Two weeks flew by, and I’m back again.
First, a quick aside. I had originally planned to summarize the recent clawbacks of the Platinum Card 100,000-point offer, but after reading countless DPs, it looks like AMEX is really just trying to clean up the mess from its own leaked links.
Various DPs show that the clawbacks have all been from that batch of applications submitted in May. AMEX has been using the reasons listed in its terms to claw back the bonus and not reissue it, which is honestly pretty outrageous. There are new clawbacks happening every day, and just because yours hasn’t been taken back yet doesn’t mean it won’t be. Best of luck to everyone.
Here is Yumi’s summary: https://www.uscreditcards101.com/amex-platinum-sign-up-claw-back/
Back to the main topic: this short trip. Since I didn’t have much time, I chose a nonstop flight, so I didn’t get to try the layovers, airlines, and inflight meals that frequent flyers love to recommend. A bit of a shame.
The IAD–PEK flight was about 13.5 hours, operated by Air China on a 77W. I booked a round-trip business class ticket using ANA miles, and 95,000 was quite a deal. But after redeeming, the 100,000 points were clawed back, so now my balance is negative. Not sure whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing.
Let’s start from the beginning. I hadn’t really seen any write-ups online about flying Air China from IAD.
IAD is officially Washington Dulles International Airport, but in reality it’s pretty far from downtown DC. A one-way taxi ride is close to $50. Luckily, I had a coupon and some friendly reimbursement help from CSR. I used Lyft, and every Tuesday the T-Mobile Tuesday app gives out $15 off, which is pretty nice.
The airport has just one terminal, and after check in you need to take the train to the concourse. My gate was A23. The standard business class lounge is the Lufthansa lounge near B53, about a 5-minute walk away. On the way, I passed the newly opened Turkish Airlines lounge. I was too shy to go in and ask, but I think it probably would have been accessible. Lufthansa has separate First Class and Business Class lounges, and the moment I walked in, I already wanted to leave. I forced myself to take a look around the downstairs business class lounge, then promptly left. If they repainted the decor blue, it would basically be a UA CLUB!!!!!
Less than 50 meters away in the other direction from the gate, there’s an Air France lounge that you can enter with a PP card. The location and food are both better than Lufthansa’s. So don’t waste your time—just go to Air France. You can even watch your plane arrive.
The Air China 77W—at the Air France lounge you can photograph all the details. Five doors, triple-bogie main landing gear, raked wingtips. (Though I do have to complain about the livery.)
I’d flown this setup once before, so there were no surprises after boarding. Here are a few photos.
A 2-2-2 fully flat business class seat. Perfectly acceptable—no standout features like Cathay, but none of the frustrations of UA either.
The footwell was too narrow, but at least I could stretch my legs out flat. Basketball players probably shouldn’t complain too much. The entertainment system was basically useless for me—I brought my own iPad and headphones, and only turned the screen on occasionally to check the map. I really missed the downward-facing camera on Cathay.
The amenity kit was by L’Occitane. I didn’t even bother opening it. I wasn’t impressed by either the packaging or the contents, and I gave it away after landing.
Champagne was served before takeoff.
After takeoff, a small appetizer plate.
Then a snack.
Main meal 1.
Main meal 2.
The taste was average.
A lot of frequent flyers avoid Air China and think it has plenty of drawbacks.
From my perspective, whether it’s the food, service, or seat, Air China business class felt neither uncomfortable nor especially enjoyable. It really embodies that middle-of-the-road Chinese philosophy of moderation.
If I absolutely had to complain about something, it would be the livery…
I stayed in a hotel for 15 days after getting back… a Cat 1 Hilton Garden Inn. The location was remote, but hey, it was Cat 1—what more can you say about 4,000 points per night? No expectations, no disappointment.
My Diamond status got me a suite. Honestly, this stay was a very pleasant surprise. I had planned to write a more detailed review, but over the following few days I had some family matters to deal with, so I didn’t take many additional photos. Maybe next time—I’ll be back soon.
I probably hadn’t been back in about two years, and the adoption of Alipay and WeChat Pay was truly on another level compared to before. You can use WeChat Pay for taxis, meals, even buying groceries. It really made me feel out of date. I used to think card payments were super convenient in the US, but now in China you can get around almost entirely with just a phone. After realizing that, I quietly added some money to my WeChat wallet.
Finally, I hope everyone traveling back to China pays attention to food hygiene. For someone like me with a sensitive stomach, it’s no joke.