The (mis)adventures of a 90 minute hotel stay...

During a ONT-TPA (:P) run a few years back, the IAD-TPA flight was delayed and didn't arrive until after 1am. For some reason I had checked a bag, and I originally thought it didn't make it. After a lengthy wait with the baggage people, I find out that the bag made it there hours before (it decided to skip a few segments). There was also a wait for the hotel shuttle (super busy I guess at 2am ;)). I get into the room after 3am and was back on the shuttle at 4:30 for a 6am flight. So, we tie 🙂

You don't have a Nexus card? Makes customs in Canada a breeze

@ Shane -- Didn't visit Canada much when I lived in Florida, but now that I live in Washington it's on my list of things to do.

What's up with Canadian Border Police? I have been taken "into the back room" the last 2 times I have entered Canada (at Niagara Falls road entry and at YVR)...they took out all my dirty laundry, even forced me to start my computer...looked at my phone pictures, etc...I must look suspicious like you do, Lucky. 🙂

BTW: Is the Etihad partnership with AA going to continue for the foreseeable future?

I had one that was an hour. Work called me just after check-in and told me that I was needed in a different city, though the new city was just a two hour drive away.

@ theblakefish -- For the foreseeable future yes, though I wouldn't be surprised to see that change once Qatar joins OneWorld.

Radisson mattress runs for 50K promo were shorter (non)stays

Lucky - did you figure out if you accidentally booked the wrong date yourself? First time that happened to you?
Now you'll always wonder..and double/triple check for any future trips. I always had that fear regardless of how many times I check

Nexus is the best. You get into other programs with it too.

I once went to the Sheraton at Heathrow at 7:00 am after a reroute from Sri Lanka. The cancellation deadline had obviously passed, so I checked in, showered, and left for Terminal 4 about 30 minutes after check in.

I hate that CX JFK-YVR flight. It gets in at such a weird time. If you're coming from the East coast, that's like 4 AM.

BTW, I've also run into that treatment when flying into YVR.

I hope you got your sleep schedule back on track.

I'd rather deal with the TSA abd their "massages" than Canadian customs

@ Jerry -- I know I had been searching for space on the correct dates all along. The 20th had award space all along and I distinctly remember space opening up on the 21st. I may have said the wrong date when I called since it was the middle of the night in the UAE, though.

Lucky - I haven't flown Etihad or Qatar, but I assume you have...which one do you prefer and will us AA folks be better served by Qatar? I have a UA-ticketed flight PEK-DOH-IAH for next May and am curious...I hear the premium terminal at DOH leaves a lot to e desired...especially for those expecting an experience similar to LH FCT in FRA.. 🙁

Great story. I'm actually at The Marriott Vancouver right now reading your blog.

Hi lucky,
Do you know how much it costs to book a round trip in business class from Vancouver to JFK using American Airlines miles? I read your post about "Flying roundtrip on a one-way ticket", which is pretty cool. Should I opt for that one and get off at Vancouver on the way back?

@ Rick -- It would cost 25,000 miles each way, or 50,000 miles roundtrip. You could definitely have it be a stopover if you wanted to, though you couldn't do YVR-JFK-YVR-HKG-CMB on a one-way and actually get off in YVR the second time (as it has to be booked as the "direct" flight).

As always, enjoyed this one again 🙂

Hope the cops did not knock your door based on report from your mom !

good thinking to salvage the situation, especially with the "counter was closed" excuse

u flew first class for all your long haul, and u need one full day to recover?? what is the point of flying long haul in F?

@ alan -- No, I didn't need a day to recover from international first class, I needed a day to recover from landing at 1AM in international first class and staying up all night to make it down to Seattle rather than sleeping.

You haven't had shorter says than that when mattress running?

@ CP@YOW -- Hah, I was trying to be fair and not count them, since they're not "really" hotel stays.

Last year I dropped my bag off at the hotel and went across the street to our office in Orange County (I live in DC). Ended up working all evening, picked up my bag in the morning, and headed to the airport. So my bag enjoyed a comfortable evening.

In college folks used to rent hotel rooms by the hour but for different reasons.

just did similar trip earlier this week. JFK-yvr-pdx.. Canada customs was very confused why we were routing through Vancouver. Pretty sure I would have been back roomed if travelling by myself but had wife and niece with me. They still wanted to see printed itinerary and told us not to leave airport.

*I made it home before 8AM and was tired after being up for 40+ hours, so slept almost all day.* is what u wrote, and u said u were flying F on CX and EY before? so u couldnt sleep at all in all flights?
u arrived YVR at 1am and arrived home at 8:30am, and that is only 7.5 hrs of tour last 40+ hours.

@ alan -- First of all, the flight from Abu Dhabi to New York was a daytime flight, so I tried to stay awake for as much as possible of it so I'd be able to adjust timezones upon my return. I slept for a few hours after takeoff and for a couple of hours from New York to Vancouver. In terms of adjusting to the new timezone I think that's ideal, as it would allow me to get a good night of sleep in Seattle. Arriving well rested isn't necessarily about getting as much sleep as you can, but rather planning it best you can.

Second of all, I didn't "need" to sleep all day. The fact is I work from home and have the ability to work any hour of the day/night that I want, so I have the luxury of being able to sleep when I'm tired, no matter which hour of the day it is.

Hope that makes sense...

I had an 10:00 pm arrival into EWR and a 5:30 a.m. departure. Between my arriving flight being several hours late and the extremely slow hotel shuttle, I ended up with just a short nap and shower. Probably right around 90 minutes or so. Maybe a bit longer.

Will hotels automatically check you out? Did you call the Sheraton?

As a Canadian and Nexus cardholder, I could use Global Entry and now I am eligible for TSA Pre-Check. US Global Entry cardholders cannot even use the expedited entry into Canada and skipped those silly questions?? What's up with that??

As a Canadian, the part about customs was hilarious! They treat Canadians with often equal interrogation to what you experienced though. Anyway, quick thinking on your part on all accounts despite lack of sleep. It can the way things are phrased that can yield more ideal results. But your poor mother!

@ panda -- Yes, they will automatically check you out. I was going to call as a courtesy, but ended up being asleep at the time, unfortunately.

Of course you still got charged I presume right? Even before checking in you were past the cancellation deadline but at least you got hom

@ Josh G -- For rebooking on the later flight? No, they accommodated us for free.

LOL @ your mom!

Just showed up at Four Points SFO with a airport parking rate. Checked in but told them I would not be using the room... Only the parking for up to 14 days. I'm flying a red-eye to the East Coast out of SFO in a few minutes. Plus it got me 1 night closer to 50 nights with SPG! 🙂

No I meant for the hotel xharhe

Hey Lucky,

Anywhere you have outlined before how to score this award ticket from JFK-YVR on CX? I remember something vaguely but now can't find the link!

Thanks so much,
Tom

@ ThunderStorm -- It can be booked most easily with either American miles or British Airways Avios. It's just 25,000 one-way in business class through either program, or 32,500/37,500 in first class with American/British Airways, respectively.

For some reason I can't see any such CX flights from JFK-YVR on the AA Advantage Website, only American and Alaska are showing up.

How does one book this award, Lucky? I have been searching many dates for the last two hours on AA.com but nothing related to CX is showing up on this route.

Thanks

@ ThunderStorm -- The space doesn't show up on aa.com, so you have to call to book. If you're using BA points you can book online, as their website shows the space.

OK Thanks! Will call AA... This too pricey on BA.

In other similar news I'm finally taking that JFK-LAX Qantas 747 in F on my way to Australia (but hoping to switch to the A380 for Over-the-Water from LAX, and then coming back LAX-JFK in J on that same 747 flight. Why? Just to check the service on a little bit of Australia over the US! 😉

You should have stayed at the Fairmont Vancouver Airport. It is right upstairs from the Alaska checkin desk. You know who to contact. 🙂

@Lucky - this link below wouldn't have helped in your case, but good info to have at YVR:

http://www.fairmont.com/vancouver-airport-richmond/promotions/day-use-rooms/

I was in the same situation as you a few years back (had landed from JFK-YVR), and was awaiting a 8am AS flight to SEA...the rep at the Fairmont desk gave me a room for 6 hrs for $60 CAD...:)

@Ace - Fairmont website says 8am to 8pm only. I guess you got a sympathetic clerk?

@Alan - What a weird thing to go on and on about...

Hi Lucky,

I am a new reader and a fan. I am wondering how you were able to book Alaska flight using BA miles. I am getting a message from the site when I try to book YVR to LAX and am getting the message that BA and it's partners does not service this route.

Thanks,

James

@ JamesYVR -- Thanks for reading! Alaska awards have to be booked by phone, unfortunately.

Thanks for your prompt response! Do you happen to know how many Avios points is required for a YVR-LAX RT?

@ JamesYVR -- For coach it's 7,500 Avios per person per direction, so it's 15,000 roundtrip.

Thanks! This is one case Avios is actually a better deal than AA miles. I think AA charges 25K for YVR to LAX RT on AS.

>I had pre-flight supper in the British Airways lounge before my flight to Vancouver.

Did I miss something here? Isn't pref-flight supper in BA JFK lounge only for BA passengers or that's changed? I will fly CX F JFK to YVR next week. I wonder can I order pre-flight supper? Thanks.

@ Shannon -- It's only for BA passengers and for Cathay Pacific passengers traveling in first class to Vancouver, but not business class.