Holidays

Santa’s flight plan

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British Airways has shared a preview of the flight plan the Jeppesen charting company has prepared for Santa for the evening of December 24th. 

    For those who aren’t well versed in reading flight plan charts,
    BA says that the chart shows the approach for landing Santa’s sleigh back at the North Pole, having completed deliveries around the world.

    “The chart shows that on approach, the sleigh will descend to 2,500ft on a track of true North between SANTA and CLAUS. The sleigh will further descend on the final stages of its approach from COMNG to TOWNN, but in the event that the weather conditions are not good enough to land then Santa will climb back to an altitude of 2,500ft before turning right at MSLTO. That will lead to KSSNG where he will hold until the weather improves.”

    Here’s some more detailed information about the plan: 

    “With Rudolph’s nose lighting system, the sleigh has a ‘decision height’ of just 250ft which will help Santa manage any bad weather, resulting in a safe landing. Safety is obviously a priority for Santa and his team, so the plan warns that reindeer and elves will be on the runway and that reindeer games could slow down ground operations. Other aircraft are advised to look out for the blinding red nose.”

    “We’ll be cheering on Santa and his reindeer on December 24 as he flies around the world,” said Simon Brooks, British Airways’ senior vice president sales, North America, ” He has priority over the skies that night so customers traveling should look for the sleigh and wave to Santa.”

    My favorite parts of the flight plan are the ‘Hot Cider Deice Pad” and “Letters to Santa Drop Zone,” and that little elf, but the whole darn thing is charming. 

    Holiday hotel packages: quirky, cool and over the top

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    There’s no need to stay home over the holidays. Santa not only knows if you’ve been naughty or nice, and he will deliver your gifts even if you’re staying in one the many hotels around the country offering these fun holiday-themed packages and over-the-top Christmas experiences.

    If you’ve been really good this year, Santa may even join you for breakfast or give you a surfing lesson.

    Here’s a list I put together for CNBC:

    Surfing lessons – from Santa

    Courtesy Surfing Santa & Florida’s Space Coast

    Santa is not only a sleigh rider, he’s also, evidently, a surfer.

    The annual Surfing Santas event held in Florida’s Cocoa Beach celebrates St. Nick’s secret hobby every Christmas Eve morning with 300 surfing Santas and thousands of spectators. Travelers who want to join the fun can book a hotel package that includes a surfing lesson and a visit on the beach from one of the Surfing Santas.

    “BIG” package, with shopping spree in New York City

    Courtesy Arlo Hotel/Nikki Vanko

    The Arlo Hotel in New York city is offering ‘The BIG Holiday Package’ in honor of the 30th anniversary of the classic film “Big,” starring Tom Hanks as a twelve-year old boy who wakes up in the body of a 30-year old man. Valid Dec. 1 through Dec. 31, the package includes a $500 shopping spree, a driver to take you shopping throughout the city, and a Chef’s dinner for 4 in the hotels’ heated “ice huts.” As a bonus, guests will get to play on oversize piano keys, just like the ones in the “BIG” movie, with a photographer available to document the adventure. Prices start at $3,600 per night.  

    Bedtime Butlers

    Coutesy Kimpton Riverplace Hotel Portland

    In Portland, OR, the Kimpton RiverPlace Hotel on the banks of the Willamette River, has a year-round Bedtime butler who makes the rounds a few nights a week, delivering a cart of traditional nightcaps and a selection of other treats to guests. During the holidays the cart is decorated with lights and Christmas stockings and is stocked with books, house-made cookies, and hot cocoa for kids, as well as al bourbon, wine, hot tea, toiletries and slippers for adults. Guests can’t schedule the BedtimeButler; her or she visits rooms at random, so guests are advised to keep an ear out for a knock at their door.

    Decadent dining

    Chicago Athletic Association Hotel

     The Chicago Athletic Association Hotel, located in a historic property on Michigan Avenue that was once a men’s only private club, is offering an onsite progressive dining experience as part of its Sip, Savor, Stay package. The evening starts with champagne by the fireplace, appetizers on the glass-enclosed rooftop restaurant, dinner in the hotel’s Cherry Circle Room, dessert in the Milk Room microbar, and a nightcap in the Game Room, with a privately reserved bocce court. Breakfast the next day is included and as a bonus guests get to take home two of the hotel’s bathrobes (which mimic boxing robes) and two branded glasses. Price: $3,600 for a two-night stay.

    Inspired by Dior in Denver

    Ramble Hotel Denver

    To coincide with the holiday shopping season and the Denver Art Museum’s exhibit “Dior: From Paris to the World,” Denver’s Ramble Hotel is offering the ”Chauffeur to Dior: From Paris to the World” package.

    In addition to a night at the hotel, guests will be able to shop for vintage Dior jewelry from their room, drink specialty “Ginette” cocktails named for Christian Dior’s sister, tour the museum’s Dior exhibit with VIP tickets and be driven to and from the museum’s Dior exhibit in a vintage Roll Royce car. Package starts at $1,300 and is available through March 3, 2019.

    Decorated suite and holiday treats

    Mandirn Hotel NY/David Lewis-Taylor

    As part of the Holiday Winter Wonderland Suite Escape package at the Mandarin Oriental, New York guests will stay in a suite outfitted with an ornately- decorated 9-

    tree( and a second 3-foot decorated artificial tree), nutcrackers, live wreath, hanging stockings and other festive holiday touches. Holiday-themed food and beverages, including hot chocolate with Grand Marnier, a gingerbread house, cake lollipops and other treats are included. Available through December 31, 2018. Rates begin at $5,775 per night with a two-night minimum stay.

    Christmas in a vintage trailer

    The Vintages

     The Vintages trailer resort in Oregon’s Willamette Valey has 33 trailers in 21 different styles and during the holiday offers two $50 holiday add-on packages. One includes candy cane lawn decorations and a champagne cocktail kit, complete with bottle of local champagne; the other is a campfire-themed package that includes a s’mores kit, Moonstruck gourmet hot cocoa, a bottle of The Vintages Pinot Noir, and a “Little Red Campfire” fire pit.

    Sugar plum fairies and elf tuck-ins

    Mission Inn Festival of Lights

    Fun holiday packages are available during the six-week Festival of at the Mission Inn Hotel & Spa in Riverside, CA.

    The two-night Sugar Plum Fairy Suite Package (Rates start at $1,419) includes a stay in the decorated themed suite with holiday trimmings, a holiday tree, stockings, holiday lights and candy décor. Included is a cupcake turndown amenity for four with hot cocoa and a $200 dining credit. To sweeten the experience, for $50 per child, guests can add on the hotel’s signature “elf tuck-in” amenity, which features a resident elf that delivers small, present-filled stockings to children and tucks them into bed with a bedtime story.

    Ultimate Christmas Package

    Ritz- Carlton Fort. Lauderdale

    The Fully Wrapped: Ultimate Christmas Experience package is available for one family December 24-26 at The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale. (Price starts at $12,999) The experience includes lodging in an ocean view 3-bedroom suite, gift wrapping services, a spa package and champagne. On Christmas morning, there will be breakfast with Santa, who will arrive bearing wrapped gifts that will include a pair of custom Adidas Sneakers, an American Girl Doll, a Pandora bracelet with charm, a bottle of Island Company Run and a voucher for a private rum room experience with a mixologist. The package includes use of a pool cabana for the day, complete with cabana attire and, a photographer to document all the special moments.

    Free ice-skating + free bag drop service at Denver Int’l Airport

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    Free ice-skating is back at Denver International Airport. DEN has also added a free early bag drop service.

    The free ice-skating rink at Denver International Airport’s outdoor plaza is back again for its third season.

    The rink is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily through January 6 on the DEN Plaza between the main terminal and Westin hotel.

    Even better, there’s no need to travel with your own skates.  The “Skate Shop” Airstream trailer located on the plaza has free skate rentals in many sizes.  For those who don’t want to skate, but just want to hang out, there are bleachers and lounge seating.

    A partnership this year with United Airlines, the DEN ice rink will feature music each day and offer free hot chocolate and cider starting at noon on Fridays. There will also be special appearances and performances on the ice every Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. including curling lessons and mascot appearances.

    “Ice skating on our pop-up ice rink has quickly become a signature event for Denver International Airport,” said CEO Kim Day. “It’s just another way we’re demonstrating our commitment to an improved passenger experience. For flight crews, travelers, employees and even local residents, skating with the dramatic backdrop of the Jeppesen Terminal is becoming a seasonal tradition.”

    Denver International Airport recenty introduced another helpful amenity:  free early bag drop and check-in service at the Transit Center and at the Pikes Peak and Mt. Elbert shutttle parking lots.

    The bag-drop service allows passengers to drop off their bags, check-in and get a boarding pass before entering the terminals luggage-free.

    At the parking lots, travelers can drive in and drop off  their bags before they park. A greeter at the bag drop kiosk will remove the bags from the car, complete the check-in process process and print out a boarding pass. That means no luggage to drag onto and off of the shuttle van to the terminal. Nice!

    Keep in mind, that bags must be dropped off at least 90 minutes before a flight. And while the bag drop service is free, those pesky airline baggage fees will still apply. But those fees can be paid at the bag drop locations too.

    The DEN bag-drop service is being offering at the Transit Center daily from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m and at the shuttle parking lots Saturday–Thursday  from 2 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Friday from 2 a.m. to 7 p.m.

    Passengers traveling on domestic flights with Southwest, United, Delta and American Airlines are eligible to use the service. Flights to international destinations are not eligible for the bag drop service.

    Find more details about the new bag drop service at Denveral International Airport here.

    In a press release, Denver International Airport claims this is the first such service at an airport. But in 2012 Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport introduced early bag drop service at its East Economy parking lot and at the PHX SkyTrain Station, expanding the service to the rental car center in 2014.

    Unfortunately, PHX no longer offers early bag drop service. But here’s hoping it comes back.