Kyle and Gunnar are joined by Thrifty Traveler Chief Flight Deal Analyst (and Domino’s elite member) Jon Shallbetter, who helps them put the 37 combined business class seats they’ve flown into tiers so you can tell what flights are worth your points and which ones may not be.
From the best of the best to the experiences that are missing something to the flights that were flat-out forgettable, the guys break it all down, Qsuites to Icelandair and everything in between. Plus, they admit what they haven’t flown and Kyle and Jon reflect on their (romantic?) dinner in Qatar First Class.
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Show Notes
- 00:00 – Why it’s always surreal to fly business class
- 02:25 – Our flight deal guru Jon introduces the show!
- 02:45 – Tier 1: The best of the best
- 10:30 – Tier 2: Outstanding business classes
- 22:30 – Tier 3: Good, but missing something
- 32:42 – Sign up for Thrifty Traveler Premium to fly biz class for less!
- 35:20 – Tier 4: The Almost good
- 44:20 – Tier 5: Disappointing business class flights
- 52:23 – On the Spot: Jon & Kyle’s romantic Qatar First Class flight
Produced and edited by Sylvia Thomas
Video editing by Kyle Thomas
Show music: “All That” by Benjamin Tissot
Hey! Don’t knock the Hyatt Place Northwest/Medical Center. It is the closest and most convenient Hyatt for visiting Six Flags Fiesta Texas! 😉
*As a Globalist*…
But really, as a Globalist who travels with two kids and basically only ever uses points (other than Platinum credits for THC) I do think there are aspects that can’t really be replicated elsewhere unless you’re independently wealthy. As Gunnar pointed out the footprint is a challenge and may prevent me from requalifying this year, but there’s just so much that being a Globalist allows me to do that wouldn’t be possible without it unless I drained all of my Amex MRs at 1c each to book via FHR/THC. The combination of milestone rewards and straight Globalist benefits is second to none for a family – I can use 25k points per night (or less) and a suite upgrade award to put our whole family into a great room at a nice hotel with free breakfast and parking. And sometimes I can throw a Guest of Honor award at my extended family so that the cousins can come too! We just wouldn’t be able to travel as much or as well as we do – and with the people we love – with the other disloyal hotel options you mentioned*.
*The Edit with a Points Boost might be the next best thing for our needs but I’ve lost count of my rejections from the CSR personal card.