The former TWA Flight Center at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport underwent extensive renovations recently and has been meticulously restored. It opened on May 15 as the #TWAHotel.
I’d been following its progress online for quite some time as I routinely flew the airline to multiple locations in Europe during the 80s and 90s. I was thoroughly familiar with the beautiful terminal which opened in 1962. It was designed by Eero Saarinen, the famous Finnish-American architect who also designed the Gateway Arch in St. Louis and the Main Terminal Building at Washington Dulles International Airport. Imagine my surprise in February when I received an email from the hotel confirming my non-refundable reservation for one night on June 8. The only problem? I did not recall making any reservation. It turns out that my sons had reserved the room and paid for it it as a birthday gift. WOW! How thoughtful of them. I couldn’t wait to go.
I have a fair number of miles in my #BritishAirways Avios account and soon made plans to use them for an #AmericanAir flight from #RDUAirport to New York. This is an excellent use of BA miles and does not require the payment of those outrageous “fuel surcharges” that BA levies on their international award tickets. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any award flights on American to Kennedy so I booked a round trip to #LaGuardia Airport instead. After all, the two airports are only 10 miles apart, right?
I next called British Airways to ensure that my Trusted Traveler number was in the record so I would enjoy the benefits of TSA Pre-check. On departure day I was so excited to be on my way that I didn’t look at my boarding pass after receiving it at the ticket counter. My Trusted Traveler number was not in the record and so there was no TSA Pre-check designation on my boarding pass. It was a Saturday morning with few passengers going through the security checkpoint so I proceeded with the pass I had received. However, after having to remove my shoes, my belt, my watch, my wallet and my iPad, I was determined to get this issue resolved so it would be smooth sailing on the return trip home from LaGuardia the next morning.
Heading straight for the #AdmiralsClub, I was fortunate Allyson was working that morning. She succeeded in getting my number into the record and even gave me my return boarding pass from New York for use the next day. That’s the excellent “can do” service with a smile attitude so typical of the Admirals Club agents at the Raleigh Durham Airport. Thanks again Allyson!
If you have an opportunity to travel through our airport, come visit that club. One-Day passes are available for $59 if you are not a member or traveling on a qualifying First or Business Class international ticket. This club is well laid out with ample space to relax, read or catch up on work in the private business center. It also features a full bar area as well as showers that can be accessed by checking with one of the agents at the front desk. The club has nice breakfast offerings including yogurt, fruit, juices, cereal, oatmeal, and an assortment of breads, bagels and muffins..During mid-day and evening hours, soup, crudités, cheeses, hummus with pita chips, and cookies are provided.
American was flying an ERJ 190 to LaGuardia that day. It accommodates 99 passengers with 11 in First Class, 8 in Main Cabin Extra and 80 in the main cabin itself. The seats in the First cabin were in a 1-2 configuration. They were very comfortable with plenty of pitch and good seat width. Our flight attendant did offer pre departure beverages and came by once again after we were airborne to offer snacks and additional beverages. Our takeoff was delayed a half hour due to a number of storms passing through the Raleigh area.but soon we were rolling down Runway 5L and in the air. As we were nearing JFK, I managed to get some great bird’s eye photos and video flying over the city. By the time we reached New York 1 hour and 8 minutes after wheels up, the sun was shining brightly.
Since we landed around 2:30 and check-in did not begin until 4:00, I decided to visit the Admirals Club at La Guardia in Terminal B. What I liked best about this club was the large picture window that overlooked the tarmac with a great view of Manhattan Island off in the distance. The club is well laid out with a nice dining area and a spacious bar. It also includes work stations with computers, printer and fax machine. Although it's showing its age here and there, the club also features 3 phone cubicles ensuring private conversations for those sensitive calls.
Soon it was time to head over to Kennedy Airport. I was surprised by the amount of traffic we encountered on a Saturday afternoon but maybe I was simply too anxious to arrive. At any rate, 30 minutes and $38 later (for a journey of only 10 miles), we pulled up to the TWA Hotel.
It was worth it! The hotel looked simply magnificent. I felt very much like a kid in a candy store as I started to explore. I’ll tell you all about it in a future post (or two).
Until next time…safe travels.
Such fun to read... can’t wait for the next installment!!