Our Bucket List Adventure to Australia

Ever since we got married forty years ago, Jean and I have talked about visiting Australia. Between raising three children, putting them through college, and managing our careers, the trip kept getting pushed back. When we finally retired last year, we decided it was time to make it happen for our anniversary.

We are sensible people, and we have always flown economy. But a 15-hour flight from San Francisco to Sydney is a daunting prospect at our age. Jean has a bad back, and the thought of sitting upright for that long was genuinely concerning. We decided to splurge on Business Class, but the direct prices were astronomical.

My son helped me look into alternative booking options and put us in touch with CEOFLIGHTS. We were connected with Mitch, who was an absolute delight. I told him this was a once-in-a-lifetime trip for us, and he treated our booking with the care and respect it deserved.

Mitch worked his magic and found us a fantastic itinerary on Qantas. The total price was significantly lower than anything my son had found online. In the end, Mitch saved us $5,100. That savings allowed us to upgrade our cabin on the Great Barrier Reef cruise we had planned for later in the trip.

From the moment we arrived at SFO and accessed the Qantas lounge, we felt incredibly special. We enjoyed a lovely pre-flight dinner, which meant we could maximize our sleep once we boarded. Walking onto the plane and finding our seats was a moment of pure joy for both of us.

The Qantas Business Suite is remarkably spacious. The seats are outfitted with a very comfortable mattress pad, and the flight attendants even offer a turndown service. I remember lying back, sipping a wonderful Australian Shiraz, and just holding Jean's hand across the aisle. It felt like the celebration had already begun.

After forty years of flying crammed in the back of the plane, stretching out flat and sleeping peacefully over the Pacific Ocean felt like a true blessing.

The flight was flawless, though our return trip a few weeks later wasn't quite as perfect. Our flight out of Sydney was delayed by about two hours due to a mechanical issue. We had to wait in the lounge longer than anticipated, which was a bit tiring after a long vacation.

But honestly, that minor delay fades away when we think about the trip as a whole. We saw the Opera House, snorkeled the reef, and made memories we'll cherish forever. The flight over made it possible for us to hit the ground running without losing days to jet lag. We are so grateful.