OK, so I am finally doing it. Today I "pulled the trigger" on a fare I have been playing with for a couple of weeks now. With this I will make Platinum on Flying Blue :-)

The Run:
CDG-IAH-SFO-IAH-DFW-EWR-CDG, all done over a weekend, CO X-fare for �528 all-in.

Questions/Requests:
1) What do I tell the immigration officer at IAH?

2) I have just under 4 hours at SFO on Saturday (8 December) night (from 20:15 - 00:30). Any ideas what to do?

3) I'll be passing through IAH (roughly 6-9am), DFW (roughly 10:30am-12noon) and EWR (roughly 16:30-18:30) this Sunday (9 December). If anybody would be kind enough to let me into a President's Club / any other lounge, I would be VERY grateful.

4) Is it worth taking my laptop with me? Does CO have power-points at the back of the bus?

Sorry if I am asking all the wrong questions. I'd like to think of myself as a pretty savvy traveller but this is my first MR :-)

Thanks in advance!

Nothing, unless he asks. If he asks, then the answer would be "topping off on miles so I can get upgraded to first class for free next year". You won't be the first or last person they hear that from this year.

If asked, always just tell the truth. Making up something like "a quick business meeting" looks far more suspicious than a mileage run.

No power in coach, sorry. But, I bring mine on my MRs to watch movies in case the ambien hasn't kicked in, and the movies up front aren't to my liking. I know I can't have it for the whole flight, but it helps pass some of the time. Also, you mentioned having 4 hours @ SFO without anything to do. You can obviously charge your laptop there and probably get free WiFi (someone else could probably chime in on that). That's just my two cents.

Chris

FYI: Your Economy in-flight entertainment will likely be:

CDG->IAH ... Ratatouille, Unaccompanied Minors + more

IAH->SFO ... Stardust

SFO->IAH ... Daddy Day Camp

DFW->EWR ... Ratatouille

EWR->CDG ... The Bourne Ultimatum, Stardust, Santa Clause 3 + more

... so, ration your viewing as needed !

Here are links to in-flight entertainment:

http://www.continental.com/web/en-US...rid_200712.pdf

http://www.continental.com/web/en-US...rid_200712.pdf

Absolutely bring a laptop and ipod, you'll be happy to have games, movies, and music, and you will have time to recharge the batteries at each stop in between, just make sure to remember to bring your adapter since you may have European adapters and need the US ones.

Bon Voyage!

Not true, at least not on CO's widebodies and 757-200s. The CDG-IAH 777 will either have Empower ports or a/c plug-ins on the AVOD-converted birds in the Elite Section of the Coach cabin (first 8 rows or so). As a SkyTeam Elite, the OP can request a seat in that section of the coach cabin.

As for the domestic flights, no a/c power sockets unless he is on a 757-200 to SFO.

2) I have just under 4 hours at SFO on Saturday (8 December) night (from 20:15 - 00:30). Any ideas what to do?

You can buy a one-visit pass to Delta's Crown room for $25. Not bad for free drinks for 4 hours.

Thanks for your replies, all.

I have already done this (last weekend) and it went very well.

Few remarks, mostly on the points I raised before and comments you made:

- CO's 772s and 752s DO have EmPower ports but not every aircraft on all rows. Check the seat maps on co.com and you will clearly see which plane has what.

- Upon arrival in SFO, I walked to the check-in area, checked myself in for my return flights, then took BART to the 16th Street/Mission stop, walked around a bit, got some fresh air, sat down for a Mexican dinner and then made my way back to the airport. Security at that time was A BREEZE, even though I got SSSS.

- At SFO I accidentally met another FTer who kindly had me upgraded to F on the SFO-IAH leg so I did get some shuteye. He also let me into the PC in IAH (thanks!)

- Entertainment on board: on the CDG-IAH leg there was AVOD, not so on the EWR-CDG leg, but both had private screens.

- Immigration at IAH: he did not ask (!!!), so I didn't tell