Recently, they have opened one of their newest outposts in London Heathrow Airport.

The lounge is located in Terminal 3 and I thought a bit tough to find. After you go through security, follow Flight Connection route Area A, access point in the main shopping and dining area.

You’ll spot this signature below that will lead you up to the second floor where the lounge is located.

Once you get upstairs you will notice the signature signature for The Centurion Lounge. I always find American Express design aesthetic to be classy and inviting.

Upon entering the lounge you will notice the same stylish decor throughout. One of the unique things about this lounge is there are actually no windows, which could be seen as a downside. However, American Express has designed it well enough that you actually don’t miss natural light coming into the lounge and can be comfortable without it.

Now onto the reason I came to the lounge in the first place, the food. I arrived early in the morning so expected a breakfast spread to be waiting for me.

What I like about this Centurion Lounge is the buffet was actually individually plated dishes. This makes it look much cleaner but also makes it so much easier to select what you what when it is pre portioned.

There were two primary sections, one cold and one hot. I found the cold food to be typical breakfast items like yogurt, fruit, but also had a nice mixed salad as well.

In the hot section there were selections like breakfast potatoes, shakshuka, and eggs benedict. I always find the hot bar to be more interesting and this spread did not disappoint.

In addition to the hot bar I really liked that they had an array of sauces and dips. This was no surprise as the food was curated by Assaf Granit, a Michelin star Israeli chef famous for his restaurants in Paris.

A closer look at the hot bar items and they really tasted as good as they looked. I find eggs cooked like this to be risky in a buffet style setting, often leading them to be overcooked and not runny. However, this was not the case with these eggs, which shows just how well they can execute these dishes.

Next to the breakfast buffet was a juice bar that actually looked pretty good. I only tried a small glass of the green juice but it was nice and refreshing way to start the morning.

This was the spread I decided on – I wanted to try both the shakshuka and poached eggs as well as multiple dips. The bread that was served was also delicious and went perfectly with all the dishes.

A close up look at the poached eggs, which were served over shopped pieces of ham with a hollandaise sauce.

I cut into the egg and it was not overly running but still soft and not overcooked. It actually paired really well with the hollandaise sauce located underneath and on top.

One of the highlights was these sauces. I couldn’t tell what all of them were but the green zhug provided some nice heat while the other two were a bit more mild.

The bread was one of the main highlights and I didn’t even attempt to eat the toast served with the poached eggs because this bread was just too good.

The shakshuka was really well seasoned and went really well with the bread and sauces.

Overall the food at American Express Centurion Lounges is worth the stop in before a flight. The quality was that of a restaurant and you’ll want to fill up on it regardless of the airplane food you will receive on your upcoming flight.

Heathrow Airport has a lot of great lounges but the Centurion Lounges is definitely high up there on the list of best food. If you are traveling through its worth a stop even if you don’t have much time for a quick bite and then you can be on your way.

The post Food Review: AMEX Centurion Lounge at Heathrow Airport appeared first on Travel Season.

I’ve flown Polaris a number of times including from Newark to Frankfurt and Chicago to London. Not all Polaris is equal as United still flies their old product that I also tried out from Newark to Rome. Each time I did get to check out the United Polaris Lounge, except for my Chicago departure when I stopped into a sub bar United Club due to the Polaris lounge remaining closed.

I always regard food as being one of the most important part of the flying experience, especially on long haul international flights. In the past United Food was actually better than I expected, especially dinner service I received from Newark to Frankfurt.

However, things seem to be going downhill at United especially with the food they are currently offering.

My flight today was a 9 hour flight departing Geneva at 9:45am heading to Newark. I knew the food offering was going to be breakfast, which is not always the best, but at least flying in long haul business class I would get enough food. Or so I thought.

Meal service kicked off shortly after departure with a choice of Breakfast Burrito, French Toast, or Coconut Chia Smoothie. I went for the breakfast burrito, which I figured would be the most popular choice amongst passengers.

Prior to food arriving I received warm nuts and a drink. I was happy the nuts were actually warm, as sometimes United cuts corners and doesn’t bother. However, it was downhill from here for the remainder of the flight.

My “breakfast burrito” arrived and as soon as I saw it I thought there must be a mistake.

Was this a real portion for the main meal on a 9 hour flight? A slim half wrap, few pieces of fruit, and a side of bread?

I was convinced they were missing the other half of my burrito but the flight attendant assured me this was the correct portion.

Just take a look at the size of this wrap. It appears smaller than half of a wrap you will receive in a Pret and thin enough that there was barely anything inside.

This was not a business class “meal”. This was more in line with a snack you serve before landing. Even for that I would think the portion was too small.

I couldn’t really believe this is what they were serving. I dipped the burrito into the sauce and about 5 bites later it was all gone.

In comparison here is a breakfast I received on United Polaris in the past.

Not only was this breakfast much larger but it was considered the “snack” on my flight to London, with the main meal being even larger than this.

In addition the sides to my tiny burrito were equally lacking.

The bowl of fruit looked sad with only a few pieces provided. Couldn’t United at least give me a full serving of fruit with the tiny burrito.

After the “meal” service they came around with dessert. I went with the cheese, which tasted ok but again looked like it was being served in economy.

Unsurprisingly I sat on the flight for 9 hours making frequent trips to the snack cart just to make it through this long flight.

About an hour from landing, and 7 hours since the last “meal”, United came around with their pre arrival snack service.

The option here was the “beef wellington”, which is by far the most generous name you can give this meal.

It’s basically a heated burger enclosed in a bread / pastry with cheese. It was served with at least a bit more fruit this time and a stale cookie.

I know this burger is a United staple but I actually had never had it before so was intrigued to try it.

The bowl of fruit was actually the highlight of this meal and less skimpy than the previous serving.

I cut this burger open to check out how it looked on the insight. In all honestly it wasn’t the worst thing I had but it felt right in line with another economy snack level of food.

The burger was extremely hot but the taste of it with the pastry all just mashed together. It was similar to something you find in the freezer aisle of your grocery store that you nuke in the microwave.

At the end of the meal service I sat there thinking was this really business class food? Especially on a long haul flight?

The short answer is absolutely not. Given a ticket on this flight is about $1,300 each way United should be embarrassed this is what they are serving customers.

With travel roaring back from the pandemic it’s clear United is taking advantage of pushing profits as much as possible. The theory is they believe their hard product is so good they can cut the soft product to a bare minimum and people will still flying.

Honestly, this flight turned me off to United and I’m not sure how much I’ll keep flying. With the lackluster food service, overcrowded lounges, and constant delays they are making it very hard to be a loyal flyer.

Am I entirely giving up on United Polaris? Of course not. However, I will be reconsidering future trips to shift to partners like Lufthansa, Swiss, Turkish, and others that have a substantially better onboard experience.

Maybe United will realize that cutting corners will hurt their bottom line one day. But until that comes expect the bare minimum from United even in a premium cabin.

The post Food Review: United 767 Polaris from Geneva to Newark appeared first on Travel Season.

This was our experience the last time we visited a United Club at Newark Airport and was no different this time around. I was departing on a flight from Chicago to London in United Polaris and was disappointed to find out the United Polaris Lounge in Chicago was still closed. The last time I visited the United Polaris Lounge in Newark it was one of the best lounge experiences I have ever had.

I understand travel is not back to it’s peak so I understand clubs were not open but nowadays United is operating back to full force.

I made my way to the close by United Club and decided to spend some time before my flight to London.

I arrived to the United Club and check in was pretty smooth. There was no one in line at the main desks but I could tell they were concerned about crowding given the sign that they are not accepting one time passes. This would upset me if I was planning to use one since it’s basically making that perk useless.

As soon as I got into the lounge I could instantly tell how crowded it was. A line was already forming at the bar and every seat was occupied from what I could tell.

I made my way over to the back of the lounge and decided to wait to see if a seat opened up. Luckily I found a single one right in the middle of the lounge and while not the best I definitely needed to sit for a bit.

Now that I was settled in it was time to look at what I like best, the food.

Upon entering the agent acknowledged my United Polaris ticket and apologized that the dedicated lounge was closed. She ended up giving me these little cupcakes instead.

The food in the lounge was set up in a small section with a feature of snacks, very few prewrapped hot items, and some cold sandwiches.

The hot items included a hot dog and some sort of wrap I didn’t really look to closely at.

On the cold side there were wraps, fruits, and sandwiches. Maybe I came at a wrong time since the supply was very low when I went to see it.

Later in my stay they did restock a few and I find the benefit of these prewrapped containers to be easy to carry with you onto the flight.

In terms of snacks they had a lot of chips selection but sadly no hot nacho cheese to go with it. This is something Delta does right giving you many more options throughout their lounge network.

I decided to take some chips and select a sad container of overly smooth guacamole. I ended up eating 2 before I realized this wouldn’t cut it and shortly put them away.

I wanted to try some hot food and decided to go for the hot dog. It’s pretty hard to mess this one up and although I couldn’t find any toppings laid out I ate it anyway. This was actually not bad from what I remember unless it was my hunger overpowering my taste buds. Although it doesn’t look great the bun was steamed and the hot dog had decent flavor, especially for in a lounge.

I decided to depart a bit earlier than I normally would given there wasn’t much to this lounge. On my way out you could see the bar line never went down so I decided to also skip the drinks this time around.

In my experience United Clubs seem to always be overcrowded and have a lackluster offering, excluding Polaris Lounges. There really is a world of difference between the two and I sometimes consider if the United Club is even worth visiting.

Maybe this is still reduced service due to the pandemic and things will get better. Or maybe this is the new normal? Only time can tell.

For now, in my opinion United holds the title for best US Business Class lounge and the most mediocre regular lounge. I’ll probably keep giving them a chance to redeem themselves and see how things shake out in the future.

The post Review: United Club At Chicago O’Hare appeared first on Travel Season.

Although the food on Turkish is typically very good the pandemic has effected us all, including Turkish Airlines.

We’re not sure when we can expect a return to service but so far the days of getting a trolly serving you food in business class has not returned.

We are still hopeful though, as travel picks back up a good food offering can really set an airline apartment.

Although still during the pandemic we were interested to see how a Turkish Lounge would fare in Miami International Airport.

The Turkish Airlines Lounge is located after security in Terminal E on Level 2. The lounge is open from 5am – 10pm and the best news is they accept Priority Pass members.

We were flying on a short haul flight to New York and decided to make a quick stop to see what it was like.

We found our way to Turkish Airlines lounge that is located on the second floor. You need to walk down a bit of a hallway and use an elevator to get there but we eventually made it.

I immediately like the style of the lounge and upon entering was hoping for the best.

On this trip the lounge was not overly crowded but was also not empty. There was plenty of people inside with the lounge consisting of one main room as well as a smaller seating room.

As soon as you enter you come across a large food service area as well as a separate. We expect this was self serve but for now they had attendants handing out the food. We noticed this would sometimes cause a line up but the wait usually was pretty quicky.

We observed small plates like salads, hummus, pita, fruit, and quinoa. They also had some sandwiches and small plates of dessert as well as drinks available.

Turkish also provides an option to order hot meals and the only choice of the day was falafel. We excitedly ordered two plates one with vegetables and the other with rice.

Our excitement quickly went away when we saw the plates being served. These were some sad looking plates.

The falafel was chewy, the veggies soggy, and the rice didn’t taste like much. Worst of all they weren’t actually that hot and more room temperature.

This was a pretty big disappointment since we thought such a simple dish would be something that can be done right.

Maybe this was not the best time to visit or maybe this is what it usually is like. We can’t be too disappointed given the times we are living in but we just hoped for better from Turkish Airlines.

Perhaps we’ll give this lounge another go at some point but for now if you are planning to visit stick to drinks and enjoy the space.

The post Food Review: Turkish Airlines Lounge At Miami Airport appeared first on Travel Season.

On this trip I was making my way across the pond for the first time in over a year. Naturally I wanted a get away with amazing food but also a city that needed tourists to bring back its vibrant life.

I decided on making my way to Rome and next came the fun part. How should I get there?

Three of the major carriers including Delta, United, and American all fly nonstop to Rome from Newark Airport. After considering the options a few weeks out I found a relatively affordable business class ticket on United and decided to snag it before prices went up. This was a great call because as soon as Italy eased restrictions a week later prices went up significantly.

Read: The Best Airlines To Fly Into Rome, Italy

I was all set to fly on United 787-9 Polaris Business Class from Newark to Rome at the beginning of July. The last time I flew United was on the 787-10 from Newark to Frankfurt, which was one of the best flights I’ve taken on an American carrier. Easy to say I was excited about this flight especially the on board meal since I weirdly missed airplane food after so much time off.

Upon doing some research I knew this would not be the same experience I had in early 2020. In July of 2021 the United Polaris Business Lounges are still closed and the hard product on my flight was still the old business class product. With my mind on Italy I didn’t mind at all and looked forward to seeing what this plane was like.

As I arrived to the airport a bit early I made my way through security in minutes. I was flying on July 4th after all, usually a slow travel day.

Give the business lounge was closed I made my way to the United Club in terminal C to check it out. Now I know we are still in a pandemic but the club was nothing special, especially the lackluster food offering.

Again, this was not normal times so I didn’t have much to complain about and was just glad to be back on the road.

We boarded the flight with no issues and we were off.

On this particular flight United was still not passing out menus. The cabin crew came around and briefly explained the options. Sadly, no welcome drink was offered either.

I decided to go with the short rib and my partner the butternut squash ravioli (vegetarian option).

The meal arrived all on one tray and had a rather “economy” feeling to it. However, upon opening it ended up looking better than I expected.

All in my dish didn’t look half bad. The short rib was paired with rice and veggie, also some type of sauce that was actually delicious.

Upon closer look I could tell the short rib would be tender but I had yet to cut into it at this point.

The side salad was not bad either and had a few welcome pieces of mango inside.

The short rib was easy enough to eat with just a fork as it pulled apart rather nicely. The the pairing of simply white rice and veggies didn’t overpower the main source of meal and the sauce also went well with the whole dish.

For dessert United served this mango sorbet, which was welcome since I’m not usually a huge fan of eating too much ice cream. However, the sorbet was just ok and I didn’t end up eating much of it.

After the meal I decided to catch some sleep before we arrived into Italy. I made sure to set an alarm so I didn’t skip breakfast since I couldn’t miss out on reviewing what they served.

The breakfast options were simply an egg dish or a box of yogurt with cereal. Of course I opted for the hot option since I’m not a huge fan of cold breakfasts. Eggs were especially what I was looking for since I didn’t expect to get much in Italy with their traditional sweet pastries for breakfast.

I couldn’t exactly tell what type of eggs I was being served but it reminded me of the a Starbucks sous vide egg. These were paired with sausages, tomatoes, and a marinara sauce.

Breakfast on airlines is usually a bit underwhelming and I would say this dish fit right in that category. It filled me up and dare I say I would order it again but it was nothing to look forward to.

Lastly, I got some fruit with my meal that I happily finished before we landed into Italy.

Overall, the food was a bit too basic for what I expected in business class. Especially when I compare it to the dishes I got served on my United Polaris flight to Frankfurt, this wasn’t much of a highlight.

In the week leading up to my flight Italy announced an easing of restrictions allowing vaccinated Americans to enter without testing again. While I was initially skeptical about how smooth this will go to my surprise immigration would be a breeze.

Again, this was a very early post pandemic flight so I didn’t really care much about the food. I was just happy to be back in Rome and traveling again!

As more and more travelers get back to the sky I expect United will continue to up their food game. Until then we can all cut the airlines some slack and enjoy the ability to move around once again.

The post Food Review: United 787-9 Polaris from Newark to Rome appeared first on Travel Season.

Turkish Airlines, a carrier well known for great food, has taken some slack in recent months for not bringing back food service as quickly as other major carriers. However, as of earlier this summer the full food service was brought and Turkish Airlines offer is back to what it does best.

I started my trip with a solid meal in Turkish Airlines business class from Newark to Istanbul so my expectations are always high with this airline.

We’ve featured Turkish Airlines before in our list of airlines with the best food but don’t get to fly it often to see if it continues to live up to the hype.

I was booked on a short hop from Istanbul to Cappadocia in October. At a little over 1 hour of flight time I was shocked to see meal service provided, in economy nonethless.

Even though I ate not to long before boarding I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try what Turkish had to offer.

As the plane got to cruising altitude the flight attendants started service.

They served each passenger their own “picnic box” that included a sandwich, eggplant, and juice. Water was available on request but there was no dedicated drink service. No big deal as I’m sure they would be cutting the timing close.

I eagerly unwrapped everything and was ready to dive in. On first look, it didn’t look all that great.

A cheese sandwich, eggplant in tomato sauce, and a peach juice. Surely Turkish wouldn’t be serving something bad given their reputation for having great food so I didn’t pay too much time to how it looked.

A very welcome feature was the default option was vegetarian. It had two pieces of cheese, tomatoes, some lettuce, and cucumbers. Given that Turkish people consume a lot of meat I liked that they made this option include to vegetarians.

The cheese itself looked just ok and there wasn’t much to the sandwich. However, Turkish cheese is actually excellent and I thought the same with this sandwich despite its looks. It tasted fresh and didn’t have too much flavor but was overall not a bad sandwich.

The eggplant actually looked pretty good and it tasted even better. This was easily the highlight of the meal and I found the portion to be just right. The eggplant was soft and well spiced with tomatoes and oil.

I instantly had a great idea that elevated my entire meal. I decided to combine the two by adding eggplant to the sandwich and it took it to a whole other level.

The eggplant was the key missing ingredient to take an ok sandwich and make it exponentially better. Without it the sandwich was a bit bland but combining the eggplant with the cheese and veggies made it a great meal.

I easily finished the sandwich and went to the juice that was also a bit refreshing. To no surprise it was sugar filled but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

This was my first time trying Turkish Airlines food in economy and even though short haul it did not disappoint.

Other carriers could learn a lot from Turkish that puts so much value on food and they often hit it out of the park.

The post Food Review: Turkish Airlines 737 Economy from Istanbul to Kayseri appeared first on Travel Season.

United Club is located in Newark Airport terminal C near gate 74 and provides access to premium cabin members, Star Alliance gold status, and united club members.

On this trip I am flying United Polaris Business Class from Newark to Rome, so unfortunately can’t access the United Polaris Business lounge and made my way to the United Club.

While I don’t expect the United club to be as good as the Polaris lounge I expected a somewhat decent place to spend a few hours before boarding. And knowing Covid cases are down but still relevant, I knew I should cut the lounges some slack in the offering.

It took me a second to spot the lounge up a nondescript staircase but once I did I made by way upstairs to check in.

As soon as I saw this notice my expectations were a bit in flux. Maybe this was a good sign and United was reserving the lounge for a more exclusive experience? Or maybe it was overcrowded and this was their way of reducing the headcount.

Unfortunately it was most certainly the later.

Upon entering the lounge I had a hard time spotting even a single empty seat. I decided to make my way to the bar, where as holding a Polaris business class ticket i was granted free premium drinks as a plus.

Much like the rest of the lounge the bar was crowded with a considerable line in order to get a drink. Luckily it actually moved rather quickly, thanks to the bar staff that were really friendly and moved quick.

I took a look at the drink menu while I waited and was quite shocked. Usually my go to is a glass of red wine and United did not skimp here.

I wasted no time ordering the Sta’s Leap Artemis after a quick look on Vivino knowing it would be excellent.

I was kind of shocked United would serve such good wine in their club but I guess this is the definition of premium wine.

Wine in hand, delicious by the way, I was ready to make my way over to the food.

If you can’t already tell from the pictures, the food was underwhelming. Now I know we are still in the midst of Covid but I would’ve expected a bit more effort on lounge food. This was most definitely snacks and ones that are easily worth skipping for a better meal on board.

I parked up with the carrots, which weren’t half bad, and lasted me the hour in the lounge.

While I thought United could’ve done better here I know we’re still in the midst of reopening and the offering is playing catch up. Regardless I was excited to board my next flight and if it was anything like the food I had on Polaris from Newark to Frankfurt I was definitely in for a highlight.

I expect over the next few months the lounges will come back better than ever and with airline traveling looking to rebound we are in for a whole new travel experience in 2022 and beyond.

The post Food Review: United Club at Newark Airport (COVID Edition) appeared first on Travel Season.

When traveling abroad in Asia and looking for a cheap flight between two local cities there is a high chance of coming across airlines you’ve never heard of. This is what happened in my case with Vistara Airlines.

I searched a flight from Bengaluru Airport located in Southern India to Mumbai, which is just a short 1.5 hour flight.

I wasn’t familiar with most of the airlines that service this route, but after doing a bit of research and seeing that Vistara is created by Singapore Airlines, I knew that this airline would be an appropriate pick.

After all my flight on Singapore Airlines A350 could have been the best food I’ve been had on an airplane. And my meal on a flight via the A380 was a close second. After all being a Singapore Airlines elite member you also get quite a few perks flying Vistara.

I was ready for what this airline had in store for me, and settled in looking forward to try the Vistara airlines food.

As we boarded I noticed that the seats looked pretty comfortable for economy class. The cabin was well designed and completely spotless and clean. I debated springing for business class, but this was such a short flight that I didn’t really see the point.

I had heard that despite the quick, 1 hour journey, that Vistara airlines still served in-flight food. In this case I was happy to give it a try since I was starving and hadn’t eaten prior to take off. I was expecting something of snack size, but what I got was a pleasant surprise.

I didn’t have a choice in choosing my meal aside from picking a vegetarian or non vegetarian option. Being in India I happily chose the veggie selection.

What arrived was an idli, similar to a rice patty, prepared in a tomato based sauce. The dish came with a side of a popular Indian grain. The food was served warm and actually way more flavor than I expected. I’ve eaten this dish many times in Bangalore, and while the on board version wasn’t as good it came decently close. I happily finished the entire dish.

Economy class, especially on short haul flights, tend to not have the best food. And that’s if they even have food at all.

We’ve noticed from others the Vistara Economy food tends to be packaged decently well.

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It looks even better up in business class where the Vistara food looks like it can rival almost any airline out there.

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But in this case I support Vistaras effort to provide a nicely portioned meal. For such a cheap flight I would happily look into flying with them again anytime that I am in the region.

The post Food Review: Vistara Airlines Economy Class from Bengaluru to Mumbai appeared first on Travel Season.

I decided to split and do one meal with the inflight menu, and the other Book the Cook option. I had passed on this option on my flight via the A380 from Mumbai so knew I needed to try it this time.

A few days later I was set to take off. After a journey that started the night before in Mumbai where I visited the GVK business lounge before I departed on short flight to Singapore. I was set to have a 16 hour layover to prepare for the longest flight in the world later that night.

Singapore is an amazing city. I spent all day walking around and sampling food from hawkers markets and restaurants along the way.

I arrived at the Changi Airport a bit early, which gave me ample time to checkout The Jewel. I even made a quick stop in the business lounge on my way out.

Note: I reviewed this flight from SIN to EWR on our review platform and you can review it there as well.

As I boarded the flight I was struck with how big the seats are.

Seat 23A was mine to ride for the roughly 18 hour flight. This was basically like a small couch.

Once again the cabin was virtually empty. So empty, in fact, that I maybe counted 15 people on the entire flight.

This was a strange time to fly with a global pandemic looming, but I’m still shocked that Singapore Airlines was continuing to make the journey. It worked in my favor, though, and I was relieved that they would be getting me home.

I had plenty to drink during my day in Singapore and in the lounge, so as the welcome drink came around I chose the ginger lemonade. This was exactly what I needed. Not overly sweet or sour, it was a refreshing start as I settled into my seat.

Before I knew it, the meal service began to roll out right away.

I had to at least try the wine on board so ordered a glass of 2015 Chateau Magnan La Gaffeliere from Bordeaux, France which retails for about $30 a bottle. The nuts were also served warm which is always a nice touch.

My entree came out a few minutes later. This was maybe the fastest meal service I’ve ever had on any flight.

I had decided to order off the in flight menu for my first meal. It was a little surprising how it came out all at once. I guess it was already late and most people wanted to get to bed so this made sense.

I went with the Gaeng Massaman Neau which is a Thai style Masaman curry with beef, seasoned veggies, and rice.

The beef was a really nicely made dish and it was spiced very well. I really liked the side of veggies that seemed to be made up of cucumber, green peppers, and some sort of lentils. I thought it would also be spicy but instead it was mild and pretty refreshing.

What came next was a bit of a treat, at least in my eyes.

Fresh fruit for dessert!

I was pretty thrilled. As I was just starting to get into bed mode and expected a more decadent desert. Did I really want to scarf down chocolate cake, ice cream, or some other rich desert before sleep? Knowing myself I would have reluctantly eaten the dessert and regretted it later.

I was glad Singapore offered this selection of different fruit and it was exactly what I needed before I got to bed.

As they cleared meal service I went to slide my bed down and found out that it doesn’t actual recline into a full flat position. You need to flip it over.

This was a bit strange and the flight attendants helped me get it into position.

As my bed was made I couldn’t believe just how big and spacious it was. You can see my laptop, a 15 inch Macbook pro, for size reference.

The bed offered a ton of room to sleep on your back, side, or even spread out. The only downside I would mention is that your feet go into a small cubby on the left, so you are a little bit sideways. If you are under 6 ft then this should be no problem, but I can imagine taller folks having some discomfort.

I did something on this airline that I never thought possible when flying. I slept for 9 hours straight. A beautiful, deep sleep.

It was an amazing way to rest and the next thing I knew I was waking up for meal number 2. I was especially excited as I had placed my special meal request for this one.

The crew started me off with their famous chicken and lamb satay with spicy peanut sauce. I found the meat to be really tender and the sauce added a nice kick. It was pretty incredible for airline food.

What a way to start off breakfast.

Next up was a piece of salmon sashimi that was served with greens and an orange.

I don’t usually get that excited for raw fish, especially on airplanes, but this salmon was really good. It paired well with the citrus and bitter greens and was a nice, light dish after the satays.

Finally it was time for the main event, the Laksa.

The dish came out and just the smell of it blew me away. It was fragrant, spicy, and looked like one of the most appetizing bowls of noodles I’ve ever had. Forget airline food, this dish looked like it could stand out in any restaurant.

Closer inspection had me spot plenty of bean curd, shrimp, and a hard boiled egg.

The entire dish was nicely spiced, and really helped me wake up. After consuming it, I got so full that I could’ve fallen asleep again.

Dessert came out next, and this time it was much richer than the fruit bowl, but still felt a bit light which was nice.

I tasted a bit of each item, but didn’t end up finishing any of these desserts. I don’t have a massive sweet tooth but it’s always nice to get a few bites after a hearty meal. A solid palate cleanser.

As we were approaching landing in New York I was a bit shocked at how fast the flight had gone. It was 18 hours and the longest flight in the world but why do I feel like I could’ve done it all over again back to back. Singapore Airlines A350 business class was a luxury experience that stands out for incredible food, service and immunities.

This was truly an unforgettable experience and the level of comfortable on this flight couldn’t have been better.

The food especially was on a different level compared to other carriers. They blew away US based airlines, and are hopefully setting the bar high for all other carriers to rise up to meet. If you have the chance to fly on Singapore airlines A350 business class flight, I highly recommend taking it.

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Virgin Atlantic pulls out all the stops for their clubhouse at their airline hub at Heathrow Airport. There is even a private terminal for upper class passengers to use!

Long considered an Oasis at an otherwise bustling Heathrow Airport, the Virgin Atlantic clubhouse is arguably one of the nicest lounges that I have ever been to. It even has the ambiance and appearance of a trendy hotel lobby rather than an airport lounge.

I was stopped in London on a relatively short 3 hour layover on a flight from Mumbai, but even given my time restraints I knew that I had to check out the Virgin Atlantic clubhouse. I was starving, and ready to get a good meal before my departure.

The first thing I noticed was how spacious the Virgin Atlantic clubhouse is. Sporting a huge open floor plan, there are plenty of couches, tables, and booths to sit and hang around in.

Immediately upon entering you are faced with a large prepared food bar. And it’s not just a run of the mill, ordinary hot bar. Impeccably clean and well designed, there was a ton of variety in the freshly prepared dishes that were plated and ready to grab and go.

They even have an interesting and unique hanging donut wall displayed in the back!

Prepared Options and Donut Bar

This area is earmarked for those patrons that are in a rush. Spot a dish that looks appealing? Just grab and eat straight away. Since it was morning when I arrived, I went down the line and found a wide selection of salads, fruit bowls, oatmeal, and other various breakfast foods.

Prepared Breakfast and Salads

The salads actually looked pretty good, and given that there was a decent amount of foot traffic in the lounge, the dishes were being replaced pretty frequently.

Prepared Meats, Cheeses, and Eggs

The station also had plates that were filled with smoked salmon, meats, eggs, and cheeses. A light and simple way to start off the day or fuel up between flights.

Hot Bar Sandwiches and Pretzels

If you craved something more filling, the station also provided pre-made breakfast sandwiches and pretzels to choose from.

Pastry and Muffin Selection

Rounding out the pre-made bar was a freshly baked assortment of muffins and pastries that smelled great.

What I really appreciated about the prepared food section was that there were 2 employees hard at work behind the bar that will mix and max any dishes that you choose. A nice, personal touch for the Virgin Atlantic clubhouse.

Want a sandwich but don’t see what you’re craving? Not a problem. With a large selection of fresh bread, meats, cheeses, and vegetables, there was something to prepare whatever is desired.

While I grabbed a few things on a small plate to nibble on, I didn’t want to fill up. I had heard rave reviews about the a la carte dining, so I decided to have my main meal off that menu.

A La Carte Dining Menu

I was pretty surprised upon opening the menu. It was decently expansive, and had a great selection of meals to choose from.

The breakfast menu had 7 different cooked dishes to order. The last time that I had stopped in the lounge I enjoyed a delicious bowl of ramen, so I knew the food would be pretty good. This time I was excited to try something new.

Drink Menu

The drink menu has a pretty extensive selection of coffee, tea, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages.

There was only one issue that I came across while ordering. I was trying to eat vegan at the time, and there wasn’t much food to choose from that satisfied my diet. 6 out of the 7 breakfast dishes contained eggs, which made them a no go.

But the best part of the a la carte dining is the dedicated waitstaff. My waitress was extremely friendly and helpful, and was happy to accommodate changes to the dishes based on diet. She recommended the shakshuka, minus the eggs.

Beautifully Plated Shakshuka

The dish came pipping hot and looked great. I was super impressed at the restaurant level quality of the meal’s presentation.

A shakshuka without the eggs is basically an elevated tomato soup. This dish was well seasoned, and I really enjoys the garnish of fresh greens that was added on top.

The meal was really good, and ended up working out well and not getting me too full, allowing me to feel light for my upcoming flight. I also had the chance to indulge in some delicious food aboard the Virgin A350 from London to JFK.

All in all, the Virgin Atlantic clubhouse is really a unique lounge, and almost a must stop when traveling through Heathrow.

The good news for Delta frequent flyers is that they are granted access to the clubhouse with Platinum and above status, or when flying first class.

When given the chance I would definitely come back to the Virgin Atlantic clubhouse. The food is reliable and tasty with many options to select from, and the space itself is luxurious and comfortable. Virgin Atlantic is no stranger to having a bit of a trendy edge in their offerings, and this lounge certainly lives up to the standard.

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