Top Lists - Weekend Blitz

Top 10: World’s longest non-stop flights

jeffrey — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 20:01:42 +0000

So we’ve covered a few other “Top Lists”, including:

…but what about the longest non-stop flights in the world? Airplane manufacturers are always pushing the envelope trying to design planes that fly faster, farther and more efficiently. So far, the plane that has held the record is an Airbus A340-500 with a range of 9,000 nautical miles (10,357 miles) but it’s interesting to see that Boeing largely dominates the ultra long-haul list.

Here’s an interesting post from the gcmap.com blog:

On Sunday, Boeing announced the launch of the 777X with orders for 259 airplanes including 34 for Lufthansa, 25 for Etihad Airways, 50 for Qatar Airways, and 150 for Emirates. The orders cover two members of the 777X family. The 777-9X will seat over 400 passengers and have a range of more than 8,200 nm. The 777-8X will be similar in size to the current 777-300ER and to the Airbus A350-1000, seating 350 passengers with a range of more than 9,300 nm.

Today’s Featured Map illustrates the range of the 777-9X and 777-8X from Dubai, the hub airport for Emirates. Only a portion of the South Pacific is beyond the range of the 777-8X.

Emirates’ new fleet of 150+ Boeing 777-8/9x will be able to fly non-stop to just about anywhere in the world

Edit record: 11/26/13, 5/12/14, 11/24/14, 1/5/16, 2/20/17

Top 10 Longest Non-Stop Flights in the World

So, what are the top 10 longest (by distance) non-stop flights in the world?

1- Auckland, New Zealand-AKL <–> Doha, Qatar-DOH is the newest flight on the list, having just begun on Feb 6, 2017. The flight will have you seated for a mind and bun-numbing (or comfortable, top notch experience in Business–sorry, no First Class offered on this route) 17 hrs 30 mins on Qatar’s Boeing 777-200LR/F. The flight (QR 921 / QTR921 – click to track) covers 9,032 miles (14,536 km).

Cabins offered: Business (9.1) & Economy (8.2).

2- Auckland, New Zealand-AKL <–> Dubai, UAE-DXB is certainly the longest Airbus A380 flight in the world, clocking in at 8,824 miles (14,201 km). The flight is scheduled to take 17 hrs 25 mins so, if you have to take this flight, just make sure it’s in the lap of luxury in one of the 14 closed suites that Emirates offers on the A380. You can track the flight here: EK 449 / UAE449. This flight began on March 2, 2016.

Cabins offered: First (9.9), Business (9.9) & Economy (8.9).

3- Dallas-DFW <–> Sydney-SYD, once the leader of the list, now comes in 3rd place at 8,578 miles (13,804 km). As of Sep 29, 2014, Qantas switched from flying this route on a Boeing 747 to a new Airbus A380. Unlike the B747, the new A380 aircraft prevents QF 8 (QFA8 – click to track) from having to make a stop in Brisbane-BNE on the westbound flight so the flying time is now 16 hrs 55 mins. The A380 now carries up to a whopping 484 passengers in 4 classes of service. Before switching to an A380, the route began in May 2011 using a Qantas 747-400ER (more details on this specialized aircraft here) at a scheduled time of 15 hr 25 min. With the B747, only the eastbound SYD-DFW flight was non-stop. The distance was such a stretch that the B747 had to make a stop in Brisbane on the westbound flight (DFW-BNE-SYD) see #4 below. This made the overall trip appx 19.5 hrs.

Cabins offered: First (9.6), Business (9.3), Premium Economy (9.0) & Economy (8.5).

4- San Francisco-SFO <–> Singapore-SIN, is a rather recent addition having just been started by United on June 1, 2016. United flight # UA 1 / UAL1 (click to track) is operated by a Boeing 787-9 aircraft and takes a full 17 hrs 25 mins to cover the 8,446 miles (13,593 km). Not wanting to be left out, Singapore Airlines started service shortly after United on October 23, 2016, and use one of their 10 (of 14 total ordered) new Airbus A350-900 on the route.

UA Cabins offered: Business (9.5), Premium Economy (9.1) & Economy (8.8).
SQ Cabins offered: Business (9.8), Premium Economy (8.9) & Economy (8.8).

5- Johannesburg-JNB <–> Atlanta-ATL comes in at 8,439 miles (13,582 km) and is operated by Delta’s Boeing 777-200LR, taking 16 hr 55 min.

Cabins offered: Business (9.7), Premium Economy (8.7) & Economy (8.4).

Note: it’s quite interesting that the next 4 flights on the list are all flights operated by Persian Gulf carriers (Etihad, Emirates, Qatar and Saudia) to Los Angeles-LAX. And all 4 flights are within 84 miles of each other!

6- Abu Dhabi-AUH <–> Los Angeles-LAX takes number 6 with a scheduled flying time of 16 hr 45 mins. Etihad Flight # EY 171 (ETD171 – click to track) covers 8,390 miles (13,502 km) aboard a Boeing 777-200LR/F. When this flight began on June 1, 2014, Los Angeles became the 4th U.S. city served by Etihad.

Cabins offered: First (9.8), Business (9.7) & Economy (8.2).

7- Dubai-DXB <–> Los Angeles-LAX comes in 7th with 2 flights daily aboard Emirates’ Boeing 777-300ER (EK 217/UAE217 – click to track) and Airbus A380-800 (EK 215/UAE215 – click to track). The 16 hr 15 min flight covers 8,339 miles (13,420 km). Cool part? The A380 model seats 489 people! “Emirates A380 offers 14 Private First Class Suites, 76 lie-flat beds in Business Class and 399 spacious seats in Economy Class.”

A380 Cabins offered: First (9.9), Business (9.9) & Economy (8.9).
B777 Cabins offered: First (9.8), Business (9.1) & Economy (8.4).

8- Jeddah-JED <–> Los Angeles-LAX started service on March 31, 2014, and, just 7 miles shorter than Dubai-Los Angeles, is currently the 8th longest flight (it started off as 4th but has since moved down the list) in the world. The 8,332 mile (13,409 km) flight takes 16 hr 40 mins aboard Saudia’s Boeing 777-300ER, track flight SV 41 / SVA 41 here.

Cabins offered: First (9.8), Business (9.7) & Economy (8.6).

9- Doha-DOH <–> Los Angeles-LAX is flown by Qatar Airways using Boeing 777-200LR/F equipment. Flight # QR 739 / QTR739 (click to track) clocks in at 16 hr 15 min, covering 8,306 miles (13,367 km). This route was announced back in May 2015 and went into service on Jan 1, 2016.

Cabins offered: Business (9.1) & Economy (8.2).

10- Dubai-DXB <–> Houston-IAH takes 16 hr 45 mins on Emirates’ Boeing 777-300ER and covers a distance of 8,168 miles (13,144 km). Track flight # EK 211 / UAE211 here.

Cabins offered: First (9.8), Business (9.1) & Economy (8.4).

Runners-up

11- Abu Dhabi-AUH <–> San Francisco-SFO is another recent addition by Etihad Airways, having flown its first flight on November 18, 2014. This made it the 6th US city served by Etihad. The 8,158 mile (13,129 km) journey takes a scheduled 16 hr 15 mins to complete. Flight number EY 183 (ETD183–click to track) is flown on a Boeing 777-200LR/F.

Cabins offered: First (9.8), Business (9.7) & Economy (8.2).

12- Dallas-DFW <–> Hong Kong-HKG is one of the only recent additions to the list by a U.S. based carrier. American Airlines flight # AA 125 (AAL125) started service in June 2014 and now claims the title of 12th longest non-stop flight in the world. The 8,123 mile (13,073 km) route has a scheduled westbound flying time of 16 hr 55 mins aboard a Boeing 777-300ER.

Cabins offered: First (9.4), Business (9.7), Premium Economy (8.9) & Economy (8.2).

13- Dubai-DXB <–> San Francisco-SFO comes in at #13 at a distance of 8,103 miles (13,041 km) on Emirates’ Airbus A380-800. The scheduled flying time for flight # EK 225 (UAE225) is 16 hr 00 min.

Cabins offered: First (9.9), Business (9.9) & Economy (8.9).

14 & 15- New York-JFK/Newark-EWR <–> Hong Kong-HKG — Hong Kong-HKG to New York-JFK/EWR is a popular route! There is essentially a tie between 3 flights, technically the Cathay Pacific route from New York-JFK is the just 7 miles further than the Newark-EWR origin:

JFK–>HKG on Cathay Pacific. They fly this route appx 3x times per day on Boeing 777-300ERs, covering 8,072 miles in around 15 hr 55 mins to 16 hr 10 mins.
Cabins offered: First (9.5), Business (9.5), Premium Economy (8.8) & Economy (8.4).
EWR–>HKG on Cathay Pacific. This 8,065 mile route is offered 1x per day on Boeing 777-300ER. Flying time is scheduled at 15 hr 50 mins. Flight # is CX 899 / CPA899.
Cabins offered: Business (9.5), Premium Economy (8.8) & Economy (8.4).
EWR–>HKG on United Airlines’s Boeing 777-200. The scheduled flying time for flight # UA 179 / UAL179 is 16 hr 00 mins.
Cabins offered: Business (9.3), Premium Economy (8.9) & Economy (8.4).

Between these 5x daily flights there are appx 1,369 seats a day on the NYC-HKG route, pretty crazy!

16- Abu Dhabi-AUH <–> Dallas-DFW currently registers on the list at #16 and was started on December 3, 2014. When it was started, Dallas became the 5th US city served by Etihad direct from Abu Dhabi. The 16 hrs 35 min flight covers 8,071 miles (12,989 km). If you’re interested in flying EY 161 / ETD161, you’ll end up on an Etihad Boeing 777-200LR/F.

Cabins offered: First (9.8), Business (9.7) & Economy (8.2).

17- Doha-DOH <–> Houston-IAH is operated by Qatar Airways’ Boeing 777-200LR/F. At 8,047 miles (12,951 km), the 16 hrs 40 mins flight has been in service since 2009. Track flight # QR 713 / QTR713 here.

Cabins offered: Business (9.1) & Economy (8.2).

18- Dubai-DXB <–> Dallas-DFW gives Emirates its 4th route in the top 20 longest non-stop flights. The 8,040 mile (12,939 km) trip takes 16 hr 15 min. Flight # EK 221 / UAE221 (click to track) is operated by a Boeing 777-300ER.

Cabins offered: First (9.8), Business (9.1) & Economy (8.4).

19- Guangzhou-CAN <–> New York-JFK started operations in August 2014. The 2x daily flights cover an 8,002 mile (12,878 km) distance that takes a scheduled time of 15 hr 40 mins on China Southern Boeing 777-300ERs. The late night flight is CZ 399 / CSN399 and the early evening flight is CZ 300 / CSN300.

Cabins offered: First (9.2), Business (9.5), Premium Economy (8.8) & Economy (8.4).

20-Hong Kong-HKG<–> Boston-BOS gives the Hong Kong based Cathay Pacific its 3rd flight in the top 20. This route is scheduled to take 15 hr 45 min abroad a Boeing B777-300ER. You can track the 7,970 mile (12,826 km) flight here: CX 812 / CPA812.

Cabins offered: First (9.5), Business (9.5), Premium Economy (8.8) & Economy (8.4).

21- Johannesburg-JNB <–> New York-JFK now comes in at #21 on the list thanks to new routes bumping it down (it was once # 10!). The 7,969 mile (12,825 km) flight takes 16 hr 10 min on a South African Airbus A340-600. Track the flight here: SA 204 / SAA204.

Cabins offered: Business (9.1) & Economy (8.1).

Retired flights

–> Newark-EWR <–> Singapore-SIN held the title as world’s longest flight for nearly 10 years (service ended on Nov 23, 2013). The all-business class Airbus A340-500 flew the planned distance of 9,534 miles (15,343 km) in 18 hr 50 min. Singapore has just resumed non-stop service from the US to Singapore with the addition of a flight from San Francisco to Singapore.

Cabins offered: Business only!

–> Los Angeles-LAX <–> Singapore-SIN had a similar start and end date as Newark-Singapore. The all Business Class A340-500 flew appx 18 hr 05 min and covered a distance of 8,770 miles (14,114 km).

–> Dallas-DFW <–> Brisbane-BNE was another Qantas route served by their Boeing 747-400ER. At 8,303 miles (13,363 km) they’d get you there in appx 16 hrs. When Qantas switched the aircraft on this route from the B747 to an A380, the stop at BNE was no longer necessary and, as a result, this route stopped service on September 28, 2014.

Future record holder? Turkish Airlines has announced plans for a route from Istanbul-IST to Sydney-SYD, 9,293 miles apart. This route would beat current record holder, Auckland-Doha, by over 250 miles. More details on the announcement here: Turkish Airlines to start world’s longest non-stop flight, to Australia. The airline says they’ll likely use a Boeing 777-300ER on the route.

The post Top 10: World’s longest non-stop flights first appeared on Weekend Blitz.

Top 14: Longest United Airlines Flights In the World

jeffrey — Thu, 01 Sep 2016 15:29:01 +0000

(Updated 9/1/16):

Added SFO-SIN
Added TLV-SFO
Removed IAD-DXB

I recently researched and completed a list outlining the longest Delta flights in the world and was surprised to see that Delta is considered to be one of the biggest airlines in the world based upon a number of metrics. However, I also became curious about the other U.S. based carriers.

Top 14 Longest Non-Stop United Flights

(Update 9/1/16):
1. San Francisco, CA-SFO –> Singapore-SIN takes place as the new #1 longest United route with 8,446 miles (13,593 km) aboard a new B787-9. The route, UA flight # 1 or UAL1, is scheduled at 16 hr 35 min. Service began on June 1, 2016, and United is tied with Singapore Airlines for 3rd longest flight in the world on this route.

2. Newark, NJ-EWR –> Hong Kong-HKG is currently 2nd longest United flight in the world at 8,065 miles (12,979 km). The 15 hr 50 min flight is operated by United’s B777-200. UAL179 (UA flight # 179) is also tied with Cathay Pacific for the 14th longest flight in the world.

3. Los Angeles-LAX –> Melbourne, Australia-MEL clocks in as United 3rd longest flight. Scheduled service began on October 26, 2014 and was made possible by the airline’s shiny new Boeing 787-9. UA flight #98 (UAL98) will take 15 hr 45 min to cover 7,921 mi (12,748 km). Shared with Qantas, this is currently the 23rd longest flight in the world.

4. Newark, NJ-EWR –> Bombay, India-BOM has a scheduled duration of 15 hr 50 min for the 7,807 mile (12,564 km) journey. Coded as UAL49 (UA Flight # 49), the flight is operated by a Boeing 777-200. This is also the 26th longest flight in the world, shared with Air India.

5. Chicago, IL – O’Hare-ORD –> Hong Kong-HKG is also operated by a B777-200. UA flight # 895 covers 7,794 miles (12,543 km) during the 15 hr 55 min flight. Cathay Pacific is tied with United for this route in sharing the 27th longest flight in the world.

6. Los Angeles-LAX –> Sydney, Australia-SYD, UA flight # 839 (UAL839) scheduled flight time is 15 hr 05 min. A Boeing 787-9 covers the 7,488 mile (12,051 km) route.

(Update 9/1/16):
7. Tel Aviv-TLV –>San Francisco, CA-SFO became the 7th longest United flight when it began service on March 30, 2016. The 7,422 mile (11,936 km) flight is operated by a B787-9. The route, UA flight # 955 or UAL955, is scheduled at 15 hr 05 min.

8. San Francisco, CA-SFO –> Sydney, Australia-SYD comes in at number 6 with 7,417 miles (11,936 km) aboard a B787-9. The route, UA flight # 863 or UAL863, is scheduled at 14 hr 55 min.

9. Newark, NJ-EWR –> Shanghai, China-PVG covers a distance of 7,384 miles (11,883 km) during the 14 hr 55 min flight. UA flight # 86 (UAL86) is flown on a, you guessed it, B777-200.

10. Newark, NJ-EWR –> Delhi, India-DEL, aka UA flight # 83 (UAL83) makes for the 2nd non-stop US to India destination coming in at 7,324 miles (11,787 km). A B777-200 operates the 15 hr 15 min flight.

11. Chicago, IL – O’Hare-ORD –> Shanghai, China-PVG breaks up the B777-200 trend and finally gives us a route operated by a Boeing 747-400. UA flight # 835 (UAL835) lasts appx 14 hr 10 min covering 7,057 miles (11,357 km).

12. San Francisco, CA-SFO –> Hong Kong-HKG aka UAL869 (UA flight # 869) is the second (and final) B747-400 route on this list at 6,927 miles (11,148 km). The flight is scheduled to take 14 hr 15 min.

13. Washington, D.C. – Dulles-IAD –> Beijing, China-PEK has a scheduled flying time of 14 hr 00 min under UA flight # 807 (UAL807). The 6,921 mile (11,138 km) route is operated by a Boeing 777-200.

14. San Francisco, CA-SFO –> Chengdu, China-CTU rounds out the (self-admittedly arbitrarily) cutoff list at number 14. It is also United’s 6th longest Boeing 787 Dreamliner flight at 14 hr 20 min. UA flight # 9 (UAL) covers 6,870 miles (11,056 km).

Other notable mentions

15. Newark, NJ-EWR –> Beijing, China-PEK. The 6,831 miles (10,993 km) long route is coded as UA flight # 89 (UAL89) with a duration of 13 hr 50 min aboard the B777-200.

The next 3 are grouped together since they’re all United hubs to Tokyo-NRT. I find it pretty interesting that all of the flights are within about 100 miles of each other:

16. Washington, D.C. – Dulles-IAD –> Tokyo, Japan-NRT = UA flight # 803 (UAL803) and covers 6,753 miles (10,868 km) over 14 hr 05 min on a B777-200.
17. Newark, NJ-EWR –> Tokyo, Japan-NRT = UA flight # 79 (UAL79) and covers 6,732 miles (10,834 km) over 14 hr 00 min on a B777-200.
18. Houston, TX-IAH –> Tokyo, Japan-NRT = UA flight # 7 (UAL7) and covers 6,643 miles (10,691 km) over 13 hr 45 min on a B777-200.

19. Chicago, IL – O’Hare-ORD –> Beijing, China-PEK = 6,579 mi (10,588 km)

Discontinued longest non-stop United Flights

The only discontinued ultra-long haul United flight I could find data was JFK-HKG, if you know of any others, please post them in the comment section below!

New York, NY – Kennedy-JFK –> Hong Kong-HKG was one of the shortest lived ultra-long haul flights in history. UA Flight #821 (UAL821) began service on April 1, 2001 and was cancelled within 5 months. The 8,072 mile (12,991 km) flight held the record as the longest flight in the world when it first began. Those that flew this rare route spent appx 15 hr 40 min aboard a Boeing 747-400.

(Update 9/1/16):
Washington, D.C. – Dulles-IAD –> Dubai, United Arab Emirates-DXB used to be United’s 9th longest flight before it was cancelled on Jan 23, 2016. When operating, it was scheduled to take 14 hr 25 min aboard a Boeing 777-200. UA flight # 977 (UAL977) covered a distance of 7,069 miles (11,376 km). Interestingly, this was the only route that United fly to Dubai-DXB and now there are none.

The post Top 14: Longest United Airlines Flights In the World first appeared on Weekend Blitz.

Top 20: Longest Airbus A380 Routes in the World

jeffrey — Mon, 11 Jan 2016 19:14:19 +0000

Having covered the Top 10: World’s Longest Flights, Top 7: Longest domestic US flights, the Top 10: Longest Domestic Flights in the World, the Top 12: Longest Non-Stop Delta Flights in the World, the Top 15: Longest Fifth Freedom Flights in the World, the Top 16 Longest Emirates Fifth Freedom Routes: Coming to a City Near You and the Top 14: Longest United Airlines Flights In the World, now’s the time for a look at the Top 20 longest Airbus A380 routes in the world.

According to official data from Airbus, the A380 has a range of 9,444 miles (15,200 km) with its 84,500 US gal fuel capacity. Let’s see how far they’re actually flying this behemoth.

1. Qantas from Dallas-DFW to Sydney-SYD (flight number QF 8 / QFA8 – click here to track) is both the longest route operated by an Airbus A380 and also the longest non-stop scheduled commercial flight in the world. The trip covers 8,578 mi (13,805 km) in 16 hr 55 min and carries up to a whopping 484 passengers in 4 classes of service.

2. Emirates from Dubai-DXB to Los Angeles-LAX (flight number EK 215 / UAE215 – click here to track) begins the 4-in-a-row sweep of Emirates flights to/from the US. Covering 8,339 mi (13,420 km) in 16 hr 15 min, this route also earns the title of 4th longest non-stop flight in the world (Top 10: World’s longest non-stop flights).

3. Emirates from Dubai-DXB to Houston-IAH (flight number EK 211 / UAE211 – click here to track) covers 8,168 mi (13,145 km) in 16 hr 45 min. Previously flown on an Emirates Boeing 777-300ER, Airbus A380 service began in December 2014. In addition to being the 3rd longest A380 flight, it is also the 6th longest flight in the world.

4. Like #3 above, Emirates from Dubai-DXB to San Francisco-SFO (flight number EK 225 / UAE225 – click here to track) was also switched from a Boeing 777-330ER in December 2014 to one of Emirates’ beloved A380s. The 16 hr 00 min flight covers a distance of 8,103 mi (13,040 km).

5. Emirates from Dubai-DXB to Dallas-DFW (flight number EK 221 / UAE221 – click here to track) ends the 4-in-a-row Emirates sweep with a 4th US destination flight. Frequent travelers on this route got the upgrade from a Boeing 777-200LR to the A380 in October 2014. The course covers 8,040 mi (12,939 km) in 16 hr 15 min of scheduled flying time.

6. Qantas has been flying their A380 from Los Angeles-LAX to Melbourne-MEL for quite a while– since 2008. Flight number QF 94 / QFA94 – click here to track covers 7,921 mi (12,748 km) in 15 hr 50 min.

7. Etihad from Sydney-SYD to Abu Dhabi-AUH (flight number EY 455 / ETD455 – click here to track) covers 7,492 mi (12,057 km) in 14 hr 40 min. The service was started in June 2015, making it one of the most recent additions to the top 20 list.

8. Qantas from Los Angeles-LAX to Sydney-SYD (flight number QF 12 / QFA12 – click here to track) covers 7,488 mi (12,051 km) in 15 hr 00 min.

9. This route from Sydney-SYD to Dubai-DXB is a tie between Emirates and Qantas (flight number EK 413 / UAE413 – click here to track) covers 7,481 mi (12,039 km) in 14 hr 30 min. The Qantas route (flight number QF 1 / QFA1 – click here to track) is scheduled at 15 hr 05 min.

10. Emirates from Brisbane-BNE to Dubai-DXB (flight number EK 435 / UAE435 – click here to track) covers 7,442 mi (11,977 km) in 14 hr 35 min.

11. Etihad from Melbourne-MEL to Abu Dhabi-AUH (flight number EY 461 / ETD461 – click here to track) will cover 7,235 mi (11,644 km) in 14 hr 05 min when it takes its maiden flight on June 1, 2016.

12. Is a 3-way tie:

China Southern Airlines from Los Angeles-LAX to Guangzhou-CAN (flight number CZ 328 / CSN328 – click here to track) covering 7,231 mi (11,637 km) in 14 hr 50 min.

And also tied for 12th is: Melbourne-MEL to Dubai-DXB is another tie between Emirates (flight number EK 407 / UAE407 – click here to track) and Qantas (flight number QF 9 / QFA9 – click here to track). The route covers 7,231 mi (11,637 km) in 14 hr 05 min for Emirates and 14 hr 10 min for Qantas.

13. Korean Air flies the A380 on its Atlanta-ATL to Seoul-ICN route (flight number KE 36 / KAL36 – click here to track). Coming in at #13, the total journey takes 15 hr 10 min, covering 7,152 mi (11,510 km) of ground.

14. Korean Air from New York-JFK to Seoul-ICN has 2x scheduled flights per day (flight number KE 82 / KAL82 – click here to track and flight number KE 86 / KAL86 – click here to track) covers 6,906 mi (11,114 km) in 14 hr 20 min. Between the 2 flights on the monstrous A380, Korean Air offers a total of 814 seats per day between New York and Seoul.

Also covering the route is Asiana from New York-JFK to Seoul, South Korea – Incheon International-ICN (flight number OZ 221 / AAR86 – click here to track). It covers 6,906 mi (11,114 km) in 14 hr 30 min. The Asiana route seems a bit less desirable as they cram 495 seats on board each A380, 21% more than Korean Air.

15. Emirates from Dubai-DXB to Toronto-YYZ (flight number EK 241 / UAE241 – click here to track) covers 6,899 mi (11,103 km) in 14 hr 10 min.

16. Etihad from Abu Dhabi-AUH to New York, NY – Kennedy-JFK (flight number EY 103 / ETD103 – click here to track) covers 6,867 mi (11051 km) in 14 hr 05 min.

17. Emirates from Dubai-DXB to New York-JFK operates twice daily (flight number EK 201 / UAE201 – click here to track and flight number EK 203 / UAE203 – click here to track) and covers 6,849 mi (11,022 km) in 14 hr 20 min.

18. British Airways and Singapore Airlines are tied for the Singapore-SIN to London Heathrow-LHR, 6,765 mi (10,887 km) route. British Airways operates its A380 once daily (flight number BA 12 / BAW12 – click here to track) in 13 hr 50 min, while Singapore has 2x daily flights between the cities (flight number SQ 308 / SIA308 – click here to track and flight number SQ 322 / SIA322 – click here to track). The scheduled duration is 14 hr 10 mins. The 3x flights per day make this route the most heavily saturated A380 route in the world, offering 1,287 seats daily between Singapore and London on the aircraft type.

19. Singapore from Singapore-SIN to Paris-CDG (flight number SQ 336 / SIA336 – click here to track) covers 6,666 mi (10,728 km) in 14 hr 00 min.

20. Malaysia Airlines operates 2x flights on their A380s between Kuala Lumpur-KUL to London Heathrow-LHR (flight number MH 4 / MAS4 – click here to track and MH 2 / MAS2 – click here to track). The route covers 6,593 mi (10,610 km) in 14 hr 05 min.

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Hyatt Top 16: Best Use of Free Night Certificates (Category 4 Hotels)

jeffrey — Mon, 25 May 2015 15:38:19 +0000

One of the perks of the Chase Hyatt credit card is the free night certificate that is delivered annually. Usable for Category 1 – 4 Hyatt properties worldwide, an obvious questions is: what are the best Category 4 Hyatt properties?

Criteria:

Must be a Category 4 Hyatt hotel
Relatively expensive in $ to other Cat 4 properties (based upon 2 sample bookings with price averaged together)
Minimum of 4.5 TripAdvisor rating
Well reviewed or recommended as a good Category 4 property here

Ways to stay for free:

Use a free night certificate from the Chase Hyatt credit card
Spend 15,000 Hyatt Gold Passport points for a free night
Spend 7,500 HGP points + $100 for a free night

16. Andaz Savannah

TripAdvisor: 4.5

Sample price: $278.50

15. Hyatt Escala Lodge at Park City

TripAdvisor: 4.5

Sample price: $511.50

14. Park Hyatt Toronto

TripAdvisor: 4.5

Sample price: $251.50

13. Park Hyatt Busan

TripAdvisor: 4.5

Sample price: $284

12. Hyatt French Quarter New Orleans

TripAdvisor: 4.5

Sample price: $303

11. Grand Hyatt Dubai

TripAdvisor: 4.5

Sample price: $315

10. Park Hyatt Saigon

TripAdvisor: 4.5

Sample price: $321

9. Park Hyatt Siem Reap

TripAdvisor: 5

Sample price: $335.50

8. Hyatt at Olive 8

TripAdvisor: 4.5

Sample price: $361.50

7. Grand Hyatt Berlin

TripAdvisor: 4.5

Sample price: $382

6. Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa

TripAdvisor: 4.5

Sample price: $509.50

5. Park Hyatt Hamburg

TripAdvisor: 4.5

Sample price: $330.50

4. Grand Hyatt Seattle

TripAdvisor: 4.5

Sample price: $361.50

3. Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur

TripAdvisor: 4.5

Sample price: $210

2. Grand Hyatt Melbourne

TripAdvisor: 4.5

Sample price: $239.50

1. Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort

TripAdvisor: 4.5

Sample price: $523

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Top 6: Awesome Vintage Airline Lounges ON Airplanes

jeffrey — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 14:20:04 +0000

Allegedly, flying used to not be all about getting violated by bureaucratic civil servants at the TSA–it used to be fun, exciting… even downright glamorous… or so I’m told.

We decided to brush up on our aviation history (some of you might consider it a trip down memory lane) and outline some of the most awesome and badass wonders of aviation we’ve ever seen.

…A time when the flight attendants wore short shorts and bought you liquor drinks two at a time.

By: Mike Lewis – CC BY 2.0

By: Daniel Lobo – CC BY 2.0

1. The Qantas Captain Cook Lounge – Boeing 747

First up is the Captain Cook lounge aboard Qantas’ Boeing 747s. Situated on the top deck, the lounge offered space for a full luxury dining experience.

Source: aussieairliners.org/

Source: airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/3969134/

Source: aussieairliners.org/

2. The American Airlines “LuxuryLiner” with Piano Bar and more!

For those (like me) that needed to do a double take for the photo below: yes, that is a piano installed on a Boeing 747! Sometime around 1972, American Airlines introduced their new “LuxuryLiner” fleet.

American Airlines’ new “LuxuryLiner” fleet featured many of their McDonnell Douglas DC-10, Boeing 707 and Boeing 747-100 aircraft. The Boeing 747-100s were probably the coolest in that the airline removed 60 seats and placed a living room-sized lounge and piano bar for its coach passengers to enjoy. Just look at how much fun they’re having (in this staged photo by a professional photographer):

Source: http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/3969134/

The lounges were all equipped with Wurlitzer electronic organs:

Source: http://www.710kmpc.com/photo.htm

And, flying in First Class didn’t suck either: passengers were able to reserve a table for up to 4 people to eat dinner, hangout etc…

Source: http://airlinespastpresent.blogspot.com/

Here are a few commercials touting the new “coach lounge”:

And even when American Airlines wasn’t installing very nice Wurlitzer electric organs in its planes, it didn’t skimp out on the awesome lounges:

3. Continental Polynesian Pub on the DC-10

Continental first rolled out their new “Polynesian Pub” concept on their fleet of 747s and then, in the early 1970s also included the lounge/bar on their DC-10s. Unfortunately, as a result of the 1973 oil crisis, more seats were needed and the DC-10 pubs were removed.

Either way, looks like a pretty great place to pass the time on a flight. The DC-10 pubs we located in economy class and open to all passengers.

Source: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travelbuzz/1344151-traveling-back-70s-3.html

4. TWA’s 707 Coach Lounge

“In October of 1971, TWA introduced a coach lounge on its 707-131Bs. This was an extension of the Ambassador service theme, first introduced in November 1970. Note the bar and the coach ‘twin seat’ with center table folded down. Seat covers 12 (fuschia), 15 (brown) and 9 (gold-orange).”

5. Braniff Boeing 747 Upper Deck

“Braniff operated a sole Boeing 747, affectionately titled ‘Big Orange’ and ‘Fat Albert’ from 1971 to 1978. The 747 flew exclusively on DFW-Honolulu until the arrival of additional Boeing 747s when it embarked on its fatal deregulation ‘route gorge.’

When the Boeing 747 was introduced in the early 1970s during the throes of a recession, passenger capacity exceeded demand. Also, the Upper Deck was not initially certified to carry paying passengers during take-offs and landing. Thus, airlines used them as premium lounges. Continental and American Airlines even added pubs and organs in theirs. Braniff went for a very stylish (for the time) approach. A side note, at the time Braniff’s “Big Orange” was the highest utilized Boeing 747 in the world.”
Airwaysnews.com

Source: airwaysnews.com

6. Singapore Airlines B747 “Slumberette”

The upper deck lounge on Singapore Airlines’ Boeing 747 started in 1976:

In 1976, Singapore Airlines redesigned its first class upper-deck to create ‘slumberettes’ – 6 custom divans that turned into beds.

The post Top 6: Awesome Vintage Airline Lounges ON Airplanes first appeared on Weekend Blitz.

Top 7: Carry-On Travel Essentials

mccown — Tue, 29 Jul 2014 15:30:10 +0000

Everyone wants to travel light these days, avoiding the hassle of checking bags. Just the other day, Jeffrey’s bags were accidentally loaded onto the next plane, so we had to wait at our destination airport for the next plane from Charleston to arrive. If you’re on a quick weekend getaway, I think you can pack just in a carry-on… with room to spare! This way, you’ll avoid waiting at baggage claim and star your adventure sooner!

In addition to your weekend apparel (here’s my suggestion for what clothing to pack), I like to add a few little things to my carry-on that make my flight (or drive) a little more bearable. If you’re looking for a good weekender bag, check out my suggestions here.

Target recently started carrying the Honest brand and this 2 oz. hand sanitizer (for $2.99) is the perfect travel size. We all know how germ-y airplanes can be and I’m always hoping I remembered to pack hand sanitizer each time I’m reminded how disgusting all plane bathrooms are…

This EOS lip balm (shown here in Sweet Mint) comes in an assortment of scents that will always remind you of summertime. Perfect for throwing in your bag, this balm will keep your lips smooth despite all the dry air on your plane. You can pick up EOS lip balm in most grocery check-out aisles or from Ulta here for $3.49.

These Aveeno makeup removing wipes are perfect for removing your makeup right before a long flight. It’s always refreshing to go makeup-free for a flight, then reapply at your destination. These wipes contain soothing chamomile and won’t aggravate even the most sensitive of eyes. Purchase these wipes for $6.99 at Aveeno.com or at most CVS, Rite Aids, Wal Marts or grocery stores near you.

Don’t want to break out your electric toothbrush in the airport/airplane bathroom? I don’t blame you. Try this Colgate Travel Toothbrush from Walgreens instead. It folds and is only $2.19!

One last beauty product you need to include in your carry-on is the versatile NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream. This stuff is like a smoother lip stain – and perfect to apply when your plane’s wheels hit the ground. For only $6, it’s a steal at nyxcosmetics.com.

I am addicted to these Madagascar Vanilla Almond Kind Bars (you can get a 12-pack on Amazon for $16.56). If your in-flight meal is truly unappetizing or you’re looking for a quick snack, stash one of these bars in your carry-on and the protein-packed snack will tide you over until you get to your destination.

Airplanes are always freezing cold, so it’s smart to pack a scarf that can double as a blanket. Try one of these from Anthropologie: the Valreas Kimono and the Zagori Scarf are both $68 each.

As always, if you’re checking a bag, don’t forget to add all of your essentials to your carry-on in case your bag gets lost somewhere along the way. Many suggest packing your prescriptions and nice jewelry in a small case, that way, even if your carry-on is taken just before boarding because the plane is too full, you can quickly grab the case and keep your valuables with you all the way.

Featured Image Source: http://bit.ly/1tQUqxy

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Top 16 Longest Emirates Fifth Freedom Routes: Coming to a City Near You

jeffrey — Tue, 15 Jul 2014 12:40:06 +0000

A Piano Bar…on an Airplane?!!

jeffrey — Fri, 11 Jul 2014 15:01:56 +0000

So I came across an article the other day that had some cool retro airplane cabins and spotted this photo:

Source: http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/3969134/

For those (like me) that needed to do a double take: yes, that is a piano installed on a Boeing 747! Sometime around 1972, American Airlines introduced their new “LuxuryLiner” fleet; here’s a commercial hitting the highlights:

Here’s a shot of the entire lounge:

Source: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travelbuzz/1344151-traveling-back-70s-3.html

Source: http://airlinespastpresent.blogspot.com/

I don’t know about you, but I’d take the above photo any day over the current reality of flying coach:

Source: http://pagesay.com/messed-up-flight-dont-settle-for-a-food-voucher/

The lounges were all equipped with Wurlitzer electronic organs:

Source: http://www.710kmpc.com/photo.htm

And, flying in First Class didn’t suck either: passengers were able to reserve a table for up to 4 people to eat dinner, hangout etc…

Source: airlinespastpresent.blogspot.com

Here’s another AA commercial from 1972 touting their new fleet:

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Top 15: Longest Fifth Freedom Flights in the World

jeffrey — Mon, 21 Apr 2014 14:05:45 +0000

I’ve been researching flights lately and have been coming across some unlikely options. It got me thinking about how and why these routes were possible. And, not only how they’re possible, but, also, what are some good examples of these rare (but necessary) flights? For a full description on Fifth Freedom flights, check this post: What are “Fifth Freedom” Airline Flights and Routes? This installment joins the others I’ve compiled including:

Why Do I Care About Fifth Freedom Routes?

Simply put, fifth freedom routes are cool. They’re unique and unusual. It’s the whole idea of how small and interconnected the world is that I find the coolest. Real quick, the fifth freedom right of the sky is what enables United and Delta Airlines to fly many routes from Tokyo-NRT to a whole host of Asian cities. It allows (allowed?) Emirates Airlines, a Dubai-based carrier, to fly revenue passengers between New York-JFK and Milan, Italy-MXP, two foreign countries–this flight is on the chopping block now, it might be cancelled by Italian officials. There are other examples (many of which will come in a later post), but here are a few: Delta flies direct from Amsterdam-AMS to Mumbai-BOM and Air China flies from Madrid-MAD to São Paulo-GRU.

Top 15 Longest Fifth Freedom Flights in the World

Update 4/21: Reader sierra3tango pointed out I missed Air New Zealand’s LHR-LAX flight, it has been added as #9. Some interesting things to watch out for:

Boeing 777-300ER is a very popular choice for these long routes, making an appearance on the list 10 times.
It’s interesting that some routes (#7 and #10) were tied. This means that 3 governments had to approve the route twice and were OK with even more competition to their national carriers.
Singapore Airlines makes the list 5 times, proving just how difficult it is to reach Singapore from the Western Hemisphere.

The longest 5th Freedom flight currently operated in the world is New York-JFK to Osaka-KIX on China Airlines. The flight is scheduled to take 14 hrs 20 mins on a Boeing 747-400 flying westward over the Pacific and covers 6,946 miles (11,178 km). From Osaka, CI Flight #19 (CAL19) continues onward to Taipei, Taiwan-TPE. The total journey from JFK to Taipei-TPE takes 18 hr 40 mins.
Singapore Airlines‘ San Franciso-SFO to Hong Kong-HKG flight comes in at a close second with 6,927 miles (11,148 km) and is technically scheduled to take appx the exact same time as #1: 14 hr 20 mins. SQ #1 (SIA1) is flown on a Boeing 777-300ER and from HKG continues onward to Singapore-SIN for a total journey time of 19 hr 30 mins.
This seems to be one of the more obscure or unusual routes: São Paulo-GRU to Los Angeles-LAX flown by Korean Air. Operated on a Boeing 777-300ER, KE Flight #62 (KAL62) makes the 6,156 mile (9,907 km) journey in 12 hr 30 mins. From Los Angeles-LAX, the flight continues onward to Korean Air’s hub in Seoul-ICN. Including the 2 hr 00 min stop at LAX, the entire journey from São Paulo-GRU to Seoul-ICN takes a crazy 27 hr 40 mins!
Thai Airways’ one-and-only U.S. destination is Los Angeles-LAX, with a flight going to Seoul-ICN. TG Flight #693 (THA693) covers a distance of 5,994 miles (9,646 km) in 12 hr 35 mins on Thai’s Boeing 777-200. Naturally, the flight continues onward to Bangkok-BKK with a total journey time of 19 hr 50 mins.
Breaking up the streak of US cities is EVA Air‘s route from Bangkok-BKK to London-LHR, coming in at 5,958 miles (9,588 km). The 5th longest Fifth Freedom flight in the world takes 12 hr 25 mins on a Boeing 777-300ER. BR Flight #67 (EVA67) originates at the EVA Air hub in Taipei-TPE for a total flight time of 17 hr 15 mins from TPE to LHR, with the 1 hr 15 min stop in BKK.
Singapore Airlines Flight# SQ 62 (SIA62) carries passengers from Moscow-DME to Houston-IAH in 12 hr 15 mins. The 5,936 mile (9,553 km) flight is operated on a Boeing 777-300ER. The flight originates in Singapore-SIN and total flying time from Singapore-SIN to Houston-IAH, including the 1 hr 30 min stop in Moscow, takes right at a full day of your life: 24 hr 25 mins.
The Fifth Freedom flight between Bangkok-BKK and Amsterdam-AMS is a tie between China Airlines and EVA Air, both headquartered in Taiwan. At 12 hr 25 mins, technically the China Airlines route is “longer” but only because they’re slower, so not really a win there. EVA Air flies the 5,727 mile (9,217 km) route in 11 hr 55 mins on a Boeing 777-300ER (Flight# BR 75 or EVA75). China Airlines Flight # CI 65 (CAL65) uses a A340-300, which adds about half an hour. Both flights originate in Taipei-TPE. (7½) Update 4/21: We’re calling this one 7½ because reader laxjaydub pointed out that it’s not technically a 5th Freedom flight because French Polynesia is a territory of France.Next up is a flight from Paris-CDG to Los Angeles-LAX, covering a distance of 5,670 miles (9,125 km) in 12 hr 00 mins. The flight, TN Flight #7 or THT7, is operated by Air Tahiti Nui and flown on an Airbus A340-300. After a brief 1 hr 49 min stop at LAX, the Airbus continues onward to Papeete-PPT for a total travel time of 22 hr 25 mins. I’msure it’s well worth the trip! Cool fact: I’ve added the orange route on the map to show what a non-stop flight from Paris-CDG to Papeete-PPT would look like. Direct distance = 9,765 miles, distance with a stop at LAX = 9,765–it doesn’t get more perfectly on the way than that!
Up for a 3rd time, Singapore Airlines‘ flight from San Francisco-SFO to Seoul-ICN has a scheduled flying time of 12 hr 25 mins and a distance of 5,658 miles (9,106 km). A Boeing 777-300ER is used for flight SQ #15 (SIA15) and takes a total of 19 hr 40 mins from SFO to Singapore-SIN.
Air New Zealand makes an appearance with their 11 hr 30 mins flight from London-LHR to Los Angeles-LAX on a, you guessed it, Boeing 777-300ER. The 5,456 mile (8,781 km) flight continues onward from LAX to Auckland-AKL for the (slightly longer) 13 hr 00 min segment. In total, NZ #1 (ANZ1) from LHR to AKL will have you seated for 26 hr 30 mins, including the 2 hr 00 min stop at LAX.
Tied for 10th place, we have Malaysian Airlines and Singapore Airlines from Los Angeles-LAX to Tokyo-NRT. Interestingly, both flights have identical scheduled flight times of 11 hr 30 mins and cover a distanced of 5,451 miles (8,773 km). Singapore’s flight SQ #11 (SIA11) is flown on an Airbus A380 whereas Malaysian’s flight MH #93 (MAS93) uses a Boeing 777-200. MH #93 continues onward to Kuala Lumpur-KUL for a total travel time of 20 hr 45 mins. SQ #11 makes it from LAX to Singapore-SIN in a total of 20 hr 15 mins.Cool fact: This is another route with a stop that is perfectly on the main flight path. Total distance LAX-KUL direct = 8,808 miles vs 8,808 miles with a stop at NRT.
Making it’s 5th (and final) appearance in this top list is Singapore Airline’s 5,432 miles (8,742 km) flight from Barcelona-BCN to São Paulo-GRU. SQ #68 (SIA68) uses a Boeing 777-300ER on the 11 hr 10 min flight. This is a painfully long flight time as well: Singapore-SIN to São Paulo-GRU with a 1 hr 20 min stop in Barcelona takes a whopping 26 hours!
EVA Air flies a route from Bangkok-BKK to Vienna-VIE on an Airbus A330-200. The trip takes 11 hr 10 min, covering a distance of 5,256 miles (8,459 km). To fly the entire Taipei-TPE–>Bangkok-BKK–>Vienna-VIE flight takes 16 hr 00 mins– not too bad. Interestingly, this is far from the quickest option if going from Taipei to Vienna: China Airlines has a 12 hr 30 min non-stop flight; Air China and Korean Air can also get you there in under 16 hrs.
This is another that seems more exotic to me: Air China’s 5,192 miles (8,356 km) flight from Madrid-MAD to São Paulo-GRU. The 11 hr 10 min route (CA #907 or CCA907) is aboard an Airbus A330. Originating in Beijing-PEK, the total flight time to São Paulo-GRU via a 2 hr 10 min stop in Madrid-MAD is 25 hr 40 mins. Interesting fact: This is a highly competitive route. There are already 4 non-stop flights, making the Air China route the 5th to join the party.
Update 4/21: This one might also be downgraded to a half-step, 13½, as reader 2travel2know2 points out that the Cook Islands are essentially a part of New Zealand. It sounds like this one could be argued either way so I’ll leave it as is until I hear a more convincing argument.Despite once being a large US World War II base in the Pacific, the only carrier with direct flights from the Cook Islands to the US is New Zealand-based Air New Zealand. The route from Los Angeles-LAX to Rarotonga-RAR takes 10 hr 00 min, covering a distance of 4,670 miles (7,516 km) on a Boeing 767-300. This route isn’t just an operational stop though, Air New Zealand has 2x non-stop flights daily from LAX to Auckland-AKL that take 13 hr 00 mins total, whereas the LAX to Rarotonga-RAR to Auckland-AKL flight takes 15 hr 45 mins.
Finally, at #15, we have our first Emirates Fifth Freedom flight from Sydney-SYD to Bangkok-BKK on an Boeing 777-300ER. The flight duration is 9 hr 25 mins over 4,662 miles (7,503 km). Emirates Flight EK #419 (UAE419) is actually a series of Fifth Freedom Flights: Christchurch-CHC –> Sydney-SYD, Sydney-SYD –> Bangkok-BKK and then Bangkok-BKK –> Dubai-DXB. If you ever flew this full, lengthy route, you’d be looking at a total travel time of 21 hr 50 mins.

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Top 8 Things to Do in Bangkok

mccown — Tue, 25 Mar 2014 16:55:08 +0000

Did you know…? “Bangkok” is just the short version because the city’s ceremonial name is “Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit” – a mouth-full, for sure.

There’s about as much to do in Thailand’s capital city as there are names for it… but, after spending some time in the city (and then determining that it’s one of our top favorite cities in the world), we’ve come up with a list of our top 8 things to do in Bangkok.

So, without further ado…(and in no particular order):

1) Take a tuk tuk ride AND a taxi ride to anywhere in the city (but just make sure it’s in the day time).

Public transportation is an experience in and of itself in this bustling city. We felt safe but quite uneasy during our tuk tuk and taxi rides… But haven’t stopped talking about them since. Tuk tuks are a popular MOT in Bangkok: small, three wheeled “vehicles” that are more or less mopeds with a few extra seats. These open-aired vehicles are a quick and easy way to get from one place to another, but just be VERY forewarned that the place you’re going…may not be the place you requested. Same goes with the taxis. It sems these tuk tuk and taxi drivers all have a mind of their own and are just determined to take you where they think you should go…and definitely not anywhere close to where you say you want to go.

Our experience: we took a short tuk tuk ride and were very firm with the driver that we wanted to go to ONE particular place. He took us there with a bit of hesitation and disappointment that we didn’t want to go where he wanted us to go.

We had to climb out of taxi that was way too intent to take us to Point B when we requested (and then demanded) Point A.

2) Grand Palace and Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho)

Splendor and riches. Need I say more? The jewels that adorn the outside of these buildings will make your jaw drop… and will make your friends back home jealous of your awesome #travel Instagrams. Dont. miss. this. stop. All the kings of Thailand have lived here since 1782 and wouldn’t you if you were king of Thailand? Heck yes. Check out these grounds and don’t miss any little detail. My favorite are the little statues (monsters?!) helping to “hold up” the temple. Like any other temple, women aren’t allowed inside without a long skirt, but they sell cheap wraps right outside the palace grounds. So cheap (~$2) that, even though I was wearing pants, I bought a cute one to take home as a bathing suit cover up.

From the Grand Palace, walk up to the nearby Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho), politely avoiding eye contact with tuk tuk drivers and (probably) well-meaning guides trying to (inevitably) screw you out of some bahts. It’s a very short walk. The reclining buddha is popular because of its sheer size: 160 feet! I mean, Yikes. This thing is huge. You can’t get the entire statue in one camera shot.

3) Street food on Sukhumvit Rd.

Jeffrey and I are still talking about Bangkok’s street food. Think of the very best authentic ethnic food you’ve ever had. Multiply by 100. Then add in the fact that it costs less than $3. The options include rice dishes, pad thai, etc. etc. etc. AND fresh fruit. So many delicious, delicious options and all at the very cheapest price. We boycotted all street foods for our first few days in Bangkok (worrying about sanitation) and then, when we were especially hungry, Jeff took a chance on some fresh mango. From there, we didn’t care if we caught scurvy or what-have-you, nothing was getting in the way of our eating all the street food we could find.

4) Soi Cowboy with all the Ladyboys

Ready for perhaps the most unforgettable night of your time in Bangkok? Head to Soi Cowboy, also made famous by Hangover 2. This is where the action happens and where the term ‘ladyboys’ come from. In this red-light district of Bangkok, walk but don’t touch. Surely the diseases passed around these parts would make even the halls of ___ jealous. Catering mostly to tourists and expatriots, you can find just about anything you’re looking for around here… that is, if what you’re looking for happens to be a boy pretending to be a girl (for hire). Our experience: we sat down at a table on the street and did some people watching. And, the highlight of our activity was watching an American man flirt with and then leave with a Ladyboy. Bet he regretted that decision in the morning?

5) Eat in an alley way with the locals

This may sound a little sketchy but, if you’re hungry and you see an alleyway, dart in! There’s no better food in Bangkok than the street food that locals make for other locals. If you can find a residential alleyway that smells like food is cooking, head towards the smell, then politely ask if you can join (gesturing is fine because there’s usually a big language barrier). They’ll happily show you to a stool and will serve you the best meal of your life and then ask you for about $1. Win-Win.

6) Splurge on a sunset drink at the Sky Bar (the world’s highest open air bar!)

Ok, so, forget everything you’ve ever heard about Bangkok being relatively cheap to visit. Now, head directly to Sky Bar, made famous in the Hangover 2 movie. It’s the world’s highest open air bar but also (arguably) Bangkok’s most expensive cocktail. Once you get over the fact that you’re paying for the view, the price of the drinks get much more bearable. This is a can’t-miss opportunity because the skyline is something you’ll never forget.

Our experience: When we asked our waiter to take our photo, he led us all along the restaurant/bar for a legit photoshoot. These Thai people sure aim to please and I could get used to this caliber of service.

Hint, if you’re looking for a cheaper place to view the sunset while relaxing over a drink, try the River View Guest House. While it won’t excel you high into the skyline of Bangkok, it’s a fraction of the price and a much more casual atmosphere.

7) Climb to the top of Wat Arun

Bangkok is chock-full of temples. It seems that everywhere you turn you run into some sort of temple. Although admittedly hard to choose, our ultimate favorite temple is Wat Arun. First off, you’ll have to take a ferry across the ___(river) to get to it. The ferry is fun by itself. But, then, you’ll land on the other side of the 10 minute journey across the water and find yourself at a huge and very tall temple with an unusual shape and intriguing decoration. Spend some time exploring each level and take note: the very top level has the steepest stairs you’ll ever be faced with climbing.

Loser Alert: Although Jeffrey made it to the very top of the temple, I chickened out and couldn’t bring myself to climb those last very-very steep stairs. I’ve regretted it ever since…

8) Chinatown

Haven’t been to China? Neither have I (because I don’t think Hong Kong really counts as mainland China). If you find yourself in Bangkok before you’ve had the opportunity to explore China, I imagine this is what it really feels like. Chinatown here is huge and much more of a cultural experience than Chinatown in New York (duh?) or Singapore. This place is awesome. Goods of all kinds are pedaled on the sidewalk and open air markets are found (and smelled) around every turn. In the rest of Bangkok, there are not nearly the sheer amount of people sharing the sidewalk with you — it truly is a unique experience in the city. And, the Chinese architecture, especially the gates, are worth seeing just on their own. Get lost in some alleyways. It may look a little daunting but it sure is fun.

So, there you have it. Eight things to do in Bangkok. Whatever it is you decide to do, we think this will be one of your favorite cities to explore.

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