Athens for a Day

Athens for a Day

via Emirates and Lufthansa First Class

May 2026

Off to Athens

Today I’m off for a quick day trip to Athens, basically an excuse to get my Emirates First fix and to try the new Lufthansa First Class FOX service. But first I have to get to Newark. Today I’m starting with American via Chicago and using my One World Emerald status for lounge access along the way.

Nice view from the Admirals Club.

Denver DEN to Chicago ORD

American AA 2771

737-800

7:36am-11:12am

May 11, 2026

Cost: 38,000 AA miles including connecting ORD-EWR

Cutting edge American seat back entertainment. LOL.

My mask-freak seat mate.

Finally, free AA wifi.

Kudos to American whch, unlike United, serves real food between Denver and Chicago.

Descending to O'Hare and landing to the east today.

Very cool TWA retro livery.

Flagship Lounge at O'Hare

American Flagship Lounge at O'Hare

The nicest benefit of partner One World Emerald status is access to One World Business and First Class lounges around the world. Today it's the Chicago Flagship Lounge, one of the nicest in the American system.

Nice champagne cart as you enter the Flagship Lounge.

Thank you very much!

More cool plane spotting from the lounge.

Checking out the wine offerings...

And food selections...

But of course... a mechanical on my Newark flights with a minimum 2 hour delay.

Wonderful Flagship angel got me the last First Class seat on an earlier flight to LaGuardia.

Wonderful view of Manhattan on our approach to LaGuardia.

Welcome to LaGuardia.

Where my Blacklane driver was waiting for today's short 45 minute drive to Newark.

Yikes... 3rd world Newark Terminal B

Newark Liberty Terminal B - Certified 3rd World Dump

Welcome to New Jersey. The best 60 seconds of my three hours in this terrible airport.

Next to a garbage can seems appropriate.

There are only two lounges in Terminal B, Lufthansa and SAS, which sadly Emirates uses.

This lounge is so bad that it made me long for the awful Chicago SAS Lounge. Add in New Jersey attitude on the part of "employees" and I couldn't get out of this place fast enough.

Tried to other two bars/restaurants in the terminal and they were equally terrrible. No water so no ice. And neither would change TV channel to basketball claiming that they weren't allowing to switch from CNN. Mercifully there was a Vino Volo way back up the concourse near security.

My Instagram video of my day from Denver to Newark.

Emirates First Class to Athens

Emirates First Class Newark to Athens

After my ride from La Guardia and enduring a couple of hours in third world-like Newark Terminal B, such a pleasure to be home… back on board Emirates First and their 5th freedom Newark-Athens flight. And tonight's 77W had lightning fast Starlink Wifi.

But first, more of the Newark experience...

Newark EWR to Athens ATH

Emirates EK 210

777-300ER (77W)

11:55pm-4:05pm +1

May 11, 2006

Cost: 102,000 Skywards miles and $434

The usual weak Emirates ground service with First, Business, Platinum and Gold all lumped together.

But all is well once on board.

In the air, another glass of Dom.

Showtime: Emirates First style.

Tonight's menu...

Amuse bouche.

Carrot and ginger soup.

Exceptional Emirates wines...

Fabulous Chicken machbous starter.

Lobster gratin.

OMG... Apple tarte Tatin.

Since the cabin was not full tonight, my seat and a bed, across the aisle.

Oh yeah, that will help me sleep.

Starry starry night.

The coast of Greece on approach to Athens.

As always, wonderful service, great food and fabulous wines making @emirates First Class an absolute joy to fly.

And even Athens cooperated today with very few people at passport control.

And mercifully, Greece has decided to opt of the new EU EES system, wisely opting for tourists and not bureacrats.

My Instagram video of my night and day with Emirates First Class.

Grand Hyatt Athens

Grand Hyatt Athens

Welcome to Athens and perfect weather!

And welcome to Europe, home of the attached water bottle cap.

Nice basic hotel. And yet another complimentary Globalist suite upgrade.

Pretty cool view from my balcony!

Dinner at Michelin Star SOIL Athens

Dinner at Michelin star SOIL

My first dinner in Athens was at elegant Michelin star SOIL, a unique fine dining resto in a beautiful neoclassical residence in Athens’ Pangrati neighborhood. SOIL offers the quintessential farm-to-table concept as Chef Tasos Mantis cultivates his own garden outside of Athens. Friendly and knowledgable staff provided flawless service and made this a wonderful dining experience.

Garden ingredients on tonight's menu.

Seafood Platter... fig, tarama, celery

Bonita... kiwi, green apple, lovage

Shrimp... orange, mussels, marigold

Winter salad... green beans, nasturtium, bronze fennel

Feline entertainment.

72 days dry aged Beef... damson, ume boshi, ramson caper

Chalkittko... red pepper, chili, basil vinegar

Morel... spruce, yeast, lemonthyme

Eel... sea lettuce, black garlic, vadouvan

Goat... aspromitiko bean from Limnos, wild garlic

Dude next table with the biggest wallet I have ever seen!

Lemon... chamomile, mint, myrtle

Carob... cocoa, barley, berries

Mignardise

What a fabulous dinner experience. Thank you Chef Tasos and a wonderful team.

My Instagram video of my evening at SOIL Athens.

Late Dinner at Zillers Rooftop

Late Dinner at Zillers Rooftop Gastronomy Athens

For my late Athens dinner, I chose Michelin star Zillers Rooftop Gastronomy, a lovely rooftop restaurant with an absolutely gorgeous view of the Acropolis. Very nice and imaginative take on Greek dishes from Chef Vasilis Roussos. Excellent service and wine pairing and a delightful experience.

Only 15 minute Uber from SOIL to Zillers, passing by the Hotel Grande Bretagne.

Now this a table with a view!

En Athines... steamed monkfish, osetra caviar, garden vegetables

What the Corals Know... simian shrimps, sea urchin, bottarga, mussels

What a view!

The "Vasilopita" we share... sourdough bread, early harvest extra virgin olive oil

Prawn Valley... red prawns, tomato, bergamot, kumquat

Avgolemono... catch of the day, smoked leek, mussels, osetra caviar

The Myth of Meleagros... guineafowl, wild mushrooms, fig petsili, fresh truffle

Greece in a Nutshell... pistachio, mastic, green apple

Kerasmata to finish a decadent second dinner of the evening

Now well past midnight, exploring the streets of Athens

Well lookie lookie, how can a pass up a bar called Baba au Rum.

What wonderful evening in Athens.

My Instagram video of my dinner at Zillers.

Lufthansa "Business Class" to Frankfurt

Lufthansa Eurofraud Business Class to Frankfurt

After a fun no sleep 14 hours in Athens, time to head home very early this morning… starting with a 6:45am Lufthansa Euro-fraud Business Class to Frankfurt and then Lufthansa First Class 747-8 to Chicago. With no Athens traffic at 4am and no line at security, I had plenty of time to visit both Star Alliance Lounges.

First stop is the Aegean Lounge.

And then the Lufthansa Business Lounge.

And the most popular lounge in Athens. LOL

Athens ATH to Frankfurt FRA

Lufthansa LH 1285

A321neo

6:45am-8:45am

May 13, 2026

The usual Lufthansa bus gate at ATH.

Embarrassing Euro "Business Class".

Fortunately, no Senator or HONs today so I get an empty bulkhead row.

Adieu Greece.

On time arrival in Frankfurt. Remote tarmac position is good news for First Class passengers as I get a private limo transfer to the terminal.

Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt

Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt

Connecting Lufthansa First Class passengers have to got thru hoops to get to the First Class Terminal. That lovely limo drops passengers off the regular Terminal. Then you are on your own. Follow the exit signs, thru baggage claim...