incognitoMD

OCTOBER 14, 2013: Entire trip report has been posted. Thanks for following and being patient!

Introduction
Welcome to my first full length multi-segment international premium class trip report! It’s been some time since I’ve joined FT; I thought I share one of my experiences with the community. This trip will cover my travels at the end of 2012 including scenes of Taipei and Kenting, Taiwan, Cathay Pacific First and Business Class, American Airlines Business and Domestic First Class, and also Japan Airlines Economy Class.

Background:
I’ve made countless trips to Taiwan in the past 12 years. The majority of those trips were on AA/JL with a few on UA/CI/BR. I’ve always preferred connecting at NRT over LAX/SFO. But despite the ~20 hour travel time every single trip, nothing gets old, and nostalgic memories of my early childhood come back every time. The sights and sounds of the local farmers markets, the bustling MRT transit stations, and the ubiquity of seven elevens hit me as home every single time I visit. In 2012, thanks to FT's wealth of knowledge, I took advantage of the AA promotions to 1) reach EXP status and 2) do some big time award redemptions. I've flown many airlines throughout the years, with Cathay Pacific being one of them when AA used to offer ORD-NGO service with CX connecting NGO to TPE.

Most travelers to Taiwan prefer to stay in downtown Taipei, and explore the city, visit the Taipei 101, visit night markets, or simply just eat! There are countless reports of such, and many tend to overlook the smaller areas within Taiwan that really are more meaningful places to visit. Kenting is definitely one of those places. Often called by people as the Hawaii of Taiwan, Kenting is located in the southernmost tip of the island itself. Those who venture that far will find a tropical-esque location that is both peacefully located next to miles of beach, and crazily exciting at nights. Kenting is not easily accessible via any type of transportation. The closest high speed rail station is Zuoying, which still requires a ~1.5 hour bus ride to Kenting. For all of you who absolutely have to sit in a plane, Hengchun airport is about 30 minutes from Kenting, but the airport only offers 3 flights a week, all to Taipei Sungshan on Uni Air. So maybe it is possible to do JFK-HND-TSA-HCN on AA/JL/B7 Upon arriving in Kenting, one will certainly be surprised by the blend of nightlife (not just bars and alcohol, but much more, such as night markets on the streets) with the serenity of a beachside resort.


Planning/Logistics
I began thinking of this trip more than 6 months before the actual trip @:-) I normally am in Taiwan during the hot and humid summer, due to the time constraints winter breaks. But, 2012 definitely presented a change to my schedules. At first, Cathay Pacific first class awards were not immediately available, so I opted for the usual AA 153/JL 809 ORD-NRT-TPE, which is the typical route I take to Taiwan almost every year. I had this on hold after a simple phone call. However, before the end of the 5 day hold, Cathay Pacific miraculously released one first class seat for the nonstop CX 807 ORD-HKG. I immediately called to change to that, and also picked an available CX HKG-TPE flight, of which business was the highest class. So there it was, CX ORD-HKG-TPE on F and J (which I later discovered to be the new Cirrus) for a simple 67.5k miles and a mere $2.50. Definitely seems like an amazing deal. Months later, when I made EXP, I booked a one way TPE-NRT-ORD-LGA on AA and waitlisted a SWU for AA 154, the NRT-ORD segment, which, actually did not clear until within 24 hours before departure.

I was first assigned 1A for the CX flight, which I later changed to 2A, what people believe to be the best seat in the cabin. All the other seat assignments were handled by the AA agents with no problem. With that set, my winter vacation was finalized. After a summer of some mileage running with those DEQM promos (missed out on the TEQM in January), I now had the opportunity to visit a country where I spend the majority of my summers at, but haven’t set foot on during the winter for more than 12 years, and supposedly with one of the best carriers and products of all time!


Trip Index:
Introduction
Pre-Departure at ORD, Swiss Lounge, Sights of T5
ORD-HKG on Cathay Pacific 77W First
Transit in HKG, The Wing
HKG-TPE on Cathay Pacific Business A333
Taiwan! (Including Kenting) Kenting Part 1 | Kenting Part 2 | Taipei
Pre-Departure at TPE, Sakura Lounge
TPE-NRT on Japan Airlines 737 Y
Transit in NRT, Sakura First Lounge and CX/AA/QF Clubs
NRT-ORD on American Airlines 772 Business
Conclusion//Onward trip to NYC