Introduction: Four Times Across The Atlantic

Technically you went across the Atlantic four times?

Came here to say this

@ Alvin | YTHK -- Hah, fair point, and that makes for a better title anyway. Good now? 😉

Ben, I really have to give you credit on the hard work of keeping up review trips while having the new family responsibilities. Life / work balance is always a challenge, and you and Ford are figuring it out. Cheers to you!

Were you able earn any miles from the ITA flights? If so where did you credit them.

So excited for the ITA review despite it being inaccessible with miles

@ AnishReddi -- I ended up crediting them to ITA's Volare program, given that I have top tier status with the program (through a status match) and there was also a promotion offering double miles on the Miami to Rome route. I have no clue how I'll use this small sum of miles, but I didn't see any other great options for crediting the flight.

@ Jimmy’s Travel Report -- Thanks, I really appreciate it! 🙂

How did you visit the 3 JFK lounges before flying BA out of Newark? Were you in the airport already when the aircraft swap happened?

@ SubwayNut -- Yep. I arrived at JFK at 4AM for my 11PM flight (I get to the airport *really* early so I can get empty pics of lounges when they open). The flight hadn't yet left London at that time. Even though my flight was scheduled to be operated by a 777-300ER, it ended up getting swapped to a 777-200ER with the old first class. Fortunately I saw that the Newark to London flight had been swapped from a 777-200ER to a 777-300ER, and it had first class award availability. So I switched to that. That worked out in terms of being able to review lots of lounges.

Thanks for clarifying your JFK-EWR situation. You should discuss how you did the transfer.
That can be a trip in itself.

As a New Yorker, I’m glad I never had to make that transfer.

I love your approach to taking these trips Ben. You seem to book the perfect itinerary for what you do. It leaves me enthusiastically awaiting your full reviews. Good job Ben, hope you and your family are doing great and enjoy your travels!

cant wait for your EgyptAir lounge review! 🙂 planning to book an EgyptAir J Class trip and if thats the case, we will be stuck in a 10 hour layover in CAI. I dont know if thats worth it tbh.

don't do it. Not worth it.

Can't wait! Looking forward to it.

Do you ever get any suspicion from immigration officials on these trips? I know you have GE so you may get to avoid unpleasant US officials, but what about other countries? I have had unpleasant experiences in the UK and Canada and I know for a fact some of those officers would view stuff like this with huge suspicion.

What was the total cost?

EgyptAir lounges are uniformly terrible. However, if you have ten hours during the day you can easily see the sights of Cairo including the pyramids. If at night, the Meridien hotel attached to the terminal is very nice. But don't spend 10 hours in an EgyptAir lounge...

@ Pat -- The cash outlay for the tickets was ~$3,370, including the paid ticket and all the carrier surcharges. I mostly used points for hotels, and I'll cover more of that in the individual review installments.

@ S -- Funny enough I always think I'm going to be given a hard time, but rarely does it happen. That's probably partly because I get to use Global Entry in the United States, and the e-gates in the UK and EU. Come and think of it, during this trip I didn't really have to directly interact with any immigration officer.

Can’t wait to see your review of the Renaissance Heathrow Airport. I stayed there last weekend after a missed connection at Heathrow and British Airways put as there for a night. Definitely some highs and lows! I commented to my partner that it looked like the embassy of a Warsaw Pact country from the 80’s and once inside we felt like we had been transported back to the 80’s.

@ Pete -- It's usually a rough transfer, especially if trying to use public transportation. I ended up using a Lyft, and while it was pricey, there was almost no traffic on a Saturday, so it was pretty easy. I decided to prioritize a direct transfer so I could get to the British Airways Lounge when it opened, to be able to snap good pictures.

Years ago during the 2008-2009 economic meltdown when status was granted by miles flown AA had dirt cheap fares to Europe. A bunch of FTs flew ORD/FRA (when AA flew that route) for something like $250. Even at that J was half filled. We flew to FRA and back to ORD the next day. I was the first to arrive at Customs at ORD and the Custom Officer started questioning why I had spend less than 6 hours in Germany. I explained there were about 30 people behind we that did same. He just laughed and stamped my passport.

The things you do for us! Seriously can’t thank you enough for not only taking the time away from your new family, but the craziness you put yourself through on the trips themselves. 4am wake up for empty lounge photos; we are spoiled readers!

Re: The Heathrow Renaissance, aka the Runway Renaissance, I suggest the series "Luther" in which the final confrontation between Idris Elba and Steven MacIntosh takes place in a room there. I was happy that I saw that after my BA assigned stay.

Really looking forward to the CDG Sheraton review! I've had a lot of early flights out of CDG over the past couple years and have considered the Sheraton. But the price tag always kept me away and I chose to deal with the hotel shuttles at the various hotels in Roissy-en-France instead.

I'd love to see if you think it's worthwhile!

Sounds like the Imperial Hotel in Russell Square. Straight out of a bygone era. I hope it never changes, honestly.

looking forward to the reviews, and especially thoughts on the JFK chelsea/soho lounges and if there was any food available and if you had issues gaining access like they are making for BA GGLs!

So BA allows you to check-in anytime before your (same-day) flight to LHR? I have a F flight to LHR in March dep JFK 8.55pm; sounds like I can check-in anytime on the day of travel?

Was hoping you'd review the St Regis Cairo if only because of how many times you wrote about its impending open over the years but maybe another time.

The traffic in Cairo is epic.
No estimated travel time is accurate.
At night no one uses headlights since all the vehicles are bumper to bumper.
I would not gamble a 10 hour layover to just get to Giza.

Contact an incoming travel agent and have pick you up at the airport. You can visit so many sights in Cairo in just one day! Pyramids, Islamic Cairo, Old Cairo, Egyptian museum.

FWIW, while on a blog trip, if an immigration officer asks why my stay is so short, I tell them the truth about my intentions. With the exception of one incredibly nasty CBSA agent in Vancouver, they laugh at me and wave me through. Said CBSA agent referred me to her colleague - who proceeded to laugh at me and wave me through. My guess is border agents have seen enough mileage runners over the year that they just don't care that much.

Consider that airport hotels are not really looking for return business and nobody expects them to be amazing. They are usually for the purpose you are using them for.

When I lived in London my Dad and his friends from his working men’s club would come down by coach and stay at The Imperial Hotel.

I love this trip review series, Ben! I have to admit I felt a bit relieved for you when you got to the Sheraton CDG after two overnight flights and an arduous journey through CAI. Thank you for doing these!