June was a big month for ATX Jetsetter as we celebrated our first full month as a member of BoardingArea. We broke some big news, took a couple of small trips, and spent tons of time planning trips for the remainder of the year. Here’s a quick look back at some of the top articles from June.
Escape Lounges Join Priority Pass
Priority Pass cardholders got a big boost in their available lounges in the United States as eleven Escape Lounges are now accessible. Prior to this, the easiest way to access the Escape Lounge was via the American Express Global Lounge Collection accessible to Platinum and Centurion cardholders. While this is great for non-Platinum Priority Pass members, Amex cardholders should expect more crowding in these lounges.
Delta is Once Again Flying the CRJ-200
By far the most popular, or terrifying, story this month was the news that Delta has returned the dreaded CRJ-200 to service. Regional subsidiary SkyWest confirmed to us that it would be operating the aircraft in some Delta Connection markets throughout June and July as they bring the CRJ-550s into service. So far, the aircraft type seems confined to Delta’s Detroit (DTW) and Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP) hubs.
Flight Review: Delta Connection Embraer E175 First Class
Delta began flying three new routes from Austin (AUS) in April to Midland/Odessa (MAF) and McAllen (MFE). A few weeks later, I had the chance to hop on a very pleasant flight in First Class from McAllen back to Austin. An outstanding crew and comfortable seats made this a very pleasant flight. Especially considering the fact there was a ton of upgrade availability and the entire flight cost me $98 roundtrip.
Hotel Review: Main Street Bed and Breakfast Fredericksburg
Mrs. ATX and I decided to take one final getaway before ATX Jr. joined the world. We headed off for a quick weekend stay in the nearby hill country town of Fredericksburg, Texas. Since this was a last minute trip, and due to the fact that Fredericksburg has exploded in popularity, we were happy to find a great rate at the Main Street Bed and Breakfast right in the center of town.
While it isn’t the most luxurious property in town, it had comfortable rooms and a great location within walking distance of shops and restaurants. We’d definitely consider this property on another trip to town.
Lounge Review: American Airlines Admirals Club Austin (AUS)
American’s Admirals Club in Austin can be a nice space to wait for your flight if it isn’t too crowded but it can get extremely busy during peak times. I visited on a Saturday afternoon and found it fairly full with a few open spaces. The space itself may not be the top airport lounge in Austin, that honor goes to the Delta Sky Club, but the AAgents here are second to none.
Summary
June wasn’t very busy on the travel front but there was a lot of exciting news across the travel industry. The downtime has given me the opportunity to sharpen the pencil on a few trips we’re planning later in the year!
