ski-air travel stories

Article with basic info about how Air Tags can be useful for traveling. I've been using two lately. One that is in my backpack and another in checked luggage.

Have been using one AirTag long enough that I got the Low Battery warning.

March 19, 2025
seniorsskiing.com

Why You Should Travel with Apple AirTags - SeniorsSkiing.com

AirTags are brilliant little tracking devices a little bigger than a quarter, which integrate easily with Apple’s Find My App. Every piece of luggage you travel with – including your skis – should have one, to tell you exactly where it has been left behind by an airline, tour bus, forgotten by...
seniorsskiing.com
 
MarzNC said:
Air Tags can be useful for traveling. I've been using two lately.
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I'm not an Apple guy so instead bought the Samsung equivalent after looking up Samsung market share in Europe for my latest trip. No baggage issues fortunately, but Samsung has ~35% of the market there and I did check where it got pinged/mapped and the Smart Tag 2 seems usable in Europe.
 
For those of us with Chase United credit cards, big changes were announced yesterday. Here are details about the United Explorer card, the most popular one -- its yearly fee is increasing to $150 along with alleged better benefits.

Yesterday at my local Chase, they pitched me on a Sapphire card, which is staying at $90 and currently offering a 100,000-point bonus (that can be converted into FF miles); however, it doesn't include the United-specific benefits -- a free checked-in bag, lounge passes, priority boarding -- so I'm taking it under advisement.
 
jamesdeluxe said:
For those of us with Chase United credit cards, big changes were announced yesterday. Here are details about the United Explorer card, the most popular one -- its yearly fee is increasing to $150 along with alleged better benefits.
Click to expand...
Sounds similar to the Delta AMEX card. I just got one for a trip to Switzerland (not skiing). Plus with Southwest becoming more like a standard major airline, I might start considering the Delta non-stop flight from my home airport to SLC.
 
berkshireskier said:
and would get dressed up - suit and tie usually or a dress for women - to fly on commercial airlines!
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Can you imagine flying Spirit or Frontier and seeing someone in a suit and tie? That would shock everyone in the area in today's world!

Can't recall the last time for a tie but do occasionally see business people with sport coats and such on the major airlines.
 
EMSC said:
Can you imagine flying Spirit or Frontier and seeing someone in a suit and tie? That would shock everyone in the area in today's world!

Can't recall the last time for a tie but do occasionally see business people with sport coats and such on the major airlines.
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I'm not sure Spirit or Frontier would even allow you on the plane, IF you showed up wearing a suit and tie!
 
mink airline.jpg

Is that a mink collar on a 1960s jet airliner? :icon-lol:

Didn't they make a movie a couple years ago called Slobs on a Plane?
 
berkshireskier said:
would get dressed up - suit and tie usually or a dress for women - to fly on commercial airlines!
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The usual talking point is that flying before deregulation was significantly more expensive so it was mainly the well-off, who were accustomed to dressing formally in social situations, or business people flying on their company's dime. Out of curiosity, I asked Claude AI to compare the cost of a flight from Idlewild/JFK to LAX in 1965 versus 2025, adjusted for inflation. Here's what it came up with.

Step 1: Historical Flight Fare (1965)​

  • In 1965, air travel was less common and more expensive (adjusted to the era’s economy).
  • The average one-way economy fare JFK to LAX was roughly $100–$120 in 1965 dollars.
    (Sources like historical airline data and government reports suggest ~$110 is a good estimate.)

Step 2: Adjust 1965 Fare for Inflation to 2025​

  • Using the US Inflation Calculator, the cumulative inflation from 1965 to 2025 (estimated) is about 900% (a 10x increase roughly).
  • $110 in 1965 ≈ $110 × 10 = $1,100 in 2025 dollars.

Step 3: Typical Flight Fare in 2025​

  • In 2025, a typical economy one-way flight from JFK to LAX can range from $150 to $350, depending on airline, season, and booking timing.
  • Average price: let’s say $250 for a reasonable baseline.

Step 4: Comparison Summary​

YearFare (Nominal)Fare (2025 Dollars, Inflation Adjusted)
1965$110$1,100
2025$250$250 (nominal = inflation adjusted)

​

Interpretation:​

  • Airfares from 1965 to 2025, inflation-adjusted, show a massive decrease in relative cost.
  • What cost about $1,100 in today's money back then now costs roughly $250 in real terms.
  • This reflects huge advances in aviation technology, deregulation, competition, and efficiencies lowering prices far below inflation.
 
jamesdeluxe said:
The usual talking point is that flying before deregulation was significantly more expensive so it was mainly the well-off, who were accustomed to dressing formally in social situations, or business people flying on their company's dime. Out of curiosity, I asked Claude AI to compare the cost of a flight from Idlewild/JFK to LAX in 1965 versus 2025, adjusted for inflation. Here's what it came up with.

Step 1: Historical Flight Fare (1965)​

  • In 1965, air travel was less common and more expensive (adjusted to the era’s economy).
  • The average one-way economy fare JFK to LAX was roughly $100–$120 in 1965 dollars.
    (Sources like historical airline data and government reports suggest ~$110 is a good estimate.)

Step 2: Adjust 1965 Fare for Inflation to 2025​

  • Using the US Inflation Calculator, the cumulative inflation from 1965 to 2025 (estimated) is about 900% (a 10x increase roughly).
  • $110 in 1965 ≈ $110 × 10 = $1,100 in 2025 dollars.

Step 3: Typical Flight Fare in 2025​

  • In 2025, a typical economy one-way flight from JFK to LAX can range from $150 to $350, depending on airline, season, and booking timing.
  • Average price: let’s say $250 for a reasonable baseline.

Step 4: Comparison Summary​

YearFare (Nominal)Fare (2025 Dollars, Inflation Adjusted)
1965$110$1,100
2025$250$250 (nominal = inflation adjusted)

​

Interpretation:​

  • Airfares from 1965 to 2025, inflation-adjusted, show a massive decrease in relative cost.
  • What cost about $1,100 in today's money back then now costs roughly $250 in real terms.
  • This reflects huge advances in aviation technology, deregulation, competition, and efficiencies lowering prices far below inflation.
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Very interesting analysis! Thanks for the AI inquiry. I guess competition does, sometimes, work to lower costs for consumers (even if customer service has gotten much worse).
 
My vague recollection from college years 1970-74 was that round trip from LAX to EWR or PHL was in the $400-$500 range.
 
berkshireskier said:
The food looks considerably better, too, than the measly bag of pretzels that you get on most flights today.
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One can still pay for better service and food. Looks like business class is similar in cost to an inflation adjusted 1965 ticket. Obviously there continues to be a small proportion of flyers who value and are willing to pay for that service.
 
Skieric said:
Obviously there continues to be a small proportion of flyers who value and are willing to pay for that service.
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The various 'classes' of service have been interesting to watch over the past ~25 years that I've been travelling a ton. (On US carriers) what used to be first class is now the equivalent of business class level of service, while the brand new premium economy service for international is rapidly moving toward what business class used to be (not there yet, but I bet it continues to get better), etc... And on the ends, 1st class has turned into a ridiculous cubicle land today (international) and economy has gone backwards to worse than it used to be. It's been fascinating to watch.

Question is does anyone on these boards travel above economy class for personal travel? I assume some are getting upgrades from status to at least premium economy. But anyone find it worth paying real money to upgrade?
 
EMSC said:
The various 'classes' of service have been interesting to watch over the past ~25 years that I've been travelling a ton. (On US carriers) what used to be first class is now the equivalent of business class level of service, while the brand new premium economy service for international is rapidly moving toward what business class used to be (not there yet, but I bet it continues to get better), etc... And on the ends, 1st class has turned into a ridiculous cubicle land today (international) and economy has gone backwards to worse than it used to be. It's been fascinating to watch.

Question is does anyone on these boards travel above economy class for personal travel? I assume some are getting upgrades from status to at least premium economy. But anyone find it worth paying real money to upgrade?
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I have flown a gizzillion miles over the last 2 yrs. Always in the back of the bus. My wife refuses to pay an extra dime for a better seat. The back arrives same time as the front. That said I’m not gonna lie. I’m kind of jealous of the people sitting in the comfy chairs.
 
EMSC said:
I assume some are getting upgrades from status to at least premium economy. But anyone find it worth paying real money to upgrade?
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Occasional FF upgrades to premium economy and free visits to the United Club (via the credit card) are all I can manage. I'm always impressed that Tony and Jason opt to stay with us steerage denizens. :icon-lol:
 
I pay $500 per year for a premium credit card that gives me better service from the airline. This allows for priority checkin, priority phone, more bags, lounge access, eupgrades. To me, better service at the airport and on the phone when needed, carries more of a priority than a larger seat.
 
EMSC said:
Can you imagine flying Spirit or Frontier and seeing someone in a suit and tie? That would shock everyone in the area in today's world!
Click to expand...

berkshireskier said:
I'm not sure Spirit or Frontier would even allow you on the plane, IF you showed up wearing a suit and tie!
Click to expand...

I have flown both Spirit and Frontier wearing a suit and tie for business meetings.

I fly back and forth from the Bay Area on a redeye for a next-day meeting in NYC with big banks (Citi, JP Morgan, BofA), and fly back the following evening. Or Fortune 1000 companies when meeting CFOs, CTOs, CIOs, and Risk Officers. When someone puts billions of dollars of transactions through your FinTech software, you do what is required - carefully listen to their requirements to make any necessary changes while still generating an eventual profit and not compromising the codebase or creating overly customized software.

So I put on my corporate drag attire (not what I wear to a Bay Area Tech office), which includes a suit, tie, and overcoat, etc., and look the part for corporate America. It's more fun to sell B2C FinTech versus Corporate B2B Fintech - no one cares.

Working at some startups, where every early-stage dollar counts and you don't want to give away equity to Venture Capitalists, shitty airlines set a tone for the overall company, keeping marketing, sales, budgets, and more in line. Spirit Airlines does that!

However, we did abolish the use of Spirit due to its unreliability or lack of redundancy.

JetBlue is still very high on my list, though!
 
EMSC said:
Question is does anyone on these boards travel above economy class for personal travel? I assume some are getting upgrades from status to at least premium economy. But anyone find it worth paying real money to upgrade?
Click to expand...

No, not really. Upgrades are never more than Premium Economy, if that's the case. However, upon Check-in, I was offered the opportunity to upgrade to Business Class for $350 for a redeye to Europe, which I took advantage of. I am only interested in a larger seat when you are supposed to be sleeping, never on the way back.

The $k's they want for a Business Class?!?! I would rather invest that money on the ground: ski guides, a better car, well-located lodging, perhaps a view at a beach resort or Airbnb (skiing - I'm never in my room), etc. A few hours on a plane is relatively meaningless.
 
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