We just finished our second annual challenge of 2024, Million Mile Madness. I know, I know, annual means once/year, but try to tell Greg, Nick and Stephen that. As is customary after our challenges, we’re using this week’s Saturday Selection to ruminate and reflect on what we’ve learned. (links to the original articles are embedded in the titles).

Wine tasting at 35,000 feet

Speaking of award chart sweet spots and drool-worthy suites, Qatar business wasn’t the only place that Greg and Nick overlapped. Greg has long said that his favorite airline product that he’s flown(so far) is Etihad First Class Apartments. Calling it a “seat” doesn’t quite do it justice, as the suite is bigger than some NYC apartments and has both a recliner chair and banquette seat that folds into a separate bed:

Both Greg and Nick flew Etihad Apartments between Abu Dhabi and Paris (but in opposite directions) and both of them enjoyed it immensely. But, being kind of a wino, I was particularly impressed with Greg turning his suite into a wine-tasting room, complete with a multi-course tasting room. Were these guys actually working?

How to get nice, warm butter on an economy flight

Lastly, but certainly not leastly, is our good buddy Stephen Pepper, who worked his away through the SAS Challenge at a fraction of the cost of Nick and Greg (to no one’s surprise). Stephen wasn’t just sitting in the back of the plane for fun, however. He was dropping some serious knowledge. Probably my favorite Pepper Play from the entire challenge was his method for dealing with the rock-hard bit of butter that every airline serves alongside the meal. I’ve long struggled with that ice-cold pat and how exactly to not demolish your dinner roll in the process of using it. Stephen has a solution however, simple and elegant in a way that could only be from him. Brilliant!

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