Travel – Page 2 – TORsAdventures

Consumer Electronics Show – CES – 2025

January 23, 2025February 23, 2025

The Consumer Electronics Show – CES in Las Vegas with Delta Air Lines!

I got up super early and flew in just for the day, I was invited by Delta Air Lines and they also gave me a ticket for the CES 2025 show. Ed Bastian, the CEO for Delta Air Lines, was scheduled to deliver a keynote speech and I was one of the lucky people invited to the event. But more on that later, when I got to MDW I was pleasantly greeted with the sight of the new lounge and boy I am excited! This is a part of the Priority Pass family and I was able to get access thanks to my Platinum American Express card. That card also got me into many Delta Air Line lounges last year too! That is now limited to 10 days per year.

There was a very cool integration with Delta Air Lines and CES, I was able to pick up my conference credentials at the airport and get a Delta Air Lines goodie bag! I then quickly jumped into an Uber and arrived at the show and was able to explore until 3pm when I was told to arrive at the Sphere. It was fun to meet up with 2 Delta Air Lines employees who were also in town for the keynote. They were a part of the 1000 employees that were invited to attend. I got my ticket from the Skymiles Life Facebook Group. I highly recommend everyone sign up for the FREE group and all the amazing travel advice that comes from the travel community.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/skymileslife

As an Delta Air Lines Reserve American Express cardholder I was granted access to a private lounge where they had heavy appetizers and drinks with a flight theme! The signature drink featured clouds and a metal airplane stirrer. The highlight was the engraved luggage tags made out of a Delta Air Lines Boeing 747 airplane! All of us were waiting in line so long that the employees recognized the problem and found a solution so we could all enjoy the beginning of the keynote. They gave us the option to pick them up at a specific merchandise booth after the keynote was complete. Thank you to who ever thought of that!

During the keynote at CES, Delta Air Lines unveiled so many things aimed at enhancing the travel experience. Here are the top five highlights: 4K HDR In-Flight Entertainment, AI-Powered Concierge Service, Enhanced In-Flight Connectivity, Exclusive SkyMiles Member Benefits and Sustainable Aviation Initiatives.

Christmas in New York City!

January 3, 2025February 7, 2025

This year was extra special because I bought myself my own set of skates for the first time in 20 years! A couple of years ago, I woke up Christmas morning in NYC and went skating at the Rockefeller rink under the iconic tree! Well that was fun for about 5 minutes until my feet hurt in the rentals. I didn’t feel steady, and couldn’t do anything I wanted to do. So fast forward a few years later, and I am presented with the opportunity to go to NYC again for another Christmas trip. I got the idea to go skating again, but didn’t have my own skates. This is where the ultimate Christmas gift I always wanted under the tree, a brand new pair of figure skates, that were actually big enough for my big feet. A 10 wide … yes … not exactly common. I know I was forced to shove my feet into skates that were too small just because that’s the only thing my parents would buy for me.

When it came to finding my skates, I chose a brand that was around when I was a kid and is still thriving today. Riedell was a sure bet to me and it paid off. I LOVE my skates, they were an awesome price at around $200, and came with some professional parts, like the flex notch for added comfort in bending my knees. Mine are not available anymore but here are ones that are comparable in price.

The Sky Club and flight there were great as usual with my favorite airline Delta. I have totally become a Delta girl since 2013 when I started flying them almost exclusively. I have the American Express Delta Reserve card and it comes in handy when I want to visit any Sky Club. I know the rules are changing in 2025, but I still find a lot of value from the card. With the $650 annual fee, its not for everyone, but for someone who travels alone a lot it has been nice. Also, it was Christmas Eve when I flew in and I wanted to spread a little joy while I traveled to meet my friend who was flying in on a different flight that was also booked with Delta Skymiles.

We were staying at the Hilton Midtown booked with points …. Obviously! 87,900 to be exact, to some this might be a lot of points, but for me its a great way to spend some points and quality time in New York City. We used the $35.00 per person credit for a few drinks at the bar, then took a bottle on champagne to go see the Rockefeller tree at midnight. Did you know that people gather and count down just like New Years Eve?

But before any of that, I had 1 thing on my to do list … Visit the new Louis Vuitton store that was built while they complete construction on the permanent location across the street! I was super excited to see all the displays and the previous designs along side their modern day counterparts.

Paris Olympics 2024

July 31, 2024September 13, 2024

Well I went off and booked an international trip to Paris in no less than 17 days for the Olympics!

Lets talk about how I got there and whats in store for me coming home! I booked 2 – 1 way tickets. The first ticket was ORD to CDG nonstop on Air France. I have Platinum status with Delta and I had a $100 credit so I booked it via the Delta website. I booked this flight for $383.30! A steal in my opinion for the Olympics. Getting home was even easier. I was able to book via Delta and pay 52,000 Skymiles and $260.46 in taxes and fees. After booking there was an offer to upgrade to Delta One and I decided to splurge and did it! $876.42 in my book is one heck of a deal! At the $100 a hour rate it was a no brainier.

The first thing after dropping my bags at the hotel was to go and see the Eiffel Tower with the rings and for the first time there was NO WAIT to get to the top! I bought my ticket and proceeded to the elevator that takes you to the 2nd floor. You have to then go in a separate line and ride another elevator all the way to the top but oh my its worth it! Paris is a magical place!

I was able to see Team USA in Women’s Rugby and Badminton. I also went to a Soccer – Football game too but it didn’t have the same Olympic feeling as the other 2 events. I have already signed up for Milan 2026. Fingers crossed I can get tickets to see the women’s and men’s figure skating.

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