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Trip Report: Cathay Pacific (A330-300) Business DXB-HKG

July 18, 2018November 28, 2021Posted in Oneworld3 Comments

The Details

Flight: CX746
Aircraft: A330-300
Class: Business
Seat: 15A
Route: Dubai International (DXB)-Hong Kong International (HKG)
Distance: 3,682miles
Duration: 7hrs 47min
Departure: 5:33PM
Arrival: 5:10AM

The Preflight

After my excellent stay at the worlds tallest hotel in Dubai, the JW Marriott Marquis, I was excited to return home to the United States. I was going to be connecting in Hong Kong and then flying to Los Angeles in First Class with Cathay Pacific.

I arrived at Dubai International Airport Terminal 1 with about four hours until departure time at 5:10PM. The airport counters actually did not open until 3.5 hours prior to departure and I walked around the landside area for a bit. Once checked-in, I made my way past security and then to the lounge. Cathay Pacific partners with Lufthansa despite being in difference alliances and so all business passengers had access to the Lufthansa Business Lounge.

With 20 minutes until boarding at 4:30PM I headed towards Gate D where our flight was departing from. Boarding began on time and was done via two jet bridges. Business class passengers boarded via 1L while economy boarded through 2L.

Our A330-300, registration B-LAD, was delivered brand new to Cathay Pacific in August 2006. Cathay Pacific currently has four distinct sub-fleets of their A330-300s. One sub-fleet is predominantly used for short-haul flights within Asia and is dubbed the “33P”. The three other sub-fleets “33K”, “33E”, and “33J” are used for long-haul flights in the CX network. This aircraft was a “33K” with 39 business, 21 premium economy, and 191 economy seats. Both the “33E” and “33J” A330s lack premium economy.

The Flight

The business class seats were Cirrus reverse herringbone seats arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration.

The 39 flat bed seats were split between two cabins, one large cabin between the first and second set of doors and a smaller cabin behind the second set of doors. I was seated in 15A, midway in the first larger business class cabin.

Each individual seat was 20.2″ wide and was 82″ when fully flat. I found the seat very comfortable. I liked how there was a built in privacy shield near the head rest.

There was a generous amount of legroom and ample storage space.

The IFE screen popped out from the seatback and had a great amount of entertainment selections.

I did think that the resolution of the screen was poor and the inflight map appeared very dated. The scrolls speed was fast but there was a responsiveness issue. I had to use a lot of force and hold the screen with my other hand for the touch input to register.

To the left of the seat were the IFE remote and seat controls. Each seat also had a 110V universal outlet, headphone jack, and reading light. Behind the seat control console was a storage space that contained the headphones.

The tray table was stored under the left hand armrest instead of directly over the foot space like in other reverse herringbone seats. Below the tray table was a storage space with a dedicated pouch for water bottles.

The Cathay Pacific branded headphones were average and not as good as my own QC35s.

A stylish Cathay Pacific branded amenity kit was also distributed to each passenger. The contents included Jurlique branded hand cream, facial moisturizer, and lip balm. Additionally was mouth wash, dental kit, socks, face mask, and ear plugs.

There was also a dense pillow which I found comfortable.

A packaged blanket was also provided. It was substantial, heavy, and warm.

Personally, I love the style of Cathay Pacific. I found the cabin to be sleek and modern. I appreciated the cabin artwork as well as the green upholstery.

Cathay Pacific actually runs a triangle route on this flight with the routing HKG-BAH-DXB-HKG. Since this flight originated in Bahrain, there were already a few passengers in the business class cabin. The air must have been turned off while our plane was at the gate because the cabin was incredibly humid. Luckily, the air temp was turned low and within 20 minutes of boarding the cabin became cool.

Flight attendants came through the cabin and offered predeparture beverages served from a tray. Options included water, orange juice, carrot juice, or champagne.

Cold moist towels were also distributed. The cabin doors were closed at 5:01PM and five minutes later we pushed back. Once on the taxi-way we came to a stop and the captain came over the intercom. He stated that one of the runways was closed for inspection and that there was a line of departures ahead of us.

At 5:32PM, we finally began our takeoff roll down runway 30L. On our ascent, we had hazy views of the Burj Khalifa and downtown Dubai.

15 minutes after departure, cabin crew came through handing out the menu.

Service began with a beverage service accompanied by a ramekin of warmed nuts. I had a second glass of Piper Heidsieck champagne.

The appetizers was served directly on a tray. I went with the beef pastrami with kipler potato salad and creamy salsa verdi. There was also a side salad with bell peppers. Flight attendants also passed through with a bread basket and I elected for two slices of delicious garlic bread. To pair, I had a glass of Sauvignon Blanc.

The main course was served from a cart that was pushed down the aisle. I went with the salmon with sun dried tomato crust in a saffron sauce. The salmon was flaky and had a great crunch.

Once the dinner tray was cleared, cabin crew came through with the dessert service. I went with a cheese plate that had delicious Bresse Blue, brie, and cheddar slices and the fruit plate.

30 minutes after the dessert course, I was offered some ice cream but declined. I asked for a cup of Jing tea.

With five hours to go until Hong Kong, the cabin lights were dimmed.

Large Evian water bottles were handed out along with another hot towelette.

Once the water bottles were handed out, flight attendants turned off the main cabin lights to help passengers sleep.

By this point I was exhausted and made my bed. While the bedding was extremely comfortable, I found the seat had certain hard points which stabbed my back when I was lying flat.

I had ample foot space available so that I could sleep both on my side and supine without difficulty.

I managed to get about three hours of sleep and was awoken to the cabin lights being turned back on for the breakfast service. Cabin crew first came through with a beverage service and I had a glass of water.

Breakfast was served all on one tray. There was fresh fruit, Bircher muesli, banana oat muffin, and date and custard Danish. I also had a mixed berry smoothie and cup of black coffee. While there was a lot of food, I was disappointed that there was no protein offered.

The cabin was prepped for landing almost an hour later and we touched down in Hong Kong at 5:10AM in the morning. The taxi to the gate was very quick at under five minutes. Thanks for the ride!

I greatly enjoyed the hard product on this A330 flight with Cathay Pacific. I prefer to reverse herringbone seats to other business class seats. The soft product was decidedly average with an OK dinner service and disappointing breakfast. The wine selection was good and flight attendants friendly.

Trip Report: American Airlines (B757-200) Domestic First PHX-SAN

May 27, 2018November 28, 2021Posted in American Airlines, Oneworld1 Comment

The Details

Flight: AA465
Aircraft: B757-200
Class: Domestic First
Seat: 1F
Route: Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX)-San Diego International (SAN)
Distance: 338 miles
Duration: 1hr 10min
Departure: 7:52AM
Arrival: 8:44AM

The Preflight

After my flight from Chicago O’Hare landed at 6:30AM, I had an hour until my connecting flight to San Diego departed at 7:35AM. Luckily, at the check-in open at 24-hours my upgrade had cleared and I was seated in Domestic First.

I made my way to the gate area to catch a show of our beautiful B757-200, registration N206UW. She was delivered to USAir back in 1995, with registration N630AU, before USAir rebranded as US Airways in 1997. Then during the US Airways merger with America West in 2006 her registration changed to N206UW. Finally, in 2015 she was transferred to the American Airlines fleet after the US Airways-American Airlines merger.

On board, there were 12 Domestic First class seats in a 2-2 configuration across the first three rows between the first and second seat of doors. This plane also had 38 Main Cabin Extra seats as well as 138 Main Cabin seats all in a 3-3 configuration.

The first class seats were similar to the ones aboard the “Classic” American Airlines B737-800s. There were no seatback screens and instead AA has installed universal power outlets at every seat upfront.

Boarding began promptly at 7:05AM and the doors closed at 7:52AM. We were slightly delayed by twenty minutes.

After take-off there were some great views of Phoenix.

Since this flight was less than 500 miles, service was brief and minimal. First, flight attendants came through offering a round of drinks. I had a cup of coffee. Then they passed around a snack basket with an assortment of chips and chocolates.

In no time, the captain announced that we were beginning our descent into San Diego. As we approached runway 27 I had some great views of Balboa park.

This flight was very uneventful and was the first time that I was sitting upfront on a B757-200. Thanks to a complimentary upgrade, I got to sit in the very front of the cabin and enjoyed the brief inflight service. Until next time American!

Trip Report: Qatar Airways (A350-900) Business DOH-HND

February 20, 2018November 28, 2021Posted in Oneworld, Qatar Airways1 Comment

The Details

Flight: QR812
Aircraft: A350-900
Class: Business
Seat: 4A
Route: Doha Hammad International (DOH)-Tokyo-Haneda International (HND)
Distance: 5,135 miles
Duration: 9hr 11min
Departure: 7:16AM
Arrival: 10:06PM

The Preflight

After spending two days exploring Doha, I was ready for the next leg of my journey to Tokyo. I took a short cab ride from the hotel and arrived at the dedicated check in area within the terminal for First and Business Class passengers three hours before the scheduled departure time. I wanted to be able to fully explore the Qatar Airways business class airport experience.

It was a beautiful and elegantly designed area with seating and individual desks for check-in. I was the only passenger at 4AM in the morning.

Once checked-in I made my way to the Al Mourjan Business Lounge. This lounge is only accessible to passengers flying Qatar Airways business class.

Immediately to the right of the entrance was a water fountain area and stairs to the buffet dining area.

Upstairs was the buffet dining area. Breakfast was served during my time there.

There was also a staffed bar in the buffet dining area.

Going back down the stairs and to the left of the main entrance was a large seating area. The middle was filled with lounge chairs and some greenery.

Continuing further to the left of the entrance on the other side of the lounge was another dining room with made-to-order sandwiches.

Large private cubicles were available as well for sleeping in.

I decided to have a quick shower before my flight. Qatar Airways offers separate shower rooms for men and women. Each individual room was modern and had excellent water presser.

I managed to snag a few pictures of the long-haul Qatar Airways fleet during my time in the lounge. I would be flying on an A350 for the flight to Tokyo.

Our A350, registration A7-ALE, was delivered to Qatar in October 2015. Boarding began promptly at 6:15AM.

The Flight

Qatar Airways features one of my favorite business class seats aboard their A350-900s, the Super Diamond reverse herringbone seat. Each seat had 80 inches of sleep space and 22 inches of width. The seats were incredibly stylish with the trimmed wood design and dark red color.

There are a total of 36 business class seats split between a large cabin between doors 1 and 2 and a mini cabin extending past door 2. Economy featured 247 seats in a 3-3-3 configuration.

The seats had multiple adjustable options and had a built-in massage function. Below the seat controls were a 110V outlet and USB port.

Next to the power outlets was a storage bin. It was deep enough to store my phone and passport.

To the right of the seat was a small storage bin where the headphones were stored.

The IFE screen was massive, modern, and very responsive to touch. Qatar Airways also installed a tail cam.

The foot well was moderately sized but felt more constrained compared to the other reverse herringbone seats such as those aboard Cathay Pacific’s A330s or American Airline’s A330s. Below the IFE screen was the stowed tray table. The tray table was a massive and heavy double-fold table.

Qatar Airways also elected to remove storage bins from the middle of the aircraft which gave the cabin an airy feel.

At each seat was a Bric’s amenity kit, comfy pillow, and thick blanket.

An Evian water bottle was also at the seat in a dedicated cup holder.

The amenity was well provisioned. There was lip balm, facial mist, hand lotion, socks, and an eye mask.

A very comfortable set of pajamas was also handed out.

Having heard rave reviews about Qatar Airways’ excellent on-board service I had high expectations coming into this flight. I was not disappointed. I was greeted at the door by two friendly Japanese flight attendants who bowed and welcomed me aboard. When I responded in English, they immediately switched from Japanese to English.

Upon taking my seat I was offered a hot towel and beverage of choice. I decided to have an Americano which was nicely presented. Afterwards, I switched to a rose.

Menus were also distributed. Qatar Airways offers dine-on-demand, meaning I could have anything from the menu at any time. Breakfast was the main course on this flight.

There was also an extensive cocktail and beverage menu.

As well as a detailed wine list.

The business cabin was entirely full for this flight. We pushed back on time at 7AM and had a very smooth take off.

I watched the tail cam as we cruised over the Persian Gulf.

Another round of beverages were offered once we reached cruising altitude over Iran.

For breakfast I decided to have the Japanese Kaiseki set breakfast. It was beautifully presented and very tasty. The grilled flounder was excellent with a crispy skin and the various pickled vegetables refreshing. Dare I say better than the one I had aboard ANA First Class?

I also had a selection of nigiri and sushi. The quality was incredible and the best fish I’ve had in the air. Akin to quality I’d expect in a restaurant on the ground.

I concluded the meal with another glass of champagne (my fourth…) and a ramekin of cold nuts. Each passenger was also given a box of Godiva chocolates.

I settled into the seat and watched a couple movies. Since this flight left in the morning from Doha I was wide awake the entire trip.

Qatar Airways also decided to install window blinds instead of shades on most of their new A350s which gave the cabin a fancier vibe.

Midway through the flight I checked out the bar in between the forward and small business class cabins. Flight attendants had set up a self-serve food area. Options included fresh fruit, chocolates, and bags of chips.

Just another view of the forward business cabin giving a sense of how open and airy it felt.

I cannot say enough good things about this flight crew. Every 10 minutes or so a flight attendant would pass through the cabin and check on all of the passengers. I was proactively offered multiple refills of my champagne which I had to start turning down. Water was also offered proactively.

As the sun set over the East China Sea I decided to have dinner. Having loved the Japanese options, I continued down the Japanese menu and had the grilled fillet of beef with Teriyaki sauce.

Again the catering was amazing. The beef was medium-rare and not a second overcooked. The side of grilled salmon was also tasty.

As we began the approach into HND, I switched over to the tail camera.

We landed about 15 minutes ahead of schedule and had a very quick taxi to the gate. I was through customs and immigration in no time and quickly on my way to the AirBnb where I would be meeting my family.

Qatar Airways hands down offered on of the best business class experiences I have had the privilege of experiencing. The lounge was amazing, seat comfortable, flight attendants attentive, and food phenomenal. I cannot say enough good things about Qatar Airways and look forward to flying them again!

Trip Report: Royal Jordanian (B787-8) Crown (Business) AMM-DOH

February 18, 2018November 28, 2021Posted in Oneworld, Royal Jordanian5 Comments

The Details

Flight: RJ650
Aircraft: B787-8
Class: Crown Class (Business)
Seat: 3A
Route: Amman Queen Alia International (AMM)-Doha Hamad International (DOH)
Distance: 1,165miles
Duration: 2hr 25min
Departure: 2:47AM
Arrival: 5:54AM

The Preflight

After arriving on my flight from Madrid I had a few more hours until my flight to Doha. By this time, I was incredibly tired and decided to relax in the flagship Royal Jordanian Crown Lounge.

While there was a separate dedicated smoking room; the entire lounge reeked of cigarette smoke.

There was a open buffet and open bar with soft drinks. The food offerings had an Arabic flair with various hold and cold choices.

After a quick nap and a bite in the lounge I made my way to the gate with twenty minutes to boarding. Our B787-8, registration JY-BAE, was already at the gate. She was delivered in October 2014 and named after Prince Hashemite Bin Abdullah.

The Flight

Upon boarding, I was greeted by a friendly flight attendant who directed me to my seat. Royal Jordanian features 24 business class seats in a 2-2-2 configuration in a single cabin between the first and second doors. These seats are Parallel Diamond seats which are also aboard KLM 747-400s and Ethiopian Airlines A350-900s.

The cabin felt new and stylish with the Crown branding.

The cabin was extremely empty on this flight with about only half a dozen passengers in business class.

As with all Parallel Diamond seats, I felt the foot well was tight and restrictive. Luckily I had both seats in my row to myself.

The IFE screen was very crisp and responsive.

Each seat featured a 110V outlet, USB port, and a three-prong audio jack. The seat controls were in the armrest between the seats and the IFE remote was below the seat controls.

A pillow, thick blanket, and headphones were also provided for each passenger. No amenity kits were given. The headphones were identical to the ones given to me on my previous Royal Jordanian A319 flight from MAD-AMM.

As with my prior flight from Madrid to Amman with RJ, the flight attendants were superb. Upon taking my seat, I was offered a fresh cup of Arabic Coffee from a Dallah.

Boarding was extremely quick and was finished in about 10 minutes. Push back and taxi was quick and we had a very smooth take-off in the early morning towards Doha.

Breakfast was served immediately after takeoff. There was only one option which was a delicious Arabic mezze breakfast. The fried cheese was both crispy on the corner and gooey on the inside. I had all three options for bread including a croissant, white roll, and pita.

The seat had ample padding and was very comfortable in lie flat mode. I managed to nap for about 30 minutes despite how short the flight was. Each seat also had individual air vents.

I awoke to the flight attendants preparing the cabin for arrival.

Not before long we were over the Persian Gulf and I had a beautiful sunrise view.

We landed promptly in Doha and deplaned at a remote stand. A Qatar Airways branded bus designed for business class passengers was waiting for us.

This flight was such a treat given that I flew a widebody B787-8 Dreamliner on a short two hour and 30 minutes flight. I appreciated the various Arabic touches such as boarding coffee and the mezze plate for breakfast. Coupled with extremely friendly flight attendants, I would say Royal Jordanian offers a great business class product between Jordan and Qatar.

Trip Report: Royal Jordanian (A319) Crown (Business) MAD-AMM

February 18, 2018November 28, 2021Posted in Oneworld, Royal Jordanian2 Comments

The Details

Flight: RJ110
Aircraft: A319
Class: Crown (Business)
Seat: 4A
Route: Madrid-Barajas (MAD)-Amman Queen Alia International (AMM)
Distance: 2,272 miles
Duration: 4hr 49min
Departure: 4:34PM
Arrival: 10:00PM

The Preflight

With a few hours to spare in MAD after arriving from my previous flight from Chicago, I decided to spend the majority of my time in the Iberia Business Lounge.

Breakfast was served during my time there.

There was a dedicated bar area featuring many different types of self-served alcoholic beverages.

There were also excellent views of the apron, runway, and gates.

I managed to spot the plane I was going to take to Amman as it arrived. It was the “Oneworld” livery A319 registration JY-AYP. She was delivered to Royal Jordanian back in March 2009.

The Flight

Royal Jordanian seats 14 passengers it the Crown class cabin. Each seat featured a generous 46 inches of pitch and 21 inches of width. These were by far the most comfortable narrow-body business class seats I’ve flown in. They reminded me of la-z-boy recliners.

Each seat featured a personal reading light and foot rest. There was a comfortable pillow provided as well. The IFE screen flipped out from the armrest between the seats and was fairly dated.

While not lie-flat, the seat had thick padding which made it very comfortable. The cabin was kept at a cool temperature which made napping extremely easy.

I was lucky enough to have an entire row to myself. The cabin was about half-full and there were two Royal Jordanian crew members in row across from me.

A small amenity kit was provided on this short five hour flight. It was fairly basic and included socks, eye mask, and toothbrush.

A pair of Royal Jordanian headphones were also provided. These were the same pair of headphones provided on my later flight from Amman to Doha.

Upon boarding I was greeted by the friendly flight attendant. She read my boarding pass and welcomed me abroad by my last name. Moments after taking my seat, I was given a warm cup of delicious Arabic coffee.

Immediately after the Arabic coffee service, the flight attendant came around with Tattinger champagne and a warm towel.

Menus were handed out and I had a second glass of champagne.

30 minutes after takeoff toated mixed nuts were served.

The appetizer arrived beautifully presented. The shrimp was fresh and seasoned with just the right amount of dill. The dish was served with a dry-cured beef that was phenomenal.

For my main dish I had the lamb madras. The lamb was fork-tender and the curry sauce an explosion of flavor at 32,000 feet. I paired the lamb with a Jordanian shiraz.

I managed to dose off for two hours after the meal service and awoke to the flight attendants prepping the cabin for landing.

We landed in Amman in the middle of the night and I sleepily made my way to the Royal Jordanian Crown Lounge to wait a few more hours until my next flight to Doha.

Trip Report: Iberia (A330-300) Business Plus ORD-MAD

February 16, 2018November 28, 2021Posted in Iberia, Oneworld2 Comments

The Details

Flight: IB6274
Aircraft: A330-300
Class: Business Plus
Seat: 2L
Route: Chicago O’Hare International (ORD)-Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas (MAD)
Distance: 4,387 miles
Duration: 7hr 45min
Departure: 5:08PM
Arrival: 7:39AM

The Preflight

I was so incredibly excited for my first ever long-haul business class flight. This was the first time I’d be able to experience a lie-flat seat while flying and enjoy an international business class lounge.

Iberia is a joint venture partner with American Airlines and shares reciprocal lounge and elite benefits. While most international flights depart from Terminal 5 at Chicago O’Hare, Iberia departs from Terminal 3 which serves American Airlines. That meant I was able to experience the American Airlines Flagship Lounge.

Giddy with excitement, I arrived at the airport about three hours prior to departure to see the lounge and the food and beverage offerings.

The food was excellent along with an open champagne bar featuring Taittinger champagne.

I shamelessly tried to sample every single dish at the buffet.

After stuffing myself in the Flagship Lounge I made my way to the gate. Since all international arrivals have to deplane at Terminal 5, the plane was towed over from Terminal 5 to Terminal 3 prior to departure.

The Flight

Iberia’s A330-300s features 29 business class seats in a staggered 1-2-1 configuration.

These lie-flat Stelia Solstys seats are 78 inches long and about 26 inches wide. Etihad Airways features very similar seats aboard their B777-300ERs for comparison. Since the seats are staggered, even numbered rows are closer to the window while odd number rows are closer to the aisle.

I was seated in 2L. Awaiting at the seat was a small pillow, thin blanket, and amenity kit. The seat controls were to the left of the seat and featured a massage function. With extensive options from reclining I had no problem getting comfortable.

There was ample leg room and I was able to spread my feet out when lying down. The IFE screen was responsive and handled the bright sun glare well.

Upon boarding, flight attendants came by with a tray of orange juice or water. Iberia does not serve alcohol on the ground for flights departing from the USA which is common for most international business class flights.

Menus were also provided. Iberia had an wine list featuring local wines from around Spain.

We pushed back on time and had a relatively short taxi to the runway before take-off. Once in the air, flight attendants sprang into action to get the dinner service started.

To start, I had a full-bodied Crianza red wine along with a ramekin of olives. I appreciated Iberia’s unique twist of offering olives instead of the usual mixed nuts.

Next, the appetizer was all served on one tray. Ironically, Iberia was serving Italian prosciutto instead of the classical Spanish jamon one would expect from the Spanish flag carrier. No complaints as the prosciutto was tasty. The mozzarella covered in pesto was flavorful as well. There was a small side salad featuring mandarin oranges and a small bowel of cold chicken consomme. The cheese plate featured a single slice of cheddar, single bar of guava paste, and a single grape… A bread basket was also offered and I had a cold whole grain roll.

For my main I elected for the grilled shrimp and scallops served with saffron sauce and Basmati rice. Both the scallops and shrimp were cooked tender and not overdone. However, the saffron sauce was very greasy and appeared unappetizing.

Dessert was the highlight of the meal. The caramel ice cream had just the right balance between sweetness and saltiness. I paired it was a strong glass of moscatel.

Once the tables were cleared, flight attendants dimmed the lights and I finished the movie I was watching.

There was about four hours remaining in flight and I made my bed to try and nap a bit. Iberia’s pillow was very comfortable and I appreciated how thin the blanket was given how warm the cabin temperature was.

Breakfast was all served on one tray 90 minutes prior to arrival in Madrid. I was a bit disappointed with the tostada and croissant. While the bread was objectively good, I felt the breakfast was lacking some protein. A strong and bitter coffee helped wake me up and I also had a glass of orange juice.

We landed slightly ahead of schedule and had no wait to get to a gate. I had just a short walk from the gate to the Iberia lounge where I was to spend a few hours before my next flight to Amman.

Trip Report: American Airlines (B737-800) Domestic First SFO-ORD

January 1, 2018November 28, 2021Posted in American Airlines, OneworldTagged american, B7371 Comment

The Details

Flight: AA2594
Aircraft: B737-800
Class: Domestic First
Seat: 3A
Route: San Francisco International (SFO)-Chicago O’Hare International (ORD)
Distance: 1,844 miles
Duration: 4hrs 8min
Departure: 9:35AM
Arrival: 3:13PM

The Preflight

After a very fun New Years Eve catching up with some of my college friends, I made my way to SFO in the early morning of New Years Day.

Boarding began at 8:55AM and I was booked into Main Cabin Extra. As the gate agent was scanning my boarding pass, I was informed that I had been upgraded to First. Thanks AAdvantage!

The Flight

Our bird N907NN, was a B737-800 delivered to American Airlines in June 2012. There were 16 First Class seats across four rows arranged in a 2-2 configuration. In addition, there were 30 Main Cabin Extra seats and 114 Main Cabin seats.

Row 3 was actually the very first row of the First class cabin. There was about 40″ of pitch and each seat was 20.4″ wide. This aircraft was one of the “Classic” B737s in Americans fleet that lacks seatback screens. Instead, the IFE was available via AAs inflight Wi-Fi to be streamed on a personal device or tablet.

Predeparture beverages were offered and I had a glass of water.

We pushed back on time at 9:35AM and without delay were in the air.

Service began with a beverage service and I had another glass of water. Breakfast was served on this flight as well. Options included a cheese omelet or oatmeal, both served with fresh fruit and Greek yoghurt. Flight attendants also brought a bread basket out with warmed biscuits and bagels.

I opted for the cheese omelet that also had two breakfast sausages and some potatoes. The meal was very tasty and harty.

We passed over some snow covered fields of Nebraska. Once we approached O’Hare we did a pass over frozen Lake Michigan.

We also had great views of the Chicagoland suburbs on our landing approach.

Our plane landed at 3:13PM local time at O’Hare a few minutes ahead of schedule.

All in all, this was a great flight thanks to my last minute upgrade clearance as an AAdvantage Platinum elite. The flight attendants were friendly and the breakfast tasty.