFW-ORD aboard the B787-8, but in true AA fashion, the inbound B777-200ER was delayed by four hours (mechanical?) causing me to miss my connection onto O’Hare. Hoping to at least snag a lie-flat seat home, I was able to get the last seat aboard the evening MIA-PHL flight and then onward aboard an A321 PHL-ORD.
American Airlines had two Admiral’s Clubs at Miami International Airport, both in Terminal D. One is near Gate D-15 and the other near D-30. I went to check out the D-30 Admiral’s Club which had amazing views of a B777.
The original boarding time of my MIA-DFW flight was supposed to be at 11:25AM. Since I was re-routed MIA-PHL, my new boarding time was 1:06PM. This gave me an additional hour and a half to explore MIA. I decided to check-out the AMEX Centurion Lounge near in Concourse D near gate D-12.
There were even better views of the apron in the AMEX lounge with views of the runway as well.
With 10 minutes until boarding, I made my way to Gate D40. I passed by some American heavies including this gorgeous B777.
Our B767-300ER today, registration N397AN, was delivered to American Airlines in March 1999. American Airlines currently has a fleet of 20 B767-300ERs which are scheduled to be retired by the end of 2020 next year. I had never flown up front on this aircraft type and I was glad to give them a try.
Boarding began on time at 1:06PM and gate agents announced that this was a completely full flight. I boarded after Concierge Key members in Group 1.
The Flight
American Airlines offers a total of 28 business class seats onboard their B767s in a staggered 1-2-1 configuration. The seats are Thompson Vantage seats which are similar to the business class seats aboard Austrian Airlines’ B777-200ERs.
I was seated in 8G, the last row in the center section of the business class cabin. Each seat was 20.6″ wide with 45″ of pitch.
8G (middle aisle)
The business cabin was one large cabin between doors 1 and 2. The entire cabin was full for this hub to hub flight today. The 767 also offers 21 Main Cabin Extra and 160 Main Cabin seats in a 2-3-2 configuration.
Cabin
There was a small tray table that folded down from the seatback as well as a standard sized literature pocket adjacent to the table.
Literature pocket and Tray Table Folded Up
Unfortunately, AA decided to defer installing IFE screens on their B767s. Instead, they installed a 110V power outlet which was supposed to power personal entertainment devices.
BYOD Plugin and Table
Below the personal device table was a tapered footwell which was about 14″ wide at the opening.
Foot-well
There was very limited storage space at the seat itself. A small pocket for shoes was located on the floor below the literature pocket.
Floor Storage Pocket
There was another small storage area on the console next to the seat. It was just large enough to hold a pair of headphones. The 110V at this location was not working (or not turned on?) for this flight.
Console Storage
The primary seat control was in the main console top next to the seat. There was a small remote while turned on the overhead light and mood lighting in the footwell. The leaf table was released by pressing the metal button.
Seat Controls
Since AA decided to go with BYOD streaming I realized that the AA app did not have a live in flight map tracker. Instead the map was shown on the ancient overhead TV.
Overhead TV Monitors
There were no pre-departure beverages served today because “the flight was still being catered” during the boarding process. We had a quick pushback and taxi to the runway and were airborne without delay.
Once in the air, I popped out the two-fold leaf table and put my laptop on the small tray table for IFE devices. The free entertainment included live TV and I was able to watch the Bears vs. Raiders game in London (Bears lost 21-24…) Video quality was good and the streaming speed had infrequent pauses.
BYOD and Table
Service began with a warm towel 15 minutes after take off. Flight attendants took drink and lunch orders back to front so I was first to place my order.
I had a Bloody Mary and was given an extra bottle of Tito’s vodka. The warmed nuts were excellent as usual.
Bloody Mary and Warmed Nuts
Lunch options were either Spinach and Ricotta cheese raviolini or a chopped salad.
I opted for the chopped salad with grilled chicken. The salad was actually quiet flavorful with blue cheese crumbles. I had both a sourdough roll (excellent) and a whole grain roll. The grilled chicken was nothing special and a bit bland.
Chopped Chicken Salad
After the meal flight attendants came by with a tray of gooey chocolate chip cookies. I asked for another ramekin of warmed nuts which was served promptly.
Chocolate Chip Cookie
All passengers were also provided a standard blanket. AA does not provide pillows in domestic business class. The bed itself was 78″ long was average but the foot well was very restrictive for my feet as I was unable to keep them upright if I were lying supine.
Lie Flat Mode
Halfway through the flight, flight attendants came by again and I request a warm cup of Joe.
Coffee
As we began our descent I watched the Bears snatch defect from the jaws of victory. Mints were distributed at this time.
In-flight Streaming
The approach into PHL was smooth and in no time we arrived at our gate. I had an hour layover in Philadelphia before my final flight back home to Chicago. Thanks for the ride!
Thanks for the Ride!
Flying hub-to-hub aboard AA is always a treat if onboard a widebody aircraft. Nothing can beat having a lie-flat bed on these short two hour flights. I found the flight attendants to be friendly on this flight as well despite the lack of predeparture beverages. The catering was exactly what I was expecting and I always appreciate the warmed cookies. All in all a great first time upfront on the B767.
