Welcome again, to a different journey report from Andy’s Journey Weblog. This one is bound to be the completely finest journey report I’ve ever written because the one about my around the world journey in April.
If you happen to learn my put up about my subsequent journey, then you definitely’re lacking out on a little bit of the shock, however I went to: New Zealand! House of Center Earth, and…ummm…properly, that’s what I used to be going to seek out out.
So, how would I get there? Let’s begin out with some philosophical banter on how I like to make use of miles. You want some goal manner of figuring out how good of a deal you get when redeeming miles. A ceaselessly used metric is cents per mile. That is discovered, unsurprisingly, by taking the variety of cents a visit would value and dividing it by the variety of miles it could take for an award ticket. A number of bank cards will allow you to use their factors to buy airline tickets at 1 cent per mile (cpm), in order that’s absolutely the minimal I’d wish to use for an award ticket. In different phrases, if it’s lower than 1cpm, it makes extra sense (to me) to only purchase the ticket.
Now, I reside in Dallas, and American by no means actually has any cause to low cost fares out of DFW, so there are occasions I’ve needed to spend a bunch of miles on an award ticket after I didn’t wish to drop a ton of cash on a ticket, so it occurs. It’s actually what is smart for you: I do know I’ll use my miles to fly someplace with a champagne glass in my hand and airline pajamas on my again, so I wish to maintain on to them. If you wish to use them and find yourself getting .00034523cpm, then that’s your name, and neither of us are mistaken. I might say, although, to get the Capital One Enterprise card so that you get a minimum of 1cpm.
So, what’s the purpose of all that? I forgot. OH YEAH. So, I used to be planning on utilizing United miles (transferred from my Chase Final Rewards account) to get to New Zealand. I didn’t have sufficient for a nicer flight, so I resigned myself to an financial system flight. Once I was about to spend 40,000 miles for an financial system flight, I randomly stumbled upon a very low cost one-way ticket to New Zealand from Dallas (sub-$500). This was an affordable ticket, and meant I’d solely be getting 1.25cpm for miles, so I made the decision: I’d purchase this ticket and truly earn about 7800 miles, which might get me nearer to a different First Class Star Alliance flight sooner or later. Air New Zealand has a status for an amazing and distinctive coach expertise, so certainly it couldn’t be that dangerous, I believed.
The complete cause for the journey was the truth that I discovered a very scant award: First Class availability on the Qantas A380. For 72,500 AAdvantage miles and about $40 in charges, I booked flights from Christchurch to Sydney, an evening in Sydney, then Sydney to LAX, then on residence to Dallas.
I didn’t actually know what I used to be going to do in New Zealand, as I used to be on a piece journey to Connecticut the 2 weeks previous the journey, however cobbled collectively an itinerary in my head, determined to make use of a whole lot of Hilton factors, and left for the airport.
It felt bizarre going to DFW’s Terminal E. I’m a fairly loyal American flyer, regardless of their continued efforts to lose my enterprise, so going to the “enemy” terminal felt bizarre. There have been no lounges to which I had entry (the Precedence Move lounge entry I’ve is thru my Amex Platinum card, so I couldn’t use the United Membership), so I walked for a bit forwards and backwards till my boarding name on, surprisingly, a United regional jet to LAX.
I might’ve thought, with the extreme competitors from Virgin and American, United would have used a bigger jet, as our regional jet was packed. It was a largely forgettable flight, however there have been some nice views on a sunny day that was nice for flying.
We landed on time at LAX, and I ready to take care of the (albeit reworked) dredges of Tom Bradley Worldwide Terminal. Seems I’m a dummy, as you Air New Zealand people are pondering proper now, as a result of Air New Zealand departs from Terminal 2 at LAX. Fortunately I noticed this earlier than I spent greater than 20 minutes strolling round Tom Bradley in search of the Air New Zealand check-in desk. Feeling like a moron, I sheepishly walked to Terminal 2 to start out what I hoped was an amazing Coach expertise.
Air New Zealand has two nonstop flights from LAX-Auckland departing about 40 minutes aside, so I used to be anticipating an extended line, however was stunned at how shortly every little thing moved. Other than a bit of additional questioning since my outbound flight from New Zealand was on a unique ticket, my bag was checked by means of and I made my manner by means of a comparatively quick safety line.
By means of my Precedence Move membership I used to be granted entry to the Air Canada Maple Leaf lounge earlier than my flight. There’s additionally an Air France/KLM lounge, however the pleasant check-in agent for Air New Zealand really useful the Air Canada lounge and even politely laughed at my “in order that’s the higher lounge EH?” joke.
It was a easy, but ample lounge. Air Canada’s flight had simply completed boarding, so it was principally empty throughout my keep. It had the standard self-serve booze, and a pleasant soup and salad bar.
I like to maneuver round earlier than a flight, particularly one so long as this, so I left with about half-hour earlier than boarding for a stroll across the terminal and located my gate, which was in Additional Individuals Mode.
I snuck behind the Virgin Atlantic desk to take an image of our 777-300ER and was lectured by Virgin gate brokers (nice identify for a rock band btw) on how what I used to be doing was unlawful and blah blah safety blah okay I’ll depart. Time slowed to a crawl, however the first Auckland flight left, adopted by a fast boarding course of onto our 777-300ER for our “fast” flight to New Zealand.
I used to be extremely impressed with Air New Zealand’s financial system cabin. They, like most airways who fly the 777-300ER, annoyingly put ten seats throughout the airplane in a 3-4-3 mixture, however compensate by supplying you with one other inch or two of legroom, which actually does make a distinction. As we had a brief taxi and clean takeoff, I oriented myself with seat 45A and the in-flight leisure system, which featured a formidable lineup of flicks and TV exhibits, all on-demand. You’ll be able to even order a snack between meals, all out of your display screen. There have been plugs and USB ports galore, so I made positive every little thing was charged up for after I landed.
The meals was good, for financial system, and had a little bit of New Zealand flare, they mentioned. Having by no means had New Zealish meals earlier than, I didn’t actually know for positive, however who was I to argue.
I used to have a method for sleeping on airplanes, referred to as: ingesting booze. It was remarkably ineffective, however I at all times loved one other shot at it (pun supposed). This time, I attempted some new ways, particularly: juuuuust a bit booze and sleep meds. I do know I do know, you’re not supposed to combine the 2, however take a look at the individuals who say that: medical doctors and pharmacologists and whatnot, what do they know?
My combo labored this time, and I slept for about 7.5 hours of our 11.5 hour flight. I awoke to the soothing purple temper lighting, questioning a) if I used to be in hell and b) why folks say purple lights to wake folks up are soothing. I used to be a bit groggy from the sleep meds, and seen the seats subsequent to me had been empty, so I took benefit and headed in the direction of the bathroom. A random Kiwi gentleman very properly requested what I used to be going to do in New Zealand, however, on account of my grogginess and his accent, I very confusedly replied “about 7.5 hours”. I noticed, whereas within the bathroom, what the man had really requested, and felt silly once more. Seems this man was sitting subsequent to me, so I apologized and ended up having a beautiful dialog with him about my plans. He set a normal that almost each Kiwi lived as much as: a few of the friendliest folks on the earth.
The breakfast was, properly, eggs and three tator tots. Basic New Zealand meals.
A wet touchdown was introduced, and we touched down in Auckland, the start of a Fellowship of Two Towers earlier than the King Returns sort of journey.