Trip Report: Star Alliance First Class & Business Class Lounge – LAX
The lounge attendant warmly welcomed me and handed me a lunch menu to look over while I got settled in. The first class lounge is a relatively small cozy room separated into two areas: a small white tablecloth dining area and lounging area with different types of leather ottomans and sofas.
Curiously, there appeared to separate hidden door near the entrance of the lounge. I later learned this was the VVIP area where celebrities and those with security needs stayed. It was rumored that Evan Spiegel, CEO of Snapchat, was schedule to drop by. Alas, I never saw him, so I assumed he was quickly whisked into the VVIP area. It seemed like even flying in a $10,000 seat won’t get you access to the Hollywood A listers.
How to Bypass the Great Firewall of China
If you’ve ever been to China, one of the first things you
probably noticed was its filtered version of the internet, known as the Great Firewall of China, which blocks any site or
app deemed sensitive by the Chinese government. This includes major sites such
as Google, Facebook, and Twitter.
Being a small business owner, having access to my email is essential when traveling abroad. Fortunately, there
are ways to get around the Great Firewall, so if you must post that latest picture you took on Instagram, you do have a
few options:
Sign up for a VPN
service
Using VPNs in China has been around since the beginning of
the internet boom in China, and is quite popular with the local techies.
However, it’s always a tug of war between the various VPN
providers and the central government, and it’s not
unheard of to see smaller VPN providers get shutdown. Most of my friends living
in China use ExpressVPN, which seems to be the most stable and reliable option.
Stay at Select
Western Hotels
During my stays at the Grand Hyatt Shanghai & Park Hyatt
Shanghai, I was able to access Google, Facebook, and the usual sites that China
loves to restrict access to.
Unfiltered internet at
the Park Hyatt Shanghai
Upon further digging, it seems like the hotels’ internet was
being routed through a Hong Kong server.
Now I have no idea which hotels in China offer unfiltered
internet (trip advisor would be a good place to start), and whether I got
access due to my status as a foreigner, but it’s a huge benefit for staying
guests to be able to connect with friends & family back home.
Google Fi
Google Fi has been my go to phone service provider while
traveling abroad. With cellular service in over 100 countries and a very fair
flat rate of $10 per GB used, it makes the days of going abroad and getting
stuck with a triple figure bill a thing of the past.
Calls are charged globally at a flat rate of $0.20 a minute
when placed over domestic & foreign cellular networks. For calls placed
over WiFi, I used Skype to save money, but Google does give you a discount.
There are sometimes quirks where incoming calls don’t come
through, but I’ve always received SMS and never had any trouble with outgoing
calls.
One of the best hidden benefits of using Google Fi in
China is the apparent lack of any kind of Chinese Firewall that blocks access
to most US based sites & apps. During my summer trip to Shanghai, I was
able to access unfiltered internet throughout my stay, including Facebook.
However, speeds were abysmal and I frequently was stuck with EDGE / 3G
speeds that hearkened back to the ages of dial-up.
Thankfully, a couple months ago, 4G access on Google Fi’s
Chinese partner “Unicom” was finally established and I was able to receive LTE
service on my recent trip to Shenzhen.
Speeds were impressive (10 mb/s) and comparable to the
broadband I was receiving at my hotel.
Best of all, the internet remained unfiltered and I was able
to access Facebook messenger, Instagram, and most importantly of all, my Google
email.
Using Facebook with
Unicom LTE
I suspect the unfiltered internet was hard bargain won by
Google, as having your accounts being blocked while in China obviously wouldn’t
mesh well with a phone service provided by Google.
The biggest caveat is that you’ll need a Google Pixel, Nexus
6P, or Nexus 5X in order to receive Google Fi service. The good news is all
three phones are highly rated, with the Google Pixel even receiving higher
accolades from the tech industry then the Iphone 7.
The Nexus 5X starts at only $199, which is priced quite
reasonably considering how much money you’re saving.
With moderate data use (no streaming video), your bill
should run no more then $50-60 a month, a bargain for international data &
phone usage.
For a limited time, Google is offering a $20 credit when you sign up.
Bottom Line: If you’re looking for a hassle free way to
access unfiltered internet while you’re in China, a Google Fi plan is the
perfect solution.
Lost in Tokyo – 8 Photos of Tokyo
I originally intended
TopMiles to be a site that focused solely on aspirational hotel & air
travel using miles. However, the best part of any trip is not the unlimited
Krug or free lounge food, but rather being able to explore different cities and
soak in their culture, albeit only for a brief moment.
As there is a ton of information out there on what to do in Tokyo
(I’d highly recommend using WikiTravel to plan your trip), the following photos
are just a sample of what Tokyo has to offer.
Local Japanese in traditional attire – Meiji Jingu Shrine
Japanese Wedding Procession, the bride is wearing a
traditional head covering (Tsunokakushi)
Autumn leaves falling down at Rikugien Garden
Imperial Palace Guardsmen patrolling on horseback
Wagyu Steak being prepared – Akihabara District
Shibuya Crossing
Replica New York, complete with lady liberty herself –
Odaiba District
Restaurants under the Train Tracks – Yurakucho
New Years Eve Fireworks at the Old Holiday Inn Sydney
This flight is part of my $16,000 three continent trip from Los Angeles to Sydney aboard Singapore Airlines’ first class suite. Learn how I paid only $480 here.
Upon arrival, I was warmly greeted by the check in agent and was told my room was ready, even though we were a bit early. I also received a goodie bag filled with various snacks and a bottle of Australian sparkling wine, which was a nice touch from the staff.
It was unclear if the bag was being given to all guests or just platinum members.
My standard King Room was quite basic but functional, and what you’d except at typical Holiday Inn.
After checking in, we went up to the rooftop to get our first look at the Sydney skyline. It was a gorgeous day, with not a cloud in sight, and I knew we would be in for a treat later in the evening.
The centerpiece of the rooftop is a small wading area with one of the best poolside views of Sydney.
Since it was still early, we strolled around Sydney Harbour and grabbed lunch at the art museum. I ordered a nice piece of Australian steak, which was delicious.
As the afternoon passed by, more and more people started pouring into the Harbour area to camp out for a nice vantage point to watch the fireworks. We quickly stocked up on beverages and snacks before heading back to the hotel.
A doorman was outside making sure only registered guests were allowed to go inside the lobby. Security was tight throughout the night, so if you were thinking of inviting a couple friends to join you, unfortunately they will be denied access.
After getting ready and of course drinking a few beverages to warm up, we headed back to the rooftop.
This time, there was another doorman guarding the door and checking everyone’s bag for contraband. The Old Holiday Inn Sydney has a strict no carry in alcohol policy on the rooftop for New Year’s Eve.
I was later told by a staff member that it’s due to local regulations, but I was quite surprised those rules applied on private property. To be fair, the drink prices were quite reasonable, and they could have easily charged twice as much.
The rooftop was already starting to fill up and quite a few guests had already begun standing around to claim their own spot. To prevent people from cluttering the rooftop, hotel prohibits bringing any kind of chair or blanket, so if you want a good view, you’ll have to do it the old hard way and sit down on the hard floor.
In addition, no tripods are allowed of any kind, although I was able to bring in my GoPro mount, and you’d probably get away with something like a gorilla pod.
Luckily for us, there was still a small window of space at the edge of the rooftop overlooking the Sydney Harbour. I’d suggest coming up to the rooftop at 5 PM to maximize your chances of landing a nice spot. While waiting 7 hours for fireworks is not ideal, the view is unparalleled
We quickly started chatting with our neighbors, three Australians from Adelaide. As they say time flies when you have good company. Combined with the fact we could legally purchase alcohol from the rooftop bar, the hours quickly passed and the sky started getting darker.
At around 7:30 PM the planned events began with a stunt plane that performed various aerial acrobatic maneuvers around the Harbour, much to the delight of the crowd.
Sydney is a bit unique in that it has not one but two fireworks, with a family fireworks show designed for those with kids, followed by the main fireworks at midnight.
At 9 PM, the family fireworks started, and the crowd roared to life. Even though these were billed as the mini version of the main event, there was nothing small about these fireworks with an impressive show featuring multiple launch pads and roving spotlights that synchronized with the music.
After the family fireworks were over, it was another three hours before the main event. Thankfully, the weather was just slightly chilly, and the free flow of beverages kept us feeling warm. By 11 PM, the entire roof was packed as it seemed like the entire hotel was there. From the rooftop, we would see the now huge crowd of revelers getting ready to cheer in the New Years.
In the distance the ships lined with white lights began sailing into the harbour, providing a colorful backdrop for the fireworks to come.
At one minute to midnight, the harbour started to roar as the crowd began counting down. As the clocked hit zero, fireworks exploded in a fury over the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge.
Words cannot begin to describe how magical the fireworks were so here are some of the photos I managed to take:
Even photos really don’t really do it justice, to see the video highlights, click here.
Once the smoke had cleared, the moon appeared right behind the opera house. Underneath it was a set of small clouds, providing a magical moonscape to start 2016.
Overall, this was one of my most memorable and favorite points redemption. Being able to watch the Sydney Fireworks from a rooftop and soak in the atmosphere without dealing with the crowds was a huge plus. The Old Holiday Inn Sydney put on an excellent event and I wouldn’t hesitate anyone to stay here during New Year’s Eve.
How to Book the IHG Old Holiday Inn Sydney:
Currently a three night stay will cost you 105,000 IHG points, which is a bargain compared to the $1000 a night rate the Old Holiday Inn charges for New Years Eve.
The hotel has drastically shrunk the amount of award space being released as at it seemed the majority of guests did pay the nightly rate to stay at the Old Holiday Inn Sydney. If you want to snag this hotel with points, you’ll have to check religiously around 330 days before award space is released.
My $16,000 Christmas Flight on Singapore Airlines First Class Suites for $480
Nearly a decade ago, the A380 began commercial service, and
with it the possibility of innovative air products that would push the limits
of luxury commercial aviation.
One of the most exciting new concepts was the
Singapore Airlines’ new first class product, which featured the world’s first privately enclosed suite
flanked by lofty walls and a separate lie flat bed.
By far the most incredible feature on board was the full
double sized bed, which combined two adjoining suites in the middle of cabin, allowing
couples to sleep together at 40,000 feet.
Over time, other airlines such as Emirates & Etihad have
launched other innovative first class suites of their own. However, over 10
years later Singapore Airline is still the only airline to have a double bed in
the sky.
Singapore Airlines also use to charge a hefty amount of
miles for redeeming award in Suites, with redemptions costing upward of
1,000,000 miles, but in recent years has vastly reduced the number of miles
needed to a more reasonable rate.
I ended up redeemed 119,000 KrisFlyer miles + $480 for my first class ticket from Los Angeles to Sydney.
Even better, I was able to have multiple day stopovers in
Tokyo and Singapore, which meant I got to visit three separate places for the
price of only one award ticket!
The retail cost of these flights booked separately would
have been over $16,000.
Learn how to book your own trip on Singapore Airlines’ Suite Class using miles here
While my first two flights were absolutely fantastic,
perhaps nothing can top the flight I took on Christmas Eve from Singapore to
Sydney.
From a Christmas themed lobster & champagne dinner in
Singapore Airlines’ exclusive private room, to a surprise mid-air present of
sleeping solo on a double bed at 40,000 feet, chasing Santa has never been so
fun.
After my wonderful stay in Singapore, I took a taxi and
headed to Singapore’s Changi Airport. We pulled up into Singapore Airlines’
exclusive drop off and check in area for first class passengers.
A bell hop offered to take my bags, and I was escorted into
a check in area reserved for solely first class passengers, complete with
tables, plush sofas, and even a fully decked out Christmas tree.
The place was so big you could easily mistake it for a
lounge.
Considering the check in process took less than 5 minutes,
the entire place was way over the top. I was handed my golden suites ticket and
headed to the first class lounge. Instead
of mingling with the masses, Singapore Airlines first class passengers have
their very own private security line & immigration checkpoint.
Feeling like George
Clooney, I breezed through security & immigration in less than a minute and
found myself directly across from the escalator taking me up to the Singapore
Airlines lounge.
A lounge agent warmly greeted me and upon seeing my golden
ticket, escorted me to my seat.
We first walked by the relatively crowded business class
lounge, where a lounge attendant wearing a Santa hat was cheerfully serving
Christmas themed meals, and headed to the first class lounge guarded by a
separate lounge agent who waived us through.
The first class lounge looked like part of a Gatsby set with
its modern and spacious design.
But this wasn’t our final stop as we talked by another
lounge checkpoint and through a frosted double pane door into the Private Room,
perhaps the world’s most exclusive lounge.
While the business and first class lounge can be accessed by
passengers flying on partner airlines, the Private Room is only open
topassengers flying on Singapore Airline’s first class cabin. The result was an
eerily quiet lounge filled with less than a handful of passengers in the middle
of one of the world’s busiest airports.
At entrance of the Private Room was a huge lit up Christmas
tree surround with various paintings drawn by young Singaporean students.
The main lounge area consists of various leather chairs,
mostly in a throne level type seating surrounded by small partitions.
In the rare chance there’s another passenger in the near
vicinity, you can drink your champagne in peace.
Combined with relatively dim lighting and various abstract
art pieces lined the lounging area, it was clear that Singapore Airlines was
aiming for a muted classic look.
By far the highlight of the Private Room was the dining area
decorated with large plush leather seating and intricate wooden flooring giving
an “old money” feeling. The whole place looked like a Mad
Men-ish private supper club, where business deals would be made over hushed
whispers.
After being seated, I was promptly served a glass of Piper
Heidsieck Rare Millesime 2002.
I was handed an extensive dinner menu containing both Western
& Asian dishes. Since it was Christmas Eve, the staff had prepared an
additional special Christmas dinner menu with stuffed roasted turkey, lamb, and
beef sirloin.
I decided to try the roasted lamb, which came with a handful
of veggies.
Afterwards, I took a quick shower in a marble lined bathroom,
and headed back to the dining room to order a second round of food.
I started with a US Prime Beef Burger topped off in Foie Gras & a fried quail egg. The first bite into my millionaire’s burger was pure
heaven, and I can say without a doubt this was the best burger I had the
pleasure of eating in my life.
I followed up my burger made in heaven with sautéed lobster
along with another glass of champagne. The lobster was amazingly tender and
could have been served at any five star restaurant in the world.
The service was polished, yet subtle. Singapore Airlines
trains its staff to stay in the background and only serve its guests when
called upon.
After my amazing meal, I took a quick nap in one of three
small private relaxation rooms at the back of the lounge. Pillows and blankets
were provided, along with some champagne.
Adjacent to the small rooms was a bigger family waiting room and two workstations.
I woke up as the flight boarding, wished the wonderful a
staff a happy holidays, and headed down the king of jets, the A380.
After my amazing time at Singapore Airlines’ Private Room,
it was time to fly to Sydney. Instead of boarding with masses, I was told to
board via a separate jet bridge for suites passengers, where an agent stood
guarding the entrance from any potential trespassers.
As I walked down the jet bridge, I greeted midway by the chief
first class flight attendant, who escorted me down the walkway.
Another flight attendant greeted me as I passed the aircraft
door, followed by a third attendant who showed me to my seat.
The leather creamed finished suite, designed by French
luxury yacht designer Jean-Jacques Coste, looks much taller and spacious up
close.
Since we were still on the ground, the windows were drawn up
and doors left open. A flight attendant quickly introduced himself and asked
whether I wanted a glass of Champagne.
Singapore Airlines is the only airline that serves both Krug
& Don Perignon for first class passengers. In fact, Singapore Airlines
offers a champagne tasting in which you can try both and see which high end
champagne is “right for you”.
Champagne Tasting- Dom
vs Krug (Previous Flight)
Having done the taste test on a previous flight, I started
with a glass of Krug.
Interestingly, the flight attendant poured the champagne
into glass while holding onto a tray, before settling the glass on my seat. He
later told me this was to “minimize discomfort to our passengers”, which I
thought was an extremely nice small touch.
I was then handed a Ferragamo amenity kit, along with a pair
of slippers and pajamas.
For this Christmas flight, Singapore Airlines really went
all out and decorated the cabin with various Holiday wreaths and even had a
special Christmas menu.
Before takeoff, they played a special Christmas night poem
on the suite’s electronic display, which I thought was a nice special holiday
touch.
We soon took off as gentle roar of the surprisingly quiet
four engines on the A380 came to life. Christmas themed dinner menus were soon
handed out and another glass of Krug champagne was served.
I decided to start with chilled caviar along with garlic
toast.
This was tailed by seared tuna, which was fresh and quite
delightful.
For my main entrée, I’d preordered an 8 oz rib eye steak
through Singapore Airline’s unique “Book the Cook”, an online service that
allows you to choose from over 20+ gourmet meals.
Having already ordered the lobster on my previous flights, I
decided to roll dice and book the US grilled beef fillet.
Usually steaks reheated in the air are too dry & well
done, but since Singapore Airlines’ A380 has a steam oven, the steak still
retained its moisture and was by far the best steak I’ve tasted on a plane.
A proper rare steak
Following my sumptuous steak, I finished with desert which
was a hazelnut crepe with vanilla ice cream.
Overall, the food on this flight was spectacular and I’d
have to rate it among the top three airlines meals I’ve ever eaten. Afterwards,
my flight attendant asked if I would like my suite to be prepared for napping.
Feeling in the cheeky Christmas spirit and having had quite
few glasses of champagne, I asked if it would be possible for me to try out the
world famous double bed suite.
Usually, the double bed is only available for passengers
traveling together. However, if the cabin is relatively empty and the seats are
unoccupied, exceptions can sometimes be made for solo travelers.
With only four passengers in Suites class, the chances of
scoring a double looked good, but the flight attendant said she would have to
check with the chief stewardess.
My Christmas wish came true when the purser came back and
informed me since the pair of seats in the first row was unoccupied, they’d be
happy to make a double bed for me!
Feeling like on cloud nine, I grabbed another glass of Krug
celebrate and thanks Santa for putting me on his “good list”.
Unlike other airlines which merely lay down your seat and
put a small padding on top, Singapore Airlines uses a separate mattress which
is folded up into the wall directly behind each seat.
To make the bed, the seat is pushed down and the mattress is
lowered from above.
For a double bed, the middle partition is lowered and a Givenchy
branded duvet is placed on top of the partition to bridge the two single beds
together.
The result is a bed that is unparalleled in comfort &
size at 40,000 feet and comes even with a Singapore Airlines teddy bear.
The suite is incredibly private with the highest doors &
walls of any first class product.
While other airlines such as Etihad & Emirates also had
fully enclosed suites, they were always a little cramped with the walls low
enough that anyone walking through the aisle could easily peak over. I really
felt like I was in my own exclusive room, with my own private server only one
button call away.
I decided to order a glass of Johnny Walker Blue, and within
seconds a flight attendant discretely opened the door and gently placed a
whiskey glass without causing nary a disturbance.
I quickly settled into my double bed, which by far was the
most comfortable bed I’ve slept on at 40,000 feet. I
quickly dozed off as the clock turned past midnight.
A few hours later, I was woke up as we flew over Australia
and decided to play around with the entertainment system. All suites come with
a 23” inch TV and Boise noise canceling headphones.
Before long it was time for breakfast, and I quickly switched
out of my pajamas in Singapore’s first class bathroom.
As the Christmas sun
began rising in the horizon, I decided celebrate the holiday spirit by ordering
the special Christmas entrée of roasted turkey with stuffing.
Merry Christmas
To top it all off, the crew gave me a small slice of
Christmas cake along with another glass of Champagne.
We soon started our descent and flew along the beautiful
Australian coast as the Christmas morning sun shined on Sydney.
Overall, my Christmas flight exceeded all expectations, with
the nice holiday surprise of being able to sleep in the double bed making the
flight one of my most memorable ever.
I found the flight crew to be one of the best crew I’ve had
the pleasure of being served by. The chief first class attendant was such a
pleasure to talk to, and he gave me quite a few tips of what to see in Sydney.
The Singapore lady stewardess also working the first class
cabin was elegant, classy, and charming.
My only wish was my flight could be a bit longer, but I took
solace that in a few days I would be able to experience one of the world’s most
famous New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Up Next: My $1000+ Rooftop View of the Sydney New Year’s Eve Fireworks using Points
See Also: Singapore Airlines First Class – Los Angeles to Tokyo
Review: Singapore Airlines Suites Class – Tokyo to Singapore
This flight is part of my $16,000 three continent trip from Los Angeles to Sydney aboard Singapore’s first class suite. Learn how I paid only $480 here.
After being informed that my flight to Singapore was in the
final stages of boarding, I quickly headed down from the ANA lounge and boarded
onto the awaiting A380.
Oddly enough, the suites cabin was covered with maroon
lighting.
I quickly settled in and was greeted by a flight attendant, presented
with another set of Ferragamo amenity kit & comfy Singapore pajamas, and
was poured a glass of delightful 2004 Krug Champagne.
By pure coincidence, I crossed paths with the entire flight
crew, while checking in. The first class flight attendants seemed shock
We soon took off from Narita and I was served a delicious
Satay starter.
I started talking to my seat neighbor in front of me, and it
turns out he was a fellow mileage enthusiast and has even read around the world
trip on Emirates First Class! We decided to talk about miles over what else, champagne,
and decided to try out the two person dining configuration. While the space is
a bit too cramped to have dinner, I found the second seat quite handy for
socializing with a friend or significant other.
Soon, dinner was served and I headed back to my seat to
enjoy the awaiting banquet. I started off with a plate with a generous serving
of caviar, along with toast and various spread compliments.
This was followed by antipasto with prawn, prosciutto ham,
rock melon, and grilled veggies topped with balsamic vinaigrette.
My main entrée was once again the Lobster Thermidor. The
lobster was amazing, with just the right amount of hollandaise sauce.
For dessert, I decided to try the sorbet inside a precut
mini orange, which was one of the most artistic desserts I’ve had on a plane.
With a relatively short flight of around 7 hours, by the
time dinner was finished we were already more than half way through the flight.
Exhausted from exploring Tokyo during the day, I immediately fell asleep at my
seat and woke up 90 minutes before the plane was due to land.
Bummed at missing out on most of my flight, I cheered myself
up with a glass of Dom Perignon and ordered a dish of Japanese tilefish.
The flavor was a bit “interesting” to say the very least.
Before descending, I did manage to take a few pictures of
the world famous Singapore Airlines double bed. Luckily, I would end up getting
a chance to fully explore the double bed on my next flight.
We soon landed at Singapore Airport at 3:30 AM, and I wearily
headed over to the Krisflyer first class lounge.
Up Next: My $16,000 Christmas Flight on Singapore Suites Class
Previous Post: ANA Suite Lounge
Review: ANA First Class Lounge – Tokyo
This flight is part of my $16,000 three continent trip from Los Angeles to Sydney aboard Singapore’s first class suite. Learn how I paid only $480 here.
After a brief, but memorable stay in Tokyo, I headed back to
Narita airport for my flight to Singapore.
ANA, which is a partner airline of Singapore Airlines, has
two separate lounges at Narita Airport located on opposite wings of the airport.
Both are essentially identical to each other, although the
first class lounge at Satellite 5 features an updated exterior.
I headed to the lounge at Satellite 4, which was located
directly above the departure gate for my flight. As I walked in, two lounge
agents stood up and bowed before scanning my boarding pass and directing me to
the first class lounge.
Another lounge agent greeted me as I walked into the lounge
area. She then escorted me to my seat and brought over a glass of champagne,
along with a hot towel.
The main seating area is quite big and has various types of
black leather seats. The area is also portioned off with frosted glass in order
to make the lounge seem more spacious.
The lounge has a beautiful 180 view of the runway and nearby
gates, making it a great place for plane spotting.
The buffet area consists of a few cold spreads, along with Pierre
Herme bread.
There is also a small noodle bar, which serves various hot
entrees including Udon & curry dishes.
In the back there are various work cubicles and
entertainment pods complete with local TV channels and rather unique Japanese
variety shows.
Since I was running around Tokyo all day prior to my flight,
I decided to grab a quick shower. First class passengers are given a pack of sealed
Shiseido toiletries, which I thought was a nice touch.
The shower area is located opposite of the first class
lounge and is plastered by a soothing multi-tiled wall.
After my shower, I headed to the dining area, which also had
beautiful views of the adjacent runway and the neighboring gate. I ended my lounge
visit with a sushi bowl and one final glass of champagne.
Overall, the first class lounge is perfectly fine to spend 1-2 hours
to relax and have a drink. The service was impeccable but extremely
formal, which is to be expected in Japan.
Up Next: Singapore First Class – Tokyo to Singapore
Previous Post: Lost in Tokyo – 8 Photos of Tokyo.
Review: Singapore Airlines First Class Suites – Los Angeles to Tokyo (A380)
This flight is part of my $16,000 three continent trip from Los Angeles to Sydney aboard Singapore’s first class suite. Learn how I paid only $480 here.
I walked onto the A380 and was promptly shown to my window suite, which was recently refurbished and covered with dark brown leather finish.
Besides the redone leather upholstery, the other parts of the suite remained the same, including its 23” entertainment screen.
Since we were still on the ground the windows were drawn up and the door left open, but still I was amazed on how big the suite was in real life.
A flight attendant quickly introduced himself and asked whether I wanted a class of Champagne.
Not to be outdone by other airlines, Singapore Airlines actually serves both Krug & Don Perignon! I started with a glass of Dom Perignon 2004.
I was also given a Ferragamo amenity kit, along with a pair of slippers and pajamas.
We soon took off from Los Angeles and hugged the beautiful Californian coastline as we ascended to 40,000 feet.
After we hit cruising altitude a flight attendant came to take our orders for dinner. I was looking forward to trying out the Kyo Kaiseki, a combination of Japanese dishes, but unfortunately the flight attendant informed me they already ran out of the highly popular tasting course.
Instead, I ordered a more traditional western styled menu starting with caviar. The flight attendant highly suggested I take a shot of Stolichnaya vodka to wet my appetite, which I gladly accepted.
Afterwards, I was served wild bean soup topped with a side crème fraiche (sour cream) made fresh every day in the cafeteria of LAX, followed by a baby spinach & cherry tomato salad.
Finally, I was served a plate of lobster thermidor, which was incredibly delicious, especially for being prepared at 40,000 feet. The saffron rice was quite flavorful and a perfect complement to the lobster, and the cherry tomatoes popped in my mouth.
Lobster & Champagne on a plane, what more could you want?
After my fantastic meal, I decided to lounge around in the suite and soak in the gorgeous ocean views.
When the doors were closed, the spacious and tall suite gave a true feeling of privacy and seclusion. I never once noticed anyone walking by and truly felt I was in my own world.
With just a mere four hours of sleep the night before, I asked the flight attendant if a bed could made. Since there was no one sitting in the seat adjacent to mine, they were able to convert that seat into a bed, while leaving my seat for lounging around. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to try the double bed, but I would be like lucky enough to experience later on my trip.
Unlike other airlines, which merely flatten the seat and put a small padding over the seat, Singapore Airlines actually puts the bed behind the seat itself.
The result is a truly comfortable sleeping experience that feels like your actually sleeping on the ground.
I woke up as we’re heading over the Bearing strait and literally chasing the setting sun.
Feeling a bit thirsty, I ordered a Singapore Airlines’ champagne tasting, which involves tasting bottles of both Krug and Dom Perignon.
As I sipped on the nectar of the gods and the sun slowly dipped over horizon, it truly felt I was in airplane heaven.
As we neared Tokyo, night finally settled in and I was served a “light lunch”, starting with a sesame crusted prawn.
This was followed by a Wagyu Beef, which was a bit too dry for my taste, but portion wise was huge.
After lunch was finished, I was served a lime tart for desert along with a couple cherries.
We soon landed in Narita airport and I took a late night bus into Tokyo.
Overall, I really enjoyed my very first suites experience. The service was excellent in an extremely subtle type of way, when you needed them; they instantly showed up, but for the most part they blended into the background.
Up Next: ANA First Class Lounge
See Also: Lost in Tokyo – 8 Photos of Tokyo
Review: Star Alliance First Class & Business Class Lounge – LAX
This flight is part of my $16,000 three continent trip from Los Angeles to Sydney aboard Singapore’s first class suite. Learn how I paid only $480 here.
The day had finally arrived and brimming with excitement I showed
up at the Singapore Airlines counter three and half hours early. At the check in counter, ground attendants
were busy decorating the check in area with various Halloween props.
I asked one of the attendants if it was possible to check
in. She informed me that I was too early and would have to wait. However, after
meekly telling her that I was flying in Suites Class, she stopped what she was
doing and immediately checked me in.
I breezed through security and proceeded to star alliance
lounge. Upon heading up the escalators, I was redirected through a pair of
glazed doors and into the first class lounge.
The lounge attendant warmly welcomed me and handed me a
lunch menu to look over while I got settled in.
The first class lounge is a relatively small cozy room
separated into two areas: a small white tablecloth dining area and lounging
area with different types of leather ottomans and sofas.
Curiously, there appeared to separate hidden door near the
entrance of the lounge. I later learned this was the VVIP area where
celebrities and those with security needs stayed.
It was rumored that Evan Spiegel, CEO of Snapchat, was
schedule to drop by. Alas, I never saw him, so I assumed he was quickly whisked
into the VVIP area. It seemed like even flying in a $10,000 seat won’t get you
access to the Hollywood A listers.
Compared to other first class lounges, the LAX lounge was
extremely small and cozy. However, with only a handful of flights with first
class leaving LAX, the lounge never felt too crowded. In fact, for a
significant portion of my stay, I had the entire lounge to myself.
After having a glass of champagne, I switched over to the
dining area and tried a few different entrees from the lunch menu.
The Salmon was a bit too dry for my taste, but the mussels
on the other hand were absolutely wonderful. The amount of butter was perfect
and the juice was oozing out of each bite. It honestly felt like I was eating a
fresh mussel straight out of San Francisco’s Pier 41.
I loved my mussels so much that I ended up ordering two more
rounds.
I was extremely impressed by the dining experience at the
first class lounge, which felt like eating a proper restaurant rather than a
airport waiting area. My waitress was incredibly bubbly and friendly throughout
my stay. She even noticed I was taking quite a few pictures and asked if I
wanted to be in a couple photos.
My best Juan Trippe
impression
If you’re short on time there is a small food spread laid
out, along with your standard selections of mid-tier alcohol.
The lounge does get a bit stifling if you’re here for more
than an hour, so I decided to explore the business class side of the lounge.
Compared to the relatively small first class lounge, the business class lounge
was huge, with plenty of seating and could easily sit more than 500 passengers
at one time.
I loved the open layout, with the sun light flooding the
entire area.
The highlight of the entire lounge was the outdoor patio complete
with a fireplace and an artificial waterfall. I ended up moving outside for a
bit and soaking in the sun and fresh air.
Time flew by and soon the lounge attendant informed me that
my flight was ready for boarding and I headed down to the awaiting A380 to try
the original suite in the sky.
Overall for US standards, the lounge is among the best and
I’d definitely recommend arriving at the airport early, to have a great
preflight meal.
However, after finishing your meal and I’d head outside to
the patio if the weather is good.
Up Next: Singapore Airlines First Class: Los Angeles to Tokyo
How to book Singapore Airlines First Class Suites for under $500
Around 10 years ago, Singapore Airlines’ shook the aviation
world when it revealed its earth shattering first class suites aboard the A380,
the world’s largest plane. With the world’s first fully enclosed suites that
could also be combined to form a double bed in the sky, Singapore Airlines was
making a bold statement and capturing the world’s media attention.
Combined with its world class service, it’s no wonder people
dream of flying on Singapore Airline’s luxury suites. This level of luxury doesn’t
come cheap: In fact, a passenger in 2007 paid an eye dropping $100,000 to fly
in on its maiden voyage from Singapore to Sydney.
These days a round trip ticket can easily run over $20,000,
but you don’t need to be a millionaire to fly in decadence. Instead, you can
use Krisflyer miles to redeem a first class ticket on Singapore Airlines.
How many miles will Singapore
Airlines Suites Class cost me?
Singapore Airlines used to charge a hefty amount of miles
for redeeming award in Suites, but in more recent years have started to charge
a much lower redemption rates for its award flights.
For example a one way ticket in Singapore’s Suites Class
from New York to Singapore will run you only 93,500 Krisflyer miles.
A flight from New York to Frankfurt in Suites Class will
cost a mere 57,375 miles.
How do I earn
Singapore Airlines’ Krisflyer miles without being a frequent flyer?
Don’t fly much, but still want to try the Singapore Suite?
The good news is you can easily earn enough miles without flying a single mile
through credit card sign up bonuses.
While 93,500 Krisflyer miles sounds like a lot, Singapore
Airlines actually partnered with all three major US card programs: Citi, Chase,
and American Express.
This means you can transfer credit card miles from all three
major card companies, allowing you to combine points if necessary.
Best Current Travel
Credit Cards that earn Krisflyer miles
Currently, the best business travel credit card that earns Krisflyer miles is the Chase Ink Preferred card, which comes with 80,000 sign up bonus.
If you prefer an alternative to Chase, the American Express Business
Gold Card has a 50,000 sign up bonus and earns 3x points on air travel
purchases.
View All Business Card Offers Here
Alternatively, you’re looking for an everyday rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Card will earn 50,000 miles, plus 5000 additional miles when you add an authorized user, which is enough miles to fly to Frankfurt one way on Singapore Airlines’ first class suite.
View All Travel Reward Card Offers Here
Besides the card’s mentioned, there are over 10+ other
credit cards that can be converted into Krisflyer miles, making the Krisflyer
program by far the most flexible.
If you’re having difficulty deciding which card is the right
fit for you, you can always request a free personalized card consultation.
Award Rules
Singapore Airlines has two award charts, one for award
redemptions on its own flights and one for flights on its partners. For first
class award redemptions, we will be focusing on the first chart since Singapore Airlines
charges less miles to fly on its own product.
Singapore Airlines has a few straightforward rules for its award bookings.
The first is that you must book the most direct and shortest
routing possible. The second is that in order to receive the lowest miles
requirement, you can only fly on Singapore Airlines. Combining it with other
airlines will result to using the more expensive partner award chart instead.
Finally, flights with Singapore Airlines qualify for a 15%
award miles discount when booked online.
Singapore A380 Routes
If you want to fly in the fully enclosed suite, you’ll need
to fly on the A380. Unfortunately the routes on which the A380 fly on are quite
limited.
Singapore Airlines use to fly to the A380 from both Los
Angeles & New York. However, Singapore Airlines recently discontinued A380 service to Los Angeles. As a result, the sole airport in the US that the A380 serves
is New York.
From New York you can fly to Frankfurt for 57,375 or
Singapore for 93,500 miles.
You can also tag on another flight after Singapore for just
a fraction more miles.
These include flights between Auckland, Beijing, Hong Kong, Melbourne,
Sydney, and Shanghai.
All A380 Singapore
Airlines Routes
A flight from New York to Sydney would only cost 112,625
Krisflyer miles, with all three flights on the Singapore Suites!
You can find full award chart here. Do note that you’ll need
to multiple the award prices by 0.85 since the chart doesn’t factor in the 15%
online booking discount.
Starting March 23rd 2017, award prices on Singapore Suites for long haul flights is going up by at least 25%! Click here for more details.
Singapore Airlines also does have a few routes flown by
planes with a non-suite first class product. The soft product (food, alcohol,
service) is the same, so if you can’t find award space from New York, this
could be a good alternative.
Here is the list of flights from the US that offer non-suite
first class service:
Houston to Manchester (57,375 miles)
Houston to Singapore (93,500 miles)
Los Angeles to Seoul (74,375 miles)
Los Angeles to Tokyo (74,375 miles)
Los Angeles to Singapore (91,375 miles)
You can always “tag on” a flight on the A380 after Singapore
if your main desire is to experience the suites after arriving in Singapore.
Other Award Fees
Unlike other airline loyalty programs, Singapore Airlines
does charge a slight fuel surcharge & taxes, which usually runs around
$200-300 one way.
Taxes for my trip last
year on Singapore Suites from LAX-SYD
$100 Stopover Trick
One of the best hidden values of the Singapore Airlines
Krisflyer program is the option of adding stopovers on any one way Singapore
Airlines award flight.
This could allow you to explore two different regions for
the price of one award.
You could stopover in Frankfurt, explore Europe, and then
continue on to Singapore for no additional mileage. The only catch is Singapore
Airlines does charge $100 per stopover, which is quite a reasonable fee to pay.
If you really want to maximize your award, you could even
add a second stopover for another $100.
I was personally able to book a flight from Los Angeles to Sydney, with stopovers in both Tokyo and Singapore, allowing me to explore
different parts of Asia, before arriving in Australia.
Note: The A380 has
been discontinued on this route as of October 2016.
To add a stopover, you’ll have to search for award
availability for each flight separately, write down the available flights, and
call the KrisFlyer desk.
How to Search for
Award Space:
All award space can be found on Singapore Airlines’ website. For a full detailed guide on searching for award space, click here.
How to Book a Suites
Flight:
Once you have the enough miles, you’ll have to search for
award space on Singapore Airlines’ website.
It’s important to note that award space on certain routes,
especially the A380 flight from New York to Singapore (with a layover in
Frankfurt) is extremely limited. This is why I recommend transferring your
miles only after you’ve found award space.
Once you’ve found award space, you should then transfer your
credit card miles to Krisflyer. Do note that Krisflyer miles do not transfer
instantaneously, but the vast majority of points transfers complete within 48
hours.
