Waiting for us was this brand new QantasLink A220-300 sitting at Tullamarine airport, Melbourne.
I was excitedly anticipating this flight with Qantas’ one of only two newly acquired A220’s at the time. More fuel efficient and with nearly double the range, these will eventually replace the older B717’s in the Qantas fleet.
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Our holiday in Tokyo had sadly come to an end so after catching a train to Narita airport and some time at the Sakura lounge, we boarded our JAL flight to Melbourne.
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Our JAL B777-300 aircraft preparing for our flight from San Francisco to Haneda, Tokyo
We were excited for our stay in Tokyo being our first time to Japan and were looking forward to our flight with JAL.
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Continuing on from our previous JAL flight from Sydney to Haneda, this time we would be flying on a 777-300 the rest of the way to New York. After about an hour and a half in the lounge I was excited for this next leg and to also be having a window seat.
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Our Finnair A320 flight from Helsinki to Lisbon
Excited to be going to Portugal for the first time, I was curious to see what Finnair’s Business class product was like within Europe. Would it match up to the amazing experience we had flying from New York to Helsinki? We were about to find out.
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Our Qantas B787-9 Dreamliner that would fly us from Melbourne to Los Angeles
After a long hiatus in international travel due to COVID, it felt good to get back in the air and fly internationally once again. Travel to the US required a negative COVID test from a travel pathology centre within just a calendar day of departure. The test could be done at the airport for less money but we couldn’t guarantee we would get the results back in time. A valid ESTA is also required which at the time cost around $20 AUD each and could be obtained via an online application. These are valid for two years.
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Time to board our QantasLink B717-200 for our flight back to Canberra
After an enjoyable break from Canberra’s chilly winter weather we finished up our week in sunny Byron Bay and the Gold Coast before it was time to catch our flight back home on the same B717-200 aircraft we flew over on.
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Our QantasLink B717-200 at Canberra Airport preparing for its flight to the Gold Coast
This was our first flight since January 2020 before COVID had really taken off. So we were excited to be back in the air and at the same time cautious about what to expect. Was it going to be safe? Were adequate measures in place and what impact would this new way of flying have on our experience? We were about to find out. Continue reading
Our Singapore Airlines B777-300 ER displaying her Star Alliance livery
After a very enjoyable holiday in Singapore with my husband, two daughters and my parents, it was time to fly home. This time we were booked on a Boeing 777-300 ER which would take us all the way through to Canberra with a quick fuel and pickup stop in Sydney on the way.
Our Singapore Airlines A350-900 in preparation for it’s flight from Brisbane to Singapore
Following on from our flight to Brisbane our family was very excited to be flying Singapore Airlines to Singapore where we would join my parents on an eight day holiday. The plane was less than a year old and we were already familiar with the good service and food on board Singapore Airlines so couldn’t wait.
Our Virgin Australia B787 on the tarmac of the Canberra Airport just before its flight to Brisbane
Our family was flying to Brisbane where we would take a connecting flight on to Singapore to meet up with my parents for a holiday together. We chose this flight as it was cheaper than the direct flight with Singapore Airlines and also avoided flying through the night which isn’t my favourite.
Boarding our Singapore Airlines B777-300ER aircraft at Changi airport
After an enjoyable breakfast at the Changi Airport’s Aerotel hotel where we had spent the night followed by a second breakfast in the lounge, we boarded our Singapore Airlines flight from Singapore to Canberra in Business Class via Sydney.
Our Singapore Airlines A350-900 ULR that took us on the longest flight in the world
We were about to embark on what was currently the longest flight in the world – Newark, NJ to Singapore on Singapore Airlines’ A350-900 ULR in Business class. The journey was scheduled to take a whopping 18 hours and 45 minutes. We caught the hotel shuttle to the airport turning up with plenty of time to grab a bite to eat at the Polaris Lounge. It was situated in the other terminal but I had heard a bit about this lounge so was eager to try it out.
Our Singapore Airlines A350-900 ULR that took us from Singapore to Newark, USA
After a whole day’s layover in Singapore, we were ready and excited for our next flight which was a long one at over 18 hours. And what better way to spend it than flying on Singapore Airline’s A350 in Business Class. We had heard a lot about the A350 and were about to try it out for the first time.
Our Singapore Airlines B777-300 ER at the Canberra Airport
We were very excited to be trying out Singapore Airlines’ Business class product on our flight to Singapore and then on to New York. It would be my first time flying internationally direct out of Canberra before. Singapore Airlines don’t have a lounge at the Canberra Airport but upstairs you can use the Virgin lounge. It’s fairly simple with a modest selection of hot and cold food but given it was very late at night and we were getting a meal on board anyway, there was plenty to keep us happy. I settled with a bowl of tasty creamy tomato and basil soup.
Our Qantas A380-800 aircraft we were flying from Singapore to Melbourne
Although not keen on overnight flights in Economy, I was looking forward to flying this leg with Qantas on the A380 for our flight back to Australia from Singapore. My plan of selecting a window and aisle seat paid off as we had no one sitting in the middle and more room for us to spread out whilst trying to catch a bit of sleep.
Our Malaysia Airlines A330-300 plane that would take us to Singapore
After a very enjoyable time in Malaysia, it was time to say goodbye to the friendly people, great food and warm weather and make our way back home. Having flown Malaysia Airlines on our way here, we had an idea of what to expect on this short flight to Singapore.
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Our Malaysia Airlines A330-300 aircraft that would take us from Melbourne to Kuala Lumpur.
Our Qantas flight on the A380-800 had been cancelled so we were moved to this Malaysia Airlines flight on their A330-300. Not having flown with Malaysia Airlines before we were not sure what to expect and to be honest were a little nervous. Our flight to Malaysia was to celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversary with a stay on spectacular Pankor Laut and a week in Kuala Lumpur.
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Our Qantas B737-800 plane preparing for its flight to Melbourne
We were about to embark on the beginning of our holiday to celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversary and what better way to kick it off than 5 nights in an overwater bungalow in tropical Pangkor Laut, Malaysia. However when we got to the airport we were in for some unexpected news.
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Our Qantas A380-800 having just landed in Sydney
After our short layover at Los Angeles LAX we were back on the plane for our 15 hour flight to Sydney Australia. This time it would be on the Airbus A380 so I was interested in comparing the Business class product on this to the B787-9 Dreamliner we had just been on.
At just over a year old this Qantas B787-9 Dreamliner has been painted in the Yam Dreaming livery adapted from a 1991 Indigenous painting
After our two weeks in New York State it was time to say good bye and make our way home. A ride on the Amtrak train for just over two hours landed us at Penn Station where we caught the E train to uptown Queens getting off at Sutphin Boulevard Station. From there we purchased a Metrocard to take the AirTrain to terminal 8 where Qantas was located. Continue reading
This was our third flight on our long journey from Canberra to New York and after hopping off this plane and spending more than an hour going through immigration, customs and security, we hopped back on the very same plane we had just been on. Continue reading
Our Qantas B787-9 Dreamliner waiting to take us from Brisbane to Los Angeles
Continuing on from our flight from Canberra to Brisbane, we were excited to be doing our first ever long haul business class flight together. I looked forward to being able to lie down and get some sleep on this Qantas’ 787-9 Dreamliner and turning up refreshed when we hit the ground.
Our Qantas B717-200 plane loading up at Canberra airport for its flight to Brisbane
This flight would be our first time ever flying Business class together so we were both very excited. Not all of Qantas’ 717-200’s are configured with a Business class but QF1562 is one of the few that are. This flight would take us to Brisbane where we would fly to New York City via Los Angeles.
Our jumbo Qantas A380-800
After our flight from JFK to LAX, we waited to board our next flight that would take us to Sydney, Australia. The plane was late in so boarding and takeoff were delayed by just over half an hour.
After our two hour Amtrak train ride from NY State to Penn Station, we caught the E train to uptown Queens getting off at Sutphin Boulevard for the JFK airport. The ride took about half an hour and from there we took the elevator to the third floor (C floor). After putting $5USD onto our AirTrain card we checked the terminal we needed which was eight and hopped onto the AirTrain. I love seeing all the different airlines on the way to our terminal.
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This time our plane actually looked like an Alaska Airlines plane and not a Virgin American one. Despite this flight leaving at 9:30 at night, due to the time difference between San Francisco and New York, we would be arriving at around 6:00 the following morning.
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As was the case with our last Alaska Airlines flight, the plane was one acquired from Virgin America and hadn’t yet been painted or decked out in the Alaska livery. This route appeared a strange way to get to New York, travelling west for nearly two hours only to then fly east to New Jersey’s Newark airport.
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This was my first time flying Alaska Airlines and I was surprised to discover the aircraft was painted in the Virgin America livery. What appeared to be a pilot sitting behind me explained that Alaska Airlines acquired Virgin America in 2016 and were still in the process of repainting and refitting the planes they purchased off VA.
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I was excited to be flying Qantas again and back on the A380. I like the food and entertainment on board Qantas and the leg room is definitely an improvement over the B787 Dreamliner.
Our Qantas Dash 8 plane that would take us to Sydney
This was the first of several flights for our trip to New York via Las Vegas. Qantas often run the Dash 8’s from Canberra to Sydney and back as they’re smaller and more economical. In hindsight I wouldn’t have chosen the first day of daylight saving for the start of our trip as putting the clocks forward an hour meant we had to be up very early. Continue reading
Virgin’s Airitalia ATR turboprop ready for it’s flight to Canberra
I had never flown on this particular type of aircraft before so I was interested to see what it was like. This joint venture French/Italian manufactured turboprop aircraft has just 68 seats with it’s passenger door located at the rear. Continue reading
Boarding our Virgin B737-800 plane the old fashioned way
Sad to be leaving, we made our way to Coolangatta Airport for our flight home. The weather had been perfect on our trip so we didn’t mind that whilst we were inside the airport waiting to board our flight, it started raining. Due to the strong winds in Melbourne and Sydney some flights had been delayed, but fortunately our flight left just ten minutes later than scheduled. Continue reading
Our Virgin Boeing 737-800 plane on the tarmac at Coolangatta Airport on the Gold Coast
Excited to be spending a few days at the Gold Coast with our eldest daughter on her Birthday, we booked our flights with Virgin who were offering departure times that best suited us along with reasonable prices. Continue reading
Having just walked off our Qantas Dash 8-400 flight from Sydney to Canberra
Our third and final flight home was a short 55 minute ride in this twin propeller Qantas Dash 8. It’s a strange looking aircraft but I like seeing it up close which you can’t do when you have to board via an air-bridge. Continue reading
American Airlines B787-9 (Dreamliner) taking off from Sydney Airport
It had been a long day already with a car ride to the train station, a two hour train ride to NYC, a couple of subway rides to the airport, a six hour flight to LA and now a 15 hour flight to Sydney followed by a short flight home. So needless to say I was not too excited about this red eye flight except that I was looking forward to seeing our family back home. Continue reading
Our jetBlue A321 plane that would take us from JFK to LAX
Having never heard of JetBlue before I was a little unsure of what to expect. This airline was offering a suitable price, departure time and a direct flight and with another two flights to follow this one, we wanted to avoid a stopover from New York to Los Angeles. Aware that like most airlines flying within the US, this was not a full service airline, I read some reviews and was pleasantly surprised with what I found. Continue reading
American Airlines A321 with sharklets
As soon as we had walked off the plane from our flight from Sydney to LA, our express boarding passes for our next flight to New York were stuck on the wall with our names on them. It was just as well as because by the time we got through security and immigration, it was time to board our plane. Continue reading
Excited to be boarding our American Airlines B787-9 plane to Los Angeles
I love flying to a country on its national airline and today we were trying out American Airlines for the first time on our flight from Sydney to Los Angeles. Not only that, it would be our first time on the B787-9 Dreamliner which I had heard so much about and couldn’t wait to experience.
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Our Qantas 717-200 waiting to take us to Sydney
We were excited to be commencing our journey to New York State with this first flight to Sydney on a Qantaslink 717-200. As it began to gently rain, the thought of warmer weather on the other side of the world felt so enticing. We bid our beautiful daughters goodbye for the next couple of weeks and boarded our plane. Continue reading
Qantas QF24 soon to be on its way from Bangkok to Sydney
Our holiday to Thailand had come to an end and we were ready to sit down and relax on board our Qantas flight to Sydney after a busy day which involved lots of walking. Hopefully we would get some sleep too. Continue reading
Looking out the window of our Qantas A330-300
My Husband and I were flying to Bangkok where we would spend a couple of nights before catching the sleeper train up to Chiang Mai. Continue reading
A great view of our Qantas B737-800 from the lounge at Tullamarine Airport
It had been a long journey which commenced with a two hour train ride to New York City but this would be our third and final flight for the trip to get home. I find flying to a destination exciting and enjoyable but coming home, I’m keen to get it over with, especially if the rest of the family are back home. I also don’t enjoy overnight flights as much and for some reason the flights back seem to always be overnighters. Continue reading
Boarding our A380-800 flight from LAX Los Angeles to Melbourne Australia
Due to the late arrival of our flight from New York to Los Angeles, our next flight which we boarded immediately was already nearly full. Finding room in the overhead compartments was a bit of a challenge which is a good enough reason to board early when possible. It was late and we had a long 16 hour flight in front of us to Melbourne, Australia. Continue reading
Our Qantas 747-400 plane from New York to Los Angeles
This was to be a long journey. After a two hour train ride from New York State to New York City, we had to negotiate the subways and Airtrain to the airport where we had a five and a half hour flight to Los Angeles followed by a nearly sixteen hour flight to Melbourne, Australia before yet another flight to Canberra. Continue reading
Our Qantas 747-400 aircraft at LAX bound for JFK in New York
Having just arrived at LAX from Sydney, we had little time to make our connecting flight to New York. We followed the signs to International Transfers and made our way to Immigration. Continue reading
A view of the wing from inside our A380-800 Qantas flight to Los Angeles
Excited to be flying on an A380-800 again, our youngest daughter drove us to the airport for our 7:20 am flight to Sydney where we would board our next plane to New York via Los Angeles. I felt a mix of excitement and trepidation as it was the first time leaving the Girls at home on their own with our youngest only just getting her licence the month before. Continue reading
Our A330-300 Cathay Pacific plane getting ready for its flight from Sydney to Hong Kong
This holiday to Hong Kong and New York was a Christmas present for our daughters and although we booked it well in advance, we had to keep it a secret until Christmas. Needless to say they were pretty excited. It did however come with one condition. Continue reading
Our Garuda A330-300 from Denpasar Bali, to Sydney
Date: January 2016
Destination: Sydney to Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia return
Aircraft: Airbus A330-300
Flying Time: Sydney-Denpasar 6hrs| Denpasar-Sydney 5hrs 30mins
We surprised our daughters on this trip, telling them we were going to Sydney rather than Bali. It wasn’t until we dropped our hire car off in Sydney that we told them. Continue reading
our Garuda A330-200 from Sydney to Denpasar, Bali
Date: August 2014
Destination: Sydney to Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia return
Aircraft: Airbus A330-200
Flying time: Sydney-Denpasar 6hrs | Denpasar-Sydney 5hrs 30 mins
Catching a Murrays bus from Canberra to Sydney, we stayed at Rydges Airport Hotel and caught our flight with Garuda (Indonesia’s own airline) the next morning at 9am. Garuda have lifted their game significantly in the past few years and were awarded SkyTrax’s 5 star rating in 2014, an honour bestowing to only six other airlines in the world. Garuda were also awarded World’s Best Economy Class in 2013.
Emirate A380 from Sydney to Dubai
Date: August 2013
Destination: Sydney to Dubai return
Aircraft: Airbus A380-800
Flying time: Sydney-Dubai 14hrs 30mins |Dubai-Sydney 13hrs 50mins
I was really looking forward to this trip as I was flying to London via Dubai with Mum and Dad to attend my youngest brother’s wedding. It had been ages since I last travelled just with my parents and I was excited to be spending some time with them and seeing my brother again. Continue reading
our Thai Airways plane from Sydney to Bangkok
Date: April 2013
Destination: Sydney to Bangkok, Thailand return
Aircraft: Boeing B747-400
Flying time: Sydney-Bangkok 9hrs 20mins | Bangkok-Sydney 9hrs
Our flight out of Sydney was due to take off at 10am but had been delayed by nearly an hour due to coming in late. Once on board we were welcomed with friendly Sawadee’s and handed a cup of water after taking our seats. Continue reading
View out the window of our Qantas A380 flight from Hong Kong to Sydney
After a fun-filled couple of weeks in Hong Kong, we were on our way home again. This time we would be flying on Qantas’ A380 which I was really looking forward to after our great experience flying on one with Singapore Airlines the previous year. Continue reading
We were all excited for our two week family holiday to Hong Kong which we had eagerly been looking forward to since we came across some great fares six months earlier. We flew into Sydney to catch the bus to the international terminal where our plane was to depart from. Continue reading
Our Singapore Airlines flight to Phuket via Singapore
Date: January 2012
Destination: Sydney to Phuket, Thailand return
Aircraft: Airbus A380-800
Flying time: Sydney to Singapore 8hrs 5mins| Singapore to Phuket 1hr 45mins
This was our first time flying Singapore Airlines and the four of us were very excited. We drove a hire car to Sydney Airport where we would board our first A380-800. We would get to sit up top where it was quieter, more spacious and less crowded. Upstairs was decked out for premium economy but for some reason the airline decided not to use it for that. Continue reading
Jetstar Sydney to Phuket
Date: December 2010
Destination: Sydney to Phuket, Thailand return
Aircraft: Airbus A330
Flying time: Sydney to Phuket 9hrs 15mins|Phuket to Sydney 9hrs 05mins
Our last minute decision for hubby and I to go to Thailand over the December/January holidays left us with not a lot of options. Jetstar had the cheapest prices and even they weren’t cheap. Continue reading
Our Air Vanuatu flight to Port Vila, Vanuatu
This was our second overseas holiday with our daughters and we were looking for somewhere kid friendly, not too far away and inexpensive. Vanuatu seemed to fit the bill perfectly and it seemed only natural to choose Vanuatu’s own carrier to fly with.
Photo credit RN Smith, Aussieairliners.org
Date: May 2002
Destination: Sydney to Nadi, Fiji return
Aircraft: Boeing 747-200
Flying time: Sydney to Nadi 3hrs 50mins|Nadi to Sydney 4hrs 45mins
This was the first time our two Girls had flown and our first overseas holiday as a family. Our youngest was not yet two so were interested to see how she would go with overseas travel. Continue reading
