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Our First Look Inside ANA's Hawaii-Bound Airbus A380
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After months of anticipation, All Nippon Airways finally took delivery of its very first Airbus A380 in March, which will be used exclusively for flights between Tokyo and Honolulu. It was a bittersweet moment for the manufacturer — with no new orders on the books, as of now, it was the very last time Airbus delivered a superjumbo jet to a new customer.
And, in an unusual move, ANA didn't welcome journalists onboard for a tour — in fact, the first time any member of the public has had a chance to share photographs of the interior appears to be this week, when my buddy Sam Chui got to explore the new double-decker jet in Japan.
Sam posted his photos on Twitter and Instagram, and generously agreed to share them with TPG readers as well.
The final aircraft matches the layout we've expected since last year, with four proper cabins, consisting of 8 seats in first class, 56 in business and 73 in premium economy, all on the upper deck, and 383 in economy below, including a special section called "ANA COUCHii" in the rear, with economy seats that transform into a three- or four-seat bed, similar to Air New Zealand's Skycouch.
ANA completely redesigned its first-class cabin for the A380, with an entirely new product, complete with a sliding door and a 32-inch TV.
Like first class, business seats are arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration, so everyone gets direct access to the aisle. They're staggered, though, so some seats offer more privacy than others.
Located behind business class, premium-economy seats offer 38 inches of pitch and 15.6-inch in-flight entertainment systems. And, since these seats are on the upper deck, passengers at the window have access to a special storage compartment — especially useful for flyers seated in the bulkhead row.
Arranged in a 3-4-3 configuration, economy seats offer 34 inches of pitch, along with seat-back entertainment, power outlets and USB charging ports.
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Sam says the ANA COUCHii section is ideal for families — there's even a special family powder room just behind.
Paid first-class fares are astronomically high, starting at a whopping $13,500 round-trip. Award tickets are a far better deal, but availability is incredibly limited — I only found seats to book near the end of the schedule, in February and March 2020, so you'll need to plan far in advance. Business-class awards don't appear to be available at all, though those fares are more reasonable, starting at $3,200 round-trip.
Hopefully more award space will open up over the weeks and months to come — we dig into all of your redemption options right here, including the following programs and round-trip rates:
| Cabin | ANA MileageClub | Avianca LifeMiles | United MileagePlus | Aeroplan | Singapore KrisFlyer | Virgin Atlantic Flying Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Economy | 35,000 - 43,000 miles | 55,000 miles | 55,000 miles | 80,000 miles | 108,000 miles | 45,000 miles |
Premium Economy | 53,000 - 61,000 miles | N/A | N/A | 130,000 miles | N/A | N/A |
Business | 60,000 - 68,000 miles | 96,000 miles | 110,000 miles | 160,000 miles | 210,000 miles | 70,000 miles |
First | 120,000 - 129,000 miles | 132,000 miles | 170,000 miles | 200,000 miles | 250,000 miles | 90,000 miles |
If you do manage to find availability, it may be possible to route through Honolulu from the mainland US to Asia, giving you an opportunity to experience the A380 for the same number of miles as a nonstop flight to Japan:
We'll be back with many more photos after ANA's A380 launch at the end of May, but head on over to Sam's site for a closer look right now.
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- 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.
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- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Apply for American Express® Gold Card
at American Express's secure site
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Best for dining at restaurants
TPG Editor‘s Rating
Go to reviewCard Rating is based on the opinion of TPG‘s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
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.