Review: Etihad First Class Apartment A380 Abu Dhabi to Sydney

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A few months ago, I managed to snag an award seat using my American Aadvantage miles to fly on Etihad’s First Class Apartment product from Abu Dhabi to Sydney. For many, the product itself is arguably the most luxurious first class product currently out on the market. With a total flight time of slightly more than 14 hours, I had a lot of time to savor the experience. The experience itself however, started long before the flight. Here’s how my trip went:

Flight Stats:

Carrier: Etihad 454
Route: Abu Dhabi, UAE to Sydney, AU
Flight Time: 14 hours, 10 minutes
Seat: 4A

Departure Time: 10:05pm
Arrival Time: 7:15pm
Aircraft: Airbus A380-800

On-Ground Experience:

My experience with Etihad began way before the flight itself. Anyone that travels first class with Etihad is automatically eligible for a personal chauffeur pick up both to your origin airport and on arrival at your destination airport. I had currently been on a one day layover in Dubai, and even though Dubai is nearly 150km from Abu Dhabi, Etihad’s chauffeur service still picked me up from Dubai. I thought this service was amazing, but learned that this is pretty common as many passengers that fly out of Abu Dhabi stay in Dubai.

My very own chauffeur to Abu Dhabi airport!

My very own chauffeur to Abu Dhabi airport!

Other than the horrible traffic between the two cities, the journey to Abu Dhabi International Airport was fairly uneventful.

At the Airport

After arriving at the airport, as a first class passenger you’ll be able to skip the lines at the airport and proceed to the first class counter, which at Abu Dhabi airport is in a completely separate space with a private entrance. Both check-in and passing through security and immigration was a breeze at the airport.

First Class Check In

First Class Check In

Due to traffic, I only had about 45 minutes to spare at the airport before my flight began to board. After clearing immigration I made my way to Etihad’s Premium Class lounge. Simply show your ticket and you’re in. The lounge itself was by far the largest premium class lounge I’ve ever been to. Unlike some other lounges I’ve been to, the Etihad Premium Class lounge had two buffet areas, a bartender working a real bar, a spa, private showers, and ample seating throughout the lounge. Although the lounge itself felt very spacious. I grabbed a quick bite to eat then headed to my gate.

Etihad Premium Lounge

Etihad Premium Lounge

The Lounge Directory

The Lounge Directory

The Spa at the Lounge

The Spa at the Lounge

The Bar at the Lounge

The Bar at the Lounge

The buffett at the lounge

The buffet at the lounge

Pro-tip: If I could have done this trip over again, I would have requested the chauffeur to pick me up much earlier than was initially planned. My flight was scheduled to depart at 10:15pm, but we left Dubai around 6:30 p.m., which didn’t leave me much time to enjoy the first class experience at the airport.

Finally, it was time to board the flight!

In-Flight Experience:

There are a total of 9 first class apartments on-board Etihad’s A380 routes. Apartments 4A and 4k are the only apartments where your seat is adjacent to the window and is faced forward, the other apartments either have a seat that faces backward, or is situated next to the aisle. I was lucky enough to snag Apartment 4A.

My address for the flight: Apartment 4A

My address for the flight: Apartment 4A

A look into my apartment: Etihad First Class A380 Apartment 4A

A look into my apartment: Etihad First Class A380 Apartment 4A

Etihad First Class A380 Apartment 4A couch

Etihad First Class A380 Apartment 4A couch. The couch itself is a staggering 6 feet 10 inches long, and converts to a bed during turn-down service. It’s by far the longest bed I’ve ever slept on in a plane!

Etihad First Class A380 Apartment 4A seat

Etihad First Class A380 Apartment 4A seat

Etihad First Class A380 Apartment 4A windows

Etihad First Class A380 Apartment 4A windows

A glass of wine before the flight!

A glass of wine before the flight!

 

Etihad First Class Dining

The dining experience was beyond I’ve ever had. Given the 14 hour flight, both a dinner and a breakfast was planned for the route. In addition to the planned meal service, passengers also had full access to order a la carte off the menu throughout the flight.

Lamb biryani for dinner!

Lamb biryani for dinner!

Etihad First Class Apartment Shower

The highlight of the flight itself was getting the chance to take a shower…on a plane! The Etihad A388 is one of only two carriers (the other is Emirates) in the world that offer on-board showers to passengers. When you board the flight, your flight attendant will inquire when you’d like to use the shower. I opted to take my shower a few hours before landing in Sydney. As you can imagine, when it was my turn, I was beyond excited to try out this very novel experience.

Passengers only get 5 minutes worth of running water, though you extend your shower by pressing the stop and start button. usually like to test the temperature of the water before I getting into the shower, but unfortunately the water doesn’t begin to run unless the shower door is completely closed. Save yourself the possibility of being hit with cold water and dial up the temperature before you turn it on.

Etihad A380 First Class Bathroom

Etihad A380 First Class Bathroom

Etihad First Class A380 bathroom amenities

Etihad First Class A380 bathroom amenities

Etihad A380 First Class Shower Dial

Etihad A380 First Class Shower Dial

Etihad A380 First Class Shower

Etihad A380 First Class Shower

Etihad First/Business Class On-Board Lounge

After showering a bit, I decided to check out the on-board lounge that’s shared between the first class and business class cabins.

Etihad A380 Shared On-Board Lounge

Etihad A380 Shared On-Board Lounge

Having a drink in the shared on-board lounge

Having a drink and watching CNN in the shared on-board lounge

As evident in the picture above, as soon as I got on board I changed into Etihad’s pajamas for the duration of the flight. They were really comfortable!

The rest of the flight was spent relaxing, watching movies and eating!

Breakfast

Breakfast

Pre-arrival dessert

Pre-arrival dessert

Watching a movie. Etihad's Entertainment System is excellent, and the TV even pulls out and swivels!

Watching a movie. Etihad’s Entertainment System is excellent, and the TV even pulls out and swivels!

Overall

Flying Etihad’s First Class Apartment from Abu Dhabi to Sydney was truly an unforgettable experience. With a retail price of just over $5,800, I would’ve never been able to have flown this route if it weren’t for miles. And at just 60,000 Aadvantage miles (I booked this flight prior to American Airlines 2016 devaluation), it was an incredible deal!

One Day in Dubai

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Have an upcoming layover in Dubai? First time visiting the city and you’ve only got a day to spare? I’m a big fan of beaches and architecture, and on a recent trip through Dubai, here’s how I spent my 24 hour layover in Dubai:

Walk around the Dubai Mall
(~1 hour)

Grab a taxi or uber to visit the Dubai Mall, one of the largest malls in the world. Not only is the mall a great escape from the oppressive heat (even at night!), but there’s something new and interesting. During my visit, there was a game going on in the ice rink:

Ice rink at Dubai Mall

Ice rink at Dubai Mall

Watch the Dubai Fountain Show
(~30 minutes)

The highlight of the mall in my opinion is the Dubai Fountain. Designed by the same creators of the fountain show at The Bellagio in Las Vegas, the fountain show at the Dubai Mall is the world’s largest fountain performance. I’d recommend going in the evening to take full advantage of the accompanying light show, which you obviously can’t appreciate as much during the day. Evening shows happen every 30 minutes, between 630pm – 11pm. Additional information on the Dubai Fountain

Dubai Fountain Performance

Dubai Fountain Performance

Be mesmerized by the Burj Khalifa
(~15-20 minutes)

After the fountain show, walk around the Burj Khalifa lake to get to the base of Burj Khalifa, the tallest tower in the world. One of the first things you’ll notice when standing at the foot of the tower is just the immensity of the building. I’ve visited a handful of other super-skyscrapers in the past (the Willis Tower in Chicago, the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, or Taipei 101), but none of those buildings compares to Burj Khalifa. Simply put, this building is enormous!

Burj Khalifa at Night

Burj Khalifa at Night

Indulge in high tea at the world’s highest bar: At.mosphere at the Burj Khalifa
(~1-2 hours)

I absolutely love architecture. And drinking…tea. And in a city known for towers sprouting up like weeds, there were really only two places that made my shortlist to grab high tea: the Burj Khalifa and the Burj al Arab. Both towers offer guests the option of having high tea from a prime location: at the Burj Khalifa, at highest bar in the world; at the Burj al Arab, at the world’s only 7 star hotel. I opted for the Burj Khalifa, mainly because I wanted to check out the view from the world’s tallest tower, and more importantly there weren’t any reservations available at the Skyview Bar at the Burj al Arab.

Waiting for high tea at the Armani Residences at Burj Khalifa

Waiting for high tea reservation at the Armani Residences at Burj Khalifa

The At.mosphere is located at Floor 124. I’ve never been at a floor so high in my life! At AED580 for a window seat, the experience indeed was definitely a treat. was definitely one of the highlights of my layover. Although it’s not the highest floor in the tower (there’s an observation deck on the 148th floor), it was certainly an experience to remember.

Window table at At.moshpere at Burj Khalifa

Window table at At.moshpere at Burj Khalifa

High tea starters

At.mosphere at Burj Khalifa high tea starters

High Tea Shrimp Course

At.mosphere at Burj Khalifa high tea shrimp dish

High tea desserts

At.mosphere at Burj Khalifa high tea desserts

At the At.mosphere!

Me at the At.mosphere!

Make sure to book your reservation by either filling out this form, sending an email to reservations@atmosphereburjkhalifa.com, or calling them at +971 4 888 3828.

Check out JBR Beach
(1-2 hours)

After high tea, I was keen to check out Dubai’s beaches. While there are a lot of beaches in the emirate, JBR (short for Jumeirah Beach Residence) beach, located about 20 minutes away from the Burj Khalifa, is one of Dubai’s more renowned beach areas. A quick uber ride later, I had my feet in the warm waters of the Persian Gulf!

JBR Beach

Muslim women at JBR Beach

Sun shining down on JBR Beach

Sun shining down on JBR Beach

Soaking in the warm waters of the Persian Gulf

Soaking in the warm waters of the Persian Gulf

Go on a sunset cruise around the Dubai Marina
(1 hour)

After hanging out and people watching, walk over to the Dubai Marina and grab a ticket for a ferry ride on the Dubai Ferry. I caught the 5pm ferry ride, which lined up perfectly right around sunset. The ferry is a great way to see a lot of Dubai’s architecture from the water in a relatively short period of time (the ferry tour lasts about 60 minutes). Tickets for the ferry ride cost AED 50.

After the ferry ride, I grabbed a cab at the Dubai Marina (it’s pretty easy to find cabs and ubers in this part of town), picked up my stuff from my hotel, and headed off to Dubai airport for my connecting flight later that evening.

Dubai Marina

Dubai Marina

Yacht at Dubai Marina

Yacht at Dubai Marina

Sunset in the Persian Gulf

Sunset in the Persian Gulf

Getting Around:
If you’re strapped for time, and want to make the most of your short stay in Dubai, I’d highly recommend using a taxi or uber to get around. While I did take the Dubai Metro from the airport to my hotel, walking from the metro station to your final destination in the oppressively hot Middle East heat is no joke. Do yourself a favor and just take a cab or uber!

 

Crossing America by Train: Aboard the California Zephyr & Capitol Limited

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This blog post is a mini-primer on how to travel across America by train. In here, you’ll find tips on:

Introduction

I’ve always had an interest in train travel. Last year, I had the pleasure of traveling across the country overland on Amtrak. Some thought I was crazy to spend a three-day weekend riding a train from DC to San Francisco via Chicago, only to immediately take a flight back home to be at the office on Tuesday. Despite it being a short trip, I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity, most particularly because it afforded me the opportunity to see a part of the country that few get to, all from the comfort of my very own room. In this post, I’ll share with you how to I traveled across the country using points, what the experience was like, and any tips to make your Amtrak train experience unforgettable.

But first…

Why Travel Across America by Train?

Simple – it’s the best way to see America, in a short amount of time.

Car travel is just too exhausting. You can’t really walk around inside a car, and you’ll be stuck in traffic whenever near a major city.

Air travel is fairly quick, but aside from peering through clouds, it’s hard to get a sense of what America truly looks like from above.

Train travel, on the other hand, is relatively comfortable, yet still affords you the perfect opportunity to view the country at your leisure. So stop thinking about reasons to go, and just commit. Let’s do this!

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Which class of service to choose?

Okay, now that you’re absolutely ready to book that train trip, it’s time to book your trip. Before you reserve your ticket, you should note that on some long-distance Amtrak routes, you’ll have several options:  

Reserved Coach Seat – The cheapest option available. For those that have never ridden on Amtrak, these seats are surprisingly comfortable and fairly spacious in both width and legroom. For shorter trips, a coach seat will do. On a cross-country trip, expect to pay $400 – $500 for a one-way ticket in reserved coach. However, if your journey is going to be for more than 12 hours, I’d highly recommend the other two options.

Roomette – The mid-tier product. Unlike the coach seats, where you won’t have any privacy, the roomette is essentially a room containing two coach seats that sit across each other, that convert to two bunk beds at night. In addition to the privacy, some additional benefits include:

  • Free meals on board throughout your journey.
  • Access to a shower, which is extremely helpful if you’re on a long multi-day itinerary.
  • Your own window — folks in coach looking for a view will head to the viewing car, which can get really crowded.
  • See more here: Amtrak Roomette 

If you’re booking a cross-country ticket with a roomette, expect to pay $1400 – $1600 one-way.

Bedroom – The top tier product. Basically, you’ll get the same benefits as the roomette, but you’ll have more space available in your room, and your bathroom will probably be even less busy than those in staying in the roomette. As a broke twenty-something, I didn’t really bother considering this product as an option when I booked my train journey.

Pro-tip: If this is your first time doing a cross-country trip on Amtrak, get the roomette. It might be a little narrow for some (especially when you close the sliding doors at night), but the added privacy compared to coach, access to showers and free meals, and significantly cheaper price compared to the bedroom make the roomette my preferred recommendation.

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Which route to take?

Now that you’ve weighed your options on which class to choose, it’s time to decide which journey you’ll want to take. Amtrak has several options to choose from:

  • The Sunset Limited – Between New Orleans and L.A.
  • The Southwest Chief – Between Chicago and L.A.
  • The California Zephyr – Between Chicago and Emeryville (with a connecting shuttle across the bay to San Francisco)
  • The Empire Builder – Between Chicago and Seattle or Portland
  • The Texas Eagle – Between Chicago and L.A., via southern Texas 

Each route has its highlights, and you can learn more about them at Seat 61. For my first cross-country trip, I opted to take The California Zephyr, for several reasons:

  • Historically, it’s the most important route, running along the original transcontinental route.
  • The route is the most popular of Amtrak’s transcontinental routes.
  • The route passes through the full spectrum of American geography: from prairies in the midwest, to the Rocky Mountains, to the deserts of Northern Nevada, to the Redwood Forests of Northern California, before ending the journey at San Francisco Bay. 

Pro-tip: If you’re unsure of which route to choose, go with the crowd and take the California Zephyr. However, if you’re into mountain views, consider the Empire Builder, which heads through Montana and the Pacific Northwest. Alternatively, if desert landscapes are your jam, the Southwest Chief and Sunset Limited might be alternative picks worthwhile to consider. 

How to purchase or redeem points for your journey

Now that you’ve figured out which route to take, and have selected which class to choose, it’s time to reserve your ticket. You have two options: 

Option #1: Buy the ticket outright 

Buying a cross-country train ticket is just like buying a plane ticket. Simply navigate to amtrak.com, enter in your origin and destination, and hit search. To get a sense of how much you can expect to spend for a roomette, I did a quick search for a trip from DC to SF around July 4th weekend, and found this:

Purchasing an Amtrak ticket is just like buying a plane ticket!

Purchasing an Amtrak ticket is just like buying a plane ticket!

 

Obviously, for most of us, dropping $1400 for a room to spend 3 days on a train WITH NO WIFI and LIMITED 3G/4G/LTE service (at least with Verizon) is ridiculous! Thankfully, there’s another option.

Option #2: Use points to book your journey. 

As of this writing, a roomette from the East Coast to the West Coast costs 35,000 Amtrak points, or if you’re splitting the room with a friend, 17,500 points/person. For journeys originating in Chicago and terminating on the West Coast, a roomette will cost 20,000 Amtrak points, or alternatively 10,000 points/person. For a more detailed summary of how much it’ll cost, check out this great summary: A Complete Guide to Booking Train Travel.

Amtrak is a transfer partner with Chase Ultimate Rewards. To book your journey via points, simply accrue points via credit card sign-ups or credit card spend, then transfer how much you need.

  1. Login to Your Chase Account, then select the “Ultimate Rewards,” located on the right side of your window.
  2. Once you’ve been redirected to the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, click on “use points” located on the top toolbar, then select “Transfer to Travel Partners.”
  3. Scroll all the way down the list, and select “Amtrak Guest Rewards.”
  4. Enter in your Amtrak account information, then enter in  many points you need to redeem for your cross country journey. Transfers to Amtrak happen instantly.
  5. Navigate to Your Amtrak Guest Rewards Account to redeem your points.

Okay, now that you’ve booked your trip, it’s time to prepare for your journey.

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How to pack for your long distance train journey?

I stayed in a roomette, so if you’re staying in a bedroom or in coach, some of my tips may not apply.

Packing for a train journey is similar to airline travel in some respects: you can check luggage through to your final destination, or bring up to two carry ons. Since I was traveling mainly for the journey and less so for the destination, I opted to bring one carry on: my Osprey.

While the roomette may seem relatively spacious when the seats are up, space gets pretty limited when the seats are turned down by the attendant to become beds. Once turned down, the only space you’ll have to place your stuff will either be on the bed, two hooks on the wall to hang stuff, and a pocket closet to store one or two light jackets. So, to save you the trouble of having to go back and forth to your stored luggage (located in your carriage, but not in your room), I’d suggest the following:

  • Bring a backpack that stores a lot of stuff, that can be hung on a hook.
  • Bring a pair of flip flops for walking around the train, as well as for the showers.
  • Pack a bag of toiletries, and place these in your backpack.
  • Pack an extra power adapter; each roomette only has one plug, so having an adapter will give you more options to charge your devices.

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Capitol Limited: A Review 

#29 Capitol Limited
Depart: 4:05pm from Union Station, Washington, DC
Arrive: 8:45am at Union Station, Chicago, IL
Duration: 17 hr, 40 min

Overview

This journey, which lasted almost a full day, went by really quickly. Departing from DC in the afternoon, the journey takes you through Maryland, Western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and ends at Chicago. Take advantage of sightseeing while the sun is still up; once it sets, you won’t be able to see much outside beyond the faint moonlight reflecting off the wilderness (which itself can be pretty awesome!). 

Tips and Comments:

  • Your Attendant: Each carriage is served by one attendant. After settling into your roomette, your attendant will introduce him or herself, and ask for when you’d like to have dinner, which is served in the dining car.
  • Dining on the train: Dinner hours are generally 5 – 7 pm, and are divided into 30 min time slots. However, if you end up chatting with another passenger or want to linger, it’s totally okay if you stay in the dining room longer than your designated time.
  • Turning down your bed: Instead of trying to figure out how to turn down the seats into beds, have the attendant do them for you. He or she can be easily found, either in their room at the front of the carriage, wandering around in the train, or by pressing the call button in your roomette.
  • Accessing the internet: Some long distance Amtrak trains don’t have internet access, including the California Zephyr and Capitol Limited, so unless the route is near a town or city (where you can probably catch a data signal), you won’t have internet access. Some, including myself, found this a perfect way to unplug, read a book, or simply watch the changing landscape of the American heartland pass me by.
  • Showering on the train: Each carriage has 2-3 bathrooms with your standard toilet and sink, the layout of which resembled the bathrooms you find on planes. In addition to the bathroom, each carriage also has 1 private shower room. Surprisingly, although shared, I never had to wait for someone to finish showering; it was always free and available to use whenever I needed to use it.

Now, on to the journey itself! 

The journey (in pictures):

Waiting to leave Union Station

Capitol Limited - DC Union Station

A side view of the roomette. Notice my backpack hanging on the hook.

Capitol Limited - Roommette

Dusk somewhere over Northwest Maryland.

Capitol Limited - Northern Maryland

The dinner menu. 

Capitol Limited - Dining Menu

I had the steak.

Capitol Limited - Steak

A view of the shower. First time taking a shower on a train!

Capitol Limited - Shower

View from the window. Waking up somewhere over Northern Indiana.

Capitol Limited - Northern Indiana 

For breakfast, I had the french toast.

Capitol Limited - French Toast 

Capitol Limited: Conclusion 

If I had to do this trip over again, I would probably skip this leg. Aside from the novelty of saying I’ve crossed the country from coast-to-coast, there wasn’t anything in particular in terms of scenery that was outrageously gorgeous.

That being said, it was my first time passing through the Midwest, which, as someone that has never truly explored the midwest besides stopovers, gave me a good sense of just how flat parts of the country really are! If you aren’t continuing on to California and Chicago is your final destination, use the time on the train with limited internet access to unplug: read a book, write something, listen to some music, talk with other passengers. It’s a great experience!

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California Zephyr: A Review
#5 California Zephyr
Depart: 2:00pm from Union Station, Chicago, IL
Arrive 4:10pm at Emeryville Station, Emeryville, CA
Duration: 52 hr, 10min 

For those that are going straight through from DC, you’ll have a five hour layover in Chicago. If you’ve never been to Chicago, the stopover gives you enough time to check out the city. Some spots I’d highly recommend are:

  • Heading to Adler Planetarium, for awesome views of the Chicago skyline
  • Checking out “The Bean,” and if you’re into art, the nearby Art Institute of Chicago.
  • Taking in the views atop the John Hancock Tower or the Willis Tower.
  • Eating a deep dish pizza at Giordano’s.
Chicago Skyline from Adler Planeterium

Chicago Skyline from Adler Planetarium

Once you’ve checked out Chicago for a few hours, it’s time to head back to Union Station. The journey from Chicago to San Francisco takes a little over two days, and is well worth the experience.

Tips and Comments:

In addition to all the tips I mentioned for the Capitol Limited, which also apply on the California Zephyr, some tips and comments specific to this route are:

  • Take the train from Denver. If you’re strapped for time, save yourself a day by flying into Denver directly. The journey between Denver and San Francisco via Salt Lake City takes a little over a day, and passes through arguably the most scenic portion of the entire transcontinental journey, including passing through the Rockies, riding along the Colorado River, and so much more.
  • Get a roomette that faces south. One thing that I wished I had done before going on my journey was to inquire with Amtrak which side of the train the roomette was on. If I had to do the California Zephyr again, I would strongly try to get a sleeper with a southern-facing window. During my journey, we were in a northern-facing sleeper, which meant that we couldn’t see the sun setting. To maximize sunlight time and to catch a glimpse of the sun setting over the horizon, get the sleeper that faces south.
  • Train delays do happen. It’s not uncommon for the California Zephyr or any other long-distance Amtrak train route to be delayed. When I rode the California Zephyr, the train arrived a bit late at several stops along the way to California. Surprisingly though, the train made arrived at Emeryville a full hour before schedule.

Now, on to the journey!

Beginning the journey at Chicago’s Union Station

Chicago Union Station

View of the Chicago Skyline as we begin the journey to California

California Zephyr - Leaving Chicago

Water tower somewhere over Northern Illinois 

California Zephyr - Water Tower in Northern Illinois

Whimsical skies somewhere over Northern Illinois 

California Zephyr - Northern Illinois Skies

A corridor in the sleeping car at night

California Zephyr - Corridor

The staircase to the lower deck

California Zephyr - Staircase

Waking up somewhere over Eastern Colorado.

California Zephyr - Eastern Colorado

Stopover in Denver

California Zephyr - Denver Station

Train tracks at Denver Union Station

California Zephyr - Denver Station Platform

Ominous cloud formations just west of Denver

California Zephyr - Denver Clouds View of the Colorado River

California Zephyr - Colorado River A man fishing in the Colorado River 

California Zephyr - Colorado River Fishing

Cows along the Colorado River

California Zephyr - Cows Colorado River

Stopover in Salt Lake City

California Zephyr - Salt Lake City Station

Waking up over the salt flats and deserts of Northern Nevada

California Zephyr - Salt Flats

A river in the desert

California Zephyr - Desert River

 Stopover in Truckee, California

California Zephyr - Truckee

A river in Northern California

California Zephyr - NorCal River

Passing under a bridge, near San Francisco Bay

California Zephyr - Bay Bridge

I finally arrived at the Emeryville Station, our final destination!

California Zephyr - Emeryville Station 

California Zephyr: Conclusion

Although this was my first ever transcontinental route, the California Zephyr is a fantastic way to see America. In just over two days, you’ll see more of the country than most Americans ever will. Definitely an unforgettable experience. Highly recommend! Continue reading