2022 Year in Review
I like to look back to assist with credit card maintenance and see if I've learned anything with my prior year of travel.
This is long (sorry) so feel free to skip!
Jan/Feb-
Stayed in Key West at the Hyatt Centric for a nice break on points-this is a favorite of mine for use of the 1-7 FNC since it doesn't have suites so I don't need to worry that the FNC isn't eligible
Then, since my DF was still very ill, I spent much of the remainder of Jan/Feb flying back and forth between PNS/HSV. I had discovered that I did better if I stayed in a hotel when helping DM, and I'm familiar with 3 in Huntsville-the Hyatt Place, The Jefferson (Hilton Curio) and the AC (Marriott).
DFIL died Jan 31st and DF died Feb 21st and I cannot express how grateful I am to Delta for allowing me to make last minute flights (literally had done laundry and eaten after returning from CA to turn around and fly back to HSV).
Lesson 1-it's good to have status with an airline, if for no other reason, the dedicated phone line!
Lesson 2-hotel points/FNCs are good to have for emergencies/last minute scheduling
Mar/Apr-DH and I recovered from funerals, paperwork and just the emotional exhaustion of two deaths close together.
May-
flew to BOS to help DD move out of her dorm room
flew to MCO and spent 3 nights at Universal HRH with family
Lesson 3-Express Pass and Early Entry is awesome (expensive, but worth it imho), as is the military ticket value
June-
flew very last minute to MAD since DD had lost her wallet in Brussels, then on Iberia to Seville, spent a week in Seville at an awesome Marriott Autograph Collection hotel
not my review but much better photos-
https://thebulkheadseat.com/hotel-review-querencia-de-sevilla/
Lesson 4-Spain is very pork/beef heavy (I lost weight there since I consume neither!)
Lesson 5- Iberia Air is perfectly fine for flying within Spain-old hard product but no complaints
flew Iberia again to Prague, spent a week there in both the Hilton Old Town Prague/Marriott Prague
Lesson 6- DD and I can no longer share a hotel room
(she's quite messy)
Lesson 7-Marriott concierge lounge>>>>Hilton Old Town concierge lounge (in Prague)
Lesson 8-public transportation in Europe in record breaking heat is for the young/young at heart (next time, we're ubering)
returned home from Prague via KLM/Air France
Lesson 9-Air France business is fine but not my favorite
July-
flew to Austin where we spent a night at the Driskill Hotel (my favorite Hyatt hotel so far) and then several at Miraval Austin
September-
flew to MCO for a friend's birthday party and
MNSSHP
Lesson 10-it rains in Orlando just as much as in Pensacola in September
Oct/Nov
flew to MCO and took back to back cruises on the Wish,
DCL's newest ship-for 4 nights we were in a 1 bedroom suite and 3 nights in a concierge family oceanview room. The DCL thread has lots of opinions on the Wish, but I actually like it more than the Fantasy/Dream...it surprised me, too!
Lesson 11-don't downgrade from larger to smaller cabins-the smaller cabin will feel SO much smaller in comparison
Lesson 11.5-apparently I'm a cabin diva too...
Nov
I looked at my Delta activity and was thisclose to obtaining Diamond Medallion status, so I flew PNS-ATL-JFK-EDI for a long weekend to achieve that random goal. Once again, stayed at my beloved Sheraton Grand Hotel and Spa and was upgraded to the Castle Suite, which was awesome. They've renovated their lounge, which is lovely, although I don't like their new way of doing evening hors d'overs.
I flew back to the US via KLM and got my first ever Delft gin house, which was oddly exciting.
Lesson 12-T2 at JFK is still terrible, just...terrible-even the skyclub is not good
Lesson 13-if you're allergic to mango, don't eat the appetizer that has it included...also maybe carry benadryl
Dec
no travels, merely planning 2023...
I earned the following status in 2022 for 2023-
Diamond Medallion for Delta
Hyatt Globalist
Hilton Diamond
Marriott Titanium
United Silver via Marriott Titanium
AA Platinum Pro via Globalist status challenge
Amex Cards used the most-BBP, DL Reserve
Chase cards used the most-WoH business,, WoH personal and CSR
Status I will chase for 2023-
Globalist - Hyatt
Platinum -Marriott (with the biz/personal cc I already have 30/50 nights and have 10 reserved through May so this should be easy-ish)
Platinum Medallion-Delta
TL;DR-points, miles, FNCs and other benefits of credit cards remain very helpful in allowing me to travel much more extravagantly than I would without these things... and I've gotten a lot of use out of my beloved pink Away luggage