Christkindlesmarkt (Christmas Market) Villages in Germany via British Airways and Lufthansa First Class.
YVR-LHR-MUC (Alaska Mileage Plan Award)
MUC Hbf – HAN Hbf (paid)
HAN Hbf – MUC Hbf (paid)
MUC-HAN-ZRH-LAZ-YVR (Aeroplan Award)
Preparation:
MrsWT73 has a yearly business meeting in Hanover, Germany every year at the end of the year. From a North American perspective, it’s a bizarre time for business travel but their company seems to get into it. She had asked me to tag along for an opportunity to visit the Christmas villages of Germany for some Glühwein wine. Since no one is traveling the weeks before Christmas for leisure purposes, and most North American business travel seems to wind down in December, there was ample award availability.
Without any real difficulty, I was able to find a British Airways First Class award from Vancouver to London Heathrow. This was booked at about 6 months out and cost me 70,000 Alaska Mileage Plan points and $433 USD in taxes and fees. I locked in a placeholder return with Air Canadas’ Aeroplan departing Munich on Swiss Air via Zurich & Los Angeles to Vancouver in Business Class. I intended to change this to a Lufthansa First Class Ticket and self routed via Los Angeles to maximize the First Class opportunities with a tag flight back up to Vancouver afterwards. I figured that with 16 seats leaving Munich (Los Angeles / San Franciso) and 16 seats leaving Frankfurt (Los Angeles / San Franciso), I would hopefully be able to find something within those 32 available seats for sale. On the evening I was supposed to head out to the airport, at about T – 10 days, the Lufthansa First Class space opened up. I called and was able to switch the flight with the $150 CAD fee. With that, I headed off straight to the airport for another great and civilized trip.
In this Report:
SkyTeam International Lounge Vancouver International Airport
Cathay Pacific Lounge Vancouver International Airport
British Airways Galleries Lounge Vancouver International Airport
British Airways First Class Vancouver - London Heathrow Terminal 3
British Airways Concorde Room - London Heathrow Terminal 5
British Airways Club Europe: London Heathrow Terminal 5 - Munich
Le Meridien Munich
DB Bahn Munich Hautbahnoff - Hannover Hautbahnoff
Novotel Hannover
Hannover, Germany
Sheraton Pelican Hannover
DB Bahn Hanover Hautbahnhoff - Munich Hautbahnhoff
Aloft Munich
Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich Terminal 2 Satellite
Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich Terminal 2 Main
Lufthansa First Class: Munich - Los Angeles
Westin Los Angeles Airport
Star Alliance Business Lounge: Los Angeles International Airport
Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge: Los Angeles International Airport T6
Air Canada Business Class: Los Angeles - Vancouver
Links to my previous reports:
Christkindlesmarkt Villages in Germany via British Airways and Lufthansa First Class, December 2018
Iceland, Spain & Morocco via IcelandAir Business Class & British Airways First Class. Sept 2018
East Africa: Tanzania and Seychelles via Air Canada & Turkish Airlines Business Class June 2018
Spring Break with WT73jr at Vail Colorado, USA via Alaska Airlines. March 2018
Polyensia Part II: Easter Island, Chile & Mexico City, Mexico via LATAM Business Class. Sept 2017
Summer is a state of mind; Kaanapali, Maui, via Alaska Airlines with my 13 yr old son, August 2017
Fiji, New Zealand and French Polynesia via Fiji Airways, Air New Zealand and Air Tahiti Nui Business Class, June 2017
Mileage Running to New York via Delta Airlines First Class for Alaska MVP Status, Dec 2016
Havana and Varadero Cuba via Westjet Holidays from Canada, Nov 2016
Malta (and the island of Gozo), Venice, Italy and Oktoberfest in Munich, via Air France Business Class, Sept 2016
South Africa, Namibia, Victoria Falls, Mauritius & the UAE via Emirates First, Qatar & South African Airways Business, April 2016
Dodging Volcanic Ash: A family trip to Bali / Singapore with my 11 year old via Asiana, KLM and JAL Business, July 2015
RTW#3 (J): Vietnam, Maldives, and Tackling India’s Golden Triangle via Air Canada, Asiana Singapore, Air India and Turkish Airlines Business, May 2015
Experiencing flying as a "Non-Rev", Australia Wine and Beaches via Air Canada and Qantas Business, November 2014
Alaska Airlines First Class to Las Vegas, and a stay in the Aria Sky Suites “Penthouse” via Alaska Airlines First Class, August 2014
Family trip to Kenora Lake of the Woods Ontario via Air Canada Business Class. August 2014
Cathay Pacific First Class to New York, a sombre visit to the 9/11 Memorial Museum & 4 days of eating in NYC, May 2014
RTW #2: The Khors of Oman- via Japan, Poland & the UAE and ANA, Thai, Lufthansa Business Class. April 2014.
South Africa, Safari in Maasai Mara Kenya, & Mauritius via South African Airways, Swiss and Air Canada Business Class, Nov 2013
A family trip to Westin Playa Conchal, Liberia Costa Rica via United Airlines, Aug 2013
Buried Treasure: UAE Empty Quarter and Beyond to Huvadhoo Atoll, Maldives via United and Etihad Airlines, Nov 2012
RTW #1(F) The Time Share Presentation: Spain / China / Thailand via Asiana, Thai and Lufthansa First Class, May 2012
A visit to Macchu Picchu and Valle Nevado, Peru and Chile via Air Canada Business Class, Sept 2011
Travel after the Revolution of January 25, 2011. Egypt via Egypt Air, May 2011
A Step Back in Time: The Twilight of Burma, a visit to Myanmar via Silk Airways, Sept 2010