I am hiding a giant smile underneath this mask, because today i am putting a massive check mark on my bucket list.
I'm flying first class for the first time for 11 hours from athens to new york one two, Three windows.
But this isn't just any first class.
This is Emirates first class, like the one with the private suite 200 bottles of champagne, caviar.
I think I like it just because it's fancy.
And the best part is I paid less than $100 for this ticket that should have cost $5,000.
Oh, wow.
I do not need to be flying business class today.
If you've watched our channel for a while, there's a good chance you may have seen.
Kara and I fly business class.
They even gave us slippers.
And you also may have thought to yourself that we trust fund kids or spoiled brats.
Trust me, we've heard it all before and when i step back i can see how it might come off that way from the outside looking in.
But the truth is, when we left for our one year of travel, we had saved up thirty five thousand dollars, and that was all the money that we had to our name.
So we have never paid full price to fly business class, And later in the video I'll tell you how I saved 5000 on this ticket.
But first, let's go enjoy the experience.
Thank you so much.
Okay, so I'm all checked in for the flight.
I've got my ticket and there's one very good thing and one very bad thing on this ticket.
Let me get through security and then I'll explain.
So obviously the good thing is just getting to see first class on my ticket for the first time.
But what was unexpected was these four S's that you see down here on the bottom.
Basically labels me as a security threat to anyone who looks at my ticket.
Kara had these once before.
It's a huge pain and, after traveling to 100 countries, this is the first time I've ever been blessed with quadruple S's.
Probably has something to do with that little side trip that I took to Morocco to climb the mountain.
Or the fact that I booked a return ticket to Greece and then didn't fly home on the second leg because I decided to stay here and run the marathon.
It hurts so bad.
And then I booked this ticket back weeks later.
Okay, it actually makes a lot of sense.
The problem is these aren't usually just a one-time thing.
My life going to the airport is probably gonna be more difficult for the foreseeable future.
I would be excited about any flight I was getting on today, because I just love the flying experience in general.
But this is literally like the pinnacle of aviation, like top 10 airline seats in the entire sky.
Still a smile under here.
Sectioned off in my own little compartment of the boarding area.
Okay, I passed my additional security screening and should be boarding in five minutes.
I have such mixed emotions right now.
I'm excited for you but I'm very jealous.
I love you and I'll see you in a few days.
Bye bye!
This is actually happening.
I'm not dreaming.
I'm walking down a jet bridge.
Welcome to your suite.
Look at this.
One, two, three windows.
Wow.
I have no words right now.
Obviously, I've researched this experience extensively on the internet, but I don't think anything could have prepared me for sitting in this seat in person.
Can we offer you something to drink?
Some champagne would be nice.
Awesome, coming up.
Perfect, thank you so much.
That bottle of champagne that he just poured me cost more than what I paid for this plane ticket.
Cheers.
It feels really weird doing this alone.
That is definitely the most expensive sip of champagne I've ever had.
Also, I'm not sure if you can see it in the camera, but there are stars on the ceiling.
That would be wonderful.
Thank you very much.
I feel so bad that I'm doing this without you.
Okay, Kara said this was her glass.
I'm enjoying this for her.
Enjoy your flight.
This is dine on demand, which means there's no set meal time.
He just gave me a wine list and a menu.
So at any time during the flight, if I'm feeling like a grilled beef steak or seared sea bass, I can just order it and they'll bring it to me just like I'm at a restaurant, except I'm sitting in my own private suite and I have a movie screen right in front of me.
Now that we're in the air, I think I can finally show you the best part of the suite.
Are you ready for this?
There's a motorized door on an airplane.
I pretty much have complete privacy in this suite.
Okay, so I was so excited about this flight that I went out and bought a new microphone.
So you could hear me better.
I probably look ridiculous and I might regret this, but here we go.
Let me give you a full tour of the suite.
Okay, so let me start with one little feature that I've noticed since being on the plane.
And that's that I have not one, but two air vents right beside my seat.
So I have full climate control of this entire suite.
My left armrest has a small storage compartment in the back and also a normal size remote that you would expect to see on an airplane.
But if you don't feel like using this tiny remote, You can press this button, which releases this old-school looking iPad thing that you can use to control the massive TV that's sitting behind the camera.
I don't even know what these buttons do.
This seat is too complicated for me.
I swallowed one of my warm nuts wrong.
And besides the motorized door, this is probably my second favorite feature of the suite.
It's a motorized mini bar.
Pepsi, not one, but two waters, three waters, but one of them sparkling.
7up Diet Pepsi also.
This is a real orchid.
I mean, I think we just need to appreciate that I could almost fit two of me in this seat.
They have also given me a full sized pillow.
This feels like a duvet.
There is just so much space in this thing.
Also, slippers.
It brought me these three little dishes, but you can't find the tray table to eat.
Surely you can figure this out, Nate.
Seems promising.
No?
I mean, I feel like this thing is it, but how does it press?
Okay, I'm gonna have to ask somebody.
Sorry.
Where is the tray table?
It's here.
Oh, I didn't press it hard enough.
Wow.
Is there anything I might be missing?
You can control like every single part of the seat.
Okay, thank you so much.
You're welcome.
Oh wow, look at that.
Now I'm moving backwards.
Now I'm moving forwards.
Okay, I can do this.
My suite also came with a writing kit.
This is a moleskin notebook and a very fancy pen.
I'll definitely be taking these with me as souvenirs.
This is probably the fanciest amenity kit I've ever been given on an airplane.
Should I do my impression of Kara since she's not here?
O-M-G.
It smells so good.
No way.
A collapsible brush.
Deodorant.
An entire bottle of cologne.
I don't wear cologne, but I think this is a pretty nice brand.
Cleansing towel, lip balm, hydrating body emulsion, aftershave balm, full size razor, shaving foam, toothbrush, and last but not least, tissues.
Ow.
Bit of a bumpy ride so far.
Okay, and the last thing I need to show you, they placed a snack basket inside the seat.
Gourmet popcorn, chips, nuts.
I mean, all of this stuff is stuff that you would get on an airplane anyway.
You just don't have to ask for it.
Ooh, fancy chocolates.
Ah, hydration tablets.
They say you get super dehydrated when you fly.
Genius.
Nate from the future here.
We are currently surfing in Mexico.
I really wanted to shave this before I interrupted, but care wouldn't let me.
So now you get to see my sorry attempt at growing a beard at the age of 32.
But I'm not here to talk about facial hair.
I have two quick fair drop updates that I wanted to give you.
First, we have partnered with Polar Latitudes to give away a free trip to Antarctica.
After traveling to 100 countries and all seven continents, this is our favorite trip that we have ever taken.
It's like being on a frozen safari.
Whoa!
Or another planet.
If your trip is anything like ours, you'll have the opportunity to step foot on your seventh continent, float amongst the iceberg, see tons of whales, waddle with penguins and even polar, plunge into the Antarctic water.
It's one of those things that you just have to do.
So if you would like the chance to win a cabin on a free cruise to Antarctica, all you have to do is sign up for Fair Drop between now and the end of January, because we are drawing the winner February 1st.
Second thing, we have now made it possible to gift a Fair Drop subscription.
And no, not yet.
And since I like having something physical to give, anytime you gift a Fair Drop, you will get a printable PDF that turns into a paper airplane, so you can get creative with how you wrap this up.
And the best part is, when you unfold it it comes with all the instructions that the recipient needs to redeem their gift.
So all the fair drop links are in the description below.
Now back to the best day of my life.
Don't, don't care.
I said that.
Okay, i'm finally gonna eat.
Uh whatever, these things are really good.
That's like roast beef with cheese inside salmon.
I would never order fish on an airplane, but that is really good.
I still have no clue.
Well, that was a fun start to the meal.
I'm now going to look at the menu and see what I actually want to order.
I also want to look up and see how much all of these whiskeys cost, because I'm sure they're super expensive.
Chavez Regal.
I'm going to embarrass myself trying to say these things.
Johnny Walker Blue Label Scotch Whiskey.
This is a seven course menu.
It starts with canapes, which is what I just had.
Next I can get caviar, then soup, then appetizers, then pasta, then a main course because apparently pasta's not a main course and finally ended with dessert.
I feel so guilty pushing this button and asking for a flight attendant, but I think that's what I'm supposed to do.
Could I please get the caviar?
Yes, of course.
Would you hold some extra?
Please.
Wow.
Thank you so much.
I don't know what feels more over the top than champagne and caviar.
Why are fish eggs like the fanciest thing you can eat?
You put cheese with caviar?
Salty, slimy, has an interesting texture.
And I think I like it just because it's fancy.
These chives maybe?
Mm, I like the combination of caviar and chives.
I feel like that's the most pretentious thing I've ever said.
As you can see, the spoon is a bit different.
It looks like pearl.
Yes.
Like real pearl.
Yes.
And there's a reason for that, because caviar is very sensitive. to a stainless steel.
So the taste would be really affected.
I'm not a caviar eater.
I probably wouldn't tell the difference, but a proper connoisseur can tell.
Okay, thank you so much.
Everything about this experience is more over the top than I expected.
That is a lot of food.
Thank you.
Wow.
So my appetizer came with four different plates.
Plate number one, plate number two, plate number three, and last but not least, plate number four.
Of course it's good.
The vine leaves are stuffed with rice inside.
So good.
This is so much food and I haven't even gotten to the main course.
This is the spinach and ricotta tortellini.
My main course actually came out with the least amount of dishes.
Like everything else, it looks incredible.
Okay, last but not least, I'm finishing with the chocolate pudding drowned in hot caramel sauce.
I have no more stomach space left, but there's like an extra little cavity that always fits dessert.
This is art.
I'm so sad Karen's not here.
She will love this so much.
Finished.
Wipe the white towel.
It is 9.45.
I just ate for the first four and a half hours I was on this plane.
So my plan was to not sleep at all on this flight because I didn't want to be unconscious for any of the experience.
But it's almost midnight and pajamas.
I decided that laying flat on an airplane and getting some sleep is all part of the first class experience.
I have some free sweatpants and a lighter gray top.
It's pretty much a standard airplane bathroom, except they have free toothbrushes.
Pretty sure this is expensive cologne.
In any case, you don't feel like drying your hands with paper.
They also have cloths to dry your hands on.
It's over the top.
It's too much.
I've reached my limit.
I'm just gonna let that speak for itself.
As if the seat itself wasn't good enough.
They gave me like this two inch memory foam mattress.
This is ridiculous.
Okay.
Now I just have to figure out how to turn all these lights off.
I'll see you in a couple hours.
Wow, morning, afternoon, nighttime, whatever time it is, time to enjoy the rest of this flight.
I don't have to take my pajamas off just because I'm awake, right?
Right?
Each suite comes with its own closet.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Newark Liberty International Airport.
It's over?
Welcome to Newark.
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
Oh, I can't believe it's over.
That was the fastest 11 hours of my entire life.
The crew was incredible.
The food was incredible.
The seat was incredible.
And now I have an overnight layover in New York.
Goodbye, I'll miss you.
Back to real life.
One hour later.
I Have about 10 hours until my next flight, so I'm gonna get some sleep and then in the morning I'll explain how I paid less than 100 for that plane.
Thank you,
It's not very good.
Okay, let's see if my brain's working well enough to explain this.
Basically the way that we saved all the money we I keep saying we because Karen's usually with me
The way I saved all the money on that first class ticket was through frequent flyer miles earned by signing up for travel credit cards.
This is something that Kara and I have been doing for years now.
Actually, one of the earliest videos on this channel is me sitting at McDonald's explaining how we were saving money on flights around Southeast Asia using miles and points.
Signing up for this credit card, we earned 25,000 SPG points.
I think I just fell asleep.
And we're basically still using the same strategies six years later except, instead of redeeming the points for economy, I just redeem the points for a first class flight.
So the first thing that you have to do to get a basically free flight like this is somehow earn frequent flyer miles.
And in this specific case, I did that by signing up for the American Express Platinum card.
Once I had the miles in my American Express account, it was time to figure out how to redeem those miles.
So I logged into my Emirates Skywards accounts to search for flights that were available to book with points.
And that's when I found the flight that I just flew home on.
It was 85,000 points plus about 90 euros in taxes and fees.
Then, once I knew that the flight was bookable with points, I headed back over to my Amex account to transfer my American Express points to my Skyward's account.
So I transferred 85,000 American Express points.
Those turned into 85,000 Skyward points.
And then all I had to do was redo my points and book the flight.
And a flight that should have cost over 5000 cost the taxes and fees that I paid for it, which were right around 100.
If you've never really looked into miles and points, that could have sounded like a completely different language.
So to sum it all up, I use points that I earn from signing up for a travel credit card.
I turn those into frequent flyer miles and then I redeem those frequent flyer miles in order to pay for that ticket.
Make more sense?
No?
Yes.
Once you have a basic understanding of this stuff, it's actually pretty simple.
And that's one of the things that I'm really excited that we're going to start rolling out with FairDrop in 2022.
We're going to start adding this miles and points education.
So we're going to teach you how you can earn and redeem frequent flyer miles to save a ton of money on flights.
Whether you want to redeem those frequent flyer miles to fly free and economy, or whether you want to figure out how to fly in the front of the plane for the first time, we're creating courses that are going to help you do it, and it's all going to be free inside your fair drop membership.
We're still working on perfecting those courses, but if you want to go ahead and sign up for fair drop, you can start receiving awesome flight deals and know that in the next couple months you're going to start getting access to some awesome miles and points education that's going to help you start traveling for free, maybe even flying in first class.
That was a bit of a shameless plug, but this is something that I'm really passionate about, because it's actually how Kara and I started traveling in the first place.
We started finding these flight deals and then I got into miles and points and I was able to book those flight deals using the miles and points.
When we first started traveling, we were broke newlyweds.
This was the only way that we could afford to see the world, so we saved up a little money to go travel for a year, and then one year turned into six and now i'm sitting here and, in a way, miles and points are the reason that i'm sitting here right now.
I think i'm still jet lagged.
I'm gonna finish this coffee and fly to nashville.
Okay, i'm not gonna finish this coffee.
Okay, I'm all checked in for my last flight.
And it's back to real life.
Back in 32D in economy, but it was fun while it lasted.
I think I'm gonna end the video here, because showing an economy flight just doesn't seem very exciting after what I just experienced.
Also for any of you who are hoping to see Kara and I reunite at the end of this video, you're going to be disappointed, because she's still in Texas with her sister.
But in 72 hours, we will be reunited again.
And we are counting it down.
Or, as Kara said, three more sleeps until we get to see each other again.
So that'll be in the next video.
It's definitely the most expensive ship.
First step, not slowing my word yet.
As if this seat wasn't good enough already.
