MegaDo Day 4: Waking up to a Canceled Flight, Park Hyatt Mallorca and More
Welcome to the fourth and final installment of TPG Editor-at-Large Zach Honig's coverage of the 2017 Star Alliance MegaDo. This year's event takes AvGeeks from around the world on the adventure of a lifetime, including stops in Vienna, Brussels and Mallorca. Check back for daily reports, and follow along in real time on Instagram and Twitter.
Thursday night, I went to bed excited about the day ahead, which included a full day at one of my new favorite hotels, the Park Hyatt Mallorca. But then my ill-advised plan to book a flight home on bankrupt Air Berlin brought my peaceful morning to a screeching halt...
My Canceled Air Berlin Flight
First of all, no, you should absolutely not book a flight on Air Berlin. Part of me knew I was asking for trouble by booking a flight that was set to end just two days later, due specifically to the operating carrier's bankruptcy, but the situation was a bit different two weeks ago — now, it's clear that Air Berlin has entered a full-on shutdown mode.
I've covered the cancellation and rebooking process here, so I won't go into detail below, but as of now this story has a happy ending — I ended up getting rebooked on a new flight for free, and I'll even arrive in New York a few hours earlier than planned. Let's just hope nothing happens to that plan between tonight and tomorrow morning...
Of course, that change did come at a cost — I'm spending the night at an airport hotel in Germany rather than in my incredible upgraded suite at the outstanding Park Hyatt Mallorca, but beggars can't be choosers.
A Day at the Park Hyatt Mallorca
I did get to spend this morning and part of the afternoon in paradise, at least...
After a visit to the gym and an hour on the phone with Air Berlin, I made my way to the hotel's fantastic breakfast buffet, which was included for all MegaDo attendees.
And there was more food after that, of course — a paella-making demonstration by the chef came next, and was immediately followed by a paella-tasting demonstration by the MegaDo group. As it turns out, I'm very good at eating paella.
Then, we visited the Presidential Suite for a housekeeping session. I even got to make a bed, which was far more complicated than you'd expect. These folks have some serious talent!
Then there was food again — an olive oil tasting, to be more precise.
Finally, the afternoon ended with lunch (snacks, really) and another auction session, with a variety of Austrian Airlines gear on offer.
My First (and Last) Niki Flight
Sadly, around 3:30pm, it was time to head to the airport — some 16 hours earlier than I had planned.
Lunch was on the light side, so I was looking forward to checking out the food scene at the Palma Airport.
I wasn't about to stuff my face with "True American Barbecue" in Spain, so I settled on a German/Greek/Spanish hybrid of sorts.
After sharing my Air Berlin cancellation story, I boarded Niki Flight 3287 to Dusseldorf, which even ended up leaving right on time.
The flight was perfectly fine, although I was a bit bummed to see that no drinks are included — I was told I'd have to pay €3 ($3.60) for water, even though I was flying on a business-class ticket (with this segment in economy).
Overnight in Dusseldorf
We arrived at DUS 10 minutes early, which was nice, but any gained time was immediately lost when we pulled up to a bus gate. It made for some great photos, though!
From the drop-off point, it was a short 5-minute walk to the Sheraton Hotel, where I'm spending the night ahead of my morning departure to JFK.
One thing I wasn't thrilled about at the Park Hyatt was the lousy Wi-Fi — connectivity was an issue throughout Mallorca, actually, so that wouldn't be my first choice for a working trip. The Sheraton Dusseldorf offers outstanding connectivity, though, in addition to free snacks and drinks in the Club Lounge.
Day 4 Wrap-Up
The final day of the 2017 Star Alliance MegaDo certainly didn't start off on a high note, thanks to my Air Berlin cancellation, but friendly rebooking agents, MegaDo friends and an out-of-this world venue at the Park Hyatt certainly helped to turn things around pretty quickly. I just wish I had more time to see Mallorca, which looked incredible — from the promotional seat covers on our airport bus, at least.
I had an incredible AvGeek week, and while I'm happy to have a full day at home before I head to the APEX conference in Long Beach on Sunday, I certainly wouldn't have minded a few more days with the MegaDo crew.
For more on the 2017 Star Alliance MegaDo, see:
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Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
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Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.