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: Travel Expert/Personality
Hometown: South Norwalk, Connecticut
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Website: JohnnyJet.com
Twitter: @JohnnyJet
Facebook: Facebook.com/Johnny.Jet
Pinterest: Pinterest.com/Johnny_Jet
Short Bio: John E. DiScala (a.k.a. Johnny Jet) travels around 150,000 miles and visits over 20 countries each year. He and his website JohnnyJet.com have been featured over 2,000 times in major publications, including USA Today, Time, Fortune and The New York Times, and he has appeared on ABC, CBS, CNBC, CNN, FOX, MSNBC, NBC, PBS and recently hosted “Hot Spots 2012” on the Travel Channel. JohnnyJet.com has been named “one of the top best money-saving web sites for travel” by Budget Travel Magazine, while the L.A. Times calls it “one of the top 10 essential travel resources on the internet.”
How often do you fly: I flew 103 times in 2011 so about twice a week
How many countries have you been to: 89! Almost a member of the Travelers’ Century Club.
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 Air New Zealand, Korean Air, Singapore, Etihad…
Favorite aircraft type: 777-300 and the A380.
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 is tough to beat. I also love 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, Trump Toronto, Southern Ocean Lodge …
Favorite cruise line: Seabourn
Favorite island: Nantucket, Bell Island (CT), Ischia, Moorea and Necker
Favorite fancy restaurant: Dukes Waikiki and Colonnade on Seabourn
Favorite hole in the wall: Don Filipo’s
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, Hangover…
Favorite travel show(s): Mine! Anthony Bordain’s Layover
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 shave cream
Favorite travel iPhone app(s): Hotel Tonight
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
Favorite travel website(s) – besides JohnnyJet.com, of course!: Facebook.com (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.
