Day 2: Flying First-Class

Today would probably be the most appropriate day to talk about my favorite kind of travel day – flying first-class. While you are on a four-week vacation, visiting over 8 cities and 14 hotels, travel days occur every 2-3 days. Repacking our suitcases and carting them all around Europe via various types of transportation makes travel days one of the most dreaded days of the week. (I will go more into travel days in a later post).  However, when a travel day includes flying first-class, even if the flight is 8-12 hours, it is a blessed and relaxing day.

Before I go further into everything I love about flying first-class, I have to briefly talk about how we were able to fly first-class round-trip across the Atlantic for only $200 (normally a $40,000 value). As I mentioned in my first post, all the travel plans and freebies are credited to my husband, Andrew. Our two first-class flights are the best example of how his hard work, research, and planning paid off. The first-class flights were one of the things that made this trip even more enjoyable. As I have said multiple times during the last four weeks to my husband: he has now ruined trans-Atlantic flights for me! I will never be able to fly coach if the flight is longer than 5 hours. There is such a drastic difference in comfort and amenities between coach and first-class when you are on the plane for more than 6 hours. So, big kudos to Andrew. ;-)

Now, let me describe to you what I think are the best things about flying first-class:

The seats

• Probably the biggest difference between coach and first-class is the seating. I am sure many people don’t get quality sleep while on an airplane. And when the flight is 8-12 hours long, notwithstanding the 9-hour time change, trying to get sleep becomes very important. As someone who always sleeps on her stomach, sleeping in a chair with two people on either side becomes nearly impossible. In first-class, the seats are spacious and comfortable. It’s like sitting in a plush lazy boy that reclines into a completely flat bed. Andrew equates the experience to a miniature flying hotel suite. I could not believe that I was able to sleep, on my stomach, for 6 hours while flying across an ocean! 

• Once in your comfortable seat, you also get a free amenity kit with everything you could possibly need during the flight and more, plus a plush blanket and pillow. The primary goal of first-class, it would seem to me, is comfort, comfort, comfort. It also helps they load your particularly large, individual entertainment center with hundreds of hours of the latest movies and television series.

The food and drinks

• The food in first-class was absolutely amazing! Normally eating while on a flight is worse than cafeteria food – this was such a different experience. The five-course meal took 2-3 hours to complete!  I would have easily paid $150 for the quality and quantity of this food and drinks, not to mention the service. There were unlimited top-shelf alcoholic beverages and handpicked wines by a sommelier. Seeing the flight attendant pushing an ice cream cart through the aisles of the airplane was a priceless moment. They even place white table cloths on your tray to make the experience even higher class. And our flight attendant called us Romeo and Juliet the whole flight -- extra plus!    (I took a lot of photos of the food as I know many of you love to see what we eat! If that's not you, go ahead a skip on down to the rest of the blog...)

Appetizer: smoked salmon wrapped shrimp and fresh seasonal green salad

Tamale-filled breast of chicken with creamy corn sauce, grilled yucca, and tomatoes

Short rib of beef with red wine sauce, aji amarillo mashed potatoes and vegetables

International cheese selection -- I never have had cheese after my meal, it's delicious!

Ice cream sundae cart

Andrew was in heaven!

Swiss cheese omelette with broccoli-potato gratin and turkey sausage

Some more photos from our meals on the return flight via Air Berlin:

Some delicious sesame bread, cheese plate, cucumber potato salad, raspberry mousse, cod beet salad

Chicken breast with saffron risotto

Lamb Medallions with fresh vegetables 

Around the flight: special security line, pre-boarding, lounge, and priority bags

• There are all these extra things that, as a first class ticket holder, you get to partake in. There is a special check-in line at the ticket counter. There is a quick and easy security line that lets you bypass the long wait. You are one of the first people on the plane, taking your seat and getting a glass of champagne before the rest of the plane boards.  While you are at the airport, waiting for your first or connecting flight, you have free access to the airline lounge. We were able to go into four different lounges in various cities, and my favorite was the British Airways lounge in Heathrow airport. They all generally have light snacks, drinks (open bar), large comfortable chairs, free WiFi and ample power outlets. But Heathrow's lounge had fresh, amazing food you'd be happy to eat at a gourmet restaurant. And lastly, once you arrived at your final destination, our checked bags were the first off the plane, with priority tags. We got to beat the lines through customs and limit our waiting – yes! 

Sidebar -- Even in all its greatness, there are times you don't feel like flying at all. As we were waiting in Berlin for our delayed plane to New York, Andrew made this comment: "Can you imagine having to fly coach right now? I barely want to fly first-class!" Needless to say, an hour later I was very happy to be enjoying my five-course meal and lay-down beds.

Overall the experience in first-class is something I can’t wait to do again! Yes, it is still a 8-12 hour flight with a just as long time change. But when flying first class, the experience is much easier to tolerate, and I dare say enjoy.