I flew from Amsterdam to Zurich on the SWISS A220. For the most part, I felt the plane was comfortable and roomy, especially for a middle seat. Indeed, compared to some of the other EasyJet flights I’d taken during my Euro trip, this fleet felt luxurious. 

I fell in love with Amsterdam. It was such a quirky, fun city with an exciting nightlife. It was hard to leave. But once I boarded that Swiss A220 and landed in Zurich, I felt excited for my next journey. 

The flight was fleeting, lasting less than two hours, but it was a very pleasant two hours that geared me up for my new city and country. I was heading to a community home in another town called Darligen, where I spent a few weeks helping out with their vegetable garden and cooking for the other volunteers.

It was a wonderful trip, but I’m here to talk about what my flight was like on board the Swiss A220.

Swiss Lounges

No matter how long or short your flight duration is, a lounge is always a great escape from the rest of a hectic airport.

In Zurich airport, Swiss Air’s First Lounge offers pure luxury. There are two hotel rooms, mini suites, a champagne bar, and two restaurants. You can even soak up glorious views of the Swiss Alps from their terrace.

You won’t go hungry either, since the chefs in the lounge’s 5-star à la carte restaurant cook up some delicious cuisine. It’s also a peaceful working space if you’re a digital nomad, while boasting an extra touch of luxury with its wine humidor, containing over 1,000 bottles of wine from around the world.

In Geneva, there’s a similar Swiss Air lounge with a reserved area for VIPs, and you’ll be escorted to your flight when it’s time to board. The Senator Lounge has an extensive buffet, where you can unwind.

The lounge is located next to the gates, which I find helps me switch off from worrying about the rush to board! And if you fancy an alcoholic beverage to begin your trip, it doesn’t matter what time it is – they always offer alcoholic beverages at your convenience. 

Lounge Access Voucher

If you’ve booked a flight in Swiss Economy or Swiss Premium Economy, you can purchase a lounge access voucher. This is where you’ll get a spacious lounge to relax in before your flight, comfortable seating, bathrooms (some with showers, some without), complimentary hot and cold dishes, quiet desks, and complimentary alcoholic beverages.

This is in partnership with the Lufthansa Group, which Swiss Air are a part of. 

You can purchase these vouchers online for $55 and up. Once you get to the airport, you show reception your boarding pass and your voucher. Unfortunately, I decided not to purchase one since my flight was so early in the morning, but it is a great way to get a taste of a Swiss lounge without having to be a full-time member or hold a certain membership status.

In Zurich airport, the Swiss Lounge is located in the new, modern SWISS Lounge area above the E gates, and the Non-Schengen Area. The lounges are easy to find, and well signposted. At Geneva Airport, the Swiss Business Lounge is just after security. 

Fly Sustainably With Swiss

You can fly more sustainably by booking a Green Fare, which is available in all travel classes with the Lufthansa Group, including Swiss Air.

This is something that all airlines need to consider for the future! The Lufthansa Group is paving the way for a greener future. 

These sustainable flights use Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs) that help reduce flight-related CO2 emissions. These make up 20% of the flight-related individual emissions, which helps offset the remaining 80% of flight-related CO2 emissions.

By purchasing this flight, you’ll also get extra status miles and flexible rebooking options. 

Recently, Swiss introduced Green Fares for intercontinental routes. This will reduce 10% of individual flight-related CO2 emissions by using Sustainable Aviation Fuels, which will offset the other 90% of individual flight-related CO2 emissions. 

With domestic flights between Geneva and Zurich, Swiss offers fares already including offsetting the CO2 emissions. 

This is available on the following routes: 

My Experience Flying SWISS

Though my experience with SWISS Air was on a short-haul flight, I had a delightful experience. I would definitely fly them again and will consider using them for a cross-continental long-haul flight. 

I had a very early flight that left at 7 AM, which meant I had to be at the airport by 5 AM. Luckily, I slept a few hours the previous night and managed to arrive at the gate 15 minutes before boarding.

I waited for my group to get called, which was one of the last ones, and boarded the plane. It was probably one of the most aesthetically pleasing interiors of a plane I’ve seen, with a sleek interior and dark leather seats contrasted by white headrests. 

Unfortunately I was allocated a middle seat, but for such a short flight, I didn’t mind. On this flight, there were 145 seats, in a 3-2 configuration.

The seats were made of leather upholstery and a fixed headrest. There were no charging ports.

The legroom felt a little tight, but it’s to be expected with economy rows and middle seats!

There was no Wi-Fi on the flight. The onboard service was efficient, and they handed out complimentary drinks and a Swiss roll.

But the best part of the flight was arriving in Switzerland and looking out the window to see the Alps, even if I did have to look across the person sitting in the window seat. Because I had taken the earliest morning flight, I had such a beautiful view of the mountains with the early, soft light. 

Meals on Board 

Depending on the duration of your flight, you’ll either get simple snacks or meals while flying with Swiss Air. Because my flight was so short, I only received a complimentary drink and a Swiss roll.

But hold on, flight foodies – don’t be disheartened! If your flight’s a little longer, the menu gets a whole lot more interesting…!

For many European destinations, Swiss Air offers a Saveurs menu, where you can choose exactly what you want to eat or drink. You’ll also get a bottle of Swiss water and a complimentary piece of Swiss Chocolate. 

Some of their food items include a Swiss Angus burger and fries, a club sandwich, a truffle brie sandwich, a butter lye pretzel, and French fries.  If you’re flying Swiss Air Intercontinental, you’ll have a more extensive menu, such as meals with artisanal food.

If you need a special meal or have a dietary exception, you can book your meal in advance up to 24 hours before departure. SWISS Air makes it easy to eat on their planes!

Entertainment on Board 

The only downside to a short-haul Swiss A220 is its lack of in-flight entertainment. But then again, you don’t have time to watch a movie on such a short flight across Europe! And it keeps costs down.

There was a small screen on the overhead that displayed the flight’s details, which was fun to watch from time to time and made me feel a little less ‘stuck in the middle’ with my middle seat. Luckily, I had a book with me and could get a few chapters in before we landed.

Checking a Bag 

The baggage allowance for a Swiss carry-on is a mere 8kg, which is practically nothing. When I travel, I like to travel light, but not that light.

Even though my backpack was just about the size of a carry-on, it was still heavier than 8kg, so I checked my bag. However, I probably could have gotten away with it since they didn’t end up weighing anything!

Paying for Seats 

With the Classic and Flex Fares, a seat is already included. With the Light fare, you need to pay to reserve a seat. These start at $18 per seat and up.

And don’t forget my middle-seat-dodging tip, especially if you’re flying solo: sit on the left-hand side, and you’ll have either window or aisle. Perfect!

How to Book with Swiss Air

With the Swiss Air website, it’s easy to book online. This is where you’ll see all of the different fares and the pros and cons of each one. I usually opt for the lowest fares, though the more expensive ones have their advantages!

After entering your departure airport, arrival airport, and dates, you’re taken to the next page where you can select your fare as follows: 

The difference between Economy Light and Economy Flex is upwards of 65 dollars. While booking, you can hold your ticket and fee for 48 hours for a small surcharge of 10 euros ($10.86).

This is a great option if you found an awesome deal on a price, but aren’t sure if you want to keep that exact ticket. Payment follows, and once that’s complete, you’re all set to travel!

Conclusion

If you want to travel around Europe and intercontinental, Swiss Air has you covered. Their fleets are efficient and safe, and they offer top-notch service that will get you to your destination in style. They have hundreds of destinations and even offer the choice of more sustainable travel. 

I loved flying with Swiss Air from Amsterdam to Zurich. Boarding was smooth and the flight departed on time.

While I could have used a bit more legroom while in the middle seat, I did appreciate the Swiss roll and the views of the mountains!

Overall, Swiss Air offers a cost-effective way to travel around Europe and the world, no matter which fares you choose. Whether you need to reach your destination on a budget or want to fly in style, Swiss Air gives you a great way to travel for a fair and reflective price.

Now, the airline is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. American Airlines is the largest airline in the world when measured by scheduled passengers carried on their fleets, and the size of their fleets. 

Recently, I flew with American Airlines from Belize City to Miami, and then Miami to San Jose, Costa Rica. The connecting flight was a strange route, but the flights leaving Belize City were limited. Find out all about it in my American Airline Economy Class review below…

Where You Can Fly American Airlines

You’ll find that American Airlines operates in hundreds of destinations around the world. This is what makes them so convenient to fly.

American Airlines, when partnered with their American Eagle regional partners, offers thousands of flights daily to more than 350 destinations in more than 60 countries. These destinations include:

AAdvantage Program

By joining the American Airlines AAdvantage program, you’ll earn reward, such as miles when you fly with American, oneworld, and 1,000 other partners. With these miles, you can obtain flights for nearly 1,100 destinations, enjoy upgrades while flying, and put these points towards vacations, car rentals, hotels, and other retail products. 

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select Card

When you sign up for this credit card and spend $20,000 within the first year, you’ll get 50,000 bonus miles, a first free checked bag on domestic American Airlines itineraries, and a $125 American Airlines Flight Discount.

If you’re a frequent American Airlines flyer, then this credit card might be quite beneficial.  

With the AAdvantage credit card, you’ll earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage mile earned from purchases on the credit card. You can use your miles on flight awards since there are no blackout dates. You can also redeem your miles for rental cars, vacation packages, and hotel stays.

And the more you travel, the more you earn, which means you’re getting rewarded for traveling. There’s a $0 entry fee the first year, and then a $99 annual fee after. 

Partner Airlines

Partner Airlines for American Airlines include British Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Sri Lankan Airlines, and Cathay Pacific.  With these partner airlines, you’ll be able to explore thousands of destinations with American Airline benefits. 

The perks of partner airlines extend beyond the fleets. American Airlines has partnered with British Airways to offer three new premium lounges at JFK Airport in New York. Another perk of these partner airlines is that you can earn and redeem AAdvantage miles, and use the benefits from your AAdvantage status. 

Oneworld Priority

American Airlines is a part of the oneworld Priority membership. This is where you can enjoy airport lounge access, priority boarding, and other benefits that are outside of American Airlines. This is a great membership if you travel frequently and are enrolled in a frequent flyer program. 

There are three tiers for the oneworld Priority status, which are Emerald, Sapphire, and Ruby. They serve over 900 destinations in more than 170 countries, which means your American Airlines benefits will extend to one hundred more countries!

My Experience Flying American Airlines

Perks aside, what’s it like flying with American Airlines? I flew on two flights with American Airlines, with a short layover at Miami Airport. My experience was comfortable and pleasant, and before I knew it, I landed in Costa Rica!

I checked in online the morning of my flight. I was able to select my seats during check-in, but because I chose the free seats, I was limited with choice. Luckily, there was one window seat open on the way to Miami, and one aisle seat open on the way to San Jose. There was no way I was getting stuck in the middle seat!

Belize City to Miami, USA 

The first leg of my flight, from Belize City to Miami, was originally supposed to depart at 12:40 PM. On the way to the airport, I received a notification on my phone that my flight was delayed until 1:20 PM, which was stressful considering I had a short layover in Miami.

While waiting for the flight at the airport, I received another notification on my phone that it was departing at 1:00 PM. What I appreciated the most, though, was that I received several notifications of the flight change on my phone, so I didn’t have to rely solely on the airport screens. 

The airport in Belize City was one of the most chaotic I’ve been to. I checked in online, but when I got to the airport, I had to go to the American Airlines desk anyway. Luckily, there was no line. They needed to print out my boarding pass and hand me a customs form to fill out. 

The immigration line was nearly at the airport entrance, and again, there was no line. The next line was for handing over the customs form, and the following line was for security. Afterwards, I hung out at the only sit-down restaurant in the airport while I waited for my first flight to depart. 

During the flight, I sat in the window seat but had the entire row to myself, which was a huge plus! The seats were pretty comfortable, especially considering I could stick my legs out to the side to make the most of the fluke extra legroom.

There was no in-seat television. You had to access their Wi-Fi on your phone in order to use in-flight entertainment. They handed out complimentary snacks and drinks halfway through the flight.

Despite the original slight delay, the flight made up the 20 minutes and landed in Miami right on time. 

Miami, USA to San Jose, Costa Rica

The second flight departed in the evening. Upon entering Miami, I had to go through immigration to get to my connecting flight. The walk from the plane to immigration was long, but once I was through, I was at my gate with 45 minutes to spare. 

The second flight was seamless. Boarding was easy, we left on time, and I sat in the aisle seat. They handed out complimentary soda, water, and snacks. I ate pretzels and cookies, and before I knew it, we landed in San Jose, Costa Rica.

American Airline Lounges

One of the benefits of American Airlines is that their broad network extends to countries they don’t even fly to. For example, you’ll have access to lounges in airports around the world, even if AA doesn’t fly there. 

There are several ways you can access an American Airlines lounge:

• Membership: With an Admirals Club membership, you can access over 100 clubs and partner lounges.
• First/Business Class Ticket: One of the perks of flying first or business class is having access to premium lounges.
• Oneworld Status: If you have oneworld priority status, you can fly on qualifying itineraries and access more than 650 lounges.

Meals on Board 

My flight from Belize City to Miami did not offer any meals. Instead, they handed out complimentary pretzels and water, coffee, and soda.

Depending on the timing of your flight, you could purchase a Breakfast Bag (5 AM – 9:45 AM), which has a Chobani Vanilla Yogurt, Nature’s Bakery Fig Bar, and Wildway Coconut Cashew Granola.

Or you could purchase other items (9:46 AM – 9:00 PM), like the fruit and cheese plate, sea salt almonds, and Pringles Original. They also sell red, white, and sparkling wine for $10. 

Entertainment on Board 

My flight from Belize City to Miami did not offer any in-seat entertainment. Instead, I could connect to the Wi-Fi on my phone and watch movies that way. Because the flight was so short, I decided to look out the window for the duration of my flight and watch the clouds and the gorgeous color of the sea.  

Checking a Bag 

Before you enter the line to check into your American Airlines flight at the airport, they have bag measurers at the start of the line. One is for personal items, and one is for a carry-on.

I did not check my bag, and boarded my flight with my personal item and carry-on. Luckily, the staff at Belize City airport did not ask me to weigh my bag or check the measurements. 

Paying for Seats 

You can buy your seat when you’re buying your flight, or when you’re checking into your flight. There was also an option to select unpaid seats, which I did when I checked in online. The other seats you could pay for start around $10 and are upwards of $20. 

How to Book with American Airlines

It’s easy to book a flight with American Airlines. Their website is coherent, user-friendly, and efficient. All you have to do is select the departure airport, the date, and your arrival destination.

You can also select between the lowest fare and refundable fare. 

There are three different levels of ticket: Basic Economy, Main, and Business. Basic is the cheapest fare with the most limited luxuries, while business offers the biggest perks. 

Conclusion

If you want comfortable, affordable travel, with tons of perks, then American Airlines is the best option out there. Their staff is friendly and efficient, always ensuring they keep us passengers fully informed of any flight changes.

And if you miss your connecting flight because your first flight was delayed, American Airlines will reschedule on the next flight, and even put you on another airline if needed. With 350 destinations across 60 countries around the world, American Airlines has you covered. 

My experience flying with American Airlines from Belize City to Miami, and Miami to San Jose was seamless, comfortable, and fast. Because my first flight was nearly empty, I got to stretch across an entire row of seats by myself! (Although of course, this was pure luck…)

You can choose between Economy, Main, and Business seating while flying American Airlines. Despite the lack of entertainment in the seat and needing to use my phone, I found it to be comfortable. Their snacks were sufficient for a short flight. 

Overall, American Airlines offers a cost-effective, efficient way to travel, no matter your budget or destination.

I recently flew Delta Airlines from Denver, USA to Atlanta, USA, and then from Atlanta, USA to Belize City, Belize, and had a comfortable, pleasant experience, despite the turbulence. 

In all honesty, Delta is one of my favorite airlines and I find their services to be safe and efficient. The free Wi-Fi is also a huge plus! If there’s an issue, the flight attendants and pilots are quick to inform passengers and keep them updated.

Delta had a humble beginning as an agricultural crop-dusting commercial flying company, and in 1925, became the largest privately-owned fleet in the world. It wasn’t until the 1930s when Delta began its passenger service.

Their first Boeing 747 service began in 1970, and has since grown into what it is today. 

Another perk of modern-day Delta Airlines is its partnership with other international airlines, like Virgin Atlantic, Korean Air, and Air France-KLM. If you’re a Medallion Member with Delta, you’ll experience the perks that Delta has to offer while flying on their partner airlines. This includes priority boarding, waived baggage fees, and preferred seats. 

Where You Can Fly Delta Airlines

With more than 300 destinations in 60 countries around the world, you’ll find Delta Airlines everywhere. But some of its major hubs include:

Amsterdam, Netherlands, Atlanta, Georgia, Bogota, Colombia,  Boston, Massachusetts, Detroit, Lima, Michigan, London-Heathrow, UK, Los Angeles, California, Mexico City, Mexico, New York-JFK and LaGuardia, US, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, France, Salt Lake City, Utah, Santiago, Chile, Sao Paulo, Brazil, Seattle, Washington, Seoul-Incheon, South Korea, and Tokyo, Japan.

SkyMiles Loyalty Program

Fly frequently with Delta Airlines? Then you might want to consider getting the Delta SkyMiles card. With the points you accumulate, also called SkyMiles, you can use them for future flights. 

You’ll get three miles per dollar on Delta purchases with a Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card. And with everyday regular purchases, you’ll also earn miles.

There’s no limit on the number of miles you earn. Delta considers this more than just a frequent flyer program: it’s a loyalty program. Just by eating out at restaurants, going on overnight stays at hotels, and going on shopping sprees, you’re being rewarded with points that accumulate for free flights. 

Delta Sky Club Lounge

The Delta Sky Club is an idyllic start to any of your Delta flights. Soak up the tasteful menus, award-winning bar, flight assistance, complimentary Wi-Fi, and even entertainment and showers so you feel refreshed and replenished before your flight.

You can access these clubs at select airports three hours before your flight departure time. There are several ways you can access the Delta Sky Club, including flying in first or business class. 

If you have Delta Elite status as a member of their SkyMiles Loyalty Program, you can purchase a Sky Club membership for $695 (or 69,500 points). The unlocks your freedom to enjoy the Sky Lounge every time you fly Delta.

Otherwise, if you have a Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card or a Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card, you can access Delta Sky Club whenever you like for a $50 fee per entry.

Delta Premium Select

Delta now offers its newly-launched cabin for that extra touch of luxury to your flight. You’ll get extra legroom, wider seats, and a deeper recline in your seat. Before the flight, you’ll have accelerated check-in and security and baggage service.

The special treatment doesn’t stop there. Above the clouds you’ll get a glass of sparkling wine, and your food is created by culinary experts and served in dishware made from sugarcane plant fibers.

My Experience Flying Delta Airlines

I flew Delta Airlines on a domestic flight from Denver to Atlanta, where I had a four-hour layover. Then, I flew on an international flight from Atlanta to Belize City. 

Denver to Atlanta

Denver is a huge airport, so I needed to take a train after security to Terminal A, where Delta Airlines operates. Taking a 1am flight isn’t my ideal travel time, but I couldn’t beat the price! 

When I arrived at my gate, I found out my flight was departing 10 minutes early, with a time change to 12:49am and a check-in at the gate. I assumed this was for immigration purposes, because they asked me when I planned on leaving Belize, my final destination.

After I told them I’d be there for a week, they handed me my plane ticket. I had played seat roulette and they assigned me a window seat, which was lucky on an overnight flight. I had a window to sleep on!

The entertainment system had tons of movies to pick from, including Dumb Money, Oppenheimer, and Bottoms. They gave out complimentary drinks and snacks halfway through the flight.

The seats were comfortable, though I felt a bit squished in the economy since the plane was full. Despite the early call to board, we departed around 1am after all and landed right on time. 

Atlanta to Belize City

I waited at Atlanta airport for four hours. Luckily, I found a cafe that opened at 6am, so I didn’t have to wait very long for a coffee.

I had to switch from Terminal B to Terminal E on the train, which only took a few minutes. We departed for Belize City right on time, though we experienced some of the worst turbulence on a flight I’ve ever had!

For this flight, I connected to Wi-Fi and was able to work most of the time, though the Wi-Fi was slow in the middle of the flight (probably because of the turbulence).

The flight attendants had to delay bringing the beverage and snack cart around because of how bad the turbulence was, making it dangerous for them to push the heavy cart around. The flight attendants were informative about the turbulence throughout the entire flight. They made constant announcements about the delayed snack cart and told us we needed to stay seated.

I didn’t mind the delay in snacks, but I’m sure some of the other passengers found it frustrating. Once the turbulence ended, which lasted most of the flight, the flight attendants came around with the snack cart. 

We landed on time, and I began my trip in Belize after going through a long line at immigration. Apparently, four planes landed at the same time, which is not the best scenario for such a small airport – but again, there’s not much any airline can do about turbulence causing delays in the name of safety.

Meals on Board

I did not eat meals on board on either of my flights, but they do have a wide selection of snacks and what they refer to as ‘Flight Fuel‘. This includes nuts, Lotus Biscoff cookies, a fruit and cheese tray, and a couple of snack boxes. 

For complimentary snacks, you’re offered a Kate’s Real Food Organic Energy Bar, Lotus Biscoff Cookies, Nuts.com Almonds, and a Garden Salsa Flavored Whole Grain Snack from SunChips.

If your flight is 900 miles plus, you’ can eat their’ll be offered their snack box which has crackers, potato chips, beef snack sticks, cheese spread, almonds, gummi bears, and chocolate sandwich cookies. An alternative snack box offers hummus, pita chips, olives, bruschetta spread, a ginger chew, and dried fruit almonds. 

For those longer flights of 1,500 miles plus, you have the option of other select meals like a chicken salad sandwich plate, which offers a chicken salad sandwich gran queso cheese, with gourmet cherry jam, and arugula on a buttery croissant, alongside a dark chocolate mini square and apple slices for $12.

Or you can opt for the fruit and cheese plate. This has gouda and cheddar cheese slices with sea salt and olive oil flatbread crackers, dried apricots, whole almonds, grapes, and dark chocolate for $12. 

Entertainment on Board

Delta Airlines has tons of movies, ranging from old releases to new ones. You’ll find adventure movies, comedies, and drama television shows.

Best of all, there’s Wi-Fi on the flight! All you have to do is sign into your SkyMiles account (or make one for free). They also have several TV series you can watch, which is great if you find a show series you’re in the middle of.

Checking a Bag

I did not check a bag, but I could purchase a checked bag (under 50 lbs) when I checked in online for $30. A second checked bag was $40.

This is a decent price, especially compared to other flights I’ve previously flown. You can also choose to pay for your checked bag using Delta miles. 

Paying for Seats

I was randomly assigned a seat, though you can choose to purchase your seat online when you check into your flight. Delta will charge, on average, $15+ for seats. 

How to Book with Delta Airlines

Delta offers several different selections for ticket options. After putting in your departure and arrival airport, you can choose from a Basic (E), Main (X), Comfort+, and First Class ticket.

Between them, prices range drastically. For example, a ticket in Basic may cost you $600 roundtrip, while that same flight will cost you $1,250 in Delta First Class.

Basic Economy

• Cancellation fee starting at $99
• Seat assigned after check-in
• Last to board 
• Ear plugs included (but no other amenities)
• Ineligible for upgrades
• No miles earned; no credit toward SkyMiles Medallion Status 5
• Ineligible for Delta Sky Club access

Main Cabin

• Select & change seats
• Cancel for full credit, no change fees
• Board before Basic Economy
• Eligible to purchase upgrades
• Miles & credit for SkyMiles Medallion Status

Comfort+

• The airline’s moniker for extra legroom 
• Extra storage space above seat
• Pillow, blanket, earplugs, amenity kit
• More snack options than economy
• Spirits, wine, and beer included on flights over 500 miles

First Class

• Personal Service
• Extra space to relax
• Board first
• Expedited checked baggage
• Accelerated check-in
• Premium snacks or fresh meal service, depending on length of flight

You can use $USD, miles, or miles and cash to pay for your flight. If you still want to fly with Economy, you have to accept the restrictions and continue on to the following page.

They’ll also try to get you to sign up for the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card. It’s very enticing, since they tell you you’ll save a couple hundred bucks applying right then and there.

You can choose to purchase your checked bags at the following page, or when you check in online before your flight. 

Our Verdict On Delta Airlines

If you want to travel in comfort for an affordable price, Delta Airlines has you covered. For efficient and safe flights around the world, flying with Delta Airlines is a great choice, operating in over 300 destinations around the world.

I loved flying with Delta from Denver to Atlanta, and Atlanta to Belize City. Boarding was efficient, the flights departed and arrived on time, and the flight was relatively comfortable, despite being a full flight.

You can choose between Economy, Comfort+, Main Cabin, and First Class seating while flying Delta Airlines. The entertainment and meals on board are great for travel.

Overall, Delta offers a cost-effective way to travel across the world no matter your budget. Whether you need to reach a destination safely at the best price, or add some luxury and comfort with their Sky Club or Premium Select, Delta will do very well indeed at meeting expectations.

Certain credit cards grant access to exclusive airport lounges around the world that provide added comfort that turns travel from a tedious task into an enjoyable journey. Because airports are loud, busy, and expensive, airline lounges, which are typically free of charge when you own a certain credit card, can be a real sweetener.

They offer tons of perks that will help save money on food and drinks, and also provide you with a quiet space to relax before boarding your flight. There’s nothing better than flying after a calming and rejuvenating hangout at an airport lounge.

Here, we take a look at which are the best credit cards for lounge access, the lounge locations, and the rewards that make your travel even more exciting.

Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card

If you’re a frequent Delta flyer, then getting a Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card is the best way to enjoy all the perks that come with flying Delta. With this credit card, you’ll get 3X miles on Delta purchases and 1X miles on all other eligible purchases.

The only downside that may deter most people from getting this credit card is the $650 annual fee. But if you travel with Delta frequently, then this fee is well worth the access to the Delta Sky Club.

While Delta doesn’t have lounge access everywhere in the world, they do in more than 50 locations. For example, you’ll find lounges in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Austin, Texas, Beijing, China, Copenhagen, Lima, Peru, Denmark, Da Nang, Vietnam, and Miami Florida, to name a few. 

The current bonus point rate is 100,000 bonus miles after you spend $6,000 in purchases. This isn’t a typical offer, so when this offer ends, you’ll get 60,000 bonus points instead.

As for the lounges themselves? Delta Club lounges have free high-speed Wi-Fi, which is ideal if you’re a remote worker or want to keep the kids entertained. They also serve fresh and healthy food and complimentary cocktails.

And here’s another little sweetener – you’ll also get four one-time guest passes throughout the year, so you can enjoy the perks of a lounge with a companion. 

Another perk of being a member of the Delta Sky Club is Wi-Fi on flights. When I flew from JFK to Denver Airport, I had fast Wi-Fi the entire flight simply by signing into my new SkyMiles account. The Wi-Fi was even better than some cafes I go to! 

With Delta, you can also access lounges with partner flights. The only caveat is that you need to pay $50 per visit. Partner lounges that this credit card has access to are The Centurion Lounge and Escape Lounge. 

Other benefits include a first class, Delta Comfort, or Main Cabin round trip companion certificate for Central America, the Caribbean, or domestic destinations around the USA. You’ll also save 15% when booking Award Travel on Delta flights using your miles. 

Chase Sapphire Reserve® 

You’ll have a couple of options with the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card when it comes to lounge access. The Chase Ultimate Rewards will get you a Priority Pass Select Membership, which provides Priority Pass lounge access. You can sign up online and get your card in the mail. 

You’ll also get 10x points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase through Chase Ultimate Rewards. I’ve considered getting this card solely because of the included free membership to the Priority Pass lounges. 

Even though there’s a $550 annual fee, it’s easy to put it to good use, especially if you’re a frequent flyer. The Priority Pass Select membership grants access to 1,400 lounges around the world.

Some airports that you’ll have access to include London Heathrow (LHR), San Francisco International (SFO), Dubai (DXB), and Tokyo Narita (NRT). 

Another standout benefit of this credit card and the priority pass is that it gives access to over 30 restaurants at certain airports, where you’ll get a $28 dining credit plus a guest! Popular Priority Pass restaurants include the Yankee Pier in San Francisco, Landry’s Seafood in Houston, and Bobby Van’s Steakhouse in New York. 

You’ll also have access to the Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club locations, which offer something a little different from the Priority Pass lounges.

There are three Chase Sapphire Lounge locations around the world, including Hong Kong International (HKG), Boston Logan Airport (BOS), and NYC LaGuardia Airport. There’s also a Sapphire Terrace at Austin-Bergstrom (AUS). 

At these lounges, you’ll get chef-curated meals and complimentary drinks. These special lounges are still a new concept and are slowly expanding around the world, which is why there aren’t many yet.

This credit card is a well-rounded choice, since you have access to both Chase and Priority pass lounges. Also, Sapphire Reserve cardholders have access to dining credits at select restaurants. Besides the Citi Prestige Card, this is the only card out there that has access to dining credits. 

Other perks include having 5X points on flights through Chase Ultimate Rewards and 3X points on other travel and dining.

American Express Centurion Black Card

This is one of the most exclusive credit cards out there because you need a special invitation to join. It’s like the Red Carpet of credit cards. The eligibility requirements are never publicized – but we know it’s for the high-net-worth individuals amongst us.

The only downside to this credit card is that they’ve dropped their dining credits at specific restaurants, not to mention the hefty annual fee of $5,000, plus $10,000 initiation fee. But you get a lot for it on top of status and a Prada-designed card…

With the Amex Centurion Card, you have access to lounges with high-speed Wi-Fi, locally inspired cuisine, barista coffee, signature cocktails, and premium wines. There is no welcome bonus, although you do get an automatic Delta Air Lines Platinum Medallion status. 

On top of the tons of travel perks you get with this card (including 24/7 concierge service), you’ll have even more perks when it comes to lounge access. Amex has rebranded its lounges worldwide and now calls them Centurion lounges.

Airports with Centurion lounges include Denver International Airport, Melbourne Airport, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport, San Francisco International Airport, and Stockholm Arlanda Airport, to name a few. 

Many of these lounges offer seasonally inspired food, local-specific cocktails, premium spirits, and curated wine lists. Some Centurion lounges even have wine tasting, family rooms, and spa services. Talk about luxury!

American Express Platinum Card

This card might seem similar to the Centurion Black card, but it has tons of differences and may even be a better option for most of you at a much lower fee.

With this credit card, you’ll have access to 1,400 airport lounges with the Priority Pass Lounge Access and the Amex Centurion Lounges. You’ll also have access to Delta Sky Club Lounges when you fly on Delta and several Virgin Clubhouse and Escape Lounges. 

The annual fee is $695, but you’ll get thousands of dollars in added value every year, especially if you’re a frequent flyer. For example, you’ll get 80,000 membership rewards points after spending $8,000 on purchases on the card during the first 6 months. 

You’ll have access to Centurion lounges if you have either a Centurion or Platinum-branded card, like The Business Platinum Card. To take it a step further, authorized users with a Centurion or Amex Platinum card also have access and can add up to three authorized users per year.

Keep in mind that to have access to these lounges, you must have a Centurion or Platinum card. The Amex Gold Card and the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex Card do not grant you access.

If you’re deciding between the two cards, the Platinum Card offers way better value and access to the same lounges, for a way cheaper price. So if you’re not invited to apply for a Centurion Card, don’t feel so bad – you get plenty of benefits for a great annual fee with the Platinum!

Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard

You’ll get tons of perks with the Citi/AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard. For starters, it gives you JetBlue Admirals Club access.

You can also purchase an Admirals Club one-day pass for $59, or 59,000 points. To use the lounges, you must be an Admirals Club member. You’ll find Admirals Clubs in 32 airports around the world. Luckily, JetBlue operates out of 23 of the 32 airports. 

Other benefits include a sign-up bonus, where you’ll get 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage bonus miles after you spend $7,000 in the first 3 months.

Every five years, you’ll get a $100 reimbursement for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. It even takes it a step further by offering a $120 Avis or Budget car rental credit every year, and $120 Grubhub credits. 

Other perks include getting 10 miles for every $1 spent on car rentals and hotels booked through the American Airlines website. You’ll also get 4 miles for every $1 spent on American purchases, and one Loyalty Point for every $1 spent, which counts towards your elite status. 

This is a great credit card to have for cheaper access to the Admiral Clubs. The credit card has an annual fee of $595, but it’s cheaper than the annual Admirals Club membership. So, you’re getting two-for-one with this card: Admiral Club lounge access and other travel perks. 

For example, an annual Admiral Club membership costs $850 for a non-elite AAdvantage member. For AAdvantage Gold members, it costs $825, and for AAdvantage Executive Platinum members, it costs $750. But if you have a credit card, that membership is only $595!

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

With this credit card, you’ll have access to the Capital One Partner Lounge Network. This encompasses the Priority Pass Lounges, Capital One Lounges, and Plaza Premium Lounges – a recently developed lounge that’s taking airports by storm. 

The Plaza Premium’s debut lounge was in Dallas-Fort Worth, and offers tons of fresh and cold food, in addition to a craft cocktail bar. In this particular location, there’s also cold-pressed juice, sandwiches, and snacks.

It also has shower suites, an exercise room, a nursing room, restrooms, and a relaxation room. There are now locations at the Denver International Airport and Washington Dulles. 

With this credit card, you’ll also get a $300 Capital One Travel credit and an anniversary bonus of 10,000 miles. You’ll get 10 miles per dollar on rental cars and hotels, 5 miles per dollar on flights, and 2 miles per dollar on every purchase you make every day. 

One more perk of this credit card is you can have a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership, which allows you to bring 2 guests free of charge. As we’ve mentioned above, with the Priority Pass membership, you’ll have access to 1,400 airport lounges in 150 countries.

United Club℠ Infinite Card

For less than the price of the United Club membership, you’ll have unlimited access to lounges around the world with this card. You’ll get 4 miles per every dollar you spend with United.

Other perks include getting 2 miles per dollar on other travel and restaurants, and 1 mile per dollar on other purchases. You might feel deterred from the $525 annual fee, but keep in mind that an annual lounge membership is $650, so it’s well worth the price. 

With the 80,000 bonus miles reward after qualifying purchases, you’ll be able to maximize this card’s many travel perks, including free flights. 

The most impressive benefit of the United Club Infinite Card is having access to the United lounges around the world. The only downside is having a low return on your spending, which typically isn’t the case with the other cards.

There are 45 United clubs around the world, including London, Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago. If you’re a frequent United Airlines flyer, then this card is a great choice.  

United℠ Explorer Card

This is an excellent starter card with a low annual fee.

While many of these cards are great for frequent flyers, if you still want the perks without having to travel often to make the most of your card, consider getting the United Explorer Card. This card gives two one-time passes to the United Club each year. 

Because day passes to the United Club cost $59 per use, the two free passes with this card have real value. It offers 60,000 bonus miles if you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months.

For the first year, there’s a $0 fee, and then a $95 annual fee following that year. If you go to two United Clubs per year, you’re already making that annual fee back.

The only downside is this credit card has fewer rewards than most other cards, with 2 miles per dollar spent at United and 1 mile per dollar everywhere else. But at a lower annual fee, this could be perfect for you to add a little luxury to the odd journey and save some money.

HSBC Elite Credit Card

This credit card works with LoungeKey and grants you and 1 guest free access to over 1,000 airport lounges around the world. 

You’ll get 50,000 reward bonus points, which are worth $750 in airfare if you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months of opening your account. This bonus of benefits includes 2x dining points for new dining purchases and 1x point on all other purchases. 

The annual fee is $395, but you’ll have access to more than a thousand airport lounges around the world, though there is a $32 access fee for each visit. In all honesty, that’s less than two beers at the airport!

Verdict

Whether you’re a frequent traveler or someone who only travels a couple of times per year, these are the best credit cards on the market that’ll provide access to airport lounges around the world.

Overall, the best credit card is the Chase Sapphire Reserve, which grants access to 1,400 lounges, offers the best rewards system, and has its very own up-and-coming Chase Sapphire Lounges.

If you’re a less frequent traveler, the United Explorer Card credit card is the best choice, though it offers the least amount of benefits. 

Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card offers access to more than 50 lounges worldwide, and tons of rewards. This is especially beneficial if you travel often with Delta. The bonus points are also worth it. 

The Capital One Venture X Rewards gives access to Captial One lounges around the world, in addition to the Priority Pass membership. The HSBC Elite Credit Card gives access to 1,000 lounges, while the United Explorer Card grants access to the United Lounges.

For access to the Admiral Clubs, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard is your best bet.

Picking the right card depends on the type of lounges you want to have access to, the rewards and points system you’re looking for, and how often you travel. Which one has made your eyes twinkle?

Norse fleets were previously operated by Norwegian Air Shuttle, before it was saved from collapse during the pandemic. Norse Atlantic Airways was founded in 2021, and its inaugural flight took place between Oslo to JFK in New York in June 2022.  

Where You Can Fly Norse Atlantic Airways

Norse Atlantic Airways has a lot of pinpoints on the map, from North America, the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia. Because it’s Norwegian-owned, most of Norse’s flights operate to and from Oslo, Norway.

Several flights also operate from London Gatwick, United Kingdom. They also have flights from Berlin, Germany, Paris, France, Rome, Italy, Athens, Greece, Bangkok, Thailand, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Orlando, Washington, USA, Jamaica and Barbados, and one flight to Asia (Bangkok).

They plan on opening a flight between JFK, New York, and Athens, Greece in May 2024. 

According to their website, they operate the following flights throughout the year:

The following flights operate on a seasonal service: 

Norse recently began a winter seasonal service with non-stop flights from Miami to Berlin once per week, and Miami to Paris four times per week, joining previous destinations to London and Oslo.

Premium Norse

If you’re someone who wants to travel with more comfort, then Norse Premium Class is a great way to travel. That way, you don’t have to worry about how much you’re packing.

By paying extra, you’ll also get complimentary meals and drinks, a free carry-on bag, a wider seat, and more legroom. Norse will also provide earplugs and soft blankets to make your journey across the Atlantic much more comfortable. 

When I flew with Norse, I was traveling on a budget, so I did not choose to fly premium – though the perks are probably well worth the extra cost, especially if you want extra legroom. 

Norse has three Premium levels you can choose from: Premium Light, Premium Classic, and Premium Flextra. 

Premium Light gets you one personal item, one carry-on, two meals, premium boarding, and priority check-in. It’s also changeable for a $200 fee. 

With Premium Classic, you’ll get all the same as Premium Light, plus a standard checked bag. You can also change your flight for a $100 fee. 

Premium Flextra gets you the same as classic but is a better option for those of you traveling with a lot of bags, as it includes two checked bags, and you get a voucher if you want to change or reschedule your flight. 

Economy Norse

Similar to Premium, there are three levels of Economy you can choose: Economy Light, Economy Classic, and Economy Flextra. 

The Economy Light only allows for a personal item, and to change your ticket incurs a $200 fee. You’re also the last to board.

However, when I boarded my flights to and from London I boarded with the masses, so didn’t feel I needed priority boarding that you get with Classic or Flextra. Once you’re on board, you have to wait anyway!

You’ll have general boarding with Economy Classic, a carry-on, and a checked bag, and the chance to change your ticket for a $100 fee. 

In Economy Flextra, you’ll get all the perks of Economy Classic, in addition to seat selection, priority boarding, and the chance to change your ticket at no additional cost. 

Economy rows are placed in a 3-3-3 seating arrangement.

You don’t get any of the other amenities that more expensive airlines have, like pillows and a blanket, though you can have them for an additional fee. The comfort kit, with a sleep mask, ear plugs, and neck cushion costs $6.50, while headphones cost $3.50. 

Norse Dreamliners

The Dreamliner 787 is an efficient aircraft that was designed after the Oseberg Viking ship in Oslo. It’s a symbol of the Viking explorers who explored the world for generations before our time.

With their motto in mind, traveling on one of these airplanes seems like more of an epic journey than your typical flight. 

I found the plane’s cabin to be clean and modern, which is not something I usually expect with low-cost airlines. The fleet had large windows and new seats.

According to Norse, they use 25% lower CO2 emissions and are 50% quieter than the previous aircraft generations. 

My Experience Flying Norse

I’ve flown Norse Atlantic Airways several times: round trip between New York and London Gatwick, and round trip between New York and Oslo. My flight between JFK and London cost around $350, while my flight between New York and Oslo cost around $450. 

The flight to Oslo was a bit more expensive because I decided to purchase Economy Classic, which meant I had a carry-on and a checked bag, in addition to one meal, included.

It was around $100 more than the Economy Light ticket, but as I was spending a couple of weeks in Norway, I wanted to make sure I had enough clothes with me – which is almost impossible to do with only a personal item!

Round Trip: New York to London

Because I was only flying to London for the weekend, I packed enough clothes and toiletries for a few days. I could fit it all into a personal item backpack, which fits under the seat. 

My flight from New York to London was an evening flight. When I tried to check into my flight online, the website said I had to check in at the airport. So I arrived at JFK three hours before the scheduled departure, even though I only had a personal item and wasn’t planning on checking a bag.

According to their website, Norse do now allow you to check in online – however, I’d always be vigilant of this to avoid any problems.

Upon arriving at Terminal 7 at JFK, I went to the check-in desk. I’d heard about a $10 fee to check in at the airport – a charge that is to cover the cost of printing your boarding pass, according to their website. However, this was not mentioned or asked for when I arrived at the check-in booth.

I waited in the check-in line for less than a minute. They asked me to place my bag inside the baggage sizer to make sure it was the personal item size. Luckily, it was within the right size and weight.

Security through JFK was quite long, but I arrived at my gate in time to munch on a couple of snacks. Before the flight, I kept receiving email alerts suggesting I upgrade my ticket fare for an additional fee. I didn’t feel like upgrading so I ignored the emails, even if they were annoying. 

We boarded right on time and left within several minutes of the scheduled departure. 

Immigration for London was over in a matter of minutes. Those with a US passport can use the scanning machine to enter the country, and I was out exploring London within an hour of landing!

For my return, my experience at Gatwick airport was a little bit rougher than at JFK. Honestly, I would consider purchasing priority check-in at Gatwick Airport. While check-in at JFK was fast, check-in at Gatwick was a bit of a hassle.

I had to wait a while on the line just to get my boarding pass, even though I wasn’t checking a bag. Usually, I wouldn’t waste money on buying priority check-in, but it seemed worth it to avoid the annoyance that came with waiting around. 

As with the first flight, we departed and arrived right on time. I’d brought with me a huge sandwich and a few snacks for the flight, because I didn’t want to pay for a $30 meal on the airplane. They provided complimentary water. 

I was happy I didn’t pay to upgrade because the Economy Light seats looked pretty similar to the Economy Classic and Economy Plus seats. Even if it’s the difference of a few inches, I felt it was worth saving a couple hundred bucks for a six-hour flight.

Having said that, my seat did not recline, which was frustrating as I was in the middle seat – it certainly made for a fitful sleep!  

One thing that stood out to me was the cleanliness of the planes. They even smelled good! On both flights, the seats were clean, and the bathroom was spotless, which is not something I usually experience on low-cost airlines.

The most frustrating part was being placed in the middle seat on both planes and having to politely nudge the person next to me to let me out of the middle seat to use the bathroom.  

Luckily, I travel with a blanket, which I recommend on Norse Atlantic Airways flights because it was freezing! Otherwise, I would have had to purchase a blanket for $5, which is not worth it for me. I ended up wearing my sweatshirt and using my travel blanket to keep warm.

Roundtrip: New York to Oslo

During my flights to and from Oslo, I flew Economy Classic. This is because I had to bring more clothes and a tent with me, which is not something I can shove into a personal item! 

I didn’t want to pay for my seats, so I took a chance and played the gambling seat game again. This time, I got lucky with my seat placement! I was allocated an aisle seat on the way to Oslo, and the window seat on the way back.

There was only one other person in the aisle seat on the return flight, so I didn’t need to worry too much about legroom or annoying more than one person when I had to get up and use the bathroom.

While the flight was fine, the landing in Oslo was frustrating. Immigration took more than an hour. To avoid this, I recommend spending the money and buying a seat near the front of the plane.  

Once I’d got through immigration, my bag was waiting for me on the belt. It had likely been waiting for a while, considering how long immigration took. However, this isn’t a fault of Norse’s – just more of a tip to be seated at the front of the aircraft if you can.

Staff And Punctuality

The staff on all four flights were friendly, attentive, and kind. They were confident and clearly well-trained with their in-safety presentations on all the flights, since they were always in sync and smiling from ear to ear.

All four of my Norse flights departed and arrived right on time. If anything, we boarded a bit earlier than expected for the New York and Oslo flights.

Meals on Board

On these flights, my meals were included. On the way to Oslo, I decided to have vegetables and grilled chicken. I usually opt for vegetarian options on a flight, but I snuck a peek at the same option for the people behind me, and it looked good.

I’m afraid I skipped the chocolate pudding Norse provided, as I’d packed some cookies I was looking forward to. I also decided to celebrate with a Carlsberg beer in honor of Scandinavia. On the way back to New York, I had a basic vegetarian dish.

Overall, Norse Atlantic Airways has a good selection of meals, which are served with minimal plastic. This is something I’ve noticed many airlines starting to do. Though perhaps a little bland compared to other meals I’ve had, all the meals with Norse were tasty.

Entertainment On Board

You’ll have your selection between Indie films, new releases, musicals, and children’s movies in Norse’s entertainment system.

Before take-off, each seat television has the seat number and a gorgeous photo of the Northern Lights in the background. This felt like a promising start on my way to Oslo (even though, sadly, I never ended up seeing the Northern Lights in Norway).

There weren’t any games on the entertainment system. I personally didn’t use the television on any of my flights – I prefer to get some work done or take a restful sleep.

But if you do want to watch a movie, I recommend bringing your aux headphones, since you have to buy them from Norse. Bluetooth headphones don’t work with their entertainment system. 

Checking a Bag

It’s always cheaper to buy your checked bag or carry-on when you’re purchasing your ticket. Unless you know you’re only going somewhere for a few days and will bring practically nothing, I recommend purchasing the extra baggage fee.

That’s the only downside to low-budget airlines – they do not include baggage fees. 

For a flight from JFK to London Gatwick, Norse charges as follows:

• Personal Item (40 x 30 x 15): Free
• Carry-on bag (10kg / 22lbs): $45 at booking 
• Light checked bag (15kg / 33lbs): $60 at booking 
• Standard checked bag (23kg / 50lbs): $75 at booking 
• Heavy checked bag (32kg / 70lbs): $170 at booking

When you pay at check-in at the airport, you’ll typically pay $10-$20 more than you would online.

Paying for Seats

Depending on the seat you want and where it’s located on the airplane, you’ll end up paying as little as $20 to as much as $100 for your selected seat.

I usually choose not to pay for a seat and take a gamble with where they’ll put me. Sometimes it works out for the best, but other times I’m stuck in the middle seat.

How to Book with Norse

It’s very easy to book with Norse, and their website is user-friendly. Simply type in the departure airport and arrival airport, and the dates you want to fly.

It will take you to a page with different flight options. You might have to change the currency at the top-right corner, which I had to do because it automatically went to British Pounds. 

You have the choice to fly Economy or Premium. On some flights, Premium is roughly $50 more expensive, which is worth it if you want added comfort and a checked bag.

If you select Economy, it’ll give you another option to choose between Economy Light, Economy Classic (recommended), and Economy Flextra. You can then select between Premium Light, Premium Classic, and Premium Flextra. 

If you’re on a tight budget, I recommend buying the Economy Light or the Economy Classic. I would only recommend the Premium Flextra if there’s a chance you need to change your flight, then it’s worth paying the extra fee. 

The only downside with booking Economy Light is that I had a middle seat both to and from London.

You’ll have an option to pay for additional checked bags on the following page for both flights. This will be cheaper than buying it at the airport.

The next stage allows you to select a seat for payment. If you don’t mind where you sit, you can skip this page and head to the next one.

If you have a Premium Light ticket, your meals are included and you can select which meal you want (main meal, gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan). This is where you can choose to pre-purchase your meals with the Economy Light ticket.

Each meal comes with one non-alcoholic drink. You can purchase an alcoholic drink on board for an additional fee. Again, you’ll be asked if you want to spend $20 for priority boarding with the cheaper ticket.

Before the final payment page, you’ll be bombarded with different choices of add-ons, which is typical of low-cost carriers.

London Gatwick Airport has lounge access with Norse Atlantic Airways, which you can have access to for $40. This offers high-speed Wi-Fi, a games room, and an outdoor terrace.

One benefit of the non-stop New York to London Gatwick flight is that it’s competitive in the market. The cheapest flights between the two cities used to cost more than $1,000 round trip during off-peak season.

Fortunately, with Norse, we’re seeing more affordable routes not just between the USA and the United Kingdom, but between other major cities in Europe. 

Conclusion

All in all, I had a pleasant time flying with Norse on all four of my flights. I would fly with them again. Checking into the flight was easy, boarding was seamless, and the flight was as comfortable as a low-cost airline could be.

I’m curious about flying in Premium Plus in the future, to sample a difference experience with Norse, and seemingly much more comfortable. No matter the class though, all Norse staff were friendly, and the plane was clean. 

I experienced hassle-free flights that made arriving in two new cities a beautiful, fun experience. I felt well-rested and ready to explore, even with the short weekend away in London.

Norse Atlantic Airways sticks to its motto and makes traveling around the world easy and exciting. If I were to fly across the pond again, there’s no doubt in my mind that I would choose to fly with Norse.

Simply put, Scoot is a low-cost subsidiary of Singapore Airlines. 

While traveling in Australia and Asia, I flew with Scoot Airlines from Melbourne, Australia to Singapore on a long-haul flight, and then from Singapore to Taipei, Taiwan on a medium-haul flight.

What sets it apart from other Asian airlines is its high safety rating, which means it can fly into Europe and Australia, unlike other budget airlines. For example, Air Manas, Buddha Air, Nepal Airlines, and Pakistan International Airlines are all banned from flying into Europe because of safety reasons. 

In 2021 and 2022, Scoot was voted the ‘World’s Best Long-Haul Low-Cost Airline‘ by Skytrax. And in 2023, it came in second place as a runner-up to Air Asia.

Because it’s a Singaporean airline, most of their flights operate to and from Singapore, though you can find flights elsewhere. Scoot Airlines currently has 20 widebody Boeing 787 Dreamlines and 40 Airbus A320 aircraft. 

Where You Can Flight Scoot

With a superb and extensive network, you’ll discover that Scoot flies across numerous destinations, mostly in Asia and with a few destinations in Australia and Europe. Scoot operates with several long-haul and multiple medium and short-haul routes, mainly across the Asian continent. 

Countries include Japan, Vietnam, Australia (Sydney, Perth, and Melbourne), China, Germany (Berlin), Greece (Athens), Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. 

Pokémon Air Adventures

Scoot strives to make sure their customers have the most remarkable experience out there, which is why, for their tenth anniversary, they curated a Pokémon-themed in-flight experience. Unfortunately, I was not flying with Scoot Airlines during this celebration, but what a unique way to travel! 

You can book a flight on their new Pikachu Jet. Decorated on the exterior of the flight are pictures of Pikachu, Pichu, Shaymin, Psyduck, Lapras, Celebi, and Meganium. On board, you’ll have Pikachu Jet-themed serviettes, cups, and character prints on the overhead cabins.

Meals are Japanese-inspired and you’ll get a ‘Scootitude Surprise‘. This could be a very welcome and distracting way to fly, especially for young ones. Oh, who am I kidding… It looks like I’ll have to head back to Asia just to get a glimpse of this aircraft!

KrisFlyer 

Just like any other airline, Scoot Airlines also has a frequent flyer program in partnership with the Singapore Airlines Group. It’s called the KrisFlyer, and you can earn miles when you fly with Scoot and their partner airlines (including Singapore Airlines and Virgin Australia).

You can redeem these points for flights and upgrades. According to their website, you’ll get one mile for every SGD$1 spent. 

You’ll also get 2.5 Elite miles for every KrisFlyer mile earned with Scoot. This helps you upgrade your KrisFlyer membership level. Rewards include upgrades and discounts on future flights.

HighFlyer

The Singapore Airlines Group has a business travel program called HighFlyer. This grants seamless business travel rewards and saves money while your employees travel. You’ll get the savings in rewards and points.

They have four membership tiers, including HighFlyer, HighFlyer Silver, HighFlyer Gold, and HighFlyer Platinum which seems very worthwhile if you have a business. As a regular traveler without a business, I prefer their Scoot Plus upgrade which I’ll speak about below. 

Scoot Plus

While booking your flight, you can choose to purchase an upgrade to Scoot Plus. You’ll get priority check-in, extra legroom on a luxurious leather seat, 15kg cabin baggage and 30kg of checked baggage, complimentary food and an alcoholic drink, and in-seat power and Wi-Fi.

Keep in mind that this upgrade is only available for destinations flying on the Boeing 787 aircraft. 

Another option Scoot provides is to pay for a seat in the front row of the plane (called Scoot Stretch). This might be worth the extra cash, especially if you have longer legs!

Scoot-in-Silence

Scoot Airlines believes that for some, silence is key – which is why they have a ‘Scoot-in-Silence’ portion of their aircraft, for anyone aged 12 and up. This is for those of you who wish to travel in silence, in a dedicated, quiet cabin.

You’ll get wider legroom, adjustable headrests, and fewer distractions. Best of all, you’ll get early disembarkation. 

Scoot-in-Silence is only available on the Dreamline aircraft. If you’re someone who works remotely like me, this is the best way to get work done without any of the distractions that come with the economy rows.

Meals on Board

For a regular ticket without Scoot Plus, meals are not included on the flight. This is a common occurrence with low-cost aircraft.

The good news is you can either bring your food on the flight or pre-purchase meals. They’re able to accommodate halal or vegetarian meals, but you must confirm your dietary restrictions before the flight. 

Scoot Lounge Access

You also have the option to purchase Scoot Lounge Access before your flight. They’ll email the entry voucher at least three days before your departure flight. You must bring the voucher with your boarding pass for entry to the lounge. 

If you are a KrisFlyer Elite Gold or a Star Alliance Gold member, you have access to the Scoot Lounge. Keep in mind that lounge access is dependent on the airport and your KrisFlyer status. Regular customers do not have access to the lounges. 

My Experience Flying Scoot

I flew from Melbourne to Singapore on an 8-hour flight, on a Singapore Airlines Boeing 772 aircraft. My original flight was supposed to be on a Scoot aircraft; however, several days before departure I received an email from Scoot confirming that the aircraft was undergoing engine maintenance.

To ensure on-time performance, they chartered a Singapore Airlines flight. I was enthralled by the surprise upgrade to a more luxurious aircraft. They also put me in an aisle seat for the long-haul flight.

I checked into my flight on the app the night before my flight, dropped my bag three hours before departure, and went through security with enough time for a coffee before my flight. 

The best part about switching to this aircraft was the on-board entertainment, which is something you don’t get with Scoot Airlines. That’s one of the biggest downsides to flying with this low-cost carrier, but it’s just more of an excuse to bring a book!

On my 5-hour flight from Singapore to Taipei, I flew on a Scoot TR 202. Luckily, I had an aisle seat again. This was comfortable for a medium-haul flight, even if there was a noticeable difference in legroom from my previous flight with Singapore Airlines and no onboard entertainment screen.

Fortunately, Scoot Airlines has begun providing entertainment that you can connect to through your phone or iPad. 

I decided to purchase a meal at the Taipei airport instead of purchasing an on-board meal for the short flight. The seats felt a little less comfortable than the long-haul flight with Singapore Airlines, though that was expected with the budget airline.

The only thing I would have preferred would have been to have a comfier headrest, though I could have solved that myself by bringing my travel pillow. They provide blankets and other items for a small fee. 

Both of my flights departed on time and arrived on time. Boarding and exiting the aircraft was seamless, and getting my checked bag was easy.

All in all, these were two very seamless, stress-free flights that gave me a great impression of Scoot and Singapore Airlines. It was a wonderful way to end my adventure in Australia and begin my adventure in Taiwan. 

How to Book Scoot Airlines

Booking a flight using the Scoot Airlines website is seamless. Enter the departure airport and arrival airport, if you want round-trip or one-way, and the date you want to depart.  

The website asks you to log into your KrisFlyer account if you have one. If not, it will give you the time and price of the flight. I set the website to USD, though you can select from nearly every currency in the world. 

The booking process also gives you the option to upgrade to Scoot Plus for an additional fee. You also have the choice to add FLEX to your ticket, which is there in case your plans change and you need to reschedule your flight or get a refund.

Conclusion

All in all, I would recommend flying Scoot Airlines. It’s worth the low cost you pay, even if it lacks the entertainment, meals, and other accessories like blankets and earplugs that other aircraft have.

Next time, I will likely travel on a Scoot Plus ticket to have a bit more comfort. On the other hand, the money saved is well worth needing to prepare a bit more in terms of bringing meals and other comfort items like a travel pillow. 

By utilizing the Citibank Rewards Points by using your Citibank credit card for your everyday purchases, you can collect points to put towards your flights and hotel stays. 

Because I travel often, I’m always looking for ways to maximize my spending benefits. On previous trips, I’ve used my accumulated points to get some of the best deals on flights within Asia, and flights from the USA to Central America and within Central America. But before I purchased any flight, I conducted tons of research to see if the Citibank Travel Portal was giving me the best flight deal possible. I’ve ended up saving hundreds of dollars on flights, and it’s all thanks to my everyday purchases. 

In this guide, we’ll explore effective strategies you can use to maximize your travel benefits, or purchasing benefits in general, by using Citibank Rewards Points. As the Citibank ThankYou rewards website puts it, this is a great option for “The avid traveler, the gift card connoisseur, and the online shopper.”

If you’re in any or all of those categories, keep on reading!

Understanding the Rewards Program 

Simply put, through eligible transactions on hotels, car rentals, gas stations, and grocery stores, you can theoretically earn rewards points to put towards travel. Since I use my Citibank credit card for pretty much everything under the sun, collecting points isn’t an issue. Generally, Citi ThankYou points are worth $.01 per point, but they can sometimes be worth $.005 or up to $.03. This depends on the type of card you have and how you’re redeeming those points.  

My love for travel prevails, so I always use the points I’ve collected on everyday purchases on free flights. There are some limitations with certain Citibank credit card points, while others offer greater flexibility. We’ll take a look at the different types of credit cards and the pros and cons of each. 

Types of Credit Cards

Several Citibank credit cards have a $0 annual fee, while others range from $95 to $495. By adding a credit card to your wallet that doesn’t have an annual fee, you’re collecting travel points at no cost. 

One other perk of using Citibank is that you can earn more ThankYou points through your checking account, including Citibank Account, Citi Private Bank, Citigold, and Citi Priority. You’ll score the most points from Citi Priority and Citi Private Bank.

To do this, you have to complete one qualifying direct deposit and one qualifying bill payment each month. 

Citi Rewards+® Card

This is the credit card I use to score those travel points. With a $0 annual fee, I don’t have to spend any extra money just to get points. With this card, you’ll earn 20,000 bonus points after spending $1,500 within the first three months of your account opening, redeemable for a $200 gift card.

With the first 100,000 points you redeem each year, you’ll get 10% back. 

That could equal a domestic flight around the United States or an inexpensive flight to Central America! You’ll also get two ThankYou points per $1 spent at supermarkets and gas stations, and one ThankYou point per $1 spent on all other purchases. For every purchase, rewards are rounded up to the nearest 10 points. The only downside is you can’t transfer your points to any Citibank flight partners and must use them within the Citibank Travel Portal. 

Citi Double Cash® Card

With a $0 annual fee, this credit card also seems like an attractive choice. After you spend $1,500 on purchases within the first six months, you’ll get $200 cashback. 

This is an easy feat which translates to 20,000 ThankYou points. Otherwise, you’ll get 1% of points back for every dollar spent, and $1 for every dollar paid off. Similarly to the Citibank Rewards+ card, you can only use these points in the Citibank Travel Portal. 

Citi Custom Cash Card

When you spend $1,500 within the first six months of opening the account, you’ll get 20,000 bonus points. There’s no annual fee, and you’ll get 5% cash back on your top spending category with each billing cycle. And as with the others, you can only use points in the Citibank Travel Portal. 

Citi Premier® Card

Even though this credit card has a $95 annual fee, you’ll make it back in points. Because of how often I travel, this card is well worth the annual fee for my lifestyle. After spending $4,000 in purchases within the first three months of opening your account, you’ll earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou Points. 

Otherwise, you’ll get three ThankYou points for every $1 spent at the supermarket, gas stations, hotels, restaurants, and flights. One other bonus is if you have a single hotel stay of $500 or more, purchased through the ThankYou site, you’ll have $100 annual hotel savings. That’s more than the annual fee! And because this credit card has an annual fee, you can transfer the points to flights outside of the Citibank Travel Portal.

Citi Prestige® Card

For the best bang for your buck and points for travel, I recommend the Citi Prestige Card. Even though it has a $495 annual fee, the points back make up for it. You’ll get three ThankYou points per dollar spent on hotels and cruise lines, and one ThankYou point for every dollar spent on other purchases, with up to $250 of annual travel credit. You’ll also get select airport lounge access. 

And for every dollar you spend at restaurants or on air travel, which is likely a lot if you’re an avid traveler, you’ll get five ThankYou points back. Similarly to the Citi Premier card, because this card has an annual fee, you can transfer the points to Citibank flight partners. 

AT&T Points Plus Card

If you use AT&T as your phone plan, this might be the right card for you. There’s no annual fee, and you’ll earn three ThankYou Points for every $1 spent at gas stations, two ThankYou points for every $1 spent at grocery stores, and one ThankYou point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.

Best of all, you can use your points to pay for your AT&T wireless bill. 

Citi ThankYou Points Explained

Redeeming points might seem a little confusing, but I’ll break it down. Different credit cards will give you access to different points. As the Points Guy calls it, there are simple, basic ThankYou points, which simply means you can’t redeem them for as many things as you can with the more flexible ThankYou points. 

For example, with the Citi Rewards+ Card, you can only use the points to book flights through the Citibank portal, as opposed to transferring them over to Citibank Travel Partners. Simply put, you can only book flights through the Citibank portal with cards with no annual fee. You can transfer the points to travel partners with cards with an annual fee. 

How to Earn Points

I’m strategic about the way I earn points. I always use my Citi Rewards+ card at the supermarket, and if I’m ever renting a car, I make sure to put it on my Citi Rewards+ card. It’s also the same for restaurants and any purchases I make on Amazon. Whenever I book flights, I use the Citibank Travel Portal to search for flight options and point redemptions to see what the best available options are. 

I always make sure to first compare it to flights I find on other sites like Skyscanner and Google Flights. And I can gladly say, that most of the time, Citibank provides decent deals. And with every flight purchase, I earn more points! 

Another way to earn points is through credit card sign-up bonuses. As I mentioned above, you’ll earn a set number of points if you spend over a certain amount of money on your credit card within a few months of opening the account. 

Citibank Flight Partners

Keep in mind that there are some caveats when it comes to using Citibank points for travel. It’s all dependent on the type of credit card you have. The Citi Rewards+ Card and Citi Custom Cash cards do not transfer to Citi Flight Partners and only earn basic ThankYou points, which can only be used through the Citibank portal. 

Some of the more popular Citibank flight partners include Air France, EVA Air, Qantas Frequent Flyer, Asia Miles, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, and JetBlue True Blue. You can enhance the value of your points by looking for promotions or bonuses. 

Point Transfers For Flights

Asia Miles uses a distance-based award chart, where you can use a flight that ranges from 5,001 miles to 7,500 miles for just 30,000 miles. There’s no reward chart with JetBlue True Blue, but you can typically fly round-trip domestic flights for 20,000 points or less. 

You can fly round-trip to Europe with Air France for 50,000 miles. When you book your flights early, you’ll get more benefits, cheaper prices, and award seats. This is ideal if you’re traveling with your partner or family. 

To do this, simply go on the Citi ThankYou website, click on “more ways to redeem,” and “Points Transfer.” If you know your hotel or air loyalty information, this is where you’d enter it to use it on that airline or for that hotel.

The transfer is not always immediate and might take some time, though it shouldn’t take more than a week. It’s a good idea to plan ahead of time when using flight partners to make sure the purchase and point transfer goes through. 

How to Redeem Points on the Citi Travel Portal

When I collected more than 20,000 points, I went to the Citi Travel Portal, which gave me the option to choose which credit card I wanted to use, with the number of points I had accumulated listed. Because this card has no annual fee, I could only book a flight through the travel portal on the Citibank website. 

Then it gave me an option to choose hotels, flights, cars, or attractions. I put in where I was flying from and where I was flying to and the date I wanted. It then gave me the full price of the flight, and then how much I would owe if I used all of my points (which was $0). 

The only downside to purchasing a flight through the Citibank Travel Portal is that they’re usually a bit more expensive than a flight I could find on Skyscanner. For example, I could find a flight for $100 on Skyscanner, and that same flight would be $150 on Citibank. But the plus side is that I can use my points towards this flight, and then get more points through the purchase. 

After finding my flight, I clicked select and entered the number of points I wanted to put towards my flight (in this case, all of them, but I could have chosen to use a third, half, or any random amount), and then I purchased my flight. 

The Flights I Bought 

I used my Citi Rewards+ card to purchase a flight from Delhi, India, to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan with Air Astana. The 20,000 points I had accumulated over time covered the cost of my entire flight ($200), which I booked through the Citibank Travel Portal. They provided plenty of options and I chose the most cost-effective flight, with the shortest travel time. 

I have also used my Citi Rewards+ card to purchase a flight from Denver, Colorado, to Belize City, Belize with Delta Airlines. Because I had accumulated so many points, I used 18,000 points to pay for the $180 flight. When I bought my flight from Belize City, Belize to San Jose, Costa Rica on American Airlines, I used around 11,000 points ($110) to cover the majority of the flight. I put the remaining $75 on my credit card. 

How I Saved Money

By using my credit card points, I’ve saved a total of $490 on flights. This is a great way to reduce the cost of a very expensive flight or to get a flight for free. I had a free trip to several foreign countries all thanks to my grocery store, restaurant, and gas station purchases! 

Other Ways To Use Points

If you’re not an avid traveler, there are myriad other ways you can use your points that are not just for flights. This includes using points for gift cards, merchandise, hotels, and Amazon purchases. 

Partner Hotels 

Wyndham Hotels and Resorts is another Citibank partner that takes Citibank ThankYou points. This is a great option if you have the Citi Prestige or Citi Premiere card since the points-to-dollar ratio is 1,000:1,000. 

But for the other cards like Citi Rewards+ and Citi Double Cash card, the ratio is 1,000:800. In this case redeeming your points for cash or a gift card might make more sense if you have the credit card with no annual fee, since you’ll get more value for your points. 

Citibank Points also transfer to Choice Hotels, like Quality Inn and Comfort Hotels, which is convenient if you’re traveling around the USA or elsewhere for work or family visits. The Citi Rewards+ Card and Citi Double Cash card have a rate of 1,000:1,500 with points, while the Citi Premier and Citi Prestige have a better rate of 1,000:2,000. This is another example of when having a Citibank credit card with an annual fee is a good idea. 

Shopping Online

If you’re an avid online shopper, then you’ll love to hear how much you can redeem with your points when you shop online. With the Citibank ThankYou Points, you can redeem rewards for TVs, kitchen appliances, and new luggage sets, according to their website. The more you spend on your credit card, the more points you will accumulate and can use towards everyday items. 

Gift Cards

If you’re looking for something more flexible and don’t want to feel locked into using your points for a specific hotel or flight, you can redeem your ThankYou points as a gift card to use anytime. You can use this gift card at retail shops, hotels, restaurants, and department stores. 

Use It Towards Charity

You can also put your points towards charity, like UNICEF, No Kid Hungry, World Central Kitchen, and the American Red Cross. This minimum amount for a donation is $10, which is equal to 1,000 points.

You can also select from $25 (25,000 points) and $50 (50,000 points) as donations. The downside to using points towards charity is there’s a limited amount to how much you can donate. 

Cash Back

Finally, if you want to stick to simple cash and don’t want to purchase a flight, or hotel, or use it on Amazon, you can use your points for cashback.

This will appear on your credit card statement towards your bill, as a check in the mail, or as a direct deposit. Unfortunately, with some cards, this won’t equal $.01 per point and is more likely to be $.005 per point, making it a less appealing option. 

Combine Cash And Points

As I mentioned earlier, you can use your points to purchase a flight in its entirety, or you can combine cash and points. While I’ve used my points to cover the entire flight from India to Kyrgyzstan and another flight from Denver, USA to Belize, I’ve partially used my points to pay for half a flight, like from Belize to San Jose, Costa Rica. This is at your discretion, as you can choose to use a combination of cash and points or use the points alone. 

Since Citibank ThankYou points equate to $.01 per point, you can decide if using the points is equal to this. If the booking you’re doing equates to less than $.01 per point, then you could consider redeeming it for cash. 

Be Mindful Of Restrictions And Plan Ahead

Luckily, Citibank ThankYou points don’t expire unless you close the account. By keeping your account open, or using all of your points before closing an account, you won’t lose all of those benefits from your purchases. 

Summing Up

There are many pros to the Citibank ThankYou Rewards Points. Whether you have a card without an annual fee, like I have, or a card that has a $495 annual fee, you’ll have perks that come with each card. Paying an annual fee will give you more freedom with using your points, for example, with flight partners. 

Cards without an annual fee are more restricted with the use of points, but you’re still able to put them towards flights. Be mindful of how much your points are transferring to, and try to stay away from redeeming points that are equal to half their value. 

To reap the most benefits, consider combining two different Citibank credit cards, for example, the Citi Rewards+ and the Citi Prestige Card. This will help maximize your earnings and provide ultimate freedom when it comes to purchasing flights and other travel perks.