Jaunted - Tag: Plane Spotting

A Beach, A Banana, And A Flight From Britain: Plane Spotting In St. Lucia

JetSetCD — 2009-11-05T17:44:22-05:00

Seeing as how it's been a little bit since last we focused on the lovely pastime of plane spotting, we decided to turn our recent Saint Lucia island experience into some useful (not to mention scenic) plane spotting advice for when you too are on the island.

Whether you're heading down on the new Jetblue flight from New York-JFK like we did, or coming all the way from London-Gatwick on the direct Virgin Atlantic flight, you'll want to get a load of the air traffic that sporadically makes its way into St. Lucia's Hewanorra airport at the very southernmost tip of the island, and here's how...

Venice: 'Marco?' 'Polo!' Hop A Boat To Plane-Spot In Venice

JetSetCD — 2009-10-08T17:45:28-05:00

If you know anything about Venice, you know that it is a city built on water, so it's quite fitting that the perfect location for plane spotting is onboard a boat. But not just any boat, we're talking about the water taxis between Venice's Marco Polo Airport and Venice proper. The airport sits on marsh land right on the coast, while the tourist-filled portion is out in the middle of the lagoon.

Going between the airport and the city of Venice therefore means taking either a private boat or the Alilaguna Waterbus right underneath the paths of arriving and departing flights. While you rock on the waves of other speeding water taxis passing by, you can look up at airplanes from carriers like Alitalia and other major carriers. Smaller LCC airlines like Jaunted personal favorite Germanwings sadly won't be found here, but at Treviso Airport.

San Diego: Plane-Spotting In San Diego Could Become A Literal Kiss-And-Fly

JetSetCD — 2009-10-01T16:18:52-05:00

Plane spotting everything from legacy carriers to LCCs isn't all that difficult outside of San Diego International Airport with the hilly terrain, but there's one specific spot that lines up so well with the end of one of the runways that we simply must tell you about it. It's a parking garage.

Specifically, it's Aladdin's Parking Garage, at Kettner Boulevard and West Laurel Street, and it's a multi-level airport parking structure situated so perfectly for watching the activity on the runways at the airport. That said, the parking garage doesn't particularly like their reputation as a prime plane spotting location, and there are signs warning of "no loitering." But until they put up signs that warn "no making out," we'll keep coming back for a little literal Kiss-and-Fly.

Dubai: Plane-Spot In Private From Dubai's JW Marriott Hotel

JetSetCD — 2009-09-24T17:26:24-05:00

As much as we would have loved to have a video of a plane landing over the JW Marriott Hotel in Dubai in this story, it seems as though there is a serious dearth of photos and videos from plane spotters at DXB-Dubai International Airport. So let us then recommend a spot at which to make some: the aforementioned JW Marriott Hotel.

By requesting a room facing the runways, which usually run around $250 per night, you will get for yourself a truly awesome view of takeoffs and landings at the neighboring airport. The hotel sits at the end of a runway, so you won't feel as though you are sleeping at the airport, and it's luxurious enough to banish all thoughts of airport concessions. The key, however, is in asking for that runway-facing room without seeming suspicious.

Mississiauga: Drive-Thru For A Fast Food Lunch And A 747 Landing

JetSetCD — 2009-09-17T15:28:55-05:00

We love airplanes, you love airplanes, so let's go look at airplanes! In our Prime Plane Spotting series, we'll let you in on all the best spots to whip out your cameras and binoculars for a piece of the aviation action.

On the Pacific coast of Canada, in Vancouver, there is a jetty ideally situated for watching landing planes. On almost the other side of the North American continent in Toronto, it's a Wendy's fast food restaurant that makes for the perfect lookout.

Stockholm: Nothing's Sweder Than Plane Spotting Straight From A Cockpit

JetSetCD — 2009-09-10T13:18:50-05:00

Where is better for plane spotting than actually being on the airport's tarmac...or better yet, in a honeymoon suite on the tarmac? This actually became possible less than a year ago, when the Jumbo Hostel opened at Stockholm's Arlanda Airport.

This decommissioned 747 has had its seats ripped out in favor of installing 25 bedroom suites, complete with free wireless internet access and flatscreen TVs, and, for most rooms, full en-suite bathrooms. Even Singapore Airlines' A380 first class suites can't compare with these, but then the Jumbo Hostel no longer flies, so there's that.

Anchorage: Cross-Country Ski Beneath Anchorage's Air Traffic

JetSetCD — 2009-09-03T16:59:45-05:00

It's cold and it's snowy and you just want to stay inside with a nice steamy mug of hot chocolate. Gosh, how we long for days like that while the weather is muggy like now. But in Alaska, the hot chocolate days are long and you've got plenty of time to get our your cross-country skis for a little winter weather plane spotting at Anchorage International Airport.

In fact, two accessible parks bookend the airport, so you've got your pick of views. For the more active, we recommend the larger Kincaid Park, also known to be one of the USA's premier cross-country ski destinations with 16.5 miles of trails. And you can see in the video above how close your encounter with air traffic will be.