Palo Will Travel Blog

HA A330 0

Summer 2017 Travel Tips

“Hack Your Aisle Seat” I had read online about a way to get the aisle seat armrest to raise even though it appears to be locked. There is a hidden button located near the hinge which releases the armrest so you can raise it. I tried it out on a...

Bay Area 1

Cathay Pacific Premium Economy Class: HKG-SFO B777-300ER

I covered Cathay’s Premium Economy product in this previous post, but this one will focus on flying Premium Economy on the B777-300ER. The seats are similar yet the layout is different. After grabbing dinner in The Pier and a shower in a cabana in The Wing, I proceeded to the...

Laguna Beach 0

AwardHacker & ReachNow

AwardHacker is a website similar to AwardAce which I mentioned here last year, but I find it easier to use. It’s a website which will show you the best mileage program to use for an award ticket based on the route you are trying to fly. It doesn’t show award...

Haneda Airport Viewing Deck 0

American Airlines Business Class: HND-LAX B777-200ER

I was originally scheduled to fly from Narita to LAX, but a C Class seat became available on the Haneda to LAX route therefore allowing my to use my SWU for an upgrade to Business Class. The text alert came in from ExpertFlyer just after landing into Narita from Jakarta....

JAL B787-9 0

Japan Airlines (JAL) Premium Economy Class: CGK-NRT B787-9

Japan Airlines offers day of departure cash upgrades to their Sky Premium (Premium Economy) from Economy for a flat rate. I decided to try it out on a recent flight from Jakarta to Tokyo. The Premium Economy Class was wide open with only a handful of seats booked prior to...

Sunrise Sydney 2

Hotel Tips and New Global Entry Interview Option

Staying in hotels almost 50% of my nights last year, I learned a few tips. Tip #1: Book directly with the hotel, using 3rd party sites such as hotels.com increases your odds at getting “walked” last minute. This means you will be placed in a nearby hotel due to an...

CX Premium Economy Row 30 A330-300 3

Cathay Pacific Premium Economy Class: CGK-HKG A330-300

I’ve previously flown Cathay Pacific First Class and Business Class which have been very pleasant flights. This was my first flight to try out their Premium Economy seats. Upon checkin, I was informed that Priority immigration is only available to Business and First Class passengers even though I’m a Oneworld...

Borobudur 0

Garuda Indonesia Business Class: JOG-CGK B737-800 Upgrade for $1

I was originally booked to visit Borobudur in January 2016, but due to a change in plans it was delayed. I finally made it to Borobudur earlier this year and after an amazing visit I wanted to grab an earlier flight back to Jakarta (CGK) from Yogyakarta (JOG). There isn’t much...

AMEX Platinum 1

Credit Card Review: AMEX Platinum

American Express offers many credit cards but the most elite option available to the general public without an invite is their Platinum card. It is an excellent option for the active traveler as the value of the benefits outweigh the annual fee. The current signup bonus ranges from 60,000 to...

Cathay Pacific A350 @ HKG 1

Cathay Pacific Business Class: BKK-HKG A350-900

I used GrabCar to get to BKK (Bangkok) airport which is similar to Uber. It is a nice option as you can schedule a pickup which was needed for the early morning departure. Uber didn’t offer this option in Bangkok. The Cathay Pacific lounge at BKK is very nice compared...