Flight Reviews

Last month, I flew on United Airlines’ Transpacific service for the first time in almost two years. This time from Los Angeles to Sydney. I’ve been flying United over the Pacific fairly regularly over the last two decades, and every time I note that the experience has continued to improve. So was that the case…

Because they don’t appear on most travel comparison sites*, a lot of people don’t realise Southwest Airlines offer Island Hopper flights in Hawaii. Nonetheless, having introduced routes across five Hawaiian airports back in 2019, the Dallas based airline provide an competitive alternative to Hawaiian Airlines’ long dominance in the market. Prices are generally comparable to…

The marginal comforts of Economy are clearly no longer enough for the modern traveller. And those who can’t afford the substantial jump in price required for the pointy end are increasingly seeing the value in Premium Economy. Yet it seems like Premium Economy seats are getting even more expensive, a natural knock-on effect from increased…

When it comes to air travel, one of the few markets that would be comparable to Australia would be Canada. They have one national carrier (“Air Canada” being their “Qantas”), who are the only Canadian carrier to travel to and from Australia, with two main domestic airlines for competition. There’s Porter, who followed a similar…

While I was in the USA last year I had a few changes to my itinerary. It was ambitious, I was darting from coast to coast to Canada and back again, but not everything was locked in. I spent most of the time in New York City and planned to gradually make my way over…

Over the course of a few weeks this Summer, I flew domestically on a mix of Virgin Australia 737-800 aircraft, some with updated seats, others still with the original layout. So what is the Virgin Australia economy experience like in 2025? And how about those lounges!? Read on to find out how their airline ranks…

Kauai, or “The Garden Isle” is a true gem of the Hawaiian Islands. It may be the state’s fourth largest island, but it hosts more beaches and hiking trails than any of the others. Known for its lush flora and fauna, it has set the scene for iconic movies such as Jurassic Park, Pirates of…

Earlier this month, I flew Delta Air Lines‘ service from Honolulu, Hawaii, to Minneapolis, Minnesota. Before the flight, I tried to Google whether or not Delta offered complimentary meals and drinks on their flights between Hawaii and the mainland. Since my search didn’t reveal a clear answer, I want to start this review by helping…

What you need to know about choosing a low-cost airline and why it’s worth considering AirAsia X. The best part of travelling is never the plane trip, let’s be honest. Tasty food, endless entertainment and spacious seats are always nice, but when a friend asks you what you thought of the Maldives, or Bali, or…

Over the last year and a half, Canada’s Porter Airlines has been rapidly expanding its services, debuting a wide variety of new routes on the brand new Embraer E195-E2 aircraft. They started flying those jets (the first in North America to do so) in February of last year. Up until that debut, the airline had…

Air Canada have been giving their Airbus 321-200s a much needed overhaul, from head to tail, featuring everything from larger baggage compartments, to a camera on the tail and belly – a first for a narrow body aircraft. This will help bring the aircraft up to the standard of their newer narrow body aircraft, both…

A couple of months back, I climbed to 42,000 feet across the Pacific Ocean on board United Airlines‘ Boeing 777-300 service from Melbourne to San Francisco (Flight UA61). It had been about a year since I last few across the Pacific with United (then from Sydney to Houston on the Dreamliner), so how did this…

Island hopper flights are often the best way to get around tropical paradises. It’s how I travelled around Hawaii with Hawaiian Air in recent years. In the Caribbean country of Belize, Tropic Air are one of two airlines (the other being Maya Island Air) to provide regular service between the main destinations of the country…

If you’re ever looking for an affordable way to travel between North America and Australia, Jetstar are the only budget carrier that takes Australian passengers directly to the USA. The airline travels a few times a week between Melbourne, VIC or Sydney, NSW and Honolulu, offering an affordable alternative to its competition, as well as being the…

Vietjet Airlines have been operating successfully within Vietnam for over a decade, with around 450 flights daily across 160 routes connecting Vietnam with other countries across Asia, and now Australia. Although marketed as a budget airline, they have an impressive safety rating of 7 stars  by the world’s only safety and product rating website airlineratings.com. …

The islands of Hawaii are home to no less than 8 airports across 6 islands, with Hawaiian Airlines offering more than 170 daily flights between 5 of those island destinations. From north to south, they fly between – Lihue (LIH) in Kauai, Honolulu (HNL) in Oahu, Kahului (OGG) in Maui, and both Kona (KOA) and…

With a distance of 13,834 km (8,596 mi), one of the latest routes to return to our skies over the Pacific Ocean is also United Airlines’ longest* – Sydney to Houston. The service, which is just under 16 hours from Sydney (UA100), and 17 and a half hours to get back (UA101), initially debuted in…

As part of their long haul fleet, Jetstar have the distinction of being the only budget carrier that takes Australian passengers directly to the USA. The airline travels a few times a week between Melbourne, VIC or Sydney, NSW and Honolulu, offering an affordable alternative to its competition, as well as being the only airline…

While most commonly used for Canadians looking to travel abroad, Air Transat do have a number of domestic services in a network dominated by the country’s two biggest airlines – Air Canada and Westjet. One route that just about all these airlines share is the quick hop from Toronto (either Billy Bishop or Pearson) to…

With all the news about airport delays over the last year, you’ve probably been wondering how early you need get to the airport before your flight. For those travelling within Canada, here’s how to pre-determine at least some of the delays you might face. The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CASTA) website reports on the…

I’ve talked quite a bit about Toronto Pearson International of late, and while there’s been plenty in the press about the delays in the airport, not every airline nor terminal is necessarily facing the same issues. Also, across the board, my own experiences have been more positive of late. For instance, take last month’s flight…

It’s understandable that most frequent travellers will instinctively shy away from “ultra low-cost carriers”. With limited service both in terms of the amount of daily flights, and the actual service they offer, they are generally far from the best, nor most reliable ways to travel. But every so often, a deal is too good to…

I haven’t flown American Airlines since before the pandemic, but recently I had the chance to jump on their regional “American Eagle” service between DC and Toronto. So what is their in flight offering now? And what Covid-19 precautions remain in place? Here’s a look at the experience on that service. Flight Number: AA 5667…

Once you’ve done the long-haul journey from Australia to Europe – where no one enjoys compromising on comfort or food quality – there’s often only one airline that is available for short, very affordable hops around the continent: Ryanair. I was travelling from London to Bremen, Germany, and there were no direct flights from London…

It’s no secret that flying out of Toronto Pearson International is currently fraught with issues and delays. In fact, you may have seen the airport make headlines for having the most delays – affecting more than 50% of outbound flights – of any airport in the world. Simply put, due in large part to short…

We’ve spoken a lot over the years about the differing experiences flying Canada’s two main airlines – Westjet and Air Canada – as well as the shorter range journeys with Porter. But on a recent trip between Montreal and Toronto, I decided to try one of Canada’s more recently established budget (“Ultra Low Cost”) carriers…

In Toronto, after enduring the world’s longest continuous COVID-19 lockdown – accumulating almost 400 days by the time indoor dining restrictions came to an end earlier this month – we’re finally coming out of what we hope are the darkest days of the pandemic. Vaccination rates are approaching 80% – placing us amongst the most…

Earlier this month, Toronto’s central Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport re-opened for the first time to travellers since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the airport’s primary commercial carriers, Porter Airlines, resumed domestic services. The airport – which I’ve previously called one of the world’s most convenient – is unique due to its location…

**UPDATE 23 OCTOBER 2020** New flight options between USA and Australia have been confirmed, with a recommendation to book at least 8 weeks out to secure a seat. Demand is expected to be high and the situation is changing by the day. The best approach is always to get in touch with an airline directly…

Last month, I flew Virgin Australia from Los Angeles to Sydney, and was lucky enough to enjoy an Economy X upgrade en route – which means a great deal on board their Boeing 777 service. So, in 2020, what does that upgrade – which sits between Economy and Premium Economy – mean? And most importantly:…