Flight Reviews

What’s it like flying Tropic Air Belize? Island hopping in the Caribbean paradise 

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…

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Flight Review: Jetstar’s budget transpacific service Honolulu to Sydney (JQ4)

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…

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Flight Review: Fly like a SkyBoss on Vietjet from Sydney to Vietnam (VJ086)

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. …

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Flight Review: Island hopping with Hawaiian Airlines – Kona (KOA) to Maui (OGG) to Honolulu (HNL)

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…

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Flight Review: United Airlines’ longest route – Sydney to Houston, Texas on the 787 Dreamliner

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…

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Flight Review: Jetstar’s International Economy on the 787 Dreamliner – Honolulu to Melbourne (JQ2)

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…

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Air Transat Review: Flying Canada’s third largest airline from Toronto to Montreal

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…

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How long are airport security wait times in Canada? This website will tell you!

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…

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Flight Review: Westjet Encore – Toronto Pearson Terminal 3 to Nashville, USA

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…

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Frontier Airlines Review: What’s the experience flying Colorado’s “ultra low-cost” carrier?

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…

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Flight Review: American Airlines – Washington DC (DCA) to Toronto, Canada (YYZ)

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…

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Flight Review: Ryanair from London Stansted to Bremen, Germany

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…

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Toronto Pearson Delays: Flying to the USA with Air Canada – how early do you need to get to the airport?

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…

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Review: Flying Canada’s budget carrier Flair Airlines – Montreal to Toronto

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…

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Air Canada vs Westjet: What is pandemic travel like with Canada’s biggest airlines from Toronto to Vancouver (Updated)

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…

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Porter Airlines vs Air Canada: Flying to and from a reopened Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport

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…

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How to get home: These airlines continue to fly between the USA and Australia amidst the Coronavirus

**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…

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Is flying from LAX to Sydney with Virgin Australia’s Economy X worth the upgrade?

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:…

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Flight Review: Delta’s upgraded Economy service from JFK to LAX proves they’re best in class

One of the US airlines who are repeatedly proving themselves to be the best in market are Delta, with rapid improvement of their fleet, as well as the services they offer on and off the aircraft. Little things like being able to track your bag in their fantastic App will finally remove the question, “did…

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We get a taste of Delta Air Line’s latest Sky Club at the sparkling new New Orleans International Airport

Back in November, the sparkling new terminal at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) opened its doors; a wonderful and long overdue change for anyone who remembers coming in to the old terminal. The US$1.3 billion terminal spans 972,000 square feet and features three concourses, 35 gates, and features the latest Delta Sky Club…

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Flight Review: Business Class from Noumea to Sydney with Aircalin

New Caledonia’s flagship carrier Aircalin now have the distinction of being the first ever airline to bring the new-age A330neo aircraft to Asia-Pacific. And of course they’ve used that considerable boost in capacity to enhance their Business Class services between Noumea and Sydney, making the journey for Aussies looking to explore New Caledonia not just…

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Flight Review: Premium Economy from Sydney to Noumea with Aircalin

New Caledonia’s flagship carrier Aircalin now have the distinction of being the first ever airline to bring the new-age A330neo aircraft to Asia-Pacific. And of course they’ve used that considerable boost in capacity to enhance their Sydney to Noumea service, making the journey for Aussies looking to explore New Caledonia not just more accessible, but…

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Flight Review: Flying Extra Comfort with Hawaiian Airlines from New York City to Sydney via Honolulu

Last month I flew from New York City to Sydney, via Honolulu, with Hawaiian Airlines, who celebrated their 90th birthday last month. I’ve already written about how strong of an option the route is for those who can’t sleep on planes, but today I wanted to delve into the experience of upgrading your ticket from an…

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WestJet are finally offering complimentary meals on flights from Toronto, Canada to London, UK

You don’t think of Trans-Atlantic airlines as being ones where you don’t get a complimentary meal on board. But sure enough, there are plenty that don’t offer the service. Most of them are branded as “Budget Carriers”, however, like Norwegian Air, who fly out of the U.S. East Coast to the UK and Europe. Others,…

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Flight Review: Virgin Australia upgrades its economy meal service and impresses Melbourne to LAX (VA23)

Earlier this month, I jumped on board Virgin Australia’s Boeing 777 five-times-a-week service from Melbourne to Los Angeles, and was surprised to find a number of enhancements to their Economy service – which mainly floated around the quality of their meal services. Read on to see what a VA trip across the Pacific Ocean is…

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Flight Review: Economy Class from Sydney to Nadi with Fiji Airways (FJ910)

The short flight from Sydney to the pacific paradise of Fiji is one of the most frequented for keen Australian travellers looking for a quick and budget friendly escape. Fiji Airways, which has a codeshare agreement with Qantas, has long been known as one of the better and more comfortable ways to get there. So…

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Are Budget Flights in Europe Really That Bad? We fly easyJet from Amsterdam (AMS) to Berlin Schoenefeld (SXF)

Back in September, I flew with the Luton based budget airline easyJet from Amsterdam to Berlin’s budget terminal, Schoenefeld. It’s putting it mildly to say that budget airlines in Europe get a bad rap – but unlike a lot of other places on the planet – I’m looking at you North America – the price difference…

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Flight Review: KLM Royal Dutch Airlines from Abu Dhabi to Amsterdam (KL452)

Once you become dedicated to a certain flight network, you find that you tend to travel the world on a lot of the same airlines. But every now and then, you’re thrown a surprise in your journey that means you don’t get the points you were hoping for, but you do get the chance to…

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Flight Comparison: Air North or Air Canada – who should you fly with to the Yukon in Canada’s North?

Not to be confused with the airline of the same name from Australia’s Top End, Canadian airline Air North has been taking passengers to the Provence of Yukon since 1977, first as a Charter airline and then servicing passengers from the 1980s. This month I flew with them for the first time, travelling on a…

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AirAsia

Flight Review: Flying the world’s first international service to Can Tho with AirAsia

Say what you want about AirAsia, but it’d be hard – and downright foolish – to deny the low-cost carrier’s ambitious and ever-growing network. Some surprising new routes seem to be opening up every year for the busy airline, and for 2019 the most exciting would definitely have to be the service between Kuala Lumpur…

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