Recently returned from a trip from NY to Vancouver, Victoria and Tofino. We flew Cathay Pacific as we were easily able to get Business Class seats for 60,000 miles; we got them from 50,000 Starwood points.

It was a bit of an incovenience. First of all, we had to fly from JFK while we live in NW New Jersey - an extra hour commute to the airport. But getting Business Class for about what Continental wanted for Coach made it academic.

The other issue was timing - we landed in Vancouver about 1:15 AM. It was an amazing experience. First of all, in a pretty packed 747, maybe 30 people got off. That means we got out luggage and went through Passport control and customs in under ten minutes. We walked to the Fairmont Vancouver Airport and checked in very quickly - could not have been more convenient. Yes, we had to pay for a night's hotel stay, but an internet rate made it very affordable and still heavily tilted the decision in favor of Cathay.

The next morning, we went into the airport for a quick breakfast and walked to Avis to get our car. What an amazing difference from the night before - from a deserted airport to a hub of activity. Made getting in in the middle of the night seem like a great idea.

We were very, very impressed with the service we received in Business Class - incredible service, always using our names, great food, etc.

I'm a big fan of AsiaMiles and now also of Cathay Pacific.