The Window Seat: DECISIONS, DECISIONS: HOW TO CHOOSE AN AIRLINE

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I like knowing what I'm getting into. Before I eat at a restaurant, I check out Yelp for reviews. Before I head to a new destination, I devour anything I can find about it on IgoUgo. And before I fly---or often before I even choose a carrier to fly with---I browse Skytrax.

The concept of Skytrax is pretty simple: it's like any other review site, but the subject matter is all air travel, all the time. Along with constantly updated reviews of pretty much airline you've ever heard of---and many, many you haven't---there are hundreds of reviews of airports (will you make that connection in Miami? is there anything decent to eat at JFK?) and even airport lounges, for those of us lucky (or swanky) enough to be invited into them.

Better yet, you can read about other people's experiences on an airline knowing exactly which route they flew: so if you're conscientious enough about combing through them, you may actually be able to find another person who flew United from Los Angeles to Charleston with a stop in Atlanta, just like you're planning on doing next month. (You'll be surprised to find out, in fact, how much the service can vary from route to route---particularly on a carrier that flies both domestically and internationally.)

So if you've got a trip coming up and you're not familiar with whichever airline is offering the best price---is China Airlines* a good bet for a San Francisco to Thailand trip, or should you stick with a US-based carrier you know?---you may find Skytrax a pretty helpful resource for decision-making. And if you're anything like me, of course, you'll read through the reviews just for the sake of reading reviews about air travel. And that's when you know you need a vacation.

* Answer: go with China Airlines---at least in my opinion! The service, food, and inflight entertainment are all top-notch.

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Comments

Wow, great tip! Hopefully it won't end up like Yelp. I can see it now: "There was a crying kid on my flight and the flight attendants didn't give me massages, 1 star!!!"

Posted by: NB

| May 1, 2008 09:34 AM

LOVE the SkyTrax. I'm planning a trip to Asia in November and all the airline names are making my head swim.

But once you look them up, usually they're ranked way higher than good old red-blooded American airlines like Continental.

Posted by: Anne & May | May 2, 2008 01:14 PM

Holly, this is great! I was trying to figure out deets on my flight to Naples next week, and much to my dismay, the Lufthansa site wouldn't reveal anything useful. So this helps!

Posted by: Camels & Chocolate | May 8, 2008 01:24 PM

EXCELLENT! How have I never managed to bookmark this additional "Holly Burns" site -- with travel-savvy colleagues, no less. Much browsing around this place is in my immediate future :-)

Posted by: Carroll | May 28, 2008 08:33 PM