2023 - Year In Review

[defurax]

I forgot to add my highlight of 2023. QF11 SYD-LAX, booked in Flex economy (H), upgraded to U with points and op-up to F at gate!!!

 

[chooms]

I forgot to add my highlight of 2023. QF11 SYD-LAX, booked in Flex economy (H), upgraded to U with points and op-up to F at gate!!!

As a P1 booked in O fare whY doing SYD-LAX this year on a QF A380 on a Wednesday, this gives me hope if they are handing out op-ups at the gate! I'll take Y+ even!

Even with most of travel last year domestically booked in QF Y, I was op-up'd to J quite a few times from around Aug-Dec.

 

[Flyfrequently]

Although I know some may not like big brother watching, I quite like having the location history in place as you get some interesting little tidbits of information.

For example, Google has just sent out my 2023 summary:
Your places in 2023
25 Countries/Regions
164 Cities

I didn't realise I had to so many countries in the past 12 months, just in the course of my usual travels. I guess it all adds up over time!

Thanks for that @Flashback
Google also tells me I spent 140 hours shopping - Mr Flyfrequently disagrees...

 

[Seat0B]

But lifetime status is a bit far away but I am not in rush.

Just keep chipping away and you will get there. My story is pretty similar to @kookaburra75 - a mix of business travel and self funded or award flights for leisure. For me, from starting my own consultancy/training business in 1996 I made LTG in 2013 and will never make LTP unless I live to be approximately 130! Points club is a good thing to aim for as you will get SC on any award flights you take. It has helped me a lot as the SC earn is not to bad. Not as good as paid flights, but still pretty good. And welcome to AFF.

 

[QF WP]

According to BA97:

37 flights (4 QF, 33 VA) - all Domestic.
36,526 miles (58,441 kms) so verage flight length is 1,579
30PE, 7J overall (VA - 30PE, 3J; QF - 4J).
New airport - LST.

Trying hard to get that pie chart more diversified:

 

[mx838383]

I love this thread. After reading everyone’s travels in 2023 it inspired me to have a look and reflect on my year last year.
15 flights in total - not that many compared to everyone else. 9 in J (all overseas trips). Rest in Y.
Travelling minimum once per month for 9 months of the year.
Places include: Sydney, Exmouth, NZ, Japan, coughet, Kuala Lumpar, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Highlights for 2023 - J class with Japan airlines - first time for me and I loved the service and food.
2024 - going to Europe in F for the first time.

 

[Ade]

According to BA97:

37 flights (4 QF, 33 VA) - all Domestic.
36,526 miles (58,441 kms) so verage flight length is 1,579
30PE, 7J overall (VA - 30PE, 3J; QF - 4J).
New airport - LST.

Trying hard to get that pie chart more diversified:

View attachment 366932

Ansett Australia?

 

[DejaBrew]

Ansett Australia?

All years (not just ‘23)

 

[DejaBrew]

My biggest year for a while (which others in this thread have very much put into perspective!!) and my first time hitting WP

• 3 new airports (HND, GMP, CJU)
• 2 new airlines (Korean Air, ANA)
• 1 new aircraft (KE A21N)
• 91% of my flights in J (which was a bit of a shock as I’ve perennially been stuck in Y cabins to date)
• 1 member of AFF met F2F (@Ade in OOL QP)

 

[wanderingeyes]

It's more MrsK has become accustomed to business class than me. When we first met, MrsK was a very nervous traveller (she only got her passport in 2005), and would overpack, want to get to the airport hours in advance, fret over every detail. After a decade plus of travel with me, it's now Hand Luggage Only, breeze through security, know where the lounges are - and insist on bus class for her at least (as is right).

With the UK company, their policy was econ, and prem econ if the flight was over five hours. In the UK that was a rarity, except for us colonials. I would put in for points upgrade to bus class, and about half the time it came through - so that was a blessing. The other flights - I can't sleep sitting up, so it was just 28 hours of not doing much. The econ mini-cabin up on top of the old A380s made it bearable though.

In 2020-21, Qantas were offering status credits on different bits and pieces - Qantas Hotel, Qantas Wine, and probably a few other things. 10-15 credits at a time. I was actually 21 credits short of LTG and wanted to do one return flight so I could get to 13,999 - just for bragging rights. But then I got 25 status credits through a Hotel stay and Wine, and the rest they say is history. I should have taken a screen shot and edited the image, just to have a bit of a good story, of "hardship" etc.

I'm currently Points Club plus, we get that easily through our credit card spend, and linking any schemes such as Woolies - but we don't go out of our way to chase the points with dollars we don't need to spend. The status credits you can get through Points Club, from taking reward flights is a nice bonus though, if you're still chasing them to get to LTG.

Travel light is my new travel mantra as well, obviously doesn't work for long duration flights.

I have tried upgrading few of my Y to J but hasn't worked most of the time especially because of my Bronze status. This year, I will be Platinum by next week and have an upgrade request for a long haul flight with family. Let's see if it is accepted.

Interesting how easy it was to earn status in old days. One of my known mentioned that he got QF LTG offer for $1000 a decade ago. Wish those kind of offers come back soon

 

[VPS]

According to Google
6 Countries
198 cities
495 places
169 hours of shopping - WTF - I hate shopping
445 hours of food and drink (86 places - I thought there would be more)

 

[VPS]

According to Tripit
Distance Travelled 36, 994 km and 2022 34,025 km
Total Days 95
Total trips 8
Countries visited 6
Cities visited 35 - bit of a discrepancy from Google which probably took into account all the places I drove through

 

[OATEK]

2023 was mainly about family re-union after being separated from the UK contingent during rona.

11 flights
34,919 miles
New airport: OSL
Airlines: EK (first time), QF, BA
Countries visited: 5
Days: 76
Enjoyed Brittany ferries overnight for Ouistreham (Caen) to Portsmouth.

 

[Flashback]

Alright, so looking back at my data in terms of stats:

• 58,590 miles (94,291 km) travelled - a relatively quiet year distance wise
• 44 sectors
• 148 hours flying time
• 147 days of travel
• 26 countries visited (Google Maps missed one - some countries it doesn't pickup the location very well, like Guinea for example)
• 10 new countries
• 24 airports visited
• 10 new airports
• 4 new airlines