Video: Escape Lounge @ BDL Review

December 5, 2019 / babyflyerblog

We value our lounge memberships more than ever when traveling with family. It saves lots of money on airport food and drink, and gives us all a place to relax before our flights, or to get organized afterward. Click HERE or the image above for a quick review of the Escape Lounge at BDL airport with Baby Flyer. This lounge has free access with the Amex Platinum card (plus two guests), or is $45 for entry.

For more videos on lounges, flights, and miles and points, check out any of the other videos on @flyitforward.

-Baby Flyer Blog

Summer 2018 Part 1 -Landings in Lucerne

November 28, 2018November 28, 2018 / babyflyerblog

Dipping our toes in Lake Lucerne

We made so many memories last summer in Europe, we decided to do it again this year. Well, really the airline’s revenue management team decided for us by releasing a bunch of bookable business class seats between Philadelphia and Zurich. There were enough that we could get two award and one upgraded economy ticket round trip.

The seating for the flight was the ‘new’ cabin on American Air’s 767. It’s not the biggest plane, or the layout with the most personal space, but it was ideal for flying with a toddler. Even during takeoff and landing, you could easily reach over and give her toys, snacks, etc.

We decided for the long flights to take and use our travel car seat. If you’re going to do this on a premium cabin, make sure to check ahead. Some of these seats don’t accommodate it well, and may have airbags in the seatbelts making it unsafe. This configuration, however, was fine.

Baby Flyer had a great flight! She loved getting special treats- like refills on her orange juice, and her own ice cream after dinner. The flight crew was great, and got her a special pasta from economy that was more kid-friendly, but even dressed it up and put it on a business class plate. Admittedly, we didn’t sleep much, but she got in a few hours, and was in a good mood on arrival.

Good to Go!

Since we landed there by default, we took a couple nights in Switzerland to shake off the jetlag. We decided on Lucerne, and we booked an Airbnb in town, close to the train from the Zurich airport. This stop was all about kicking some jetlag, seeing the city, and enjoying the lake views.

It’s generally a good idea when flying east to Europe to not make too many ambitious plans in your first city. Honestly, this is a good idea on any trip with little kids.

To get there from Zurich, you can buy tickets on a nonstop train at the airport station (Zurich Flughafen) or buy them in advance online. Pro tip- if you book in advance, you may be able to get ‘super-saver’ tickets online through the website. You can only see if they’re available once you put in your desired day and destination, and then the option will be shown if it’s possible. It’s a big savings- basically half off! The only twist is that they’re not flex tickets, so you need to plan in some time in case your flight is late.

We made our train, and after about a 50 minute ride through fields and mountains, arrived at the central station in Lucerne. Here’s where we’ll just say… it was hot. Europe was in the middle of a historical heat wave nearly our entire trip. We’re not totally unused to the heat, living in Los Angeles, but I don’t think it’s what we expected months earlier when booking the tickets. Luckily, we’d gotten organized, paring down luggage, and finding ways to get everything more portable.

Our Airbnb was about 15 minutes’ walk from the train, and was a perfect set up. It was probably one of the most professionally run properties we’ve stayed at. Everything was clean (down to the swiss chocolates on the pillows) and modern, and the host met us promptly. There was a book full of things to do, local restaurants, and detailed instructions about all the appliances in the apartment.

The Balcony of our Airbnb

They even had an oversized pack n’ play crib and a high chair for us! Even better, there were fans in every room. This was a minority amenity, which we would learn the hard way later in the trip.

As advertised, Lucerne and the surrounding area are beautiful! It’s also safe feeling and clean. I don’t know that I’d test it out, but the locals claim you can drink the lake water. In any case, it’s a beautiful clear blue, and surrounded by city and mountains.

One of the best ways to see the area is to take one of the many cruises or ferries that travel the lake. There are plenty of ticketing and tour options, but we went to the source and booked from the source. Be sure to look at their sale/deals if you can book ahead. We found there were significant savings for our “Panorama Yacht” tickets.

After the boat, we walked through part of the old town, and made sure to cross the Chapel bridge, which is arguably the most photographed part of the city. It did not disappoint.

Afterward, we went to Rossini, which was a great recomendation from our hosts, and it was amazing! Hand-made pasta, and generous portions of everything. They were great and flexible with the menu as well.

Rossini – handmade pasta!

One benefit of the heat wave, was that the lake was much warmer than average. Our host let us know where the best public beach for families was, and we grabbed our bathing suits and headed over. It was a perfect way to cool off after exploring the city! Cool, but not cold, and remarkably clean and calm for a large lake boardered by a city.

IMG_1292 (2)

For our second night, we had dinner at Made in Sud, courtesy of great online reviews. The thing about yelp, Trip Advisor, and the like, is that you have to keep in mind that people review based on the price point. No place is this more pronounced than in Switzerland, where the savvy traveler is always looking for quality for a good deal.

Made In Sud is a perfect example. I have to say right off that the food and service were great, especially for the entirely reasonable price point. The owner and servers made us feel welcome, and were great with kids. However, if you’re looking for super high-end ambiance, there are plenty of other places you could find in Lucerne. However, I doubt you’d want to chase small children around them, and you’d probably pay at least double for the privilege. As an added bonus, there’s a small playground right around the corner from the restaurant for any little folks who get restless waiting for the check.

Too soon, we were headed back to the Zurich airport to catch our flight onwards. Even in a heat wave, we had a fun time checking Lucerne out, and I’d definitely keep it on the “to re-visit” list for the future.

Up next – An economy flight to be jealous of & three nights in Prague.

~CET

Summer 2018 Travel Gear Guide

July 17, 2018July 18, 2018 / babyflyerblog

Baby Flyer starts a flight off right!

In just a couple weeks, we’re heading out on a 4 city, 12 day, family adventure to Europe! We’ll be sightseeing through Lucerne, Switzerland on arrival, then Prague, Czechia, and on to Stockholm, Sweden, before finally one last night in Helsinki, Finland! So….. what to bring??

Last summer we went to Europe as well, that time with an 18 month old. When thinking this year’s trip through, we realized we needed to change up some of our gear. We’ll be leaving some things home, and taking some new things to try.

Here’s some of the current packing list:

When you’re doing a trip with this many stops, and this many chances for things to get lost, damaged, or even just cost more to check, what suitcases you want to take is the first important question.

The we’re each planning bringing on a simple rolling suitcase that can either be checked, or boarded with, depending on the best option for the flight. We’ve had several brands this size, but the Travelpro Crew 10 has stood up to the test the best, even when having other items tied on. Do keep in mind, though, if you’re going to be doing a lot of intra-Europe flying, you may be asked to check a bag much over 20,” and weight limits may be enforced.

Travelpro crew 10

A good companion bag to bring in the cabin, or to tuck in the seat in front is also key. For a lower price point we like the matching duffel to the Travelpro crew series, or if you’re looking for something that can be a small rolling bag, the Briggs & Riley rolling cabin bag is lovely.

Baby Flyer demonstrates how nicely the Briggs & Riley rolls.

What’s different this year is that Baby Flyer is two, and so she has her own ticket and her own baggage allowance. Keeping with family tradition, she has her own (pink, of course) Maxlite Travelpro roller. We decided to get her ‘real luggage’ instead of a kids-type bag, hoping that the quality and size will make it a long term purchase, while still being small enough for her to roll on her own when she’s in the mood.

pinksuitcase

Knowing that she won’t be in the mood yet to roll her own suitcase all the time, we ordered a simple attaching strap so we can clip hers onto one of ours for longer walks. This brand is universal, adjusts well, and fits most wheeled luggage models.

Best travel car seat ever- light and durable – Cosco Senecra

This is also the first major trip where we’re going to bring her car seat to install on the flights. We’ll update with how this goes, as well as some of the rules later, but keep in mind that not all airplane seats are compatible with car seats, especially in business or first class cabins. Check with your airline to make sure. Seats, even in economy, that are in bulkhead rows also may not work as they may have airbags in the seatbelts, and be narrower, so only some slim car seats will fit. As a general rule, most basic economy seats have a 17″ width, so that’s a good dimension to follow when measuring your car seat to see if it will fit.

Since we’re planning on taking the car seat through the airport, we’re trying out a harness that attaches it to a carry on size roller bag. It seems to work great, though takes a couple minutes to sort out at first. We recommend also packing a light gate check bag in case you decide to check it plane side to keep it clean.

car seat strap

This trip is also a first in that we’re leaving her well used traveller crib at home. She’s just recently gotten big enough that she rolls into the edges at night and wakes up. We’ve been experimenting with inflatable toddler beds like the Shrunks brand mattress. It looks great, sets up fast, and is a cut above other basic air mattresses. Baby Flyer really seems to like the idea and loved playing on it, but since she’s still in a crib at home, it’s just different enough that we’re not confident it’ll be worth it to drag around Europe. We’re keeping it for when she’s a bit older for travel, sleepovers, etc.

This bed really does seem to hold the air well, packs up small, and has separate air chambers for the inside and outside, so you can tuck blankets in. It also fits a standard size crib sheet.

Instead, we checked with our Airbnb hosts, and at each location there’s either a crib already there, a kid’s bed on the ground, or enough extra mattresses that we can make her a safe place to sleep without having to bring anything with us.

The Citi Mini Zip is a good option for a larger feeling stroller that packs away small.

We’re also not taking our own stroller this time around. Last year we brought our City Mini Zip and backpack, but didn’t use it as much as we thought we would. Baby Flyer likes to walk on her own, or be in a carrier. If she was a better stroller kid we would likely bring it again, even though it’s nice to downsize our luggage. Like the beds though, one of our Airbnbs has a stroller for us to use, and Stockholm has a convenient looking stroller rental option, so we’re more or less covered.

Tula

Plus, we finally admitted that she was getting too big for our Ergo 360, and upgraded to the Tula toddler carrier. It has a high weight limit – up to 60 (!!) pounds. This was one thing we didn’t take last summer that we really wish we did, so this is us living and learning.

We also are trading in our usual over the shoulder bag for an all purpose backpack to take on the plane, that should be easier to take around the cities when we get there.

Targus1

A big trip is also a good time to pick up some smaller necessities. Last summer we definitely wished we had some extra plugs, so we ordered a spare Targus Universal Adapter, and a bigger remote power bank since we lost one in an airport earlier this year.

When the stars align… even for just a while…

With all these things set, and our departure date getting close, we’re down to enjoying planning things to do and see! It’s the best feeling to be done with the nuts and bolts of a trip to get to the good stuff. There’s really no such thing as being totally prepared for an international family trip, but a little early organization can get you so much closer.

Travel well,

~CET

Summer in Scandinavia Part 6- Hygge With a Chance of Downpour, Part 1

February 14, 2018July 10, 2018 / babyflyerblog / 1 Comment

A lovely break from exploring Copenhagen

The trip so far:

Preview

Part 1- Gear Up and Go!

Part 2- Well Connected

Part 3- This Is The Way We Board The Plane

Part 4- Hello, Helsinki!

Part 5- Old Town, New Adventures

It’s always a thrilling experience to arrive and feel at home someplace 5,000 miles from home. It’s one reason that returning to the same place years later, even with other destinations on offer, can be worth doing. It’s even more pronounced when you return, with a baby for the first time.

Almost exactly 4 years earlier, we traveled to Europe for the first time together as a couple, and Copenhagen was one of the first stops. Last time around we stayed a block from Tivoli Gardens in the Radisson Blu. It’s located right in the business/tourist district. We rented bikes from a shop around the corner, and toured the city (somewhat aimlessly, but with a plan).

Nyhavn- Probably the most iconic shot of Denmark. All roads lead here eventually…

The weather was unseasonably warm, and we enjoyed taking our (admittedly well worn, budget priced) bikes on the train to Dyrehaven, frequenting a quaint wine bar with friendly service, and staying out late (ish) to have ice cream sitting on the edge of the Nyhavn canal as the nightlife spilled out onto the streets around us from nearby bars and restaurants.

Copenhagen is (price point aside) a thoroughly livable city, which is what we liked about it. It has plenty of attractions, architecture, and culture all fit into a manageable footprint. There’s no high-rise skyline- few buildings are over 15 or 20 stories at most, and these are the exception to the rule. The old parts of the city are well preserved, while the new structures are clean-cut, and modern to the point of being a Scandi version of avant-garde.

Rosenborg Slot

Everything is accessible by bike or train, and with the possible exception of unexpectedly wandering into Freetown Christiana, easy to navigate without ever really feeling lost. This is also the reason, along with the family-friendly culture, that we decided to give it a repeat visit, now as parents.

So, back to the current trip report! We took the short flight direct from Helsinki on Finnair. Through our Oneworld status, we had access to the Schengen area lounge. It’s nice and ultra-modern, with plenty of food and drinks for free. We grabbed a few seats, and Baby Flyer thoroughly enjoyed going up and down the few steps nearby. In fact, she managed them by herself for the first time! It’s the little memories….

It doesn’t get more Finnish than this.

Mmmm….. Buffet with a view! I should also strongly point out the plugs in the background. Yes, you need to bring power adapters! Everywhere, especially in Airbnbs! We have two of the Targus Universal Adapters, and they’ve served us well. Keep in mind that one may not be enough, depending on how many things you need to plug in at any give time.

There was a small kids’ area in a corner, but it was smaller than one might expect for a lounge of this size, but a nice thought anyway. Baby Flyer was having too much fun hanging out with us to play in it anyway.

Kids’ corner.

Our flight went by quickly, and the service was good. As Oneworld elites, we could check bags for free, pre-select our seats, and were served free drinks even though we had purchased the lowest level fare. One more reason to pay attention to who you fly, even for short hops abroad. What looks like a cheaper fare with a competitor can come with some hefty fees you’re not used to having to think about.

All that fun in the lounge finally tired Baby Flyer out, and she spent the trip taking her nap. Quite unlike her, the nap even continued through deplaning, and all the way to baggage.

She knows how to wait patiently for checked baggage…

Our next destination was our Airbnb townhome on Oster Farimagsgade, in the city center, near the botanical gardens and lakes. We bought tickets for the Metro, headed for the Norreport station, but ended up on the regular train by mistake. As it turned out, all ended well, and this train was headed for that station also. Thankfully, no one checked our tickets! For the return trip, we had it sorted out. Both the trains and the metro here are good options to get to town, depending on your final destination. The main difference at the outset is that the metro doesn’t go through the central station, stopping at Christenhavn and Kongens Nytorv instead.

Welcome home!

Our Airbnb was wonderful, quirky, and homey- everything you want in a stay in Denmark, right down to the little Danish flags everywhere. This is standard, the Danes put their flag on everything! Might have something to do with it being the oldest one still in use…. might be a viking thing, who knows.

Sorry, no you can’t have your place back. We live here now.

The place was two stories, with a terrace and loft on the top floor. It was modern but cozy, and fully furnished. As per usual, the thing that took the most adjusting to for us Americans was the bathroom, as the shower water just drained right from the tile floor, and would flood much of the space if it ran long enough. But once again, this is par for the course in many of the old buildings in this area. We (mostly) got used to it. Plus, it would be far from the last water-related incident we learned to deal with on this trip.

More to come….grab your umbrella…

~CET, CAR & Baby Flyer

Summer In Scandinavia Part 5- Old Town, New Adventures

January 14, 2018February 15, 2018 / babyflyerblog

The trip so far:

Preview- Summer in Scandinavia

Part 1- Gear Up and Go!

Part 2- Well Connected

Part 3- This is the Way We Board the Plane (Board the Plane)

Part 4- Hello, Helsinki

Happy 2018! When last we ‘spoke’ about this trip, we were packing it up to leave Helsinki, and head to Tallinn. To do this, we hopped the number 9 tram down to the ferry terminal. It stops right where you need it to- across from the large and rather impressive ferry/cruise building. The terminal itself is even an attraction, with great views, as well as food and drink.

Go home, Helsinki, you’re backwards.

They tell you to get there a bit early, and they really do board and leave promptly, so it’s a good idea to give yourself some time so there’s no rush. Plus, it gives you a chance to take in the sea, and maybe a treat.

Bon Voyage!

The ferry is the best way to cross over to Estonia, and takes cars as well as passengers. We booked the Eckero Line with Direct Ferries, and it really is more of a small cruise ship than what we’d think of as a ‘ferry,’ complete with several bars, a cafeteria, concerts on board, and several decks of small private cabins. This is more than enough for the just over 2 hour crossing. There are several companies that make the crossing, so there’s some flexibility in the schedule.

All aboard!

We elected to get a 4 person cabin each way for just a bit more than the basic ticket (around $40), and with a baby it was totally worth it. The space was too small to really be comfortable for all the adults to be in at once, but Baby Flyer napped both ways and we took turns hanging out with her and relaxing with a snack and a ‘Long Drink‘ up on deck.

Sleeping away the crossing.

On arrival in Tallinn, we checked into our next Airbnb, which was a 2 bedroom flat inside of the ‘Old Town.’ Old town, once the partially-walled medieval city, is now the hub of tourist activity and also of restaurants, shopping, and nightlife. Our flat was on the edge of the Old Town, which was a good thing since this meant it was quiet at night.

Our Airbnb host even left a crib for us, even though we brought our own. If you travel with infants, be sure to see what baby/kid amenities are available if you decide to go with Airbnb/HomeAway/etc. properties.

Old Town is actually only a 15-20 minute walk from the ferry terminal. If the weather’s good, and you don’t have a ton of bags, it’s entirely reasonable not to try and get a cab for the short drive.

Estonia welcomes you!!

This part of Tallinn is all historic courtyards, narrow streets, and cobblestones. It’s buzzing with pedestrians taking in the architecture in the day, and people out enjoying the cheap(er) food and drinks until late at night. It’s common for the ferries to fill up with Finns on weekends headed out for some fun at a fraction of the prices of ‘true’ Scandinavia.

View of Old Town from our top floor Airbnb.

The old architecture has been beautifully preserved, yet the city is modern through and through. The Old Town is divided into ‘upper’ and ‘lower’ areas, upper once upon a time having been home to the fortified castle and grounds, and the lower the sprawling town connecting it to the port.

Heading up the hill from the lower part of town to the upper.

Though the streets are winding, it’s hard to get lost here for too long simply because it’s not a large area. Eventually, you come back to where you started.

Now….for the family travel review of this part of the trip- First off, cobblestones are not pleasant with just about any stroller, and definitely not the smaller-wheeled travel models, our Citi Mini Zip included. This was a place we were really wishing we’d brought her Ergo Baby carrier, especially because of the daytime crowds.

A walk through the Torniade Valjak park, just outside the walls.

Still, we had some nice exploring time, and there’s plenty of green space within and just outside of the Old Town to let kids run around and play.

One thing we will say though, this was our favorite city of the trip for food! It was easier to find and more relaxed than in Helsinki, and much much cheaper than in Copenhagen. The service was family friendly, and everyone could find something they wanted. Even picky Baby Flyer tried some new food and flavors.

Quinoa and goat cheese with beets. She hasn’t eaten this healthy before or since…

As simple as it is, I think some of our fondest memories of the city were of the restaurants close to our Airbnb that we stumbled upon by chance. The first, Must Puudel, was our choice for dinner (twice). It’s a fun (if a bit hipster) bar and restaurant tucked away off the beaten path, that included a hidden garden patio behind. The menu had fresh, innovative dishes and very reasonably priced drinks.

Yes, there are pea sprouts on everything. This will not be the last garnish we knowingly ate on this trip.

As well as the good vibe inside, the cobblestone street out front was quiet- the perfect setting to let a restless and newly walking Baby Flyer stretch her legs while the rest of the crew finished up eating. What’s better, it’s Estonia, and no one cares if you take your wine glass with you on baby duty.

Taking an after (during) dinner walk in her new ‘See Kai Run’ shoes.

As luck would have it, just around the corner, we found a little cafe called Kohvik August, that we fell in love with as well. They made great coffee and mate lattes, and had fun lunch specials, including the Estonian version of Aperol spritzers, just for a treat.

Happy vacation!

While Old Town is fun, it turns out there’s more to Tallinn than that. The next day we hopped the local transit to Kadriorg, an expansive park that includes both playgrounds and gardens, and the site of the historic palace grounds.

The palace and the gardens really are beautiful in the summer. The playground areas were decent, but not overwhelmingly modern or creative (just wait for the post on Copenhagen!!), and we’d had some rain in the morning so things were wet enough that Baby Flyer preferred to run around the other parts of the park instead.

Through the secret passage! Baby Flyer’s outfit by Ittikid

The park was our last attraction before gathering up our things again, and heading back to the boat. All in all, Tallinn was a pleasant surprise in many ways. I didn’t do too much research on it this time around, but it really wasn’t needed. You can easily hit the highlights of Old Town in 48 hours, enjoy some good food and drinks, and return to your Scandi holiday satisfied at the diversion.

~CET

Baby Flyer’s rating of Tallinn: Good times, much enjoyment. Would recommend – 10 out of 10!

Next up- “God Rejse og Velkommen,” or “Hygge With a Chance of Downpour.” (Denmark…the next stop is Denmark.)

Weekend Trip to Whidbey- Day 1

December 7, 2017 / babyflyerblog

Since the holidays are just around the corner, and we’re planning our yearly trip up to Whidbey Island to visit family, it seemed like a good time to finish up this trip report from earlier in the year. We always enjoy going up north, and American’s new non-stop flights have made it even easier for us lately. Thanks for reading!

Last weekend we took a last minute trip to Whidbey Island to visit family. Whidbey is a beautiful and mostly quiet island north of Seattle. We try to go a few times a year to visit, CET’s Mom, and Madeline’s 96 year old Great Grandmother.

It took us longer than we expected to get to LAX, so we ended up taking the bus to the satellite terminal where our flight was leaving out of and going to the smaller Admirals Club instead of going to the main club in Terminal 4. The satellite club is small but has the same food offerings as the main club. A variety of trail mixes, cheese and crackers, hummus, fresh vegetables, olives, angel hair pasta with capers and tomatoes, and mini brownies and a couple kinds of cookies. It gave Baby Flyer a place to push around her Trunki before our flight.

Baby Flyer’s outfit by TEA (click for 25% discount), baby moccasins by FRESHLY PICKED

We were on a regional jet to Seattle. Before boarding we found out we were upgraded thanks to CET’s Executive Platinum status. Using Expert Flyer, we knew it looked good for both of us to get moved up, so we linked our tickets so our upgrade was based on her status and I used two of her 500-mile upgrade vouchers (about a $60 value if you don’t have enough available). We opted to sit together in the bulkhead and were pleasantly surprised with how much leg room there was. It felt quite spacious. Baby Flyer stood and welcomed our fellow passengers onto the plane. She loved it!

Welcome to our flight to Sea-Tac International Airport. Our flying time today will be approximately 2 hours, and 45 minutes. I’ll be your Baby Flyer ambassador for the day…

Much to our surprise, we were served a full meal. This regional jet didn’t have any way to heat entrees so we had the choice between a cobb chicken salad (with the chicken on the side, perfect for vegetarians!) or a curry chicken wrap. We were served a small slice of caramel cheesecake for dessert. Neither of us were expecting a meal, so we probably didn’t need to eat so much for lunch in the Admirals Club beforehand. Live and learn. Neither of us finished our entrees but we enjoyed a few bites. I’m a vegetarian and I had the salad and CET had the wrap.

Since Baby Flyer hadn’t napped yet, and she usually starts her nap between 12 and 12:45, she slept most of our flight up, which gave us time to kick back and relax ourselves.

We flew out of LAX around 2pm on Friday and flew back on the around 8pm on Monday. Leaving LAX at 2pm meant we arrived in Seattle in time for rush hour. Instead of sitting on the freeway in traffic, we opted to visit the Centurion Lounge in the Seattle airport and have some dinner before heading to the rental car center.

001

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Centurion Lounges, they are an airport lounge provided by American Express for cardholders. The lounges offer regionally inspired food, drink, and comfortable seating. Some of the bigger clubs even offer spa services (15 minute massages, manicures, and facials) and have a kids’ play room. Currently, they are in Dallas (DFW), Houston (IAH), Las Vegas (LAS), New York (LGA), Miami (MIA), Seattle (SEA), and San Francisco(SFO). It seems like they are constantly working on expanding the network, and we’ve heard talk that in the near future there will be one in LAX. We have the American Express Platinum Card and try and take advantage of all of its benefits. At some point we will put together a post outlining the card’s benefits for any who’re curious.

The Centurion in Seattle just opened a new area with lots of additional tables and chairs as well as a full bar. Prior to this, they served beer and wine and it was served by the waitstaff. Baby Flyer appreciated the new expansion and spent time against, pushing her Trunki throughout the club. She made friends with all the waitstaff and loved the attention.

We left the club around 7 and headed to the rental car center. By the time we were on the road, traffic was still slow in some areas but was basically moving. We made the 8:30 ferry to Whidbey and soon after we were settling in for the day.

Up next- Some island time.

The End of an Era

November 27, 2017November 27, 2017 / babyflyerblog

Baby Flyer & her trusty bag of snacks hangs out on the ottoman of the Dreamliner’s business class. Baby Flyer’s outfit by Tea. (Click here for 25% off coupon)

We just got back from a family trip to Dallas, and we’re quickly realizing that we’re nearing the end of traveling with Baby Flyer as a lap infant. She’ll be two in January, and that’s both the cutoff by the airlines, and honestly, she’s just getting too big for it!

Baby Flyer puts on her bib & catches the game at the new Terminal 5 Admirals Club at LAX

So, it seems like a good time to look back and share the synopsis of our experience and give our two cents on what worked, and a few survival tips.

But first, a little about the weekend- We hadn’t had a family trip that we all went on in a little while and so we made good use of American’s earlier US fare sale, and scooped up a couple of $71 round trip tickets from LAX to DFW and back. We have family in Dallas, so it was a great excuse to go see them ‘just because.’ These kind of trips are even more special now that Baby Flyer is growing so fast, and really enjoys new and different experiences.

CAR & Baby Flyer checking out their 787 seat.

We flew together on the way out, and scored an upgrade a day ahead of the flight, so we were assigned seats together on American’s 787 Dreamliner.

The temporary AC at T-4

They’ve been having some issues with the catering service at LAX, so we didn’t know what to expect on board. Since it was a dinnertime flight, we stopped off at the makeshift Admiral’s Club in Terminal 4 that’s been opened while the regular space is under construction. It actually worked out well, because they offer full prepackaged grab’n’go meals, along with bottled beverages and snacks, so we stocked up in case.

The ‘dinner service’ out of LAX. Not up to the usual, but they did their best.

As it turned out, they did have some limited food on the flight, but it was similar to the options we brought on board. We both chose the salad option, which came with chips, and packaged cookies. Honestly, it wasn’t bad, and we arrived in Dallas well fed. Baby Flyer arrived well rested too, since she took a late nap through the first two hours of the flight.

We stayed with family in Dallas, and rented a car from National for the first couple days of it. We usually rent from National, since we can choose from the Executive Aisle. This time, the selection was underwhelming- mostly nondescript midsize sedans, a couple Hundai SUVs and some trucks (it’s TX). Yet, on a last pass through the row, we spotted a Volvo x60 hatchback… what?? Usually that make is saved for the up-sell area, but we took it and ran. It was a little more space than a sedan, and fun to drive.

The area of Dallas we stayed in has some fun family activities. We were walking distance to White Rock lake, which is a lake surrounded by parkland that incorporates plenty of running/biking paths, a playground, and most importantly, lots of ducks and other waterfoul. Baby Flyer still loves birds, so she really enjoyed a daily walk to feed them and watch them swim around.

CET had to leave to go back to work early on Monday morning, but CAR and Baby Flyer stayed a few more days. If you’re an AA flyer like us, you may want to go check out CET’s review of American’s 777-200 Premium Economy class on the return flight.

But back to business here. In our almost two years of flying with Baby Flyer, we’ve got some takeaways-

Seat Selection:

With the tiniest ones, before they’re moving and standing and walking, bulkhead rows aren’t necessary. What’s more important at this stage is easy access to your diaper bag and supplies, so having under seat storage is more important.

The Infant Block Trick- On most airlines’ booking software, when a lap infant is added to an adult ticket, the computer blocks a seat in the row, most consistently when two adults on the same reservation (one with the infant) are in the same row. We’ve had about 50% results with this getting us an empty seat in the middle. If you have an Expert Flyer membership, you can even see by the big ‘X’ through the seat when an infant block has been put in place by the airline.

However, this won’t work on full or oversold flights, as these blocked seats will be assigned at the last minute to unassigned or standby passengers.

Toys & More:

When Baby Flyer was younger we used to travel with two diaper bags, one mostly full of various extras and toys. Along the way we moved to just one, and now Baby Flyer has her own ‘travel bag,’ which is both handy and adorable.

She has a mini Fjallraven Kanken backpack. it’s just the right size to put her toys in, but doesn’t result in something too heavy to carry. We saw these EVERYWHERE this summer in Europe. She sometimes wants to wear it, but then quickly reconsiders, so we end up just tossing it over the handle of a rollaboard.

Backpack

She has a few standard items that she takes in her very own bag. We try for things that are interactive, but low on mess and noise. Some of the current favorites-

Magna Doodle Pro – Travel Edition

The magna doodle keeps her attention, and is mess free and packable.

Melissa & Doug Water WOW Coloring Book

These things are made for travel- Just uses water.

Wiki Sticks

Our local restaurant Saint & Second hands these out as kiddie activities to their youngest patrons. We ‘hide’ them and save them for the plane. They’re great to stick to the tray table in different forms & fold into shapes to be unwound.

Homemade Play Dough (click here for recipe– omit the spices if you’re not feeling the fall vibe).

This may seem counter-intuitive. It could be messy, could get dirty, etc, but hear us out. With supervision, some play dough can be a great option of last resort…like 10 mins before you’re set to give up and take your toddler to play in the sink in the airplane bathroom. We pull this out and make shapes and play games on the tray table. Using a little bit at a time does the trick, and can keep a kiddo happy for awhile, which is the entire point.

Thinking out of the box:

Sometimes you need to go that one step further to feel like you’re ready to fly with a baby, especially an older one. We’ve tried a few things…

First- New stuff. Anything new really. Head to the dollar store and buy some cheap new toys. Think one or more per hour of flight time.

Second- If your baby is still fascinated by unwrapping things, try taking the toys in your travel bag, and wrapping them in aluminum foil. Pull them out when baby gets bored, and let them peel off the foil to ‘discover’ the toy. Put all the wrapped toys in a gallon sized ziplock bag so you have somewhere to put the used foil in.

Third- All of the above. Pro tip- If you have an older toddler, we recommend throwing some new toys into the foil mix. The satisfaction of unwrapping combined with the new toy element may buy you even more peace & quiet.

All of these ideas also omit that either through the plane’s IFE screens, or ones you bring with you, if your kid has favorite shows or games, that’s always an option as well. Likely because we don’t really have her watch TV at home, Baby Flyer’s attention span for this kind of entertainment usually runs out after about 10 minutes or so, which leaves us needing to be prepared with other distractions.

As our time flying as a family of three in two seats comes to an end, we’re definitely sad. Not only because now we need to be more crafty about our flight planning, but also simply because Baby Flyer is getting older. She’s less a baby, and more a kid. It’s been an amazing journey to watch, and we can’t wait for the next chapter, but the backward glances into her early days always amaze and leave us plenty nostalgic.

Her first flight at 4 months. Was she really this tiny??

May your flights be smooth, and your babies be happy this holiday season,

~CET, CAR & Baby Flyer

Happy Thanksgiving!

November 23, 2017November 23, 2017 / babyflyerblog

We are going to be so devastated when she outgrows her Ergo Baby

We’re actually traveling this Thanksgiving weekend! In the past few years we’ve tried to stay put to avoid the crowds and high holiday prices, but this year things worked out and we’re taking to the skies to see family in Dallas.

We scored some decent tickets out of the Orange County airport, and back into LAX, which aside from being a nice change, means we’re missing the insanity at LAX! So far, the experience has been great- short lines, quiet terminal, and the cutest little Admiral’s Club with friendly staff.

Saying “hi” to the planes.

We just might have to head south more often!

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! As always, we’re thankful for each other, family, good health, and the wonderful adventures life continues to offer us!

Travel Well,

~CET, CAR & Baby Flyer

Summer in Scandinavia Part 3: This is the Way We Board The Plane…

November 17, 2017November 17, 2017 / babyflyerblog / 3 Comments

Here we go!

….Board the plane, board the plane.

The story so far:

Preview: Summer in Scandinavia

Part 1: Gear Up and Go!

Part 2: Well Connected

After our early morning and hop to Boston, it was nice to make it to our final stop before Europe. We don’t routinely find ourselves going through JFK, so spending a little time there was a nice change. Plus, we were traveling internationally and so CET’s American Executive Platinum status got us into the Flagship Lounge half of the Admiral’s Club.

Busy afternoon at the JFK Flagship Lounge

We had a couple hours before our flight, since it was an overnight (as most transatlantic flights tend to be) and so had time to have a meal at the buffet, and let Baby Flyer roam around.

This lounge has been recently re-done, and they did a good job. However, during peak times even this expanded space is full to capacity. We ended up grabbing a couple chairs along one of the walls, but almost every seat was taken.

Full buffett

The food consists of a full hot bar, as well as snacks and desserts. The drinks are self-serve, and included a wine/champagne bar, as well as a station with a refreshing ‘signature cocktail.’

Baby Flyer loves some lounge time, and especially enjoyed looking at the planes outside while walking along the wall of windows that makes up one side of the lounge.

At about 45 minutes out, we headed to our gate. They hadn’t started boarding yet, but it was good we were there on the early side as they needed to re-check our passports (standard procedure). Since we were in business class, we boarded early. Baby Flyer LOVED getting to walk down the jetbridge on her own two feet, and holding her own passport!

The plane was one of Finnair’s a330 workhorses. It has two classes- business and economy, and while the seats were lie-flat and functional, could use some updating. Finnair has been doing just that through their fleet, including newly purchased a350 long haul aircraft that look amazing inside.

AY a330 Business Class

We sat in 1A and 1C, which was a window seat and aisle at the front of the cabin. The interior is laid out in a 1-2-2 or 1-2-1 layout, depending on the row. This gives good options to both individual travelers and couples. One thing the service lacked was any kind of mattress pad, which would have been a welcome addition since the seats were on the hard side for sleeping.

Baby Flyer shows us how to fasten our seatbelts

Finnair does its best to be quintessentially scandi with their decor, including brightly patterned marimekko pillows and blankets, as well as amenity kits. Their signature pre-departure drink was sparkling wine and blueberry juice, served in ice patterned glasses.

Inspecting the amenity kit

Signature drinks before takeoff

The IFE was solid, and included a lot of things you don’t find on AA or Qatar, or probably anything outside of Scandinavian TV, including plenty of nature specials and outdoor adventure documentaries. Ice. So very much walking around on ice.

Rocking out!

I always enjoy checking out new airlines. Even though Finnair isn’t a true luxury airline like Qatar or Cathay Pacific, it’s a solid choice with pleasant service and a good reputation. What’s even better about them is that they’re a way to get to Europe that can both avoid the huge award fees that British Airways and Iberia tack on, and can let you skip the chaos of connecting in Heathrow.

The key to award travel to Europe is to just get to Europe, pretty much anywhere in Europe, and then connect from there to where you actually want to go. Bonus if you actually want to go to the destination, like we did with Helsinki.

The flight itself was long, and not too long at once. It was an overnight but only 8 hours including taxi, take off, landing, and meal service. This is the downside of flying East Coast to Europe- even the longest flight only provides for about 4 hours sleep if you’re lucky. We took off and watched the sunset out of the windows before settling in.

We’d brought her plenty of pack-able toys, and she was entertained for a few minutes here and there by watching the IFE, or listening to the ‘Finnish Kids’ song station through our Bose. She also played at our feet for awhile, and set up a fort of sorts in the bulkhead. They handed out Moomins themed towel/blankets to the kids, and she enjoyed ‘going ny-ny’ on hers.

Everything is Moomins

Making a fort

Traveling with a lap infant, especially a lap toddler, is infinitely better the more space you have. She eventually fell asleep, first on CET (much to CAR’s delight), and then moved over after awhile. We didn’t sleep much at all, but she did, and woke up grinning and happy on final descent. We should all be so lucky.

Someone got to sleep at least

Overall, it was a comfortable way to get the three of us to Europe, especially since we could handle some lost sleep since we didn’t have immediate plans for the day once we got there.

Travel well,

~CET

Up Next- Helsinki!

Hyvää päivää!!

Summer in Scandinavia Part 2- Well Connected

September 8, 2017November 17, 2017 / babyflyerblog

Heading down the jetbridge, logbook in hand.

The story so far:

Summer in Scandinavia-Trip Preview

Summer in Scandinavia Part 1- Gear Up and Go

Note: The topic of this post is usually the kind of thing I would ramble on about over at Cruising Altitude, and help people with at Altitude Consulting, but since it’s pretty integral to how we ended up in Europe this summer, we’ll include it here too. Thanks for reading!

So, here’s the thing about award tickets- they can be hard to find, especially in first and business classes. Everyone agrees on this point. Another thing about them is that availability changes over time. Another another thing is that when you have elite status with your chosen airline, there’s a surprising amount of flexibility to shift things around up until the time you start your trip.

Let me put this in context….

When planning an international trip using miles and points, the hardest thing to do is to ‘cross the ocean’ – meaning the flight that takes you to whatever other continent you’re trying to go to. In our case, the general destination was ‘Europe.’ Since Finnair had availability, that ended up meaning Helsinki (which I was thrilled about, honestly).

All smiles at LAX

However, our home airport is LAX, and there wasn’t any real available routing that would get us from there to JFK where the Finnair flight would pick up, even though on one award you can fly up to 3 segments. I initially just booked the JFK-HEL and back, and then laid in wait to see what better I could do.

Eventually, I sussed out a couple of tickets I could add on from Chicago to Newark (admittedly not JFK, but close enough that American would consider it a ‘connection’) and added that on. LAX to Chicago happened to be much cheaper than LAX to JFK, easier to upgrade, and we didn’t mind the chance to kick off the trip in the Windy City anyway. I still wasn’t happy with the specter of the Newark to JFK hassle, but I let it be for awhile.

After a few months of periodically checking in to see if by any miracle two award seats in the right class got ‘released’ by American’s all mysterious and powerful revenue management program direct from Chicago to JFK (there was one flight that would work, so I wasn’t too hopeful) I finally saw the next best thing, which was a pair of seats going Chicago, to Boston, and then on into JFK. The first flight had two in First, and the second I’d have to downgrade myself to economy to let CAR and Baby Flyer take the one remaining premium seat.

Everything we took to the airport for 10 days in Europe….

So in short, our options were to trade the bus, train and bus, or expensive Uber for one more flight and a layover in Boston. It only took a few minutes of consideration before calling up to make the change. Two factors played heavily here- if we flew the two flights, we could check our bags all the way through to Helsinki since it was all one award, and it meant we could actually leave the car seat at home entirely. We didn’t really anticipate getting in any cars in Europe, and this across town taxi ride in NYC was the only time we were sure we’d need it.

A very helpful agent got our award switched over in just a few minutes- the flexibility and the service are great perks of keeping my Oneworld/American status. As an Executive Platinum, I could also stand by for the upgrade on that second flight in case a seat cleared up.

“Paying it forward- ‘hidden’ drink chit”

Our day started early out of ORD, but since it was the start of the adventure everyone was in a good mood. We got there in time for a few minutes and breakfast at the Admiral’s Club. Since we were flying internationally with Oneworld status, we got a couple free premium drink vouchers. These can be used for the full bar menu, or also the bottled juices and smoothies. We didn’t use them all, so we left one behind to ‘pay it forward’ to some other traveler later in the day.

Baby Flyer knows how to make the most of an early travel day.

The flight went quickly, and Baby Flyer dozed for most of it. Once in Boston, we headed again to the Admiral’s club (more drink coupons, more paying it forward), and then tried to go to the new British Airways lounge in the international terminal. I won’t go on here at length about the rules since I’ve already done so over at Cruising Altitude, but in short clear rules need to be set out for this place. When we were there, according to the website, it was open. When we got there it was indeed open, but apparently only for Japan Airlines customers. This however, wasn’t stated anywhere, and caused us to loose about 40 minutes our layover hiking over and back.

Cruising BOS airport in her new City Mini Zip. The adjustable footrest is a nice touch.

Putting that behind us, we ended up enjoying the rest of our Boston time at the Club taking turns showering, and watching Baby Flyer in the kids’ room. A good time was had by all, and soon it was time to head out to JFK!

Layover playtime (and keeping track of the time)

She doesn’t mind layovers…

When I’d switched to this flight, I’d then checked in on the tickets online and got a nice extra surprise- AA is currently running one of their 321-T planes on the short hop between Boston and JFK, and so we’d unsuspectingly landed great seats on American’s nicest domestic plane. Even my “economy” seat put me into what was actually business class, and so we both had lie flats with plenty of room. Baby Flyer in particular was impressed, and pretty pleased with herself and I’m pretty sure CAR wouldn’t have minded a longer flight to finish her movie in comfort.

AA’s 321-T Flagship 1st

Checking out the digs…

We touched down on time into JFK, and headed out once again to the Admiral’s Club. This time, however, we had access to the International Flagship Lounge for a few hours before our Helsinki flight, which we thoroughly enjoyed.