More thoughts/trip notes from 31,000 feet in the sky…thanks for the free wi-fi Airtran and gogo!
-This was my 5th trip to NYC this year of 1 night or less…which is fine because that’s about when my NYC tolerance level runs out. (My trip back to NYC next week will actually be for a weekend-2 whole nights!)
-I’m flying in business class. Airtran gave myself, my wife, and my mother comp upgrades due to my elite status! The business class really is quite nice for an LCC. Lots of legroom, wide leather seats, tons of great free drinks and even non-alcoholic drinks like Fuze, Smartwater, Vitamin water, etc. And the flight attendant has already refilled my Fresca three times without asking! There is also a free snack basket that has T.G.I. Friday salt and cracked pepper chips under OK parve supervision that I’ve never seen sold in any stores.
-Avis hooked me up with a nice Caddy for the trip…at $30/day, market rates for gas, and valet return service it’s hard to go wrong! Gotta love Avis Chairman status!
-Clubhouse Cafe on 46th street in the city is simply awesome. The fries are crisp to perfection. The Brazilian drinks are great as well. Their Caipirinha (pronounced Ca’eye-pa-rinya) is great! My recommendation? An off the menu option that’s popular in Brazil, A Caipirinha de Maracujá, or Caipirinha made with passion fruit. It might be an acquired taste after a year in Brazil, but it tasted great to me. Plus when I go there I get to brush up on my Portuguese with all of the Brazilian employees…
-I used my free Diamond Hyatt Place night in Secaucus, NJ. Typical great Hyatt Place! Every room is a mini-suite with a pull-out couch, semi-room divider, 42″ LCD, emtpy fridge, nice work desk, free wi-fi, and a great free breakfast with Tazo teas, Seattle’s best coffee, Quaker oatmeal, cereal boxes, fruit, etc. It’s not too far away, and there’s some great shopping nearby. The rumor mill is that there will soon be some more Hyatt Place properties in Manhattan.
-I was able to use the United Red Carpet Club (RCC) in LGA for the first time thanks to Continental’s switch to the Star Alliance. Here’s a quick comparison.
Pros: It’s much newer and way nicer looking than the dreary Continental President’s Club (PC) in LGA (easily the worst looking PC I’ve ever been in, but then again LGA has some of the worst terminals that I’ve ever been in so it still beats that). There are also self-service cans of soda available, which is better than having to ask for soda from the bartender at the PC
Cons: The RCC charge $$$ for all alcoholic drinks (Free in PC’s). They do not allow you to take newspapers/magazines from the club like the PC does. Their is no ice water dispenser like that have in PC’s, you must request water from the bar. There were no kosher snacks besides for apples. (PC’s will often have granola bars, chips, bananas, apples, and cereal boxes. They even had matzah and other kosher snacks on Passover!)
So the RCC has much better facilities but worse services…tough choice!
Ding…they want me to turn off my computer, the FA just announced to please put our seats up to the upright and most uncomfortable position…how true it that! I better just publish this before the wi-fi gets turned off…
Hope you enjoyed this mini-trip report!
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Thanks Dan! Like theses reports.
thank you!
we love these…
Great report!
“non-alcoholic drinks like Fuze, Smartwater, Vitamin water, etc.”
be careful with them. My daughter noticed – says OU on the napkin, OU D on the bottle!
” Gotta love Avis Chairman status!” – Whats the way to get it? I fyou wish I can email you.
dan i love these reports!!!
they are so informative, and also fun to read!
thanks
hmmm…
Dan, is there any way you could tell us how you got the chairman’s status at Avis?
time to start posting some hot deals instead of flying around. “get down to earth” it’s almost black friday!!
@alex:
True, the tropical punch flavor is parve, the peach flavor is dairy.
They also had a “Maryland Punch” cocktail which is fuze tropical punch with rum-free in biz class, $6 in steerage.
What is Avis Chairman? I just made AVIS First and I cannot figure out its benefits.
Can you please do a breakdown on Avis (or all rental car agencies)?
Dan, can you post something about underage renting for us yeshiva guys.
There is tons of discussion about car rentals and status at http://www.dansdeals.com/forums
@Dan/Ctownbochur:
I see there many people asking this question, but no one answering 🙁
PLEASE leave daniel alone, he is not required to divulge personal information
You ever try posting a trip report on a lower altitude then 30,000 feet. You might have more time for a full report (and you can still end off with the ding etc…, nobody knows if you are really flying).
thanks dan!
@blurb:
Then why to include it in trip report? What’s a point to tell about a deal, but to say- I will not tell you how I got it? People can get a good car many ways, like, believe it or not, paying for it etc, no need to say I’m a member of.. and you are not.
@A:
Speaking from experience, if I didn’t write something up while stuck on a plane I wouldn’t get get around to writing it.
Besides writing this made the time on the flight just fly by! (Oy, bad pun…)
@alex:
Sorry, next time feel free to skip over the trip report if it so offends you.
Or do the research and see if you can get stuff all by yourself…
look alex, if you have a problem then just learn to chill
thank you
I guess, I touched some very touchy subject 🙂
@ alex:
Yes, you did, and a heartfelt apology is necessary
For all of you wondering why Dan doesnt divulge how to become Chairman, let me share two points:
Avis decides who’s chairman in their program and it has nothing to do with the number of cars you rent or dollars you spend at Avis
Being a Chairman of a large company (think Fortune 500) does improve your likelihood of being invited.
,
Just some thoughts from a fairly satisfied Avis Presidents club member 😉
THANKS fraidy, that really helps me understand, and i hope everyone else has clarity