Once I packed my backpack to go out the door a number of days in the past for a evaluation journey, I didn’t assume I’d find yourself crossing the Pacific, however that’s precisely what’s taking place. Planning an open-ended evaluation journey is sort of enjoyable, eh?
Recapping my evaluation journey up till this level
A number of days in the past, I shared the main points of the open-ended Latin America evaluation journey that I booked. There are clearly plenty of airline merchandise I’ve been desirous to evaluation, and I are likely to plan my evaluation journeys final minute. I do that for a few causes:
- Award availability is commonly finest on the final minute, so it’s a good time to plan, particularly when you don’t actually care the place you’re going 😉
- When it comes to my private commitments, it’s best to simply plan final minute, after I realize it’s a very good time to journey, and everyone seems to be doing okay at residence
So earlier this week I deliberate the primary portion of my evaluation journey, as I flew LATAM’s Boeing 787 enterprise class from Miami to Santiago, after which Delta’s A350 enterprise class from Santiago to Atlanta (with a connection to Mexico Metropolis). My aim was then to proceed the evaluation journey from Mexico Metropolis.
Once I launched into the journey, I couldn’t discover any nice award choices. I knew my subsequent aim was to fly the Aeromexico Boeing 787-9, and I had seen that the airline tends to open up enterprise class award area on the final minute (we’re speaking inside a day or two of departure).
So, I’ve now finalized the remainder of my journey, and it’s taking me someplace I wasn’t anticipating.
I’m flying Aeromexico’s 787-9 to Tokyo Narita!
I hoped to fly an Aeromexico Boeing 787 to Buenos Aires, or Madrid, or Paris, or someplace alongside these traces. Sadly none of these routes opened up. What did open up was Aeromexico’s 787 enterprise class from Mexico Metropolis to Tokyo Narita by way of Monterrey. The flight operates by way of Financial as a result of Mexico Metropolis is at such a excessive altitude, limiting takeoff efficiency. In consequence, the aircraft can’t make it throughout the Pacific and not using a refueling cease.
Okay, I’ve gotta be sincere, 17hr20min is extra time than I’d prefer to spend on an Aeromexico aircraft (or any aircraft, for that matter), however I couldn’t argue with the worth. I booked it for simply 88,000 Air France-KLM Flying Blue miles (which I acquired with a switch bonus), and there weren’t even any provider imposed surcharges. Suffice it to say that I’ll be intimately accustomed to Aeromexico’s Dreamliner by the point I make it to Japan.
I do have one random query for folk who could also be extra accustomed to this flight than I’m. Have you learnt when you clear departure immigration in Mexico Metropolis or in Monterrey? I’m simply attempting to determine my lounge evaluation scenario, since I all the time prefer to evaluation lounges early within the morning, however I assume that when I enter the worldwide departures space, I can’t simply exit, and return later within the day?
I’m additionally flying Korean Air’s 787-10 & 777-300ER!
Whereas I used to be completely happy to have a ticket on Aeromexico’s Boeing 787-9, Japan isn’t precisely a handy place to finish up if the aim is to get residence. So I appeared on the most attention-grabbing and environment friendly technique to get residence, and I got here up with one thing that I feel will make for an attention-grabbing evaluation.
I’ve a stash of Korean Air SkyPass miles, from again within the day when this system was a Chase Final Rewards switch accomplice. On the time, Korean Air firstclass awards had been huge open, however these days the area is sort of fully blocked, so I haven’t recognized what to do with them.
Happily I discovered what I’d contemplate to be a really cool routing to get residence, with a product I haven’t but reviewed. So I booked the next:
At the price of 62,500 Korean Air SkyPass miles, I’d contemplate that to be fairly a very good deal. For that matter, I’m completely happy simply to have the ability to redeem these miles, since they’ve been turning a gap in my (digital) pocket.
I’ve one other query for this portion of the journey. Lengthy story quick, I’ve round eight hours at Narita. My flights arrive at and depart from Terminal 1. Do I am going to Terminal 2 and take a look at the “9 hours” capsule lodge, or every other ideas for the place to get some relaxation?
Backside line
My Latin America evaluation journey has taken a little bit of a flip… actually. Whereas I used to be initially going to attempt to restrict my journey to the Americas, I wished to do no matter I might to fly the Aeromexico Boeing 787-9 on an extended haul flight, and that’s now taking me to Japan. From there, I’ll return to america on Korean Air, together with experiencing the provider’s new enterprise class.
I do know lots of people wished a Boliviana de Aviacion evaluation. Don’t fear, I’m completely determined to fly with the airline, and as soon as I get again residence and atone for sleep, I’ll be taking that A330 flight out of Miami…
Any predictions as to how these flights will go? Did I do okay?
