Want to know how to travel in style, just like the pros? We check in with frequent fliers to find out how often they fly, their favorite destinations and what they never leave home without.
Name: Johnny Jet
Occupation: Professional Traveler
Hometown: South Norwalk, Connecticut
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Website: JohnnyJet.com
Twitter: @JohnnyJet
Facebook: Johnny Jet
Pinterest: Johnny_Jet
Instagram: johnnyjet
Short bio: Johnny Jet has traveled over 100,000 miles a year since starting his newsletter in 1995 and has visited close to 100 countries. On his website, he writes about how to maximize your credit card points, how to find travel deals, cheap flights, and how to benefit from insightful travel tips. He has hosted a television special on the Travel Channel and was named one of Forbes’ Top 10 Travel Influencers. He writes for numerous publications including Newsweek, Inc and Alaska Airlines in-flight magazine and appears every Saturday on Leo Laporte’s “The Tech Guy” show talking about travel and technology. He travels the world with his wife Natalie DiScala and their son Jack. Be sure to sign up for his free newsletters!
How often do you fly? I average once or twice a week.
How many countries have you been to? Around 100.
How many continents have you been to? Six
Favorite American city: New York.
Favorite international city: Hong Kong/London/Paris/Sydney.
Least favorite country: The only one I haven’t loved is Paraguay—but I was only there for a couple hours and in a border town. Can’t really count that!
Favorite World Heritage Site: Iguazu National Park.
Favorite airline: Depends where I’m headed but I fancy Qatar Airways, Singapore and Etihad are difficult to beat.
Favorite aircraft type: 777-300, 747-400, 787, A380, A350 (almost all widebodies).
Aisle or window: Exit row aisle unless I’m flying first class internationally then a window.
Favorite airport lounge: Lufthansa’s International First Class Lounge in Frankfurt or Qatar Airways lounge in Doha.
Favorite U.S. airport: LAX since it’s so close to my house and I know it like the back of my hand. DTW is #2.
Favorite international airport: Tie between HKG & SIN!
Favorite hotel: Cavallo Point, Park Hyatt Shanghai, Longitude 131, Four Seasons Bora Bora, Mandarin Oriental Tokyo, Peninsula Hong Kong, Qasr Al Sarab, Ritz-Carlton New York, Six Sense Zighy Bay, Falaknuma Palace, Taj Exotica Resort, Southern Ocean Lodge…
Favorite cruise line: Seabourn.
Favorite island: Nantucket, Bell Island (CT), Kangaroo, Ischia, Moorea and Necker.
Favorite fancy restaurant: Dukes Waikiki and Colonnade on Seabourn
Favorite hole-in-the-wall: Don Filipo’s in NYC.
Favorite fruit: Mangosteen, rambutan, lychee, mango, cherries.
Favorite food: Italian/Chinese/Thai/Indian. More specifically chicken parm.
Least favorite food: Tuna fish, lamb, goat cheese, liver, mushrooms…
Favorite travel movie(s): Crocodile Dundee, Indiana Jones, Lost in Translation, The Hangover…
Favorite travel show(s): Josh Gates’s Expedition Unknown and Running Wild with Bear Grylls.
Favorite travel book(s): Bill Bryson’s “In a Sunburned Country.”
Favorite travel quote: The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” — St. Augustine
Five things you bring on a plane: Laptop with 3M privacy screen, travel journal, camera, eye mask/ear plugs, and a box of chocolates.
What do you always seem to forget? Toothpaste, sunscreen and shaving cream.
Favorite travel app(s): Blacklane, Flight Radar 24, Waze, Dark Sky.
Most embarrassing/worst travel moment: Tons of embarrassing ones. I’ve taken the wrong rental car TWICE from a hotel’s valet and have had two crazy spa experiences (south of France and Japan).
What’s your dream destination? Petra and Great Wall of China.
Favorite travel website(s)—besides JohnnyJet.com, of course! Facebook (to stay in touch with friends I meet along the way).
Best travel tip: Be nice to everyone especially the gate agents and flight attendants. I almost always bring them chocolates because they can make or break your trip.