I had just flown into Panama a few minutes prior, so my check-in experience wasn't exactly orthodox - I literally passed through customs and immigration in the arrivals terminal, then went up one flight of stairs to the departures terminal. As of April 13, the mileage still hasn't posted to my MileagePlus account, but my ticket was booked into W class, meaning I'll earn 50% award miles and 50% Premier qualifying miles (PQMs). While this flight couldn't be booked with miles, I did enter my United MileagePlus number so that I could earn miles with United on this Star Alliance partner flight.

Thus, my $592 flight was booked for me using the American Express Business Centurion Card in order to take advantage of the card's 50% points rebate feature. Just like with the business-class leg, there were no options available for booking this exact flight with points and miles. If you fly Emirates from New York to Athens or Milan on a flight that then continues to Dubai, for example, you're on a fifth-freedom flight - something that aviation enthusiasts like to seek out and 'collect.' Booking Indeed, Air China called its new Panama route 'a natural extension of the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road,' a reference to a modern-day version of the trade route that once connected China to Europe across Asia.īecause the full routing is Beijing - Houston - Panama, this is also a rare fifth-freedom flight - one that's operated by a foreign carrier between two foreign countries as part of service connecting those points to the airline's home country. Before this route was established, travelers would have had to make multiple stops and possibly switch carriers in order to travel between China and Panama. In anticipation of this international alliance, Air China's new route officially launched on April 5, departing from Beijing (PEK) and stopping in Houston (IAH) before continuing on to Panama City (PTY). IntroductionĪs mentioned in my business-class review of the reciprocal flight, China and Panama will begin negotiations for a free trade deal this upcoming June. After the inaugural run to Panama City, I turned right around and flew on the same plane right back to Houston - this time in economy.

Last week, I reviewed the business-class experience on Air China's new fifth-freedom route between Houston (IAH) and Panama City (PTY).

Boeing 777 300 air china