My 10 most memorable flights of 2012

Awesome year, Lucky! I wonder how you will top it. For me, I gotta go with the Emirates showers as well on EK 384/385, though I enjoyed my first visit to the FCT and landing on a practically deserted Easter Island in the middle of the night.

Jealous...thanks for sharing 😀

January 2012 - my first time on an A380. AF Affaires (business) class IAD-CDG-DXB-CDG. Sadly the final leg, CDG-IAD was on an old 777. Disappointing way to end the journey. But ticket was only 120,000 Skymiles! Not a bad way to get to/from MBA study abroad in UAE.

Got to experience international F for the first time back in August w/ LH and Thai, along with the FCT in Frankfurt and the Thai F lounge in BKK. That trip was also my first ever flights on an A380 and the 747-8.

I logged just under 99k BIS miles for 2012, virtually all award travel, which more than doubled my previous single yr total. This also included biz class on SWISS, Turkish, Singapore, United, SAS and Virgin Australia in addition to the F flights mentioned above.

I only wish I could replicate that in 2013.

Best flight was probably MUC-SFO in F. Had a great crew, new seat and capped off a great trip. Really enjoyed SQ F but did not care too much for the seat. It was awesome as a bed but just for sitting around watching a movie or eating it doesn't really function very well vs the competition. SQ could also use some car service from TPR to the gates to really complete the experience. I could have swore I had walked all the way to Malaysia by the time I finally got to the gate.

Also best hotel experience of the year was BKK Pen. Just top notch and for the price it is hard to imagine there is much to compete.

Also have to throw a shout out to my AS flight thanks to the whole Iceland Air redemptions that were going on for a bit. That turned out to be a very pleasant F experience to/from the islands and another really fun trip.

@ Jake E. - Are you in the CCMBA at Fuqua?

@Troy/Jake E: if either of you are from duke, hit me up at bhl8(at)duke.edu. We should grab drinks/meetup whenever you're on campus! 😉

Lucky:
I realize that you mostly only fly First and BIz class, but I still think your statement about CX is going too far:
"Other airlines have major shortcomings in certain categories, while Cathay Pacific has good food, service, entertainment, and seating."
CX simply has the worst long-haul Y seats in the business. Do a quick Google search and you'll know what I'm talking about. The seats don't recline at all and people's back injuries are legendary. Since you didn't say your analysis was only for 1st and Biz class, I have to strongly disagree with your statement. You couldn't pay me to fly CX economy long-haul again.

1. LH F FRA-NRT 388 - WOW! (and the 6 hour layover in FCT - Heaven!)

2. SQ F HKG-SFO 773 - outstanding soft product

3. CX F: HND-HGK 744 - outstanding hard/soft product

4. QF F: SYD-LAX 744 - terrible/tired hard product. Qantas First Class Lounge in SYD, service, food, booze was wonderful though.

This will surprise most people, but I flew UA F SFO-SYD in April and found the seat extremely comfortable!

All were award tickets.

Hey Ben, can you also do a post of your top 10 hotel stays in 2012? Would love to see which hotel top your list and Hyatt vs. Starwood etc..

OZ F ICN-FRA, same flight as Lucky's. Great food, their steak was fantastic.

@ AC -- Yep, that was going to be my next post in the series.

Lucky - how about a post of the top 10 hard products in F?

@ AJK -- That's also a great idea, thanks. Maybe I can do a series of posts on the top 10 of various aspects of the travel experience.

Timely post as I was just reviewing my 2012 trips. Not quite impressive as lucky, but I did manage to fly over 180k ( https://twitter.com/dbuszko/status/286671900090978304/photo/1).

As far as memorable flights of 2012:
1. LH F FRA-NRT A380 (the trip also included MIA-FRA with reconfigured F)
2. SQ F SFO-HKG 777
3. QR J DOH-IAH 777

I've done the OZ F ICN-FRA before as well. It was a great flight made even better by the fact that I was the only passenger in F.

LH FRA-ATL in F....and the lounge. Old product yes, but we were the only 2 customers in F. The limo ride....being escorted onto the plane. The service onboard. It was all just wonderful.

1. Asiana F in 744 FRA-ICN (had whole F for myself

2. SQ F in 773 SIN-HKG (nice but short - loved the Private Room in SIN)

3. TG F in A388 HKG-BKK (felt good to test the brand new product - even on that short hop)

I'd like to see the top 10 car accidents you had this year.

1) LH F LAX-NRT the long-way, getting to experience the 748, A380, and new F 744
2) CX F DPS-HKG-YYZ
3) Easter Island and LAN J
4) SQ J JFK-FRA-SIN - first time in SQ J

JFK - LHR- CPT, could have done the non stop but chose to go BA in F as a redemption. Great seats, service & lounge. High Tea complimented high times

This flight was more or less the highlight of my life. I showered. On a plane. The end.

Don't forget the heated floors!