Spent Friday night at the Holiday Inn Express just north of SFO. I used a free night from my IHG credit card renewal, saving me $219. Rates are unusually high around the airport this weekend and some hotels there, as well as in San Francisco, are sold out. I pay $49 a year to keep this credit card and the free night is always worth more than that. Hotel staff told me there was some event in San Francisco this weekend with many commuting in from the airport area.
SATURDAY
Caught the 0605 hotel shuttle. Breakfast doesnt start until 0630 so I missed that, though I was able to grab a banana. As expected, my passport did not properly scan at a US Airways kiosk, so had to get in line for about 15 minutes to have an agent input the information. I did carry-on only for this trip.
Caught the 0820 US Airways flight to Philadelphia, an Airbus A321. I had a window seat in the second row of coach. This is only the second time Ive flown US since the AA-US merger as theres still an issue with getting AA elite benefits when Im on US flights (primarily upgrades) as the computer systems are not fully integrated. Not a problem this trip as Im on an off-peak 40,000 mile award ticket and will be enjoying the trip in coach with no upgrades in play. Unlike AA where I can get a breakfast sandwich due to my elite status, US only offers a choice of snacks (potato chips, snack mix) which I passed on. Did sleep some and watched one movie on my tablet.
Arrived in Philadelphia to rain. Had a two hour layover and spent about 30 mins of that time in the AA lounge (formerly a US lounge), and another 15 mins at a food court to get something to eat (visited an Asian stall with orange chicken, bourbon chicken and fried rice for $8 - just what I needed).
Boarding started 45 mins out for 1837 departure and we left the gate just a few minutes late (good for me as I have two hours after arrival to catch prepaid rail to Nuremberg via Munich--would have paid triple the fare for a similar walk-up routing if I missed that). Aircraft is an Airbus A330-200. Dinner was pasta or chicken. Chicken was two strips of a chicken that you might put atop a salad- pretty uninspiring. Came with a lettuce salad, mashed potatoes and green beans, a roll, a piece of processed cheese, and a packaged brownie. I only ate the hot food and brownie. Had red wine poured from a box (I think this is a first for me).
SATURDAY
Caught the 0605 hotel shuttle. Breakfast doesnt start until 0630 so I missed that, though I was able to grab a banana. As expected, my passport did not properly scan at a US Airways kiosk, so had to get in line for about 15 minutes to have an agent input the information. I did carry-on only for this trip.
Caught the 0820 US Airways flight to Philadelphia, an Airbus A321. I had a window seat in the second row of coach. This is only the second time Ive flown US since the AA-US merger as theres still an issue with getting AA elite benefits when Im on US flights (primarily upgrades) as the computer systems are not fully integrated. Not a problem this trip as Im on an off-peak 40,000 mile award ticket and will be enjoying the trip in coach with no upgrades in play. Unlike AA where I can get a breakfast sandwich due to my elite status, US only offers a choice of snacks (potato chips, snack mix) which I passed on. Did sleep some and watched one movie on my tablet.
Arrived in Philadelphia to rain. Had a two hour layover and spent about 30 mins of that time in the AA lounge (formerly a US lounge), and another 15 mins at a food court to get something to eat (visited an Asian stall with orange chicken, bourbon chicken and fried rice for $8 - just what I needed).
Boarding started 45 mins out for 1837 departure and we left the gate just a few minutes late (good for me as I have two hours after arrival to catch prepaid rail to Nuremberg via Munich--would have paid triple the fare for a similar walk-up routing if I missed that). Aircraft is an Airbus A330-200. Dinner was pasta or chicken. Chicken was two strips of a chicken that you might put atop a salad- pretty uninspiring. Came with a lettuce salad, mashed potatoes and green beans, a roll, a piece of processed cheese, and a packaged brownie. I only ate the hot food and brownie. Had red wine poured from a box (I think this is a first for me).