My Top 5 flights of 2025

The year 2025 took me 102,254 miles around the globe on 55 flights. Several routes I routinely fly every year, but I also added some new dots and lines to my flight map - including my first time to Australia. While I do enjoy each and every flight in their own way (even those DFW-IAH and DFW-TUL hops), a few stood out this year. Here are my top 5 flights of 2025:

Honorable Mention: ORD-ZRH Swiss Business Class A330

The flight itself has little to do with this honorable mention. A 2:20pm departure for a transatlantic flight, a last-minute seating adjustment separating our group, and what is a very outdated Swiss Biz product really gives this flight no reason being here. However, this was my cousin’s (who is almost as much an avgeek as I am) first international trip and first time flying in a lie-flat seat. It was cool sharing that experience with him.

5^th: DFW-SJU American Airlines Business Class 777-200

Speaking of a family member’s first experience in a lie-flat seat, this flight was the case for my kids. Although not a long flight at 4 hours and 25 minutes, there’s still something about flying in the front of a plane on a seat that turns into a bed and watching my kids experience it for the first time.

A flight I’ll never forget.

4^th: DFW-BNE American Airlines New Flagship Suite 787-9P

American Airline’s new business class seat on its longest flight. I saw the seat the day AA got their first 787-9P delivered in April 2025 and had been plotting to fly on it ever since. It’s a refreshing update to AA’s biz cabin, and I’m looking forward to seeing these refreshed cabins across the fleet.

3^rd: SJU-EIS Tradewind PC-12

I knew very little of Tradewind before this trip. After, I’m a major fan. It’s as close to flying private as you can get without actually flying private, and the experience from check-in to arrival felt as such, especially traveling with kiddos. Plus, Island hopping in the Caribbean on a plane such as the PC-12 was a blast.

2^nd: SIN-DXB Emirates First Class A380

Arguably the three best words in the airline industry – Emirates First Class. This was my first time flying Emirates in over 25 years, and the start of a spectacular First Class reward redemption.

1^st: DXB-BRU Emirates “Game Changer” First Class 777

Not only my best flight of the year, but best flight of my life – and it will probably remain that way for quite some time. The day this seat was launched it shot to the top of my bucket list, and ever since I’ve daydreamed of flying it. I had such high expectations for this seat, and it absolutely delivered.