By RamonRamon is the creator of Traveling Companion. He focuses on flight review, hotel reviews, and helping stretch your travel dollars, miles, and points further.
California Dreaming with Dad Trip Report
California Dreaming with Dad Overview Delta 757 DCA-LAX Economy Class Review Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel Review Exploring California's Central Coast Exploring Los Angeles Delta 757 LAX-DCA Economy Class Review
Flight Overview
Our first experience with Delta's 757 felt like the longest flight ever as I got squeezed into a Comfort+ middle seat on this more than 5 hour flight. Pros- Industry Leading Airline Lounge, Strong In-flight Service Cons- Uncomfortable Comfort+ Middle Seat, Unresponsive and Error Prone IFE, Gross Economy Meal, No Economy Amenities 
DCA Terminal
Check-In
Check-in was smooth with a quick drop of our bags at the Delta baggage drop. Where things really slowed down though was at security. There were a ton of people traveling on Valentine's Day 2020. It is crazy to look back and realize that we had no idea just how much we would be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic just one month later. Even though we had TSA PreCheck it took us about 10 minutes to get through Washington Reagan National (DCA) security line. This was really slow considering that this was prior to the consolidation of all of the security checkpoints at DCA. 
Delta DCA Check-In
Delta SkyClub DCA
Once we got through security, we headed to our then favorite airline lounge the Delta SkyClub at DCA. Since I previously reviewed the SkyClub I will focus here on what was a different this trip. 
Delta SkyClub DCA Check-in
First off, I will say the SkyClub impressed us as always and I believe it truly was an industry leading domestic airline lounge. The staff had the lounge decked out in Valentine's Day decorations and had special Valentines treats waiting for SkyClub guests. I am always impressed by just how well the SkyClub staff at DCA execute on themes. We ended up having one of each of the treats and I can attest that they were yummy.
Valentine's Day Treats
Once again on this visit the views and food were top notch. It was a clear day and we could not only see the Potomac and the tarmac but had a clear view of the U.S. Capitol building.
For food we had a variety of choices including macaroni, butternut squash soup, noodles flatbread, and sandwiches. We ended up having the macaroni which was really good, the flatbread which was not good because it was cold, and a turkey sandwich which was also very good.
Boarding
When we got to the gate shortly before boarding it was crowded. The flight wasn't looking for volunteers but went out completely full. I checked my seat and realized that we had both been "upgraded" to a Comfort+, Delta's extra legroom seat, middle seat despite the fact that I had requested an upgrade only if it was to an aisle or window seat. On Delta, Comfort+ is considered a separate class despite being just extra legroom economy. Delta Silver Medallions have the ability to receive a Comfort+ upgrade 24 hours out. You also can select to only be upgraded if a non-middle seat is available to ensure you aren't stuck in a middle seat on a long flight. However, this was the second time I selected this option and it didn't work. I was really frustrated and really don't like the way in which Delta's handles Comfort+ upgrades for Silver Medallion elites. For American Airlines and United Airlines their extra legroom seats are not considered a separate class so you have the option to simply select any open extra legroom seat 24 hours prior to departure. Because the flight was completely full, I had no choice and I was stuck in a middle seat on this over 5 hour Valentine's Day flight in a different row than my traveling companion Christina. 
DCA Gate 21
Plane and Seats
This flight is considered a premium route for Delta and this was the first time Christina and I had flown the route on Delta. Because it is a premium route Delta has Delta One lie-flat seats on a Boeing 757. Delta is the only airline currently serving this route with lie-flat seating. For this flight I ended up 23 out of 31 on the Delta One upgrade list so was suck with 23E my middle Comfort+ seat. Overall, I love the mood lighting on Delta flights and the color scene of their seats which gives the plane a premium feel. However, this couldn't hide that fact that this Boeing 757 was starting to show its age. My seat itself was comfortable and had good padding and legroom. It also had a Comfort+ pocket to hold my phone and two 110-V outlets shared between the three seats. My biggest complaint was that I was suck in the middle of what ended up feeling like the flight wouldn't end. This was because I was squeezed between two people including one gentleman who was very large and despite his best efforts flowed about halfway into my seat. I spent the entire flight feeling very uncomfortable and mad at Delta for putting me into the Comfort+ middle seat "upgrade" I didn't request. 
Delta Boeing 757
Amenities and In-Flight Entertainment
Despite this being a premium route there were no amenities such as a blanket or pillow in economy class. However, like the vast majority of Delta flights the seats did have seat-back in-flight entertainment (IFE) system which also included a USB charger. About 15 minutes into the flight a flight attendant came around offering complimentary earbuds but I declined since I had my own noise cancelling headphones. The IFE was one place where the plane showed its age. It was not very responsive and I had multiple issues using it. At one point I couldn't fast forward, pause, or change the movie, and was limited to only increasing or decreasing the volume. 
Delta IFE
The one place where the IFE system did shine was the wide selection of over 100 movies and a wide selection of television shows. The IFE system also offered audio and a selection of live television stations offered by Dish including ESPN, CNBC, and CNN.
Delta IFE
On the flight I watched Spider Man Far from Home. When I tried to play a second movie, Harriett, the IFE system froze. Then after a few minutes the IFE had sound but no video. Delta really needs to work on maintaining these IFE systems.
Delta IFE
Food and Drinks
One benefit of this being a premium flight for Delta was the complimentary meal for economy passengers. However, the options were not impressive. About 50 minutes into the flight the flight attendants starting serving the meal and the options were chicken noodle salad or fruit and cheese plate both of which were served cold. We both had the chicken noodle salad and it was in one word gross. The noodles were so bad that is made Christina sick. Honestly, it would be better to charge for food on this route if it were at least going to be edible. 
Chicken Noodles
After the food was dropped off the flight attendants came by with drinks and I had a California Cabernet Sauvignon. The flight attendants also came by two more times during the flight offering drinks. I missed the second round but for the third round I ordered Prosecco which was okay. The flight attendants also offered a snack basket with options for Comfort+ passengers including Kind bars, Biscoff cookies, peanuts, bananas, and Oreo thins. I chose the Oreo Thins which I always find to be a solid choice.
Service
The service on this flight was impeccable as I have come to expect from Delta. The flight attendants were continually working throughout the flight. They had multiple drink and snacks services to make sure we were taken care of over this five hour flight. This crew was clearly dedicated to showing the strong service Delta is known for.
Arrival
We ended up arriving 21 minutes early and I was so happy! This flight was about 5 hours but felt like 10 because I was so uncomfortable. As we exited, I got a quick peek at the Delta One cabin and I would really like to have a flight with lie-flat seats on one of these cross-country flights. 
757 Delta One Cabin
After we exited the plane, we ran into one interesting passenger who flew Delta One on our flight former Attorney General of the United States Eric Holder. Christina stopped him and he kindly agreed to take a picture with her!
Christina with former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder
Take Away
This flight experience was a mixed bag for me with great ground experience and what felt like the longest flight ever despite impeccable service. On the ground Delta once again had an impressive ground experience with the best domestic airline lounge I had been to in the SkyClub DCA. In the air Delta continued to deliver the strong service I have come to know from the airline. On the other hand, the airline's technology failures and bad food led to what ended up being a miserable more than 5 hour flight. I think if I took this flight again in the future with Christina I would opt out of the Comfort+ upgrades and either stay in a regular economy seat or find a way for us to upgrade to the Delta One lie-flat seats.
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By RamonRamon is the creator of Traveling Companion. He focuses on flight review, hotel reviews, and helping stretch your travel dollars, miles, and points further.
California Dreaming with Dad Trip Report
California Dreaming with Dad Overview Delta 757 DCA-LAX Economy Class Review Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel Review Exploring California's Central Coast Exploring Los Angeles Delta 757 LAX-DCA Economy Class Review 
Dad in California
Introduction
In February 2020, I had the pleasure of taking my Dad on a trip to California for his 70th birthday. This was the first time he had traveled to the West Coast of the United States. The planning of the trip began months before when I let my Dad know that for his 70th birthday I would take him anywhere in the world. He narrowed it down to two places he was interested in visiting California, and England. After a lot of discussion, we decided to take a trip to the Central Coast of California to see my wife's family and to check out the sites in the Los Angeles area. For this trip Christina and my Mom also decided to come along and it was the first time all four of us had traveled together. I was happy to have three traveling companions along for the trip. This trip was truly eye opening my for Dad. He really loved the kindness of the people in the Central Coast of California, was surprised by the traffic in Los Angeles, and thought the beauty of the California Coast line was stunning. However, the most memorable line from our trip was him telling me he was shocked by size of California and couldn't believe it was all just one state! It also still amazes me that despite all of my trips just how much more relaxed the vibe is in California versus the East Coast.
Booking Flights
For our flights we decided to book all of the flights into and out of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) because it allowed my parent's to only have one stop flight from The Bahamas. My parent's booked flights from Nassau Lynden Pindling International Airport (NAS) to LAX with a connection in Charlotte on American Airlines. This was the flight that had the best timing and ended up costing $426 per ticket. We had previously broken up with American Airlines and decided to match our American Airlines Gold status to Delta Silver in 2019. Since only American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and Delta offered non-stop flights from Washington Reagan National (DCA) to LAX it made our selection easy. One added benefit of flying Delta on this route is that it is a premium route so we would be served a meal even in economy and have the chance (an extremely small chance) to have a same day upgrade to Delta One lie flat seats. 
Delta 757 DCA
Since we had few Delta miles and the mileage cost on this premium route was expensive, we decided to book with cash. Also, Christina had a work meeting back in Washington D.C. so we booked separate tickets. Her roundtrip DCA-LAX ticket was $413 and she earned 2,506 Delta miles which I value at $31. My roundtrip DCA- LAX ticket cost $473 and earned me 2,982 miles which I value at $36.
Booking Train
On our trip we needed to get to and from Los Angeles and Christina and I really don't like driving especially in the Los Angeles traffic. So, we decided to take the Amtrak Surfliner from Los Angeles Union Station to Santa Barbara and back. The cost was ~$30 for each of the three tickets and we redeemed Amtrak Guest Reward Points for one ticket. 
Amtrak Surfliner Train
Booking Hotels
We stayed with Christina's parents in the Central Coast and in hotels during our four nights in Los Angeles. Because my parents' flights arrived at about 11 pm and departed at 5 am we decided to stay in an airport hotel for all four nights in Los Angeles. Because of Christina's Marriott Platinum elite status we chose a Marriott brand hotel the Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel. The cost was $167 for the first night and $474 for the second three-night stay. I thought both of these were quite reasonable for a California hotel and after our stay I would say this hotel offers very good value. 
Renaissance LAX
Summary
It was such an honor to take my Dad to California and even now I look back on the trip and it warms my heart. I also feel it was amazing timing since the following month the COVID-19 pandemic shut down most travel and we would have cancelled the entire trip. I look forward to sharing my reviews especially of some of the beauty of California and some interesting attractions in the Central Coast and metropolitan areas around Los Angeles. By RamonRamon is the creator of Travelling Companion. He focuses on flight review, hotel reviews, and helping stretch your travel dollars, miles, and points further.
Flight Overview
I found my first Delta CRJ-900 First Class experience to be average. Pros-Friendly Gate Agents, Well Placed Power Plugs, Impressive Amenities, Fast Baggage Service Cons-Limited Storage, Poor Sparkling Wine, Weak Snack Selection, Subpar JFK Arrival Experience First Class Honeymoon Trip Report First Class Honeymoon Overview Delta Sky Club DCA Review Delta CRJ 900 DCA-JFK First Class Review Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse New York JFK Review Singapore Airlines A380 JFK-FRA Suites Review Singapore Airlines A380 FRA-SIN Suites Review JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach Review Singapore Surprise Singapore Airlines 737-800 SIN-MLE Business Class Review The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort Review Etihad Airways A320 MLE-AUH Business Class Review Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa Dubai Review The St. Regis Abu Dhabi Review Exploring Abu Dhabi Etihad Apartments A380 AUH-JFK Apartments Review
Boarding
We left the SkyClub DCA in high spirits and with a great impression of Delta which we hoped would continue once we were onboard. We got to the gate early and it was empty. When boarding started it was 3 minutes after the scheduled boarding time and since we were sitting in First Class we were among the first people to board. I loved being able to board first and settle into my seat. However, in the COVID-19 era I imagine I would also appreciate the option to board last and hang out in the lounge. As we boarded the plane the check-in agents were very friendly something that was not always the case on American Airlines. 
Boarding DCA Gate 18
Plane and Seats
This flight was on a CRJ-900 regional jet, operated by Delta affiliate Endeavor, with 12 First Class seats arraigned in a 1-2 configuration. We were seated together in the bulkhead seats 1 C and 1 D on the right side of the plane. These seats had approximately 37 inches of pitch and 20 inches of width. Since we were in the bulkhead there was more limited legroom than the other First Class seats but I thought the legroom on this plane was still sufficient. One of the downsides to First Class in the CRJ-900 is that the bathrooms are too small for me stand up straight. This is an annoying feature on many regional jets but wasn't as a big of a deal on this approximately 50 minute flight. Another annoying part of the First Class experience on this plane was the lack of storage space. There wasn't enough storage space to store both the bottle of water at my seat and my noise cancelling headphones. As we took off we waived goodbye to our home city Washington D.C. which we wouldn't see for three weeks. 
View of Washington D.C. Metro Area
Amenities and In-Flight Entertainment
Upon boarding we were greeted by several amenities at our seats. These included a blanket and a pillow. This was the first time I had ever seen a pillow on a domestic First Class flight. Also waiting at our seats were small plastic bottles of water. I was very impressed by the amenities provided by Delta especially considering that this was a sub-one hour flight. These amenities blew away the CRJ-900 First Class flight I had on American Airlines were there weren't even blankets in First Class on a three hour flight. 
CRJ-900 First Class Seats
Another downside to the CRJ-900 regional planes is that unlike Delta's mainline planes this plane had no seat back in-flight entertainment (IFE). Delta did offer in-seat power and streaming IFE on this flight. We were so excited about our trip that we didn't even bother watching the streaming IFE. A really good feature of the seat was two 110 volt power plugs. We ended up using these plugs to charge our devices and I loved the placement which I found to be much better than the awkward below seat placement on many planes.
In-Seat Power Plugs
Food and Drinks
The food and drink service started shortly after we sat down with a pre-departure beverage. I chose the sparkling wine so I could compare the difference in taste between the other sparkling wine and champagne offerings available later in the day. Christina passed and said she was waiting for the good stuff at our next stop. She was smart to wait as the sparkling wine was really bad. Shortly after takeoff the flight attendant came around with the snack basket. I found the snack selection to be weak with just a handful more snacks that economy. The snack selection was so weak that I ended up selecting Biscoff Cookies the same snack I would have received in economy. I can say this is one area where American Airlines did better pre-COVID-19 since they had much larger variety of snacks on short flights. One interesting thing I noticed about Delta's service is that every drink they served was handed over on a tray. I liked this tray service and think it made the experience feel more refined. 
Biscoff Cookie
Service
While I have been very impressed by Delta's in-flight service in the past there wasn't much to note about the service on this flight. I appreciated the pre-departure beverage but I had come to expect that on Delta. Generally the service on this flight wasn't bad just unremarkable. Arrival at JFK We arrived about 20 minutes ahead of the scheduled arrival and upon landing we got the first glimpse of our ride to Singapore. Out of the window we could see the Singapore A380 parked next to a Virgin Atlantic plane. Our excitement grew immensely as we saw the giant plane which was going to be our ride for almost 24 hours. 
View of Singapore A380 from JFK Runway
After deplaning we had to take a shuttle bus to the terminal. Generally, I don't like having to a take a shuttle especially if I have a tight connection and I hope this is part of the experience Delta eliminates in future JFK renovations. However, the big upside of doing so today was we got a chance to see many of the big planes at JFK up close. This included a Qatar Airways plane which was taxing during our shuttle ride. I really enjoyed this as a travel lover. We headed to the baggage claim to retrieve our bags since we were booked on separate reservation for our next flight on Singapore Airlines and impressively our bags were out in five minutes. I really love how fast bags are available after a Delta flight.
View of Qatar Airways plane from JFK Runway
Take Away
I found my first flight in Delta's CRJ-900 First Class to be average. I thought the boarding experience was smooth, the gate agents were friendly, liked the placement and availability of power plugs, the baggage service was very fast, and I was very impressed by the amenities provided by Delta on such a short flight. However, Delta could improve the CRJ-900 flight experience by adding additional storage, improving the sparkling wine, improving the weak snack selection, and improving the arrival experience by not requiring a shuttle. By RamonRamon is the creator of Travelling Companion. He focuses on flight review, hotel reviews, and helping stretch your travel dollars, miles, and points further.
Lounge Overview
This lounge featured comfortable seating, widely available power outlets, a wide selection of food, terrific decor with odes to and amazing views of Washington D.C., and was the best domestic airport lounge I had ever visited. Pros-Terrific Local Decor, Tranquil Atmosphere, Amazing City Views, Wide Variety of Food Options, Wide Selection of Complimentary Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic Drinks, Comfortable Leather Seating, Widely Available Power Outlets, Private Bathrooms Cons- Bland Food First Class Honeymoon Trip Report First Class Honeymoon Overview Delta Sky Club DCA Review Delta CRJ 900 DCA-JFK First Class Review Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse New York JFK Review Singapore Airlines A380 JFK-FRA Suites Review Singapore Airlines A380 FRA-SIN Suites Review JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach Review Singapore Surprise Singapore Airlines 737-800 SIN-MLE Business Class Review The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort Review Etihad Airways A320 MLE-AUH Business Class Review Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa Dubai Review The St. Regis Abu Dhabi Review Exploring Abu Dhabi Etihad Apartments A380 AUH-JFK Apartments Review 
DCA Terminal B
Location and Check-In
Christina and I arrived at Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) Terminal B in a jubilant mood as we were very excited to start our First Class Honeymoon. This was our first time flying Delta Airlines First Class and our first-time visiting a Delta Sky Club. Because we were flying in Delta First Class we used the Sky Priority check in which was very fast. The one hiccup we had was confusion over how to tag our bags. The Delta agents placed the bag tags on our bags themselves instead of letting the machine do it as we were used at American Airlines. It will be interesting to see if this process continues as Delta takes precautions in the post-COVID-19 era. We breezed through security using TSA pre-check and as we exited security for gates 10-22 we saw the sign for the Delta Sky Club. The Delta Sky Club DCA is located on Level 3 of Terminal B (Gates 10-22). To enter the lounge, we took the elevator up one level and the lounge is right in front of the elevator. 
Elevator to Delta SkyClub DCA
Access and Hours
Delta Sky Clubs are accessible on a unlimited complimentary basis to a number of passengers including:
Delta SkyClub DCA Entrance Sign
Sky Club Decor and Seating
The Delta Sky Club DCA reopened in 2018 after a significant renovation and takes up 9000 square feet. Upon walking into the Delta Sky Club DCA Christina and I were immediately blown away by the decor which featured odes to Washington D.C. To the right of the entrance is a stunning Cherry Blossom chandelier the most impressive piece of decor in the lounge. All over the lounge there were touches of Washington D.C. including pictures of the Lincoln Memorial and the U.S. Capitol. 
Cherry Blossom Chandelier
The lounge also featured amazing views of Washington D.C. through floor to ceiling windows to the right of the entrance. Through the windows we could see the airplanes on the tarmac, the Washington Monument, and the U.S. Capitol. This lounge gave a clear sense of place which is often lacking in airport lounges.
Washington D.C. View
Another thing which really impressed me about the lounge was just how tranquil the atmosphere was compared to the hectic airport terminal below. As I have said previously one important part of an airport lounge is the respite from the chaos of the terminal which it provides. On this point the Delta Sky Club DCA shines.
Delta Sky Club DCA
This lounge was much emptier and substantially quieter than the two American Airlines Admirals Clubs I had experienced at DCA. I think this was driven by the fact that Delta has fewer flights out of DCA, we were traveling on a Wednesday, and that the lounge seemed to be primarily full of business travelers. Another reason the lounge was quieter is that the televisions in the lounge could only be accessed through the Tunity app which I thought was a great feature. One of the few noises made in the lounge were boarding announcements which I don't remember American Airlines making in Admirals Clubs.
Delta SkyClub DCA
The lounge also had a wide variety of modern and comfortable leather seating. One of my pet peeves with airport lounges is the lack of sufficient functioning power plugs. Here the Delta Sky Club DCA shined again. Power plugs were available at almost every seat in the lounge and every plug I tried was working. My favorite seats were the ones next to the windows. These seats had high leather backs which made them more private and they featured amazing views of the tarmac and Washington D.C.
Christina in Lounge Seating
One last feature of the lounge which I appreciated was a large private bathroom which I found to be well lite and clean, something I can't say for all airport lounge bathrooms I have visited. The bathroom also offered Malin+Goetz soap and hand lotion, which are also offered onboard Delta, and is a brand I really like.
Sky Club DCA Bathroom Amenities
Food and Drinks
There were a wide variety of food and drinks available when we checked out the Delta Sky Club DCA. The lounge rotated their offerings seasonally and I never have had same dish offered as a part of the menu during multiple subsequent visits. We arrived around 11 am during the transition between breakfast and the all-day menu. I will start by saying that the Delta Sky Club DCA blew American Airline's Admirals Club food options away both in terms of selection and quality. With that said I found the Delta offerings to be a mixed bag with some being really good and others bland. With some of the dishes I felt that Delta tried too hard to make complex dishes instead of nailing the basics. For breakfast I had eggs, which were really bad, with bacon bits, which were okay. 
Delta SkyClub DCA Breakfast
The all day menu was a very healthy affair with the choice of a smoked turkey sandwich with mustard cream, cucumbers, and arugula along with a mushroom sandwich with spinach, and mozzarella baguette. The menu also offered fresh vegetables, including carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, and celery. To accompany these items there were a variety of offerings including seasonal green salad, roasted cauliflower, kale caesar salad, and a quinoa salad. Finally, as a special offering the lounge had Pho, which was another nice local touch because of the Washington D.C. area's large Vietnamese population. I tried the quinoa salad which was great and the smoked turkey sandwich which was boring. The sandwich really needed more mayo and higher quality sandwich meat. Christina choose the Pho and found it to be bland. She felt it lacked sufficient seasoning. For desert we tried one of the mini-cupcakes and I have only one word to describe it, amazing!
Delta Sky Club DCA All-Day Menu
The lounge also offered a wide variety of complimentary alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks along with premium wine and spirits available for sale. The non-alcoholic drinks included water, unsweetened ice tea, orange juice, cranberry juice, Starbucks coffee, and a wide variety of sodas available from a soda machine. I really liked that Delta had the option to select from a machine which made it easy to refill, unlike the Admirals Clubs at DCA where typically I had to ask a bartender.
Delta SkyClub DCA Non-Alcoholic Drinks
In terms of alcoholic drinks, the lounge offered two different beers, four wines, and six spirits. The lounge also offered premium wine and spirits for sale using cash or SkyMiles. I tried the unsweetened ice tea and thought it was disgusting while Christina tried the Starbucks coffee which she thought was okay. Even though I didn't like the unsweetened ice tea I was able to try a variety of other drinks which I did like and made me really appreciate the lounge's wide drink selection.
Delta Sky Club DCA Bar
Take Away
The Delta Sky Club DCA left an amazing positive impression on me. This was the best domestic lounge I had ever visited. The lounge delivered stunning views of Washington. D.C., terrific local decor, and a tranquil atmosphere which left me with the feeling that I was at a nice cocktail lounge instead of an airport lounge. It is clear with the Sky Club DCA that Delta is targeting premium business and leisure customers at DCA and this lounge alone is a strong reason to choose Delta over DCA's dominant airline American Airlines. By RamonRamon is the creator of Travelling Companion. He focuses on flight reviews, hotel reviews, and helping stretch your travel dollars, miles, and points further while traveling in comfort. In this series of five reviews I focus on the experience flying American Airlines in First Class domestically and Business Class on flights to the Caribbean. The posts compare American Airlines First Class and Business Class across four different aircraft on medium-haul flights between 3-4 hours where meals are served. American Airlines First and Business Class Reviews American Airlines CRJ-900 SBA-DFW First Class Review American Airlines 737-800 DFW-DCA First Class Review American Airlines E-175 NAS-DCA Business Class Review American Airlines E-175 DCA-MSY First Class Review American Airlines A321 SJU-CLT Business Class Review Flight Overview An operational upgrade led to me flying in First Class and my best regional flight on American Airlines. Pros-Good Service, Lots of legroom and comfortable seat, Functional AC and USB Power Plugs, and Good IFE Streaming selection Cons- Mediocre food, No seat-back IFE American Tap Room Since I didn't have access to any lounges at Ronald Regan Washington National (DCA) I headed to an airport restaurant American Tap Room for breakfast. Because of the growth in membership, limited lounge space at airports, and overcrowding at airport lounge Priority Pass has expanded access to non-lounge options including American Tap Room at DCA. Through my Priority Pass Select membership I received a $28 credit towards a meal at American Tap Room. I really like being able to use this benefit at my home airport restaurant since it substantially reduces the cost of meals while traveling.  American Tap Room Menu During my visit to American Tap Room, I ordered eggs and waffles for breakfast. The eggs were light and fluffy and the bacon was crispy and flavorful and I really enjoyed them. On the other hand, the waffles were hard and very difficult to eat with a plastic knife and fork. Service at the restaurant was good with the hostess seating me quickly and server taking my order and closing out my check quickly. In the end I owed nothing for the meal because of my credit, I paid the server a tip and was on my way to the gate for boarding. Overall, I found American Tap Room breakfast experience average and would say it is worth a stop if you don't have lounge access. You won't be blown away by the food but you may find it better than some of the meals you have onboard American Airlines First Class.  American Tap Room Waffle and Eggs Boarding After finishing my breakfast I headed to Gate 43 C for my departure and the gate area was crowded. I took a look up at the departure screen and saw that I was listed as cleared on the standby screen and thought that was strange since I was flying on a confirmed ticket and already had a bulkhead seat assigned in Main Cabin Extra. My first thought was that I must have been operationally upgraded to First Class since the flight was oversold. I refreshed my app and surely enough I saw that my new seat assignment was 1D in First Class. I was really excited about this development since it meant I didn't need to spend the three 500 mile upgrades required for this route and I would still be flying in First Class. A few minutes later the gate agent called me to the podium for my new boarding pass and confirmed that I was operationally upgraded due to the oversold flight. This was my second time I had been operationally upgraded within four months on American after my first operational upgrade on my flight from Santa Barbara. A few minutes later the situation grew more complicated when the flight was still oversold by two people despite the operational upgrades to First Class. The gate agents started with an offer of $300 for anyone willing to take a later flight to New Orleans. My first reaction was that this offer was low and since I didn't see anyone else heading to volunteer I waited to see if the agents would increase the offer. However, once I saw two volunteers heading to the counter I quickly got into line. I ended up being the second of three people to volunteer but gave up my spot to allow two teenage friends to volunteer together. I decided that it was easier since there were two of them and I would instead enjoy my experience flying to New Orleans in First Class.  DCA Gate 43/43C Once boarding got underway I was the first to board the plane and upon boarding I was given a warm greeting by the flight attendant and I knew I was going to receive good service on this flight. Plane and Seats Our flight was operated by an Embraer-175 (E175) regional jet. This E-175 was configured in 1-2 configuration with 12 seats in First Class and operated by Republic Airlines on behalf of American Airlines.  American Airlines E-175 First Class Cabin I was seated in the bulkhead aisle seat (1D) on the right side of the plane. The seat itself was old and tattered but had great legroom and was comfortable. I really appreciate the large wings on the seat which provide good support of my head.  American Airlines E-175 First Class Cabin Legroom One big plus of this plane was that it had functional AC and USB power for each passenger in First Class between the seats. This is not the case on many of the narrow body jets American Airlines flies domestically. The captain announced a flight time of 2 hours and 40 minutes and the door closed 3 minutes early. About 20 minutes later we took off with light turbulence on a beautiful morning in Washington D.C.  American Airlines E-175 AC and USB Power Plugs Amenities and In-Flight Entertainment As I sat down there was a blanket at my seat something which was not present on my last two American Airlines flights. I find that American Airlines is very inconsistent about proactively offering blankets but I appreciated it on this flight since I was cold. I opened up the package with the blanket and found the blanket to be thin but better than nothing.  American Airlines E-175 Seat and Blanket As on all American Airlines regional flights there was no seat-back in-flight entertainment (IFE) on this nearly 3 hour flight which I found annoying since I had to stop watching the IFE on my IPAD because I did not have sufficient space on the tray table. However, I was able to access American Airlines streaming in-flight selection which I found to be strong on this flight. There were several new release movies including A Star is Born and Academy Awards 2018 Best Film winner Green Book. I ended up watching Fantastic Beasts Crimes of Grindlewald which I enjoyed.  American Airlines Streaming IFE Food and Drinks Before I was seated I was offered a pre-departure drink and chose a screwdriver. It was nice to have this service since it is inconsistently offered in First Class on American Airlines flights.  American Airlines Pre-Departure Drink Shortly after take-off the meal service started with a towel and meal selection. The options were a Protein Plate with fruit and Chobani yogurt or a plate with turkey, salami and assorted fruit. I chose the second option which also came with two types of cheese, cucumbers, two soft boiled eggs and tomatoes. The fruit plate included strawberries, green grapes, pineapples, orange slices, one blueberry, and on the side was a cinnamon roll. The entire meal was served very cold and felt like it just came out of the freezer. I enjoyed the turkey, salami, and cheese plate. I found the soft-boiled eggs to be okay and was disappointed with the fruit plate and in particular found the strawberries to be very bad. Overall, the meal was mediocre and my advice if you have an American Airlines regional First Class our of DCA is to eat breakfast before you get onboard.  American Airlines E-175 First Class Food Service
The flight attendant on this flight set the right tone for the flight when greeting me upon boarding with a smile. This enthusiasm and positive attitude continued throughout the flight which I find to be uncommon on American Airlines. She took my pre-departure beverage order and when I returned from the restroom she had pulled out my drink tray and served the drink. I also liked that the flight attendant moved through service quickly and efficiently while keeping a positive attitude. On this flight the good service wasn't limited to the flight attendant but extended to the captain. Even though we arrived two minutes late the captain kept us updated on the time and said that he continued trying to find smooth air so we would have comfortable flights and avoid significant turbulence. In the end we only experienced light turbulence and I appreciated the captain's communication. Take Away This was the best regional flight I experienced on American Airlines. On this flight I was disappointed by the mediocre food and lack of seat-back IFE but the positives overcame those negatives. The flight had strong streaming IFE options, USB and AC power plugs, lots of legroom, a comfortable seat. Most importantly my flight was made enjoyable by the good service from the flight attendant and great communication from the captain. While American Airlines has a lot of work to do on its in-flight food and drinks if American Airlines consistently delivered multiple functional power options, strong streaming IFE options, and good service it would be a strong contender. Sadly, based on past experience I believe this flight was more the exception than the norm. By RamonRamon is the creator of Travelling Companion. He focuses on flight reviews, hotel reviews, and helping stretch your travel dollars, miles, and points further while traveling in comfort. In this series of five reviews I focus on the experience flying American Airlines in First Class domestically and Business Class on flights to the Caribbean. The posts compare American Airlines First Class and Business Class across four different aircraft on medium-haul flights between 3-4 hours where meals are served. American Airlines First and Business Class Reviews American Airlines CRJ-900 SBA-DFW First Class Review American Airlines 737-800 DFW-DCA First Class Review American Airlines E-175 NAS-DCA Business Class Review American Airlines E-175 DCA-MSY First Class Review American Airlines A321 SJU-CLT Business Class Review Flight Overview Flying through Lynden Pindling International Airport (NAS) in Business Class on this ancient Embraer 175 in Business Class was a terrible experience and only marginally better than economy. Pros-None Cons- Poor Check-In Experience, Bad NAS Ground Experience, Aging Plane, Bland Food, Uncomfortable Seat, Barely Functional Power Plugs, No Seat-Back Entertainment, Limited Wi-Fi and Streaming Entertainment, No Amenities, Limited Storage Check-In and Immigration For this flight we were headed back to Washington D.C. from Nassau on a non-stop flight to Ronald Regan National Airport (DCA) which American Airlines operates seasonally around Christmas and New Years. When we arrived at Lynden Pindling International Airport (NAS) about two hours before our flight we had already been upgraded to Business Class utilizing our 500 mile upgrades. Because we were upgraded so far in advance we had the opportunity to take advantage of the American Airline's priority ground services at NAS. The American Airlines priority check-in line was very long so we decided to use the check-in machine to check our bags. After quickly completing the check-in we still waited in a slow bag drop line while the check-in agent took about ten minutes to tag our bags and then proceeded to another check-in desk to check my golf clubs since American Airlines requires a separate check-in for specialty equipment at NAS. After about 20 minutes we were done with the check-in process and I realized that our bags were never tagged as priority by the check-in agent. Overall, I found American Airlines check-in process at NAS to be slow and cumbersome.  American Airlines NAS Bag Drop After we completed the check-in process we proceeded through immigration. When returning to the United States this process is usually seamless for Christina and I since we have Global Entry. However, NAS is one of the locations with a pre-clearance facility meaning that travelers to the United States clear before arriving in the United States. For the vast majority of passengers this provides a more pleasant experience since the flight can arrive at a domestic terminal. The problem with this is that for passengers with Global Entry the experience can be mixed since the experience at the pre-clearance facility may be slower than on arrival in the U.S. Unfortunately, we experienced this first hand at NAS. When we entered the pre-check line there was only one couple ahead of us in line, however, we took an hour to clear immigration! This was by far the longest I have ever taken to clear U.S. immigration and our traveling companions who did not have Global Entry even cleared the normal immigration line before we did. My advice is to arrive early for any flight out of NAS. Graycliff Divans Lounge Despite arriving at the airport about two hours early we ended up with only about 30 minutes before boarding once we cleared immigration. We decided to go to the only Priority Pass lounge in the U.S. Departures terminal Grayliff Divans. This lounge is located near Gate C-41 and open 7 am-7 pm daily and passengers are provided with a $20 USD credit for food and beverages.  Graycliff Divans Lounge Entrance Upon checking in we were asked if we wanted a Wi-Fi code and when we said yes the agent printed out what seemed to be a unique Wi-FI code. The lounge has an indoor smoking section to the right and a non-smoking section to the left along with a an outdoor deck which also allowed smoking. I really didn't like that people could smoke in the majority of the lounge.  Graycliff Divans Lounge Deck When we sat down we were given menus and after reading the menu I planned on ordering breakfast. However, when we went to order we were told that no breakfast items were available for order, despite being advertised as an all day breakfast, and the only snack item available was the french fries with truffle oil and parmesan. We ordered the french fries and I ordered an orange juice. The service at the lounge was terrible and when our server was rude when taking our orders. After 30 minutes of waiting for our french fries we checked in on our order and instead of bringing the order to the table the waitress sent Christina with the order back to the table while she texted. Once we got the french fries they were cold since they had been sitting and waiting. Overall, this lounge was really poor and I would recommend skipping it.  Graycliff Divans Menu Plane and Seats Boarding started right on time and we were the first people to board the E175 operated by American Airlines' regional affiliate Republic Airways.  American Airlines E-175 The 12 First Class E-175 seats were arraigned in a 1-2 configuration versus the 2-2 configuration in economy. Christina and I were seated in the bulkhead seats 1D and 1F on the right side of the First Class cabin. Once we were seated the First Class flight attendant asked us if we wanted a pre-departure beverage and let us know that because of Customs regulations American Airlines cannot serve alcohol on the ground in Nassau. Since some airlines don't serve alcohol on the ground to avoid paying duty I wondered whether this truly because of customs regulations or more to do with avoiding alcohol duties. As passengers boarded the flight attendant encouraged passengers to sit down quickly since some passengers had tight connections in D.C. As the rest of the passengers settled in the captain said we had a 2 hour and five minute flight time and that we should expect a bumpy ride.  American Airlines E-175 Cabin My first impression of the plane was that it as aging. The First Class seats looked beat down and had a drab dark grey color. The seats had shared power plugs located between the seats. However, the plugs were so loose that every time we tried to plug in our IPhone or IPad to charge our devices they fell out. The seats were in the bulkhead so had good legroom and the tray table was located inside the armrest. The seats were not comfortable despite the padding and they had no storage areas. The seat was made more uncomfortable because the headrest wasn't properly attached to the seat and the "pre-recline" made it difficult to read.  American Airlines E-175 First Class Seat The door closed right on time and our flight pulled off two minutes later with one empty Business Class seat. As the plane taxied I was really annoyed by how loud it was. Then the captain announced that the plane had a maintenance delay and we taxied out of the way to fix the issue. The maintenance issue was fixed and we departed about 25 minutes late from a foggy Nassau and ultimately landed 15 minutes late in DCA. The loud noise, beat up seats, and maintenance issues made me think this aging plane has seen better days.  Foggy View from the Window Amenities and In-Flight Entertainment There were no pillows, blankets, or any other amenities on this flight. The seats also had no seat-back in-flight entertainment (IFE) which meant the only way to access the streaming IFE was using our tablets or phones. However, the Wi-Fi which powers the streaming IFE was down for the majority of the flight since it did not provide coverage in The Bahamas. When Wi-Fi coverage kicked in about half way through the flight we explored the streaming IFE options. The streaming options were more limited than the seat back IFE and included Mission Impossible Fallout. We ended up not watching any of the IFE options because our tablets were low on power and we continued to have issues with the First Class plugs. Since Christina fell asleep about half way through the flight and I didn't bring a book I was left to listen to my music and stare out the window.  Streaming In-Flight Entertainment Meal The flight attendant started the meal service quickly after takeoff. The service started with a warm towel. While I have experienced the warm towel service on numerous flights it didn't make sense on a flight from a warm climate like The Bahamas and I think instead it should be a cold towel service on flights from warm climates. On this flight we were served lunch and Christina and I were the first people to order but we ended up being served last since the flight attendant served from back to front. The meal choices were a Chinese chicken salad or a BBQ chicken wrap. I chose the BBQ chicken wrap while Christina chose the Chinese chicken salad. I also ordered a Sam Adams Octoberfest while Christina ordered red wine.  BBQ Chicken Salad The BBQ chicken sandwich was served with cold peanuts, pita chips, salt and pepper on the side, and chocolate mouse cake. This sandwich was really bad with only a hint of BBQ sauce and was so dry at point I started choking and heavily downed water.  Chinese Chicken Salad Christina's Chinese chicken salad had peppers, mango, chicken. The salad was very bland but better than my sandwich. The best part of the meal was the chocolate mouse cake which was not dry. Overall, our meals were bad and we once again had a bad experience with American Airline's First Class catering.
Service When it comes to service onboard American Airlines I came in with low expectations based on my previous experience and this flight met those low expectations. I appreciated that the flight attendant offered us pre-departure beverages, not always a guarantee on American Airlines, and quickly cleared away our plates when we were done with our meals. However, during meal service we were never proactively offered drinks and after the meal service we were pretty much ignored until landing. I would grade the service on this flight as average which is about the best I have come to expect on American Airlines. Take Away I always appreciate a First Class upgrade, however, flying in First Class with American Airlines on this route was only marginally better than economy. The priority ground experience in Nassau was meaningless since the priority line was longer than the bag drop. Furthermore, the ground experience at NAS was weak with the Global Entry line taking longer than the standard immigration line and the Divans lounge delivering a bad experience. In the air our ancient E-175 was a terrible experience and once again we were failed by American Airlines. The convience of flying non-stop to DCA was nice but this experience was bad enough I would consider connecting next time. Also, as an American Airlines elite I would advise to skip using a 500 mile upgrade on this route. By RamonRamon is the creator of Travelling Companion. He focuses on flight reviews, hotel reviews, and helping stretch your travel dollars, miles, and points further while traveling in comfort. In this series of five reviews I focus on the experience flying American Airlines in First Class domestically and Business Class on flights to the Caribbean. The posts compare American Airlines First Class and Business Class across four different aircraft on medium-haul flights between 3-4 hours where meals are served. American Airlines First and Business Class Reviews American Airlines CRJ-900 SBA-DFW First Class Review American Airlines 737-800 DFW-DCA First Class Review American Airlines E-175 NAS-DCA Business Class Review American Airlines E-175 DCA-MSY First Class Review American Airlines A321 SJU-CLT Business Class Review Flight Overview This was our first experience flying American Airlines mainline (non-regional operated) First Class. The experience came with multi-course hot meals, hot towel service, and very comfortable seats along with the bad service we have come to expect from American Airlines. Pros-Wide and Well-Padded Seats, Great Legroom, Lots of Power at Every Seat, Good IFE with Remote, Blanket, Multi-Course Hot Meal, Hot Towel Service, and modern Admirals Club Cons-Apathetic Service, Inconsistent Food Quality, Dated Departure Terminal DFW Arrival We landed about 30 minutes before our scheduled arrival on our flight from Santa Barbara (SBA) but spent about 20 minutes taxing because there was another aircraft at our gate. It was not a surprise that we had to wait for a gate at DFW because it is American Airlines largest hub with over 900 daily departures in summer 2019. While we waited for our gate to clear we at least had the opportunity for some cool plane spotting at DFW. As we rolled by the Qantas A380 I was in awe! Our regional jet looked like an ant compared to the whale of an A380. Christina and I both grew very excited for our upcoming First Class Honeymoon where were we would have an opportunity to fly twice on the A380.  Qantas A380 After about 20 minutes of taxing we were finally assigned a new gate. After waiting for our gate checked bags on the jet-bridge we headed towards Terminal C for our connecting flight. DFW Terminal C Admirals Club Our flight from SBA arrived at Gate D 8 and our flight to Ronald Regan Washington National (DCA) departed from Terminal C so we took the SkyLink train. Once we exited the train I was surprised just how the dated Terminal C looked. I have flown through DFW several times and this was definitely the worse terminal. Terminal C had ugly flooring, poor lighting, and a dated look. This why I was not surprised when six months after our flight American Airlines and DFW announced an agreement to renovate terminal C in conjunction with building a sixth terminal (Terminal F).  DFW Terminal C After locating our gate we quickly headed to the Admirals Club located near gates 19/20 in Terminal C. This Admirals Club was a welcomed change from the dated terminal. As we entered the Admirals Club I noticed that it had a modern feel and art work which I enjoyed. We also found the club to be spacious and not crowded.  DFW Terminal C Admirals Club Entrance One interesting amenity of this club was the kids play room which was Universal Studios Orlando themed and was plastered with the minions.  DFW Terminal C Admirals Club Kids Room We did not check out the food at the Admirals Club since we ate on our last flight and were about to get another meal on the flight to DCA. Overall, this was one of the nicest Admirals Clubs I had experienced topped only by the Admirals Club at LAX.  DFW Terminal C Admirals Club Boarding As our boarding time approached we headed over to Gate C37 for our flight. The gate area was fairly quiet and only one person was on the gate upgrade list and the flight ended up going out with two empty First Class seats. First Class was so light on this flight that one American Airlines employee cleared into First Class. We boarded first and as we boarded the flight I was stopped by the gate agent who asked that I put my bag into the sizer to make sure it could fit onboard. It ended up fitting into the sizer and were on our way. It annoys me how inconsistently American Airlines enforces their carry-on policy. I am often stopped by agents trying to size my bag and never have had a problem getting it to fit, however, I have seen passengers carrying on bags that obviously were not meant for the overhead bins but were never stopped by the gate agent.  Gate C 37 Plane and Seats On this flight we flew the Boeing 737-800 the most common plane flown by American Airlines. Because of the light load we were actually upgraded to First Class about 26 hours before our flight a full two hours before the Gold Elite upgrade window. Since were upgraded so early we weren't allowed to change seats and were not seated next to each other. However, after the upgrade window passed we changed seats and selected the bulkhead seats 3E and 3F. The 737-800 First Class is arraigned in a 2-2 configuration with about 20 inches of seat width and about 40 inches of pitch.  Boeing 737-800 When I sat down I was immediately impressed by the seat which was wide with a ton of legroom, comfortable padding, and the best American Airlines seat I had experienced outside of the A321T. I particularly liked how comfortable the head padding was on this seat something which I find annoying on many other seats. Each seat had AC power and a USB charger which I really appreciated after my three hour CRJ-900 flight without in-seat power.  First Class Seat 3E Amenities and In-Flight Entertainment When we sat down at our seats they contained a plastic wrapped blanket. I found the cabin temperate to be good on this flight so I did not use the blanket. Even though I didn't end up using the blanket it is a nice option for the times when the plane is chilly or a longer night time flight where I want to doze off. This 737-800 also contained seat-back in-flight entertainment (IFE) since it had not been retrofitted through American Airlines' project oasis which will result in less pitch and no seat back IFE even in First Class. The IFE system had a remote, contained more options than the streaming service I had experienced on my regional flight, and was much smoother since this plane was equipped with satellite internet. I really enjoyed using the remote since at the bulkhead seats the IFE screen is fairly far away. We ended up watching Oceans 8 on this flight which I found to be a fun film to watch with a traveling companion. I really like American Airlines' IFE system on this plane and it is sad that soon it will be removed from all Boeing 737-800s.  American Airlines Boeing 737-800 IFE Meal When we reached cruising altitude the flight attendant came around asking for our food and drink order. We had a choice between beef short rib and a falafel plate. I ordered the beef short rib and Christina ordered the falafel plate. About 30 minutes into the flight the flight attendant came around with a hot towel which was steaming but refreshing followed by warm mixed nuts and our drink orders. This was my first time having warm mix nuts or hot towel service on American Airlines and I really liked these aspects of the First Class service.  Beverage and Mix Nuts Service About one hour into the flight our multi-course meal service with real utensils began. The beef short ribs came with mac and cheese topped with green beans and a side salad. The short ribs were really good and the mac and cheese was average.  Beef Short Rib Christina's falafel plate came with falafel, toasted orzo, and quinoa along with a side salad. Christina found her meal overall unremarkable and the side salad bland. She felt that the falafel plate needed salt and pepper. Next the flight attendant came around with a choice of multigrain, white, or pretzel roll.  Falafel Plate We found the bread quality to be average. I liked that the bread was served warm but it was a bit hard and dry. Finally, for desert we had a choice between a chocolate chip and ginger snap cookie. I chose the chocolate chip and Christina chose the ginger snap. They were both served warm and we really enjoyed them.  Chocolate Chip Cookie Overall, I really liked having a substantial multi-course meal on a three hour flight. The quality of our meals was mixed with some highlights such as the short rib and other parts such as the side salad which fell short.
Service Our service on this flight can best be described as apathetic. The flight attendant just did the minimum required and did not do so with a smile. One of the best examples of the apathetic service was the lack of a pre-departure beverage, something which is standard on all American Airlines First and Business Class flights. Despite having a light load in the First Class cabin and an early departure the flight attendant didn't serve any pre-departure beverages. Instead she decided to finish her dinner and use her iPhone. She was never rude but it seemed like she really didn't want to be on this flight. Unfortunately, I have found this to be the case on far too many American Airlines' fights even in First Class. Take Away This flight delivered on many fronts including wide and comfortable seats, great legroom, multiple power options at each seat, a multi-course hot meal, hot towel service, and seat-back IFE with a remote. It showed American Airlines' domestic First Class potential. However, the food quality was inconsistent, American Airlines plans to remove the seat-back IFE, and American Airlines' apathetic service continued even in First Class. If I am flying in American Airlines in First Class then the 737-800 would be probably be my choice. By RamonRamon is the creator of Travelling Companion. He focuses on flight reviews, hotel reviews, and helping stretch your travel dollars, miles, and points further while traveling in comfort. Flight Overview This flight showed American Airlines' ability to deliver a competitive domestic economy product too bad American Airlines is focused on making their economy product worse. Pros-Relatively Smooth Boarding Process, Good IFE and Power, Well Padded Seats, Complimentary Alcohol in Main Cabin Extra , Early Arrival, Non-stop DCA-LAS service Cons- Indifferent Service, Uncomfortable Bulkhead seat Las Vegas Strip Trip Report Las Vegas Strip Trip Overview Aria Resort and Casino Deluxe Queen Room Review Aria Resort and Casino Dining and Activities Review Exploring the Las Vegas Strip American Airlines Boeing 737-800 LAS-DCA Review  Train to D Gates The Club at LAS After passing through security at Las Vegas McCarran International (LAS) I took the train to the D Gates in Terminal 1 where all American Airlines flights depart. Terminal 1 has two lounges the American Express Centurion Lounge and The Club at LAS a Priority Pass lounge. Since I did not have access to the American Express Centurion Lounge at the time I headed to the Club at LAS. This was my second visit to this lounge and I left last time very unimpressed but I thought I would give the lounge one more chance and ended up regretting my decision.  The Club at LAS Upon entering the lounge, I found a wait at the check-in desk driven by the fact that only one staff person was both checking in guests and working the bar. Once I entered the small space in this lounge I found it to be overcrowded and very hot. On this 101-degree day the lounge was sweltering. The lounge was hot, overcrowded, loud, and the snacks it offered were pathetic. Furthermore, the lounge did not have separate Wi-Fi, or bathrooms, and honestly made American Airlines' Admirals clubs look good. This lounge was by far the worse I have ever visited. It was so bad in fact that I left after about 10 minutes and decided that it was better to wait for my flight in the terminal.  Club at LAS Snacks Despite my terrible experience there is good news for Priority Pass holders flying through LAS. Since I visited the Club at LAS in 2018 it's Terminal 1 facility underwent a major renovation which tripled the size of the space. Looking at the pictures and description the space now features separate restrooms with showers, complimentary cocktails, and selection of hot and cold food. Boarding As boarding approached I headed to gate D7 for my flight to Ronald Regan Washington National Airport (DCA). American Airlines operates the only non-stop flight between LAS and home airport DCA. When I arrived at the gate it was very crowded and it was clear that this was going to be a full flight.  American Airlines Boeing 737-800 I liked the gate agents working this flight. The gate agents had numerous requests including changing seat assignments so that passengers could sit together and they tried hard to accommodate these requests. Moreover, despite a crowded gate area and a five minute late start to boarding the gate agents actually enforced the boarding groups and, on several occasions, stopped passengers from boarding in the wrong groups. As an elite member I appreciated this and it really made the boarding process a lot smoother. I boarded the plane in Group 4 and was one of the first passengers on board in economy. Plane and Seats Thanks to my American Airlines Gold elite status I was able to choose a Main Cabin Extra seat at check-in and I chose seat 8D. However, shortly after boarding I switched to 7D a bulkhead seat with more legroom than the standard 34 inches in Main Cabin Extra to allow a passenger to sit with his wife. While I appreciated having more legroom I did not like the bulkhead seat on this plane because the tray table is inside the armrest reducing the seat width by about 1 inch. In addition, the bulk head seats on this plane had airbag seats belts which felt uncomfortable and restricted my movement. I would recommend anyone flying in Main Cabin Extra on this plane choose a seat in row 8.  737-800 Main Cabin This plane had large overhead bins, shared AC power between seats, and USB power at each seat below the in-flight entertainment (IFE) screen. I also was flying on a relatively new 737-800 that had not yet been retrofitted by American's Project Oasis. This meant that had several advantages over other American 737-800s including: 1) an additional inch of seat pitch in Main Cabin (31 vs. 30) and Main Cabin extra (~34 vs. ~33), 2) seat-back IFE, 3) comfortable and more padded seats, and 4) larger bathrooms in economy. I really appreciated American's non-oasis 737-800 cabin and think it is quite competitive for domestic flights. It is sad that as the Project Oasis retrofits continue, American Airline's 737-800s will become less comfortable and less competitive. In-Flight Entertainment The IFE system on this plane was very responsive and featured an array of options including movies, tv shows, and music. On this flight I watched both The Darkest Hour and Game Night which were both entertaining. I really like American Airlines IFE and usually find it more than sufficient for a domestic flight. However, this was my tenth American Airlines flight in the span of less than two months so I was running out of movie options.  American Airlines In-Flight Entertainment Screen Main Cabin Extra Beverage and Snack Service As a competitive response to Delta's Comfort Plus American Airline's announced a few new benefits for Main Cabin Extra passengers in June 2018. These benefits included Group 5 boarding, dedicated main cabin extra overhead bins, and complimentary beer, wine, and spirits. I experienced the complementary alcohol benefit since I flew shortly after the implementation of these new benefits. When the beverage and snack service started, about 1 hour into my flight, I was served a Biscoff cookie and I ordered a Sam Adams Boston Lager, which would have been $7 dollars and now is $8 in the Main Cabin. The flight attendant never asked for a credit card and instead just looked at the label above my seat to confirm I was sitting in main cabin extra. The beer was served very cold which I appreciated. I really enjoyed this benefit and think it is positive for American Airlines elites. As a Gold elite the vast majority of the time I am able to select a Main Cabin Extra seat at check-in allowing me to take advantage of these additional benefits.  Main Cabin Extra Beverage and Snack Service The flight attendants passed through the cabin again later in the flight for a second beverage and snack service. They served pretzels and offered water to passengers. During this four-and-a-half hour domestic flight I had a few opportunities to interact with the flight attendants and thought they provided indifferent service. The flight landed 2 minutes early into DCA and I really appreciated the ability to have a non-stop flight to DCA from LAS.
Summary I liked my flight on American Airline's non-oasis 737-800. On this relatively long domestic route I was able to have a non-stop flight to my home airport, a smooth boarding process, AC and USB power, large overhead bins, well-padded extra legroom seats, complimentary alcohol in Main Cabin Extra, and an early arrival. Despite the indifferent service and uncomfortable bulkhead seat American Airlines offered a solid and competitive domestic economy product on this flight. However, it is sad that as American Airlines progresses with Project Oasis the airline will make economy on the 737-800 worse and lose some of the competitive advantages it had with its domestic economy product. By RamonRamon is the creator of Travelling Companion. He focuses on flight review, hotel reviews, and helping stretch your travel dollars, miles, and points further. Flight Overview My first flight in American's First Class was short but impressive while the chaotic ground experience at PHL showed why you should avoid this aging airport for domestic flights. Pros-Comfortable and Spacious Recliner Seats, Quick Boarding and Deplaning, Complimentary Drinks, Friendly Service, In-Seat Power, Two Windows, and Real Glasses Cons-Chaotic Ground Experience, Long Wait on Arrival at DCA San Juan Condado Trip Report San Juan Condado Trip Overview American Airlines Boeing 767-300 Economy PHL-SJU Review AC Hotel San Juan Condado Avianca VIP Lounge American Airlines Boeing 737-800 Economy SJU-PHL Review American Airlines A319 First Class PHL-DCA Review PHL Terminal and Boarding Our flight from San Juan landed about 20 minutes late in terminal A and as we made our way through Philadephia International Airport (PHL) to gate C22 the airport was a chaotic mess. There were a ton of people in the terminal and people seemed really angry. At first Christina and I were really confused and thought we landed in PHL during a really busy time. However, as we entered the B/C terminals we saw signs saying that the water was back on. It turns out that prior to us landing all of Philadelphia International Airport had been without water. The signs of irate flyers were everywhere. To try and avoid the choas we attempted to retreat to our usual airport hideaway on domestic flights the Admirals Club. However, we arrived at the Admirals Club and were told by the manger that it was closed due to unsanitary conditions. He said that it was unsafe to serve food and that the restrooms were in bad shape. When I went to the restrooms in the terminal there was a horrible stench as the toilets had not been flushed in what seemed to be hours. Christina reported that conditions were even worse in the women's restroom as women were forced to used restrooms that resembled porta pottys at a music festival. I have seen many things in our travels but this was certainly one of the worse ground experiences. As I said in my last review of the ground experience in PHL is an airport you should avoid if possible and this experience further reinforced that this aging airport is one to avoid.  PHL Sign Because of this chaotic experience I was ready to get on the plane and enjoy my first experience in American's First Class. We proceeded to the gate and boarded exactly on time at 8:45 pm for our 9:15 pm departure. We headed down stairs to board the plane and boarded with Group 1. It was the first time ever that I was the first person on the plane! This is definitely a nice feature of domestic First Class. It allows you to get your things stored in the overhead bin and settle in while other passengers board. We were greeted by a friendly check-in agent who didn't realize that boarding had begun and made a joke about us boarding early.  PHL Gate C22 A319 and First Class Seats  A319 Originally we were booked in economy but we were upgraded to First Class about 29 hours before the flight. As American Gold Elites we are entitled to upgrades based on availability on all flights less than 500 miles long, starting 24 hours before the flight. However, I have noticed that on two occasions when First Class was clearly not going to be full that we were in fact upgraded for a connecting flight in First Class more than 24 hours in advance. Since you are competing with all elites you would think that our chances of upgrades are low on these flights, however, Christina and I have had success as low level Gold elites on these short flights something I believe is due to the fact that we travel on off peak times, these are flights are so short that passengers are less likely to pay for an upgrade, and that there are multiple flights a day between hubs such as DCA and PHL. In fact we were upgraded so early that the system showed us in First Class but would not let us choose seats. This flight is short and American has a travel time of 1 hour 15 minutes to account for delays on the ground, take off, and landing, but the actual flight time can be less than 30 minutes.  A319 First Class Seat Map American Airlines generally calls domestic business class flights within the United States First Class and these flights typically feature recliner seat. That was the case on this on this flight where the A319 featured eight recliner seats arranged in a 2-2 configuration. Christina and I chose the bulkhead seats on the right hand side of the plane 1D and 1F which have the benefit of being the first off of the plane. Like all of the First Class seats on the A319 these seats had 38 inches of pitch and 21 inches of width.  AA A319 First Class As I walked onto the plane I was honestly impressed by the First Class seats. The seats looked new without many signs of the wear and tear. I was also impressed by how comfortable the leather recliner seats were. I could easily sit in these on a transcontinental flight and feel comfortable. There was a blanket and in the middle armrest of each First Class seat, and there were AC power plugs and storage. During the flight Christina used this space to store and charge our electronics including phones and tablets. The power and storage were major pluses even on this short flight and it left me wondering how I was going to be able to adjust back to fighting for a working plug and overhead bin space in economy.  A319 Storage Space and Power One final feature of the First Class that I appreciated was the presence of not only one but two windows in our row. I didn't spend anytime on this short flight watching the in-flight entertainment and instead talked with Christina and looked at the view outside the windows.  View from A319 Drinks, Snacks, and Service As I mentioned we were the first to board the plane and we were greeted by a friendly flight attendant who joked with us that they weren't ready for boarding. He asked us if he could get anything for us to drink as a pre-departure beverage and I ordered the "champagne" and Christina ordered the red wine. I thought the champagne, which was really sparkling wine, was okay and Christina enjoyed the red wine which is a complement coming from a Californian. The wine was served in plastic cups which looks cheap but is the normal American procedure for pre-departure beverages. It was really nice to be already settled in an enjoying a drink while other passengers were still scrambling to get settled and fighting for overhead bin space. Once we got up in the air the flight attendant gave us refills in real glasses with the American Airlines logo without us asking.  AA Pre-Departure Beverage On flights shorter than 900 miles American Airlines with limited exceptions typically does not serve a meal. Our flight was only 119 miles, but we were offered choices from the snack basket by the flight attendant. Since this was our first time every picking, Christina asked for suggestions and he recommended that we try the stroopwaffel. So I chose the stroopwaffel and Christina chose the Chocolate Chip Granola Minis. We really enjoyed our snacks. I was honestly very surprised by how good the service was even on this short flight. If this was the standard service on American Airlines in domestic First Class, I understood why people were willing to pay for it. Sadly that impression would quickly be corrected on future American Airlines flights because of American Airlines inconsistent service and in-flight experience.  AA First Class Beverage Service We landed at DCA 38 minutes early but ended up sitting on the runway for about 25 minutes which is a common experience when landing at DCA on American Airlines. Since there is limited gate space there is rarely an open gate upon landing early. Take Away
I have to give credit where credit is due and American Airlines impressed in First Class on this very short flight. We boarded the plane first and were first off of the plane. Moreover, we were served pre-departure drinks, onboard drinks in real glasses, good snacks, had friendly service, two windows, and in-seat power. On a short flight there isn't much more we could have wanted. While the ground experience at PHL was terrible, it ended up not overshadowing the great in flight experience. Unfortunately, this is flight was more of the exception than the rule in American Airline's domestic First Class as you will see in my forthcoming reviews. By RamonRamon is the creator of Travelling Companion. He focuses on flight reviews, hotel reviews, and helping stretch your travel dollars, miles, and points further. Flight Summary My first flight on the American Airlines transcontinental configured A321T and in lie-flat business class seats (sold as Main Cabin Extra) was short but enjoyable. The seats could use a refresh but were the most comfortable seats I have ever flow in. Pros- Comfortable lie-flat seating, amazing legroom, large IFE monitor, easy JFK connection. Cons- Scratched and dented interiors, and unresponsive in-flight entertainment. Trip Overview: European Adventures 2018 Flight Review: American Airlines A330-300 Economy CLT-LHR Hotel Review: London Marriott Regent's Park Food in London Flight Review: British Airways A319 Economy LGW-BCN Hotel Review: AC Hotel Irla Barcelona Train Review: Renfe Clase Turista Barcelona-Valencia Exploring Life in Valencia Exploring Life in Barcelona Flight Review: American Airlines 777-200 Economy BCN-JFK Flight Review: American Airlines A321T Business Class Seats JFK-DCA American Airlines JFK Connection When we landed at New York John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) on our flight from Barcelona I was not looking forward to the connection at JFK. JFK served the largest number of international passengers in the United States in 2017 and I expected long lines at immigration and did not look forward to having to retrieve and re-check our bags. However, the process was relatively quick and simple as we used the Global Entry kiosks and once we exited customs American Airlines had a dedicated airport staff and kiosks to process customers arriving on international flights with JFK connections. We simply dropped off our bags at the counter went back through security and in total were back in the terminal in about 30 minutes from our plane landing. The longest part of the process was waiting for our bags. All American Airlines flights at JFK arrive and depart out of Terminal 8. American Airlines dominance in the terminal is reflected in a timeline outlining the history of the airline which as you enter the terminal is emblazoned on the terminal wall.  AA Terminal 8 JFK Despite this dominance since the merger with U.S. Airways American Airlines has reduced its operations at JFK which once served served as an important hub for the legacy American Airlines. In the past year the airline has cut a large number of routes out of JFK and shifted much of its connecting business in the Northeast to the legacy U.S. Airways hub in Philadelphia (PHL). American Airlines strategy is to focus on high margin business route out of JFK, such as JFK-Los Angeles (LAX) and JFK-London Heathrow (LHR), and shift lower margin traffic to PHL which has cheaper operating costs. As a part of this strategy American Airlines also closed its second Admirals Club serving Concourse B(gates1-16) in JFK on September 1st, leaving only one Admirals Club in Concourse C (gates 31-47), and used this space to expand its Business Class lounge at JFK. Admirals Club JFK After we exited security we headed to the Admirals Club in Terminal C which I found to be large and empty. This was likely due to the American Airlines continued reduction in service, the opening of the Flagship Lounge at JFK which serves international and transcontinental First and Business Class passengers, and that were were flying on a Saturday afternoon.  Admirals Club JFK This was definitely the largest Admirals Club I had seen. The lounge had a wide variety of seating including chairs with a small table attached, high tops, and small chairs for dining.  Admirals Club Seating The lounge also had a large kids playroom, shower stalls, and great views of the tarmac.  The one problem I had with the lounge was the service. Given that the only had a handful of people lounge you would expect the service to be excellent, however, it was not. We were in the lounge for an hour and the staff never cleared away our empty plates or glasses. However, despite the poor service I would recommend using this lounge because I found it to be a peaceful oasis from JFK airport and throughly enjoyed the plane spotting available from the lounge. Plane And Seats  JFK Gate 42 Our flight departed from Gate 42 the closest gate to the Admirals Club. We boarded quickly and passed through the A321T first class cabin into Business Class cabin. JFK-Washington National (DCA) is normally served by a mixture of regional aircraft and a Boeing 737-800, however, sometimes there is a substitute and the aircraft is used on some short haul flights out of JFK such as our flight to DCA. We got a notice of a schedule and equipment change a few months before our flight and I was very happy as the aircraft is normally used on American Airlines premium transcontinental flights from JFK to LAX and San Francisco (SFO). The biggest reason I was happy about this swap was that the first and Business Class cabins feature lie flat seating which is rare on domestic routes. If I was able to get one of the Business or First Class seats it would be my first time ever flying in a lie flat seat. On this flight the Business Class seats were sold as Main Cabin Extra and normally as American Airlines Gold elites we can select these seat free 24 hours before the flight and they can also be purchased in advanced by any Main Cabin passenger for an extra fee. However, on this flight these seats were blocked only for elite and at check-in we were able to select the bulkhead seats 6D and 6F!  A321T Business Class Seat Map The A32T is premium heavy and only has 102 seats compared to 181-187 on other version of American Airlines's A321's. The first class cabin is arranged in a 1-1 configuration while the Business Class cabin is arranged in a 2-2 configuration and the rest of the main cabin is arranged in a 3-3 configuration.  A321T Business Class Seats The first time I saw the lie-flat business class seats it brought a smile to my face because I was so excited to be trying out lie-flat seats for the first time. The 2-2 layout of American Airlines' A321T Business Class seat are great for traveling companions. It allowed us to talk with each other easily by putting down the privacy partition between the seats. It was also nice to have the ability to get up and access the aisle without disturbing a stranger.  The seats already had amazing leg room in the seated position and because we were in the bulkhead the legroom seemed endless even with the seat in the upright mode. Christina was also very excited and as soon as the plane took off turned her seat into lie-flat mode.  A321T Lie Flat Position The seats were very comfortable in lie flat mode and when fully extended my legs fit comfortably into the footwell. However, the seats showed their age. First, the seat controls were not responsive, did not have many pre-set options, and were slow to go into lie flat mode. Second, the table between the seats had a lot of wear and tear. You could clearly see the scratch and dents all over the table. While this was the most comfortable seat I have sat in because of the great leg room, great width, and the ability to lie flat, the seats were clearly showing signs of there age and could use a refresh.  A321T Footwell In-Flight Entertainment All of the seats in Business Class had an in-flight entertainment (IFE) monitor which was about 15 inches wide. The screen was touchscreen but was affixed to the bulkhead so it was very difficult to you the touchscreen while seated. Instead, I relied on the remote which allowed me to select content on the IFE and control the volume. However, the handheld remote did not function well and the whole IFE was glitchy. For example, the remote showed episodes that were unavailable on the main screen. This plane certainly could use a new IFE system as I have seen better functioning systems on American's non-transcontinental configured A321 S aircraft.  A321 T IFE Monitors Take Away
I enjoyed getting a taste of the A321T Business Class on my short JFK-DCA flight. My connection at JFK was simple and painless. While I was unable to experience any of the Business Class amenities since the seat was sold as Main Cabin Extra I still enjoyed my first lie flat seat experience. The seat had amazing legroom, was comfortable both in seated and lie flat positions, and had a large IFE monitor. Despite these positives the A321T Business Class seats had significant wear and tear, the IFE remote was not very responsive, and the IFE system was glitchy. Overall, I would love to connect again at JFK on AA and to have the full A321T Business Class experience including the access to the Flagship Lounge. I believe that the seat would make for a comfortable ride on a transcontinental flight and I hope American Airlines brings a similar transcontinental experience to its DCA-LAX flights. |
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