After 21 Months Traveling and 160 Flights, These Were the Most Memorable

In the last 21 months of living nomadically, I’ve averaged nearly 1 flight every 4 days. That’s a lot of flying, and it wasn’t easy to choose the most memorable among those flights. But some certainly stand out in my mind, and not always because they were the nicest.

From last-minute redemptions that saved me thousands of dollars and impressive economy flights to coming down with food poisoning on a 7-hour flight, it’s quite the eclectic mix of memorable flights.

An Unexpected Upgrade With Air France

My last long-haul business class flight with Air France was from Paris to Ho Chi Minh. As I do at the start of any flight, even if I’m not writing a review, I frantically tried to get pictures before the cabin filled with passengers. Crew member Micka must have spotted me, as he came over to ask if I’d like him to get a photo of me in my seat. Slightly embarrassed, I politely declined, relieved that he wasn’t scolding me for taking pictures.

After boarding, Micka came over again and casually said a larger seat was free if I wanted to sit there instead. He was referring to Air France’s Business Suites, which are among the most spacious business class seats in the sky.

This wasn’t because of my status, and he didn’t know at that point that I’m a travel writer and content creator. It was just a kind gesture that made what probably would have been a great flight a fantastic one.

The entire crew on this flight was a credit to Air France.

Food Poisoning on a Plane

I took the 600th flight in my life on CM700 from São Paulo to Panama City on April 7 — and 7 happens to be my birth date and lucky number. Well, so much for luck.

I was trying out Copa Airlines‘ lie-flat bed on a long-distance flight for the first time, but what was supposed to be a milestone flight turned out to be memorable for all the wrong reasons.

I felt off as I boarded the plane. I have a pretty sensitive stomach at the best of times, but I knew this was something more serious. An hour or so after takeoff, as lunch was served, the thought of eating made me feel nauseous.

I went from feeling off to thinking it was only a matter of time before I’d throw up. The moment came just as the toilet was blocked by the drinks cart, indicating one of the pilots was using it.

Thankfully, I narrowly avoided causing havoc for everyone in the cabin, but I felt weak and dehydrated for the remainder of the flight. I had a second flight to catch to Medellín, too.

It wasn’t Copa’s fault, though. I’m almost certain I got sick from eating some dodgy-smelling eggs in a lounge at São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport (GRU). Not surprisingly, I’ve since developed a mild phobia of eating airport lounge food.

My Best Miles Redemption With Qantas

Imagine having to find a last-minute ticket from Australia to Mexico to fly a couple of days into the New Year — one of the most expensive times of the year to travel.

Even economy cash fares were ridiculous, so I was determined to save money by using points for a last-minute booking. I’d also have a shot at scoring a lie-flat seat this way. My best bet was to use my British Airways Club account and look for Avios redemptions with American Airlines or Qantas to somewhere in the U.S. Then, I could book a cheap ticket to Mexico City to catch my connecting (nonrefundable) flight to Buenos Aires. I had a plan.

I tried so many search options, from various Australian cities to all over the U.S. Just as I was beginning to think I’d have to shell out thousands for an economy red-eye, I booked a Qantas flight via British Airways Club.

It was a 9 p.m. departure from Sydney to Honolulu with a lie-flat seat. At 77,250 Avios and $128, this wasn’t the best value redemption I’ve ever pulled off, but it definitely saved me the most cash.

Starlux Wowing Me in Economy

Starlux is proof that even economy can have a wow factor.

In July 2026, I took an economy flight with the relatively new Taiwanese airline from Taipei to Miyakojima, Japan. This also marked the start of my first-ever visit to Japan.

Even after being impressed by Starlux’s business class a few years ago, I didn’t think my short 45 minutes onboard its Airbus A321neo would be anything to write home about. The first surprise was finding a pillow and an over-the-ear headset at my seat. The second was a large seatback IFE screen, complete with a cute Snoopy graphic displaying our destination.

I was also offered a blanket, a sandwich, and a juice box. The in-flight experience in economy was better than what some airlines offer on long-haul flights. Starlux smashed it.

The Best Use of Status Perks Flying SWISS

Despite many airlines’ best efforts to chip away at the perks of their loyalty programs, some still offer valuable perks. For part of 2025, I had Lufthansa Miles & More Senator status. I appreciated the lounge access and airport priority, but the 2 eVouchers for cabin class upgrades delivered the most value — to the tune of several thousand dollars.

I had booked a good-value cash round-trip fare in business class from Europe to Brazil for a wedding. I needed 2 eVouchers to jump up from business to first on my SWISS flight from Zurich to São Paulo.

I was initially put on a waitlist, then a couple of weeks out from my flight, my seat was confirmed in first class.

The entire experience, from the lounge in Zurich to the inflight service, catering, and seat, was faultless. I even got to sample the SWISS Senses soft product as it rolled out. I want to fly the new SWISS Airbus A350 for the full SWISS Senses experience.

Air Cambodia’s Impressive ATR72

Whether I’m sitting in the back or in a lie-flat seat, I always look forward to flying an airline for the first time.

I had a few options when planning a flight from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, to Phnom Penh in Cambodia, including a Qatar Airways fifth-freedom flight. I chose Air Cambodia for the novelty. I was expecting an ATR turboprop, but I had no idea until I stepped onboard that it would be a brand-new ATR 72-600.

I was shocked to find a dedicated business class section. No ATR I’ve ever flown before has had one. Air Cambodia plans to replace these seats with domestic first-class seats. In economy, the seat was comfortable, and I didn’t feel cramped. We were even offered a bottle of water from the lovely cabin crew on this short 34-minute flight.

When British Airways Blocked the Bathrooms

On a flight from São Paulo to London Heathrow in March 2025, I couldn’t believe the series of events that unfolded. The seat belt signs had long been turned off, and I was sipping on my first drink. As I always do to stay hydrated when flying, I drank a lot of water at the airport beforehand. To avoid nature calling when my tray table was full of food, I made a dash for the front galley of the A350-1000, where 1 of the 3 dedicated business class lavatories is found.

As I approached the galley, a senior crew member told me that the toilets were closed during meal service. I hadn’t experienced this before. I said I thought it was strange, and the crew member snapped, “Would you rather go to the loo or have a faster food service?” Feeling like a naughty school child, I scurried back to my seat.

A little while later, during the meal service, the same crew member came to my seat with a completely different tone. Another crew member recognized me from my aviation content and informed his manager. What started out as an attempt at an apology turned into using the tight galleys of the A350 as the defense for blocking off the toilets during service.

While I understand airline executives are indeed reducing working space for crews in favor of more seats, the toilets have never been blocked during service, even on several long-haul flights I’ve flown on Airbus A321s with tiny galleys.

Flying Global Airlines

Aside from 2 round-trip flights from the U.K. to New York last year, Global Airlines is the startup that still hasn’t really started up. Whether Global Airlines has a future or not, I will not forget being part of one of the most talked-about aviation experiments of our time.

I Got Laughed at for Asking To Try the Wine in TAP’s Business Class

I’ve found TAP‘s cabin crew to be subpar on previous flights, so I boarded my flight from Fortaleza, Brazil, to Lisbon with low expectations. It was a red-eye flight en route to Manchester for the Global Airlines flight.

As I always do, I raced down the jet bridge to photograph the cabin without passengers. As I was snapping the empty TAP business class cabin, a crew member bolted toward me and growled that I wasn’t allowed to take photos of the crew. I politely replied that he was not in any of the photos. Sadly, this interaction set the tone.

When I was offered a drink with my meal, I asked which white wines were available. I’d heard of neither option, so I asked politely if I could try them before deciding. At first, the flight attendant didn’t say anything. She just kind of huffed and looked shocked. Realizing I wasn’t joking, she laughed and poured a sip of each, without uttering another word.

Seeing Mount Fuji for the First Time From the Air

They say you’re lucky if you get to see Mount Fuji, as she’s often shrouded in cloud or hidden behind hazy skies. With that in mind, I didn’t have high hopes of catching a glimpse of the mystical mountain, especially because I was visiting Japan during the rainy season.

I couldn’t believe it when I spotted it the first time I was on a flight routed past it, sandwiched between 2 cloud layers before landing in Haneda.

Spotting its silhouette gave me goosebumps. It was also my first time flying JAL and experiencing the airline’s gorgeous Airbus A350-900, which it uses on domestic flights.

My fitst lucky glimpse of Fuji was not the last. During my 2-month visit to Japan, I saw Fuji on each of the 5 flights I took that passed the iconic mountain.

Final Thoughts

I’ve made lots of memories in the sky during my nomadic chapter. I’ve loved living on the road, figuring out my place in the world and experiencing flights along the way that went from excellent to very much subpar. Thanks largely to points and miles, I’ll continue to do some fun flying, albeit with more intention and less frequency, as I start a new chapter in my favorite city in the world, Rio de Janeiro.