For my first flight on United Airlines from Philadelphia, I would be in Terminal D. Having no status with United or Star Alliance, I was happy to pull out my free lounge pass (paper pass will change to digital in 2018), a benefit of my Chase United Mileage Plus Explorer Visa card. Each year, I receive two lounge visit passes and never seem to use them (I live in Philly with an AA hub). While many folks report overcrowded United lounges in the U.S. that won’t allow visitors to use the Chase United lounge pass, the United Club PHL lounge was not one of those. My first visit to the United Lounge in Philadelphia was quick but enough to give me a feel for this hidden lounge.
United Club PHL Lounge – Location in Terminal D
It’s not immediately evident that there’s a lounge nearby – sure there’s a sign above pointing that way but I looked down the hallway and didn’t see anything much (it was just after 6:30 a.m. so I could have still been asleep). I did spy a door that could either be a lounge door or a maintenance door so I thought “why not walk a bit to see”. I was in Terminal D so had to walk the hallway toward Terminal C and it was on the left that I saw the sign to the United Club Philadelphia. The operation hours are 4:30 a.m. (ugh that’s too early to be in an airport) until 7:30 p.m.
Inside the United Club PHL Lounge
The two front desk staff happily greeted me as I entered the lounge. I presented my ticket and United Club lounge pass and it was swiped without issue. They had a basket of lifesaver candies that was a nice touch (added a few to my pockets for the flight). The lounge is small because United doesn’t have much of a presence in Philadelphia (hub of American Airlines and OneWorld airlines). That said, the lounge has seating in three areas – seating in front of the windows overlooking the gates and runway, at the separate bar and along the wall with small tables and chairs. The windows provide natural light and I had just missed the sunrise.
Food & Drink at the United Club PHL Lounge
The food area is in front of the windows on two long tables and another table built in behind that for the hot foods. For breakfast, the setup included juices, breads, fruits (individually wrapped), cereal and oatmeal (more choice than I expected). I easily found orange juice and a croissant to enjoy.
At my table, I easily jumped on the lounge Wi-Fi, perused the drinks menu from the bar. There is a list of complimentary drinks – beer, wine, cocktails and non-alcoholic options at the bar. They also have a menu with premium options for a fee.
Overall – The United Club PHL Lounge
In the Philadelphia airport, the lounge options are dominated by American Airlines in A West, B/C and F terminals. The other lounge options include British Airways PHL lounge and the newest American Express Centurion Lounge PHL in A West (International) so it’s nice to see that United has carved out its own niche of a lounge hidden in the hallway prior to Terminal D. The United Club PHL is definitely worth the visit if you are flying out of Terminal D on United and a great use of the free United MileagePlus Explorer one time club pass benefit. When you need a place to relax before your flight, the United Club Philadelphia lounge is a lovely escape from the masses crowded at the gate.
Luxury comes to the Philadelphia Airport in the form of the American Express Centurion Lounge at PHL (PHL Centurion Lounge). As the eighth Centurion lounge in the U.S., the space is warm and welcoming with a mix of woods, warm colors and modern comfort with pops of color (and a ton of pillows). When I saw the Philly photos of the 1980 World Series Phillies, Will Smith & Jazzy Jeff and the legendary Princess Grace of Monaco (formerly Grace Kelly) I smiled. If you want to impress me, you need to do your research and honor Philadelphia – the black and white photos do that quite nicely. With a signature scent, Modern Prestige, created exclusively for the space, the PHL Centurion Lounge will definitely engage your senses with food, drink, design, and smell.
What’s New at PHL Airport
If you haven’t visited the PHL airport, you’ll be surprised at the many changes that have been happening in the past year – Icelandair now flies direct to Reykjavik (seasonally), Aer Lingus just announced direct service to Dublin starting in 2018 and American Airlines, which hubs in Philly, will have direct service to Budapest, Prague and Zürich in 2018. These announcements have made me giddy because while I love all the new cities and want more folks to visit them, my treks to Newark and JFK are becoming fewer and far between as PHL has more direct access to Europe. Now if the new service wasn’t enough of a win, we now have an American Express PHL Centurion Lounge, which should (I say should) help frequent fliers stop lamenting the PHL experience. The AMEX reps said there was a noticeable increase in their card members using the PHL airport which helped decide on the location.
The PHL Centurion Lounge is located in Terminal A West which is home to international flights (most of which leave at night) and many American flights which occupy the day time schedule. Terminal A West also hosts my beloved boutique British Airways lounge and the expansive American Airlines lounge. The Centurion Lounge elevates the lounge experience from the moment you step inside the blue door. The lounge is expected to open at 5 a.m. and close at 9 p.m.
PHL Centurion Lounge – Location in Terminal A West
If you are connecting in PHL, then as you enter Terminal A West and walk down the slight ramp into the expansive terminal space, the PHL Centurion Lounge will be the first option on the right across from the ever-changing and worth a stop art (#PHLAirportArt) display. The hallway entrance is next to the British Airways Lounge. To access the PHL Centurion Lounge, walk past the bright blue artwork by Philadelphia artist, Jim Houser, go to the elevator and up one floor. If coming from Terminal A West security you will make a left at security walk past the BA lounge and enter on the left.
The lounge is at the far end of Terminal A West (gate 14 is nearby) so allow about 5-15 minutes to walk to an A West gate. If flying from Terminal B or C then allow at least 15-30 minutes depending on how well you weave through the crowds in the smaller (and older) terminals. If you are in Terminal F, I’m not sure I’d bother with the very long walk or bus transfer to Terminal B unless I had a few hours between connections.
PHL Centurion Lounge Access
You can visit the PHL Centurion Lounge if you are an American Express Centurion (aka The Black Card) or Platinum card holder (personal or the Business Platinum from AMEX Open). The more accessible card, the personal Platinum card, has an annual fee of $550. Previously, the lounges would allow day passes for an additional cost to other AMEX cardholders but the popularity of the lounges caused overcrowding so AMEX has limited access to these select cardholders. It makes sense to cater to these cardholders and provide an exclusive travel benefit.
The PHL Centurion Lounge Tour
The 6,300 sq. ft. lounge offers is a modern escape from the terminal below. The views, courtesy of the floor to ceiling windows are of the terminal and beyond (direct light on both sides is nice). As you enter the lounge, you will see the greenery wall on your left and the front desk on your right.
The dark woods and modern design will let you know this isn’t your typical airline lounge. As you walk the hallway, you will see countertop seating with outlets on the left, the bar in front of you and a mix of booth seating and a gorgeous wood table (note the high tops in the photos are expected to go away; sadly they were just for the event).
The lounge is spread over two rooms – the first has food and drink and the second has the bulk of seating options, a television, telephone room and a boardroom table for a group.
The colorful space offers various seating configurations to allow you to work or relax before your flight.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgMR1_BzK_Q[/embedyt]
The Shower Suite in the Centurion Lounge PHL
This is a game changer as someone who is newly converted to the shower after a flight option when a lounge offers it. The PHL Centurion Lounge offers one shower room (shame there couldn’t be more). Given the number of West Coast red-eye flights that arrive early, I can see this as a great benefit to travelers – those with meetings in the city and for those who are connecting to European flights or the morning flight on Qatar to Doha (yes, PHL has a Qatar flight for those who have OneWorld miles to redeem). So there is now a shower option at PHL (for cardholders at least). The toiletries are by French brand L’Occitane.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gugNgBSsCVU[/embedyt]
PHL Centurion Lounge Food by Chef Solomonov
Ok, this is where the PHL Centurion lounge excels by featuring our local rock star of a chef, Chef Michael Solomonov. I’ve always thought that the airport lounges should feature local foods and chefs rather than the packaged snacks they have now (I’m looking at you AA).
Chef Solomonov is a four-time (so far) James Beard award-winning chef (in 2017 he won for Outstanding Chef) for his unique and fresh view of Israeli foods. Since 2008, Philadelphians have enjoyed dining at Zahav restaurant in historic, Old City. Focusing on Israeli foods at Zahav, chef has expanded to a few other restaurants in the area, namely the hummus bar Dizengoff in Rittenhouse Square next to his restaurant Able Fisher. Both of those restaurants are across from the wildly popular Federal Donuts (on Sansom Street) which sells freshly made custom topped donuts and also fried chicken (its Philly so this works quite nicely as our food scene has exploded in the past few years that will surprise you). So all this said, choosing Chef Solomonov is an excellent choice to bring a unique concept of flavors and foods to the PHL Centurion Lounge (sadly no donuts). You might only be connecting through PHL but one taste of his food, your taste buds will plan your next visit to Philly to stay and eat (and eat and eat) some more. It may take a bit of getting used to since lounges often offer the same foods and packaged chips.
This is a unique menu created for the PHL Centurion Lounge (a sample menu)
- Tahini and blueberry challah French toast
- Kale Tabbouleh with apples and pomegranate
- Bulgarian kebabs with red bell pepper and white bean salad
- Malabi with coconut and passionfruit
The PHL Centurion Lounge Bar Experience
The complimentary full bar experience has custom crafted cocktails by mixologist Jim Meehan with wine selections by Anthony Giglio. To be honest, I haven’t heard of either but their menus are quite lovely nonetheless. With local spirit (Art in the Age) and Pennsylvania favorite (Yuengling and Yards) local beers, this is another nod to the city. Further enhancing the Philly theme, the five specialty cocktails are named:
Liberty Bell Ringer
Botanist Gin / lemon juice / Apricot Brandy / simple syrup / Peychaud’s Bitters
Philadelphia Flyer
Laird’s Apple Brandy / lime juice / maple syrup / Gruet Brut Sparkling Wine
Schuylkill Express (a local highway and river – pronounced “skoo – kill” and you’ll want this drink after the traffic on this road)
Lot 40 Rye Whisky / Martini Sweet Vermouth / Art in the Age Root Spirit
Pennsylvania Dutch
Genever (gin) / Half and half / Cointreau / simple syrup / egg
Blue Door (Lounge Signature cocktail)
Johnny Walker Black Scotch Whiskey / Myer’s Dark Rum / Benedictine / lemon juice
This is the bottled beer (they also have beer on tap) and wine selection menu on the wall.
On the self-service drinks table, I was surprised by the water feature. It dispenses both still (blue snowflake icon below) and sparkling water (green bubbles icon above) just press your favorite color. There were cookies during my visit – I’m not sure what sweets will be featured once they open.
Connected in the Lounge
Free Wi-Fi, power outlets, working spaces, private phone areas (because you should excuse yourself to talk in private). You will be able to work or stay connected as much as you want. If like me, you’ll check into the lounge, enjoy the food and drinks and relax away from the masses and madness that awaits you at the gate.
First Look at AMEX PHL Centurion Lounge
I toured the lounge for a press event (hence the music playing in the video above) and was really impressed as this is my first Centurion Lounge visit (I gave up my platinum card a few years ago but I may want to rethink that now). Philadelphia International Airport deserves to have nice things – upgraded gates, local chefs/restaurants and luxury lounges – and we are slowly getting there. The PHL Centurion Lounge by American Express is delivering on the luxury lounge experience – just don’t enjoy it too much and forget to leave for your flight!
The opening date of the PHL Centurion Lounge is pending reviews and inspections. Hopefully you’ll get to experience it soon! If you do, leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts.
There’s a first time for everything they say….I just wish it wasn’t me that had to experience it so often. Over the years, I’ve sat on runways delayed for no reason in the sun and other times sat on the runway because of Airforce One. With nightmare travel days and travel meltdowns, taxi strikes, train strikes/cancellations, being stranded in London due to snow and so many other travel calamities, I thought I had pretty much experienced most of the downside to travel until last week on my American Airlines (AA) flight to Seattle from Philadelphia. The AA flight delays are never fun and I try my best to avoid them in the PHL hub. Since we are stuck between the New York and D.C. airports, as the middle child we are often tortured with delays due to their airspace.
Generally I have three rules for booking flights:
- Non-stop flight only
- Book the first flight out to ensure I actually get out because (hopefully) the plane is already at the airport from the night before
- Arrive at least a day early for a cruise (domestic) and two days early (international)
Bonus rule: First class is allowed if the price difference is small or the flight is long and annoying (i.e. – will be full flight)
Following two of my key travel points, I booked the first flight from Philadelphia to Seattle (at 8:05 a.m.) forgetting that I needed to leave by 5:30 a.m. and be awake and somewhat cognizant by 4:30 a.m. (ugh!). I was on my way to Seattle for an Alaskan cruise on Holland America with O Magazine (and Oprah) on the Live Your Adventure Cruise, a new partnership between Holland American and O Magazine.
My AA Flight PHL – SEA
Given the too early departure time, I opted for a private car transfer to the airport with Embarque, a subsidiary of Carey Limousine which features hybrid Toyota Camrys and cost less than a black sedan transfer. My driver arrived on time and I climbed in the back seat wanting to just lay down to sleep but sat upright to chat because my day was starting. Little did I realize what was in store for me.
When I travel I’ve learned to plan for the unexpected for the most part so I bring in my carry-on:
- Hardcopy book to read
- Snack/food bag
- Emergency chocolate
- Plethora of magazines
- Lots of Music and Movies on my phone
- Games on my phone
- Gift cards to Starbucks and the airport Spa
- Pullover Fleece
- Cashmere Scarf (can also be used as a blanket)
- Bose Headsets
The American Airlines Lounge at PHL
Again, so far so good. I checked the flight monitor and the flight was on time so I headed for the PHL American Airlines Lounge B/C. I am OneWorld Sapphire due to my British Airways Silver Elite status so I can use the OneWorld lounges in the U.S. for free (totally worth it for my weekend jaunts to London). The lounge is massive and at 6:15 a.m. pretty empty so I enjoyed the quick Wi-Fi and a snack before going to the gate for on time boarding. See at this point, I should have known it was all going too smoothly for me.
At the too small for the number of passengers on the plane gate at PHL, the crowd was half in the gate area and half outside of it blocking the hallway. The gate agent told me to consolidate my handbag, snack bag and backpack into two pieces before she could let me through (annoying given that my snack bag will be empty by the end of the flight). I boarded the flight and easily found my aisle seat in the first row – 1 D. Given my issues in the past, I booked first class for the nearly 6 hour flight to Seattle. This plane only had two rows of first class for eight passengers.
The 8:10 a.m. (EST) flight boarded at 7:40 a.m.
it was scheduled to arrive in Seattle at 11:04 a.m. PST (2:04 EST)
Flight Delays due to Weather
In Philadelphia, there was a cell of storms scheduled to come through the city after 10 a.m. so my flight would only be expected to hit that weather up in the air…..or so I thought.
Weather delays can really test one’s patience. I’ve been stuck overnight (in a fancy hotel no worries) at London’s Heathrow when the entire East Coast was shut down due to a blizzard that dumped two feet of snow on the ground. Other times, I’ve sat in Chicago O’Hare waiting, waiting and still waiting on the arriving plane from a destination that encountered weather delays. So while we can’t control the weather, I’ve learned you can also not apply logic to travel and the weather.
Logic – it’s sunny in Boston, it’s sunny in Philadelphia so why are we sitting on the runway with an hour delay?
Travel Logic – New York Traffic
AA Flight Delay – FAA Ground Stop
With the ground dry, we pushed back a few minutes late but nothing to worry about. We had all seats filled but one. We got in line for the runway (note one really awful part of PHL is the massive line of planes in the morning and evening) and sat waiting…..and waiting…..and enough time to chat with my seatmate in 1F. As the delay pushed on and we inched forward, I could hear the flight attendants talking and then the captain came on to tell us “due to weather in NEW YORK, the air traffic around NEW YORK is stacked up so we are on a ground halt” (ugh, we are not in NEW YORK, but since we need to fly up that way to get to the West Coast, we are part of NEW YORK traffic). We were told we could use our phones during the delay as well as the bathrooms. I logged into FAA.gov to check the ground hold times, I was on twitter asking the AA team for updates, I was contacting friends in Seattle to tell them of the delay.
The new U.S. rules are such that at a 2.5 hour runway delay, you must return to the gate. We were nearing that time out so I knew we were going to get out of line and go back to the gate (this was first). The captain announced the same but adding that he had been given a new route around the traffic but we don’t have enough fuel to do it so we need to go back to the gate to refuel and get a new departure time. So we left the line and drove back to the gate. It was now after 10:30 a.m. and we had been on the plane and in our seats for nearly 3 hours (or half the flying time to Seattle). I asked the FA if the crew would time out and she said “no, we have 13 hours” (also good to pick first flight to avoid a crew timeout).
AA Flight Delay – Back to the Gate
The flight attendant announced that once we were at the gate, at about 10:35 a.m., passengers could get up and stand. If passengers were interested in going back inside the terminal they MUST take all carryon with them and would not be allowed back on the plane until we had a new departure time. Some chose to get off the plane to find food, stretch their legs and use the restrooms. I’d estimate that 20 people deplaned during the delay. And then we waited some more……
I was on Twitter with AA asking “when are we leaving?”, “why is this happening to PHL when the FAA ground stop is at NEW YORK airports (LGA, JFK, EWR)?”. The twitter team came back with a “your departure time is now 11 a.m.” Ok, ½ hour isn’t too bad I thought. I said to the woman next to me, “here are the new times” and the man with his wife behind me said “how do you know that?” I said “the twitter reps told me” and he condescending replied while laughing “if it’s on twitter it must be true”. (AA Twitter team said they were sorry and gave me points so who’s laughing now?). Reps for AA came on the plane to talk with the captain and flight attendants. As the airline doesn’t cater food for the flight attendants only the pilots (which is ridiculous – I learned that and so much more in flight attendant Heather Poole’s hilarious book “Cruising Attitude: Tales of Crashpads, Crew Drama and Crazy Passengers at 35,000 Feet“). The lead flight attendant requested the local AA rep to find her food in the terminal (she wasn’t allowed to leave the plane) for her crew. He came back with a pizza. During this time as I was eavesdropping on the conversations of the crew and ground staff, my AA app was updating with many departure times – 11 a.m., then three more time changes.
During the gate delay, passengers were surprisingly calm and understanding that we had no control over this horrible luck of delay on top of delay. Thankfully, there were no babies on board. I can only imagine if this flight were headed a few other places that the plane would be full of very vocal and very unhappy people.
I had my plethora of magazines, my book and my snack bag. By now, first class would have been served breakfast food in the air (not that I eat it) and when those who deplaned were let back on board a few minutes after 11 a.m. when they thought we had an 11:15 departure time, most were carrying food with them. I’ll never understand why anyone boards a plane without food, water, magazines, etc. That one empty seat was taken by the young guy who missed the flight. Now we had a full flight.
AA Flight Delay – A New Departure Time
We finally got a new departure time, the AA local reps left the plane, we were asked to find our seats and get ready to depart. Fingers crossed. It was now a noon departure as we made our way away from the gates again and headed to the runway. This time the line was shorter and we moved a bit quicker (for PHL that is). As the plane made the turn onto the end of the runway, I was exhausted as it was nearly 5 hours after boarding time that we started down the runway for takeoff. It was 12:35 p.m. as we made our way up in the air.
Philly to Seattle – We Made It!
The flight to Seattle was pretty normal and smooth but we were all squirmy having been on the plane (and in the seats) too long due to the AA flight delays. As we landed, the flight attendant said “Welcome to Seattle, we made it!” while the passengers clapped in joy. We arrived after 4 p.m. PST (after 7 pm EST) which meant we were in our seats on that plane for nearly 12 hours for a 6 hour flight. As we exited the plane, the gate was full of passengers who also endured the long AA flight delays waiting for our plane to arrive to take them to Philadelphia. They looked haggard as well having started their day like me; only to end up sitting at the gate for hours waiting. At baggage claim there were many cruise line reps waiting on us and (hopefully) holding the ships as our flight had many cruise passengers for the same day cruise. I, at least, wouldn’t sail until the next day.
So my long journey to Seattle ended and I was exhausted, up since 4:30 a.m. (EST) and it was now after 7 pm (EST). Lucky for me, I read all of the magazines I brought with me, started the book and ate my entire bag of snacks – banana, turkey/bacon sandwich on pretzel bread, bag of chips, cookies (which I shared), apple slices and chocolate. Now I had rush hour traffic in Seattle to deal with while I had to also adjust to the time difference and stay awake despite my body telling me to find the nearest corner and sleep.
AA Flight Delays – Dealing With It
Flight delays suck whether due to weather, dumb travel logic, sunny skies, mechanical, etc. Ground stops are no fun either but put in place for safety, I get that. The next time you travel, I hope it goes smoothly and you don’t encounter a horrible day of delays like I did. But if you’ve learned anything from my experience – bring a snack bag and some forms of entertainment on all of your flights just in case. Also download the AA (or applicable airline) app, bookmark the FAA.gov flight delay site and understand the American Airlines customer service provided for AA Flight Delays.
Seattle Travel Tip: Fly on a window seat on the left side of the plane to Seattle and on the right side window from Seattle for views of Mt. Rainier to remind yourself why flying is so magical (without the flight delays of course)
]]>
Icelandair announced last week that it will start service from Philadelphia to Reykjavik (PHL – KEF) in the summer of 2017. From May 30, 2017 through September 20, 2017, they will fly four times a week between Philadelphia and Reykjavik. That’s big news for Philadelphia International Airport to gain another direct international flight (last year Qatar starting flying direct to Doha). For travelers in Philadelphia (like me) who have dragged themselves to Newark (or JFK) in past years via Amtrak, shuttles or private cars, having a direct flight is fabulous. The fact that Icelandair offers a fantastic stopover program is just an added benefit. So Philadelphia travelers, now is the time to start planning your Iceland visit.
My first trip to Iceland (Reykjavik) was two years ago in November. At the time, I planned the trip last minute (less than a month out) and my travel agent thought I was mad as she was suggesting sunny warm destinations to escape the East Coast Winter. I went against her advice and decided rain or snow, it was time to visit Iceland. The airline’s stopover program made it even more attractive as I could stop over in Reykjavik and continue onward to London for a quick three day visit using my Hyatt points to stay at the Andaz Liverpool street for free.
Flying Time
Many people are surprised that the flight time is about 5 1/2 hours from the East Coast. That’s about the same time to the West Coast, the only difference is that you need a passport for this flight. Once in Reykjavik, flights to the rest of the Europe are quick hops.
Icelandair Stopover Program
Most people book a point to point with a return airline ticket visiting one city on their vacation. Icelandair crafted a fantastic option to woo more passengers and visitors – a free stopover in Reykjavik (up to 7 days) on your way to another European city (London, Paris, Amsterdam anyone?). Knowing that many (or most) folks don’t have Iceland at the top of their vacation list (you really should), they provide a great reason to have a two city vacation and experience a taste of Iceland for one to a few days. So compare prices of direct flights and then the stopover pricing (with additional costs like hotel, tours, food) and see if there is value in having two vacations in one trip.
Icelandair Travel Buddy Program
The Icelandair Travel Buddy Program is a new program that I haven’t tried yet but want to – it is currently on hiatus as it was such a hit, I think they were overwhelmed. You can arrange to have a local (Icelandair employee) show you the sights as your travel buddy for the day sharing a passion for food, culture, adventure, health, lifestyle or nature. How fun does that sound? I’m keen to request a travel buddy next summer if the program returns. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet locals and see the city through their eyes. As someone who travels solo, I love this idea.
The Icelandair Flight
I wrote about the Icelandair business class, Saga, seat on my flight from Newark to Reykjavik. Originally booked on the Coach Plus option (a bit more leg room and lounge access), I was upgraded upon check in to the larger business class seat (two rows ahead of my coach plus seat) but not provided the full business class meal or bar service (the seat surprise was enough for me as I got a viewing of the Northern Lights during the flight when the captain told us on the left side of the plane to look outside at the lights in the distance).
Iceland in Four Days (the long weekend)
My four day Iceland itinerary was planned to experience the highlights in and around Reykjavik. It was a winter November but surprisingly warmer than Philly at the time. It was a concern for locals that winter had not given them much snow yet. Warm being in the 30’s Fahrenheit. The odd part to get used to was the lack of sunlight – I arrived in the dark at 6:30 a.m., there was a few hours of late light but wasn’t until my last day that the sun would brightly appear after a quick rain shower. I at breakfast by candlelight each morning which I quite liked.
My four day itinerary is easy to do all year round (except for the Northern Lights which are a winter bonus).
The Golden Circle Tour Fueled by Adventure and Cookies
The South Coast Tour – Glaciers, Waterfalls and Black Sand Beaches
Grillmarket – Farm to Table with a Pinch of Volcano Salt
Iceland Need to Know
- The airport is approximately one hour from the center of Reykjavik. The buses to/from the city run frequently and you can buy a ticket at the airport (or even onboard the flight using the touchscreen television)
- In my experience, cash was not needed and I used my Visa card the entire weekend for all purchases. This cashless society was a new experience for me.
- The Northern Lights tour in winter are a hit/miss. The tour operators will decide late afternoon if they are going or not. Many will give you a second trip if you don’t see the lights. So best to plan your Northern Lights tour the first night to give you ample opportunity to try again if needed. The hotel and visitor center can call tour operators for last minute bookings. I had friends take the big bus tour (cheaper) and see the lights, while I opted for the more expensive and private SuperJeep tour (only four people in my Jeep) that goes out in a caravan of Jeeps (we had six on our tour). What matters is if your tour operator goes to one fixed spot or a few spots chasing the lights.
- The Northern Lights tour are late night, leaving after 9 pm and arriving back near 2 am. There is no bathroom on the tours so be prepared.
- It’s not as expensive as you’ve heard. There are plenty of food options from the famous Hot Dog Stand to Grillmarket as well as bars and markets. Like anywhere else all depends on what you want and how you plan. I opted for the luxury, art deco historic hotel, Hotel Borg and used small tours.
Philly to Iceland in Summer
Many of my friends have experienced the long days of light in summer in Iceland. You can read their about their adventures:
Roaming Required – Iceland Roadtrip Series – Why Iceland is a Must!
Boomeresque – Touring Iceland’s Golden Circle Route from Reykjavik
Landlopers – 31 Weird Facts About Iceland That Will Amaze You
They got to see the Puffins on the South Coast and the greenery of summer. They rented cars to drive around the country viewing waterfalls, glaciers and lagoons. Their photos are in stark contrast to my dark, moody photos during my visit. It just shows how the country is beautiful in both light and dark. So when Icelandair starts service from Philadelphia next summer, hopefully, I’m on board to return to Iceland to see more of this pretty cool country.
If you’ve been to Iceland, share your highlights to help others plan their trip next summer.
]]>
I’ve been very spoiled over the years flying Club World (business class) on British Airways from Philadelphia to London return for work in my prior job. Now that has ended, I’ve had to pay my own way to London (yes, I know cue the sad tiny violins) and have done it in a variety of ways to stay in Business Class, keep my status and earn Avios. Examples include my $856 Business Class ticket hack on American Airlines via Manchester (BA codeshare), enrolling in AARP (I’m not that old – there’s is no age requirement) and jumping on the recent BA business/first class three day flash sale. For my two days in London trip over Memorial Day weekend just to get my Silver elite status back, I couldn’t afford the $5k business class fare so was able to fly in World Traveller Plus and still qualify for status based on the tier points earned for the flights.
British Airways is one of a few international carriers to offer a four class cabin – First Class, Club World (Business Class), World Traveller Plus (Coach Plus) and World Traveller (Coach). World Traveller always sounds so posh but in reality, coach is still coach (BA flies in a 3-3-3 configuration in coach). In the past when I’ve flown World Traveller Plus, my status allowed me to score the bulkhead row which is the key to survival with extra legroom. I also had British Airways Philadelphia Lounge access as well as BA LHR T5 Lounge access due to status, however, flying World Traveller Plus does not afford lounge access without status. The downside in the cabin is that you are a curtain away from business class and at times, you want to sneak in as it’s just there.
BA PHL to LHR World Traveller Plus Cabin on the 777
The cabin is organized 2-4-2 with five rows accommodating 40 passengers with curtains closed to Club World in front and World Traveller in back. When you first arrive at your seat in the cabin it seems private with such a small group. The seat has a pillow, blanket and headsets. There is an in seat charger as well as two USB ports in the seatback in front of you, below the entertainment screen. Once you are seated, you can feel the different with the extra legroom and the open side of the seat (the middle armrest is hard seat with the remote, shared table and other functions set in).
World Traveller Plus does not have its own bathroom like Club World or First Class. You need to go to the back of the cabin, pull back the curtain and it’s right there in front of the World Traveller (Coach) section along with a cabin stuffed with people all trying to survive the overnight flight. If you want to stretch your legs then walk to the back of the lane where I was surprised to see the new configuration bathrooms on either side of the plane in a long rectangle space with the crew kitchen galley in between. The bathroom was long and could fit three people in it which is good if you have kids or need extra room.
For the overnight flight from Philadelphia, I chose the last row in the cabin, window seat hoping to rest (not a change since I rarely sleep on planes) and while the legroom is lovely when seated, it disappears when the couple in front of me pushed their seats back as far as they could which practically pinned me in. Thankfully no one sat next to me so I was able to angle my body to slide out of the row to go to the bathroom (I call it ninja yoga). Once the seats were back it was hard to watch a movie as the screen was a bit close for me.
On the way home from London, BA changed my last row seat aisle to a middle section aisle bulkhead and I was pretty happy for that change. To make it even better, the only empty seats in the World Traveller Plus section were both beside me as I was in the 2-4-2 configuration. The woman on the aisle on the other side was also pleased by our seat lottery as we both used the tables of our empty seats to store our trays, drinks, food. The seat was only inches from business class where I saw children enjoying flat beds (yes, jealous) but I also had my individual in-flight entertainment (IFE) system at my armrest unlike others in the cabin with seatback screens.
The Service
The flight attendant played a cruel joke on me after I asked “is the seat next to me still empty?” He said there were less than ten seats open on the flight. Before takeoff, he came by after I got sorted and said “Ma’am, we need to move a woman and her crying baby into this seat” and then laughed at my facial expression (obviously my poker face was cracking as it neared 11 pm). I replied “if that was the case, you’d hear me cry until you moved me forward to business or first class”
The service is cordial and runs on the same serving clock as coach unlike the individual attentive multi-coursed service in Business or First.
The Food in World Traveller Plus
While normally, I’d order my special meal on British Airways (low calorie which practically ensures chicken and veg) and bring my own food as backup, this time hoping that full flights would bump me up a class, I decided to forgo my special meal as I’d read that they won’t upgrade you if they loaded a special meal (not sure if this is true or not). Unfortunately, World Traveller Plus doesn’t get the variety of choice like you do upfront (Business and First Class usually have a menu with at least three entrée choices). I did get a printed menu with the food being served. For the overnight flight to London, I skipped the food (beef or pasta) and drinks as it was near 11:30 pm when they started service and I had indulged in Chickie’s & Pete’s (a Philly local favorite) at the airport.
On the flight home, the meal (starter, entrée, dessert) was served in one shot on one tray. I chose the chicken over the pasta in cream sauce. Surprisingly the chicken was pretty good, not Chicken Shop amazing, but for airplane food good. The wine was also served as either red or white and in a little bottle. No worries, I paired the red with the chocolate pot and did ok (I did miss the anytime Club Kitchen with the extra chocolates, desserts, wine refills, etc.).
British Airways In Flight Entertainment (IFE)
For the World Traveller Plus and Coach section, the IFE screen is in the seat back in front of you. For those in the bulkhead rows, the unit is in the armrest and needs to be brought out and serves as a personal IFE you can adjust. The choices of movies, television, radio, British Favorites, etc. was quiet extensive and BA lets you watch until they land.
A new feature of the British Airways app lists all the IFE choices available on your flight before you fly. So you can decide to sleep, read, listen or watch a program ahead of time. That’s good planning and a helpful feature in my opinion plus saves me renting a Netflix film if I can watch on the plane.
Overall – World Traveller Plus PHL-LHR-PHL
World Traveller Plus is a good choice on British Airways to give you just a bit more privacy and legroom on the flights. It’s a definite improvement over U.S. Airlines coach options and just a tad better than BA’s World Traveller. There is extra leg room and if you are a couple you can choose the two seats on either side of the plane with no one between. No more worries about the middle seat issue and hoping you get the whole row (the older couple in front of me held hands the entire flight it was really cute). The cabin is smaller and more private at only five rows.
With my AARP card, I was able to discount the World Traveller Plus fare by $150 and then I used my BA Chase credit card for 10% off the base fare essentially stacking the discounts. Is it worth the extra to pay more than coach? Yes, I think it gives you just a bit more sanity. Is it worth the savings over Club World (Business Class)? On the way home from London in the bulkhead row, I survived fine and could see the value of saving the business class fare (or points redemption). The overnight flight is where I missed having a flat bed and the club kitchen for snacks. But the cost of business is generally $4k+ (unless you get a sale at $2,500+). So for a points award, you may want to do one way redemptions to mix up the cabin classes.
How to Save Money on your British Airways Flight
- Book at least 45 days ahead
- Join AARP for online discounts with British Airways (must log into AARP to click through to BA)
- Open a Chase British Airways Visa card (50,000 bonus + 3x BA Spend) to get 10% off online bookings
- Follow British Airways Facebook page (learn about the discounts asap)
- Follow British Airways Twitter account (a bit harder to see the sales unless you go to their page)
- Read the Blogs for fare alerts – One Mile at a Time, The Points Guy, Travel is Free
Examples of Fares from Philadelphia to London (August 24-31)*
$1,025 Coach (World Traveller)
$1,281 Coach Plus (World Traveller Plus)
$4,015 Business Class (Club World)
$5,015 First Class
*before applying AARP and BA Chase Visa discounts
When the amazing British Airways deal popped up for two days in October, I was a bit too slow to jump on a direct flight to London so I ended up with a British Airways codeshare flying Philadelphia to Manchester UK on American Airlines (formerly USAirways) connecting to British Airways onward to London. The upside is that the former USAirways business class cabin is a 1-2-1 configuration with only twenty seats in the cabin over five rows (for comparison, the British Airways First Class is 1-2-1, while their Business Class called Club World is 2-4-2). American Airlines does have a swanky new business class seat and cabin to London but it’s not available out of Philadelphia – you can find it on the B777-300ER planes from JFK, LAX and some flights from MIA and DFW. The downside of my flight to London was the unknown change at Manchester that gave me one hour and fifteen minutes (I’m not a fan of connections especially tight ones – would I make my flight to London?). Before I worried about that part, I had time to relax in the lounge.
The American Airlines Lounge at PHL
While I was on a British Airways codeshare flight flying American Airlines out of PHL, I was entitled to use the massive American Airlines Lounge prior to the flight or the much smaller British Airways lounge. I’ve reviewed the lounge in Terminal A West before when it was was part of USAirways. Not much has changed except the name. The lounge was pin drop quiet for the most part and relatively empty giving me plenty of seating options.
The A330 Cabin & Seat
Since I’ve flown this type of cabin before on the A330 from Paris (then called USAirways Envoy), I booked the window seat, 4H, which gave me plenty of space. The last row was empty and no one was across from me. I was welcomed by the flight crew with champagne or orange juice as is customary on all business class flights I’ve flown thus far. The flight attendants offered a selection of newspapers as well as a Bose headset to use during the flight (collected an hour before landing).
The seat contained a pillow and duvet in a sealed bag. The amenity kit was left on the shelf. The seat is on an angle and has a heavy duty padded seatbelt. The side pocket has a place for a bottle of water but unlike the Paris flight which had a bottle of water at the welcome, my side pocket would stay empty the entire flight (annoying to have to ask for a bottle water). The seat had all features needed for a comfortable flight – reading light, remote, charging area. Be careful not to lose your devices in the space between the wall and the seat. I didn’t use the IFE (in flight entertainment) this time as I was content to catch up on magazines and books that I brought with me.
AA Business Class Meal Service Philadelphia to Manchester UK
When I fly international airlines, I tend to order a lactose free (aka take your chances on what you get) or low calorie meal (usually a simple chicken) but flying American Airlines, I didn’t have this option so I ate a sandwich before arriving at the airport. How surprised was I that not only was I hungry when the food was served after the 9 p.m. takeoff but that I ate it all! I said yes to the wine and nuts.
Yes, to the Thai chicken with pineapple appetizer (a refreshing start).
I passed on the salad option and ordered the Almond crusted chicken with spinach and rice.
I definitely left room for dessert which was chocolate mousse (I had to pass on the ice cream or cheese plate) accompanied by Lactaid pills.
Paired with a French red wine and a pretzel roll (one of five bread choices and a popular one), my dinner was quite good. I was already taking indulging in my mantra “no calories on vacation”. My business class meal was simple and quite tasty which is a rarity for me to find on flights. It might not be a foodies paradise but that’s perfect for me. Here is the rest of the menu.
The table was a bit unstable when trying to cut my food as it moved up and down a bit so be mindful of that. I was surprised that the table didn’t move forward enough so I adjusted my seat position to be closer to my food (leaning into it). I still managed to drop the butter as I misjudged the edge thereby watching the butter slide down the front of my legs onto the floor. But hey, no rice mess which is a miracle!
I passed on breakfast as I had brought a banana and almond butter packet with me.
The American Airline Heritage Amenity Kit
American Airlines is celebrating their heritage with special toiletry kits to remember all nine of the airlines that now make up it’s employee base. My kit, a cool grey felt exterior which when emptied can carry a computer tablet, was orange and grey based in honor of American Airlines. The bag contained all the usual items – toothbrush/toothpaste, mouthwash, socks, sleep mask, tissues, ear plugs, tissues, a pen and red flower cremes that USAirways previously provided.
The Philadelphia to Manchester UK Business Class Cabin Crew
The crew were friendly in business class but not overly attentive – they were pretty militant about it all keeping on schedule and following the agenda. When I jumped ahead to say “no breakfast”, I was told, she didn’t ask about that yet and would do so later. She pink highlighted my dinner choices and was off. After welcome aboard drinks, there was the hot towel distribution followed by pre-dinner drinks & nuts before dinner service started.
Dinner was served quickly and didn’t last for hours as other airlines I’ve flown has and this was actually welcome. I was a bit surprised by having to ask for a bottle of water once the lights went out for sleeping as other airlines automatically give you this. I was even more surprised that water wasn’t automatically at my seat in the water bottle slot. The American flight crew didn’t ask questions, didn’t try to ply me with unlimited wine or try to get to know me the way British Airways staff does. They got the job done and were only a call button away if needed.
Connecting at Manchester, UK to London
I called British Airways before I booked my ticket to ensure that the short connection time (under two hours) would suffice and was told it would be ok. I was skeptical so packed carry on (hand baggage) only not wanting to arrive without baggage. I also made sure there was another flight to London as alternative in case we were late and I missed the connection. Luckily, I had my onward British Airways boarding pass on my phone using the BA app in order to make the connection (you need to have your onward boarding pass in order to make the connection as you won’t see anyone from the airline to help). Look for the upcoming post on “How to Connect in Manchester”.
Overall Impression
The business class flight from Philadelphia to Manchester UK on American Airlines was fine for my jaunt over the pond to London. The American Airlines flight to London via Manchester is a good alternative to the often higher priced direct British Airways fares for their Club World business class product. You do need a bit of patience and sense of humor with the connection and hand baggage policies but if you find a great price like I did to London, $856, or want to use miles/points, the AA PHL-MAN-LHR is a good option.
]]>