In a way, it feels just like yesterday that I was writing one of these on Dec. 31, 2024. 2025 flew by!
As the year comes to a close, it’s time for another recap. A lot happened this year, both surrounding my flying adventures and Altitude Yes.
To start, let’s go over a few of my memorable flights.
1. Japan Airlines First Class, Dec. 22 (JL9, ORD-HND)
I’ve yet to have had a chance to finish my full trip report from this flight, but this was quite the trip.
This was on the airline’s older Boeing 777-300ER, but it was still a stellar flight; the soft product is what’s often going to be the most impressive on an airline like Japan Airlines.
The food was stellar, which I enjoyed with a couple of glasses of Salon (Salon is in a league of its own!).
To top it off, the Northern Lights were dancing across the night sky for much of the flight. It was quite the feeling lying down in bed, looking out the window, and watching the Aurora glow while I flew across Canada and Alaska.
I did publish a detailed post of the Northern Lights specifically. Read that here.
2. Japan Airlines Premium Economy, March 13 (JL3, JFK-HND)
This was my first time trying out Japan Airlines’ new Premium Economy seat on their Airbus A350-1000 aircraft. The seat is industry leading in many ways, and it definitely felt that way.
The biggest highlight of this flight, however, was the Northern Lights. I’ve had good luck with being able to see them during flights, but I had never seen them shine this clearly before.
Though they can be tiring, I love my long-haul flights between the U.S. and Japan. Views like this are one of the reasons why.
3. Trying Out Intelsat’s Multi-Orbit IFC on an American E175, July 27 (AA4721, BOS-JFK)
As someone who mostly flies American Airlines, this flight made me happy. The airline is set to launch free Wi-Fi in 2026, and it was in the process and has now completed retrofitting its Embraer 175s with high-speed Wi-Fi.
The speeds were excellent, allowing me to stream YouTube videos with little to no loading time. Outside of American’s aircraft equipped with Intelsat’s multi-orbit IFC, the airline has Viasat and Panasonic systems for the rest of its fleet, which do not nearly match the speeds of this. This was an exciting passenger experience addition to someone who flies the E175s a lot.
Given the free Wi-Fi launch coming in 2026, this was an exciting preview of what’s to come.
Dodging Summer Weather
Summer air travel can be unpredictable thanks to thunderstorms. I was caught up in one of them in early May, trying to fly from Washington D.C. to Boston. I was well prepared this time though; I had been paying attention to ATC advisories and ground stops.
Knowing a ground stop was in effect for flights heading to Boston, I knew we weren’t going anywhere despite having boarded the plane. After sitting on the ramp not going anywhere for an hour, I voluntarily deplaned (the aircraft was still at the gate). I then cancelled the flight, booked a Hyatt, and got a ticket for an Acela the next morning to New York.
I wasn’t in a rush to get to Boston, and I didn’t have to be there for another couple of days. I got to spend Sunday in the New York City apartment.
In the meantime, the flight that I voluntarily deplaned went on to sit on the taxiway for nearly 3 hours before heading back to the gate. Although the flight arrived in Boston many hours later at nearly 3 in the morning, I prefered the comfort of knowing I had a comfy Hyatt bed waiting for me, along with a confirmed Acela ticket the next morning.
This was definitely one of the biggest adventures of the year, in terms of spontaneously changing plans. Read the full story here.
Looking Ahead in 2026
I expect my American Airlines flights to continue to start 2026, along with some Japan Airlines flights here and there. At the same time, I can’t say for certain how my travel patterns will look in the fall and winter months at this point.
I do have a goal of exploring more new places in 2026, as at times, I almost feel like I’m commuting between New York and Tokyo. I’d like to explore further, both in terms of airlines and destinations. This means that much of Europe and other parts of Asia are on my radar for me to try something new.
In the meantime, 2025 brought new opportunities for me and this blog. I joined the BoardingArea network, and I’ve met new people and found my voice as a result. This website turns 3 years old in a few days, and I’m humbled every day to see thousands of people visit and check out all the articles I’ve written.
I do have a blueprint on the future of Altitude Yes and my airlines writing as a whole. I expect 2026 to bring lots of new experiences and stories.
All in all, I’m grateful to be able to share my passion for aviation on this site. Thank you all!
Happy new year, and here’s to a fantastic 2026!
All photos taken by the author.
