RTW TP Run in Jan 2026: Day 21 – New York (JFK) to Los Angeles (LAX)

By Nige on February 7, 2026 at 11:12 pm
Type: Post
Story: Round the World Tier Point Run in Jan 2026 Category: Travel
Tags: American Airlines | Hilton | JFK | LAX | Los Angeles | New York

American Airlines is normally very efficient at deplaning. It’s a critical part of turning an aircraft around and one of the things they’re known for.

Not today. Not on my flight from Dallas.

In the US, aircraft doors are always opened from the outside because ground staff “own” the door. In Europe, cabin crew “own” it and open it from the inside.

A ground staff member tapped repeatedly on the door window from outside. The cabin crew member inside gave her the thumbs-up several times. She tried to open the door more than once — but couldn’t, or wouldn’t, fully open it.

I noticed the red sash across the door window and, after we were finally allowed to deplane, I spoke to the ground staff member about it.

She explained that if she sees the red sash, it indicates the door may still be “live” and must not be opened. That suggested the sash had not been removed by the cabin crew — and that was likely the cause of the delay.

From the gate, it was only a short walk to the lounges and I was welcomed into the Chelsea Lounge as a GGL.

I was asked whether my booking had an international element. I smiled and said yes. No one asked to see my booking, though.

I was definitely tired, but not quite at the desperately tired stage. I was coping — just. Still, I was really looking forward to a lie-flat seat on the next flight.

I was also starting to feel hungry, but I didn’t fancy anything “fancy” in the Chelsea Lounge, and there was nothing calling to me in the Soho Lounge either.

During a wander around the terminal, I’d noticed Shake Shack, and the idea of a milkshake really appealed. So I ordered a strawberry milkshake, along with crinkle-cut fries topped with artificial cheese and bacon bits.

It did the job. The milkshake was gorgeous. The fries were good. The artificial cheese… less so.

My final flight of the day was due to leave from Gate 46 and I was there early, waiting as the inbound passengers deplaned.

Transcon flights are always fascinating for people-watching. You get all sorts in First and Business.

From scruffy types like me (I was in Business this time), to people who look as though they’re heading straight out for a night on the town.

It’s also one of the most intense AA boarding experiences, with large numbers of First and Business passengers who all seem to believe they’re entitled.

What they don’t realise, of course, is that I’m the only truly entitled passenger.

Interestingly, there were no ConciergeKey passengers pre-boarding on this flight, which made it one of those quiet personal challenges: watching other passengers board before me.

Eventually, I settled into 06F, my favourite seat on the A321T.

My plan was to ignore all offers of food and drink and focus purely on sleep.

While boarding was underway, the departure slipped to 8:15pm. I didn’t catch the full explanation, but the captain later announced that the water tanks normally used at JFK had frozen.

As a result, we were departing with only around 60% of the usual water supply. He explained that this was preferable to waiting for an alternative water source to be found and connected.

After take-off, I managed to sleep for about two hours before waking up feeling hot. There were still just under four hours to go — and annoyingly, there was no seat power.

The cabin crew provided me with a power bank to charge my phone. Interestingly, I’m fairly sure that exact type of power bank has been in the news recently and is now banned from use during flights… but I wasn’t about to question it.

I rewatched Up in the Air. It was the only film that really appealed.

I love that film — not least because it features several brands I’ve been loyal to over the years: American Airlines, Hilton and Hertz.

I managed another hour of shut-eye and soon we were into the final stages of the flight.

I was now looking forward to the long walk to the hotel and, finally, a proper bed.

We arrived into Gate 49B and the air bridge was attached with minimal delay.

Next up: A gallery of photos from Day 21 of my Round The World trip of a lifetime.

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Round the World Tier Point Run in Jan 2026