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Chris doesn’t like absurd schedules. He does like traveling comfortably and he doesn’t mind when I go off on adventures without him to gain points and/or miles and/or status. So when he agreed to go to Scotland in 2019, stopping off in Seoul to see my dad, I was quite happily surprised! Here’s Chris’ entries on that trip:

• Part 1
• Part 2
• Part 3
• Part 4

My first task: getting us to Seoul. I knew exactly how I wanted to do that: Cathay Pacific, first class. The problem was, at the time, CX only released one seat per flight when booking opened up. So I booked myself in first and Chris in business class, expecting a second seat to open up and grab that for Chris.

• Virginia: 70k Alaska miles, $31.70
  • CX807, ORD-HKG, first class
  • CX438, HKG-ICN, business class
• Chris: 50k Alaska miles, $31.70
  • CX807, ORD-HKG, business class
  • CX438, HKG-ICN, business class

I was reasonably sure I could get Chris into first class later, and it turned out that there was an empty first class seat on our flight, but getting it for points never worked out. I do feel a little bad about that still, but OMG, I’m so glad I got to fly in that seat! The crew did let him sit with me during meals and while he was “stuck” with business class food, they upgraded his wine to first class options. Quite nice. It’s still the only flight I’ve been on to offer a “buddy” seat in the ottoman so that you can dine with a companion.

After a night at the Intercontinental Hong Kong (IHG Free Night Certificate!), we set off for Seoul for a few days. We stayed near my dad at the Grand Hilton Seoul (which has since rebranded and sadly is no longer in the Hilton portfolio).

To get from Seoul to Edinburgh, I booked us on Asiana in business class to Frankfurt (still a little sorry we didn’t fly in first — it was available but the surcharges were more than we wanted to pay, since we were already paying quite a bit for another flight… more on that below), then Lufthansa from Frankfurt to Edinburgh.

• each ticket: 75k Lifemiles, $87.71 fees
  • OZ541, ICN-FRA, business class
  • LH964, FRA-EDI, business class

The flight from Seoul to Frankfurt was lovely: just imagine the world’s longest lunch. We left Seoul at 11am local time and arrived around 3pm local time. I have a vague recollection that we arrived late, so our connection was a bit tight, but we did have time to hit a lounge in FRA, so it couldn’t have been that bad!

Our hotels in Scotland were a mix of points and paid stays:

• Edinburgh: The Principal, 55k IHG points
• Speyside: Craigellachie Hotel, paid
• Skye: The House over by The Three Chimneys, paid
• Appin: Airds Hotel, paid
• Islay: Islay Hotel, paid
• Glasgow: Hotel Indigo Glasgow, IHG Free Night Certificate

One points/miles item I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned on this blog: rental cars. I’m loyal to Hertz, not because I think it’s so much better but because of familiarity and laziness. Sometimes I get an amazing rental upgrade from them and our Scotland rental was one of those times! It was a brand-new Audi (no clue on the model), quite comfy and nimble.

To get home, I booked business class award flights on British Airways. I KNOW! It’s something that points & miles fans say not to do because the fees involved are absurd. But I did it and I’m not sorry. I got the schedule I wanted and, more importantly, I got the plane I wanted and the seat I wanted. Folks, we were on the upper deck of a 747. <mic drop>

Even Chris thought it was something quite special. I’ve forgotten about so many flights because we’re so lucky to have traveled so much. But this one has stayed with me: it was the older BA business class that so many bloggers and miles/points folks disdain, but it meant that during a day flight, Chris and I faced each other, were quite comfy, and ate quite well. Service was attentive and the cabin felt like a private plane with only 20 business class seats in the upper deck. I did lower the fees a bit by booking through Iberia instead of BA.

• each ticket: 54k Iberia Avios, $392.18
  • BA1477, GLA-LHR, Euro Traveller (aka economy)
  • BA295, LHR-ORD, Club World (aka fancy class — but not too fancy!)

Our itinerary ended up being ORD-HKG-ICN-FRA-EDI/GLA-LHR-ORD. Less than 200k points per person. We had so. much. fun! In fact, Chris liked to tell the story of the “long way round” that we decided to do again 4 years later…