Ryan Ewing (Credit: J. David Buerk)
Ryan Ewing (Credit: J. David Buerk)

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: Ryan Ewing 

Occupation: Founder & President, Airline Geeks, LLC (AirlineGeeks.com)

Hometown: Bethesda, MD

Residence: Bethesda, MD (near Washington, D.C.)

College: Arizona State University

College major: Air Transportation Management

Website: AirlineGeeks.com

Twitter: @FlyingHighRyan

Facebook: Ryan Ewing

Instagram: flyinghighryan

YouTube: AirlineGeeks.com

Short bio: There’s nothing quite like the smell of jet fuel in the morning. I started AirlineGeeks in 2013 at age 13. Five years later and along with our global team, we are one of the top sources for airline related news and content.

How often do you fly? About 15 segments per year.

How many countries have you been to? 13

How many continents have you been to? 3

Earliest travel memory: Flying Independence Air from Dulles to Charleston, S.C. I’ll never forget their warm cookies.

Favorite American city: Los Angeles.

Favorite international city: London.

Least favorite country: Morocco.

I have no desire to go to: Brazil.

Friendliest people in the world: Japanese.

Country with the meanest immigration officers: U.S.

Favorite World Heritage Site: Venice.

Favorite airline: Without bias, I would have to say American Airlines because they have partnered with AirlineGeeks for two years on AAviationDay.

Favorite aircraft type: Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Aisle or window: Window.

Favorite airport lounge: AA’s DFW D Admirals Club…mostly for the views.

Favorite U.S. airport: Both Reagan National and Dulles are at the top of my list. The architecture of both airports is simply captivating.

Favorite international airport: Gibraltar.

Favorite hotel: Four Seasons Vail.

Favorite cruise line: Celebrity.

Favorite travel credit card: Amex Platinum.

Favorite island: Palma, Majorca.

Favorite beach: 7-Mile Beach, Grand Cayman.

Favorite National Park: Gravelly Point.

Favorite fancy restaurant: BLT Steakhouse.

Favorite hole-in-the-wall: Five Guys.

Favorite airport restaurant: Chick-Fil-A.

Favorite bar: I don’t drink, so not a good source for this.

Favorite fruit: Grapes.

Favorite food: Bacon cheeseburger.

Least favorite food: Caviar.

Drink of choice (in the air and on the ground): Coffee.

Favorite travel movie(s): Living in the Age of Airplanes.

Favorite travel show(s): Hotel Impossible.

Favorite travel podcast(s): I’m not a huge podcast guy.

Favorite travel book(s): “Skyfaring: A Journey with a Pilot.”

Right now I am reading: Trying to get my hands on “Twelve Years of Turbulence: The Inside Story of American Airlines’ Battle for Survival.”

Top 3 favorite travel newsletters/magazines/blogs: 1. (Biased) AirlineGeeks 2. One Mile at a Time 3. Departures (more to look at what the airlines are advertising).

Favorite travel website(s)—besides JohnnyJet.com, of course! Besides AirlineGeeks, I would have to say either One Mile at a Time or TripAdvisor.

5 things you bring on a plane: My phone (more for photos), my rollerboard bag (I never check a bag if I can help it), my laptop, AirPods, a short to-do list in order to set aside time to aimlessly stare out of the window.

What do you always seem to forget? My Apple Watch charger.

What do you like least about travel? Bad customer service…or just lack of care for the passenger and their story.

What do you want your loved one to buy you from an airport Duty Free store? Cologne.

Favorite travel app(s): FlightRadar24 or LiveATC.

Most embarrassing travel moment: Returning from a trip to Tokyo, I left my passport on the Global Entry machine at O’Hare.

I’m embarrassed I haven’t been to: Dubai.

Worst travel moment: Getting stuck in Miami overnight after an air traffic control outage halted flights in the D.C. area.

What’s your dream destination? Dubai, UAE.

Favorite travel charity: Travelers Aid International.

Best travel tip: Take a moment to step back and think about what you’re doing. Defying gravity, cruising in a metal (sometimes carbon fiber) tube, and connecting different cultures is a tremendous human feat. We need to embrace that. Where would we be without the modern airplane?

 

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