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.

A photo posted by Sam Huang (@intotheplane) on Nov 22, 2016 at 8:44am PST

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.

A photo posted by Sam Huang (@intotheplane) on Dec 24, 2015 at 3:06pm PST

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.

A photo posted by Sam Huang (@intotheplane) on Oct 31, 2015 at 1:18pm PDT

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.

Limited Time: Nordic Choice Status Match

For a limited time the Nordic Choice hotels program is offering a complimentary status match to members from various elite programs, including Hilton & IHG.

This means if you hold a credit card that gives complimentary elite status, such as the IHG credit card, you’ll be able to match your status with Nordic Choice.

You can submit your match request here. Do note the page is in Finnish but you can easily use google translate.

I was able to match my Hilton Diamond status to Nordic Choice Platinum.

While Choice hotels in the US may have a bit of a jaded reputation, the Choice brand in Scandinavia is quite strong with hotels catering to business travelers.

Many Choice hotels in Scandinavia offer complimentary breakfast, which is no small benefit considering the high cost of food in the region. This isn’t your typical toast and egg spread either, with the food selection more in line with a brunch buffet.

Breakfast at the Clarion Stockholm

Benefits for Elite Choice members

Benefits for Gold & Platinum members are quite strong, with a late check out up to 6 PM, 125 KR (around $20) food and drink voucher, and even guaranteed room upgrades for Platinum members.

Not only that, platinum members can use any Choice hotel gym for absolutely no charge, even when not staying at the hotel! If you happen to be living near a Choice hotel, this could work out to hundreds of dollars in saved gym membership fees!

Benefits for US domestic travelers

If you’re not planning on traveling to Scandinavia in the near future, you may still find value with Choice’s partnership with Hertz. Gold and Platinum members are eligible for a status match to Hertz President’s Circle.

You can apply for your status match here.

This is a nice little backdoor way to free car upgrades and guaranteed availability.

Using Points

Choice Hotels Scandinavia hotels can be booked with Choice points, which open quite a few redemption opportunities. It’s quite common to see hotels costing around 10,000-15,000 points per night, which is quite reasonable.

There is a Choice credit card, although with a sign up bonus of only 25,000 miles, I personally wouldn’t apply for the card.

Instead, I’d recommend directly purchasing points from Choice. Choice frequently runs promotions of 30% bonus points or more.

I was able to stay at the Clarion Stockholm for only $70 worth of Choice points, a bargain considering the going rate was over $200 a night.

How to Status Match:

Simply go to this link and submit your details, along with a screenshot of your current hotel statement. The page is in Finnish so just use Chrome and translate the page to English. The process is quite simple and should take only a few minutes.

I was able to get status matched within 48 hours.

Overall Thoughts:

I’d highly recommend submitting a status match, especially if you’re planning on going to Scandinavia in the near future. The complimentary Hertz Presidents Club status is a nice perk for those who aren’t planning going to Scandinavia anytime soon.