Ever since I was a little boy, my dad would take me to the airport to watch planes at Burbank, now called Bob Hope, Airport. Every time I saw my favorite plane, I would yell, "SOUTHWEST!" because that has always been my favorite airline and today, I have Rapid Rewards Points and they are my number one choice for flying them because of their great customer service and checked bag policy. What better airline would you choose where you can fly anywhere in the United States and get two bags free, free TV and complimentary sodas and snacks. I am also very good at memorizing airports in every state, every airport in every city and what airlines depart and arrive at those airports. If I wanted to, I could probably be an air traffic control operator or travel agent just because I know how to find good deals and the best route to get somewhere.
For example, if you wanted to fly from Indiana to New York City, there are a number of airports in each state that you can fly out of and land in. Probably your best bet would be Indianapolis International Airport to John F. Kennedy International, but some people don't like traveling through large airports and depending on the type of airline you fly, Southwest doesn't fly into JFK. It only flies into LaGuardia or Newark Liberty International. Choosing an airline is a very difficult process. You have to think how often you're going to travel and if you fly more domestic or internationally. The greatest thing about flying internationally is that American, Delta and United Airlines fly to places like London Heathrow, Hong Kong, Australia and pretty much any country or continent in the world and although they are expensive, they offer very good rewards.
There are also Low-cost airlines. These airlines boast about how cheap their round-trip airfare is but keep secrets on their baggage fees and on-board meals. For example, let me tell you about Allegiant air. They are a low-cost airline based in Las Vegas, Nevada. They fly to certain places like Fort Wayne, IN, Bellingham, WA, Phoenix-Mesa, AZ, and Los Angeles just to name a few. They are able to offer low costs for their flights because they only fly to destinations on certain days and times, they charge for both carry-on and checked luggage and they even charge you for your seat. There are a lot of hidden costs in low-cost airlines, not just allegiant, but Frontier, Virgin America, JetBlue, and Spirit. Even though Southwest is considered a low-cost airline, they have benefits like, open-seating, a unique boarding process, 2 free checked bags and a carry on with a personal item.
As I grew up, I started watching videos on Youtube of airplanes arriving at major international airports and researching on Wikipedia all the airports in each state and which airlines fly into them. I got to fly on my first airplane when I was two years old. I got to go in the cockpit and the captain gave me my own flyer wing. Growing up, we used to fly Delta because they were cheaper but by the time I was 12, we were flying Southwest and racking up points with Rapid Rewards. I used to take trips with my dad and grandparents to Idaho to visit my cousins and uncle. We would fly Southwest from Burbank to Phoenix or Las Vegas, depending on the plane change and then on to Salt Lake City. Even though it wasn't non-stop, it was cheaper to fly Southwest because of our baggage.
When I was doing my college visits, I flew to Indianapolis, St. Louis and Minneapolis, all on Southwest. I got my rapid rewards points high enough where I was able to use them for a free flight in the future. When I got my driver's licence, I used to go down to the city of Westchester, CA near Los Angeles International Airport and get an In-n-Out Burger and sit on a grass area and watch the giant airplanes land on the nearby runway. After a while, I started videotaping the planes because I have such a fascination for planes. This is just a little insight on information for flying and my history of flying. Enjoy.
