March 05, 2025

TravelStories Episode 53: Aspirational Flying with Han Chicago

1 hour 44 minutes

Episode 53: Show Notes

What does it take to plan the ultimate luxury travel experience? In this episode, Tom and Trevor sit down with returning guest Han Chicago, a well-known aviation enthusiast and premium travel expert, to hear about his recent extravagant, multi-leg trip. Han talks about his first-class flights, luxury airline products, and lounge experiences during his lavish adventure. He breaks down his premium airline experiences and what makes certain airlines excel in service and product quality. Hear why he prefers the luxury suite on the A380 over the Emirates Game Changer suite and what it was like flying in the pinnacle of luxury on Etihad's Residence suite. Han explains how he booked The Residence, what the service was like, and why he got a surprise birthday cake. They also discuss industry trends, the pros and cons of A380s, and why Han thinks A380 First Class remains superior to newer A350 suites. Han also shares insights on luxury travel booking strategies and how to acquire more airline miles for top-tier experiences. Join us for a deep dive into luxury aviation, travel hacking, and the quirks of premium airline swag with Han Chicago!

Key Points From This Episode:

[0:00:00] A warm welcome to Han Chicago and what listeners can expect from the episode.

[0:03:50] His trip across multiple airlines, starting with Turkish Airlines (787-9) from Detroit.

[0:08:04] Premium coffee, the meals on Turkish, and flying from Abu Dhabi to Muscat.

[0:17:15] Activities in Muscat and his thoughts on Oman Air Business Class Apex Suite.

[0:23:07] The malls in Bangkok, Emirates’ Game Changer suite, and eating steak in Dubai.

[0:34:16] Explore the differences between the Game Changer suite and the A380 First Class.

[0:41:25] Etihad's Residence experience, what it required, and how it compared to others.

[0:59:21] Lounge-hopping at Heathrow and his American Airlines First Class flight to JFK.

[1:16:32] Unpack aviation trends, fleet management, and airline capacity issues of the A380.

[1:31:12] Han reflects on his luxury travel experience and why he recommends the A380.

[1:33:33] He shares strategies for flying first-class and handling luxury airline swag.

[1:39:35] Final takeaways and another travel podcast Han recommends.

Quotes:

“Turkish [Airlines] is always solid. I don't think you can really go wrong with them.” — @hanchicago [0:11:38]

“I think all loyalty programs should have 24-hour call centers because you are flying globally.” — @hanchicago [0:20:24]

“The A380 [Emirates] product, for me, is still one of the best in the business.” — @hanchicago [0:36:01]

“I am glad I did [The Residence] once. If you are really into this stuff, I think you have to try it once.” — @hanchicago [0:51:51]

“I think people should get on those A380s while they still can. Don't take [them] for granted.” — @hanchicago [1:32:36]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Han Chicago on X

Han Chicago on Instagram

Turkish Airlines

Etihad

Etihad | The Residence

% Arabica

DC | @AvGeek4All

Qatar Airways

Oman Air

Emirates

Qantas

American Airlines

Cathay Pacific

Frequent Traveler University (FTU) Event

TravelStories Episode 30: First Time Istanbul Visit with Han

Layovers Podcast

Thomas Kim on X

Trevor Mountcastle on X

...more

View all episodes

By Sam Simon and Robert Dwyer

4.4

5050 ratings