Long Way Home – To Chicago with American Airlines and Finnair

Long Way Home – to Chicago with American Airlines and Finnair.

In this adventure:

• I’ve got to stop looking at odd routings and thinking they’re good ideas
• Sleep? What’s that concept? Off to Heathrow T3
• Lounging around Heathrow T3
• AA99 London Heathrow to Chicago O’Hare
• The Hyatt Regency O’Hare
• The Nutella Cafe
• Fooding Around Chicago
• The Canon 100D – Good for aviation photography?
• Camera shift – from EOS 6D to EOS R
• Back to O’Hare, Air France Lounge
• AY10 Chicago to Helsinki Vantaa… with Air Italy?
• Two hours and 20 in Helsinki Vantaa
• AY1335 Helsinki Vantaa to London Heathrow
• Bussing back home
• Long Way Home or short way back?

Editors Intro. Yes. We’re back on the London-Chicago run as I work out what ways are good, which ways are bad, and which ones are half-cooked. And which offer the better passenger experiences. In the past – I’ve focused on long way homes in the USA to sample the passenger experience, but focused less on what experiences there are in Europe before connecting to a long haul flight. So this is something new for me too.

I’ve skipped putting this in my trip report introductions for some time, but it seems my internet grammar checkers have sadly come out of the woodwork after a long break. Those who need a hint head to https://economyclassandbeyond.boardingarea.com/2012/03/18/blog-admin-a-message-to-the-grammar-checkers-out-there/. There’s also a formal press release too at https://economyclassandbeyond.boardingarea.com/2017/03/31/press-release-economy-class-beyond-abandon-spell-grammar-checkers/ which offers FREE membership of the “Please, Please, PLEASE Get a Life Foundation” for those whose only aim is to spread misery in life. . Stocks are unlimited… and I don’t issue points or miles for membership.

I’ve got to stop looking at odd routings and thinking they’re good ideas…

Ah, Autumn. Must mean it’s time to go and my friends in the windy city again – yes, back to Chicago.

Well, it’s good to see friends, and keep an eye on the airline industry – and what shenanigans it is up to.

With British Airways Silver sealed in the bag for yet another year, I decided to keep a oneworld trend going (especially after the disappointing experience on Lufthansa Premium Economy) and kept an eye on the August/September sales.

That and I need to tote my luggage out there.

As usual, there were more than a few tempting morsels out there in terms of runs and tickets. Whilst direct segments are fun, I also enjoy taking the different path sometimes – mainly to try different airlines, or to try something new.

Checking the fare engines, prices to Chicago remain cheap. By cheap, £350+ upwards with luggage.

A little digging in the American Airlines fare engine leads me to a little gem. Whilst most of the offers would have routed me through Charlotte or Philadelphia, I found a routing that would send me via Helsinki for a grand total… And wait for it… of £9 extra.

£9 for a few extra Tier Points and Avios? I’m down for that. Especially when that fare includes luggage.

What is more these days… fare or taxes/charges?

So American Airlines and Finnair would be providing the lift for this experience. Even if it means taking the long way home.

For the hotels – normally this is a 6 day trip/5 nights stay. But October being convention season in the Rosemont area, prices were all over the shop. Rather than spend days agonising over a hotel choice to save money- I decided to cut a day off the trip.

It was easier cost wise, even if it meant I’d have to compress some of my trip into one day less…

As such, there’s only one hotel to review… and you should have all guessed by now it’s the Hyatt Regency O’Hare.

To get back and forth to Heathrow, I booked a ticket on National Express – mainly because at 2:20 in the morning, who else in the UK can get you to an airport?

So ladies and gentlemen – here’s the map for this trip.

Off to the Windy City once again my friends. Or will there be something on this trip that will be… different to normal?

There’s only one way to find out 😉

Next: Sleep? Who needs that concept?

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