Enjoyed airlines’ perks

After reading of a traveler’s 4½-day ordeal in returning to California following a tour of India that ended on Dec. 26, a subscriber wrote the letter titled “Air Travel Tips” (Jan. ’14, pg. 10). Among her advice was the tip, “Really, really, really… think carefully about flying at Christmas. The only worse time is Thanksgiving.”

I have found that Christmas and New Year’s Eve are actually the two very best days to fly. My wife and I flew to Manila on Christmas Eve 2013 aboard Philippine Airlines (800/435-9725) and had most of the plane to ourselves. It seemed like it was just the pilot, a cabin attendant and us, and we had great, friendly service.

The only downside was hearing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” some 116 times on the way over.

Another great travel day is your birthday, when you may get special treatment, as my wife got in January 2014 from Cathay Pacific (800/233-2742). She was given an upgrade from economy to business class on a Hong Kong-New York flight. (They apologized to me for not having a second seat open.)

The above-mentioned subscriber is right, though, about establishing some sort of loyalty to one major airline, which then usually will provide priority boarding and baggage handling and, depending on how loyal you are, upgrades (often to economy-plus from economy) and free lounge entry.

My wife’s membership in Cathay Pacific’s basic MarcoPolo Club (not a high-level club) was most likely a factor in her birthday upgrade.

FRED STEINBERG

Riverside, CT