At the end of the long week, I checked out of the hotel, popped by work for the morning and then headed to the Albuquerque Airport(Sunport).
In This Trip
1: Wife almost didn’t make it to day 1 of new job: GSP-??-ABQ
2: Wife almost didn’t make it to day 1 of new job: ABQ Airport Review
3: Wife almost didn’t make it to day 1 of new job: Marriott Albuquerque Review
4: Wife almost didn’t make it to day 1 of new job: Albuquerque Activities
5 :Wife almost didn’t make it to day 1 of new job: ABQ-ATL-GSP Delta Review
5.1: ABQ Airport
5.2: Observation Deck
5.3: ABQ-ATL Delta A320 Economy Review
5.4: Layover in ATL
5.5: ATL-GSP Delta 737-800 Exit Row Review
5.6: Final Thoughts
ABQ Airport
I got to the airport, and I had to check some boxes with my computer equipment at the counter and almost got a ticket (I parked my rental car at the curb and since I was alone I had no other choice, and Delta doesn’t have curbside check in right now).
After that I had some time to take some pictures of the airport. I loved the Southwest aesthetic!
Another view of the Wright Brothers plane(?) I didn’t stop to read the descriptions unfortunately.
I’m not sure if this food court is ever open, my flight was before lunch but not by much.
Observation Deck
Next, James told me about an area called the Observation Deck, which I had to go check out.
It is in the main area of the terminal after security, and you just have to head up a flight of stairs.
The Observation Deck is open to the public but felt like a lounge, minus any buffets or bars. I hung out here for a while before my flight and watched the planes go by.
I sat in a few seats to get some different perspectives (oh what I do for the blog…)
After hanging out in the Observation Deck area for a short while, I headed to my gate.
ABQ-ATL Delta A320 Economy Review
Again, I admired the Southwest interior design aesthetics.
We boarded and I was happy to have a window seat, and this time…
Two regular sized windows! Although, they were offset so it wasn’t too easy to get pictures in flight, but I managed.
We had some pretty views of the small mountain range in the distance as we taxied to the runway.
The view during takeoff was also really pretty.
Got some snacks mid-flight. Definitely missing the cheez-its and goldfish options though.
I guess I didn’t take any pictures during flight. I must have been really tired from the trip!
Landing into ATL.
Layover in ATL
After landing in the B terminal, I had to decide whether to go back to the B terminal lounge or scoot over to the one in E where I would be flying out.
I decided to go back to B because I knew there would be a lot of food options, including a desperately needed salad, and was not sure what the options would be over at E.
I grabbed a seat in the bar area and enjoyed my snack and celebrated a successful first week at my new job!
After my quick snack in the lounge, I headed to my gate in the E terminal.
My plane was waiting at the gate for me. It’s so nice flying Delta and knowing you’ll get to your destination on time!
ATL-GSP Delta 737-800 Exit Row Review
I got on my next flight to GSP, a Delta 737, and had an exit row with a normal sized window, except that it was far away again.
Also the armrest in this seat on the Delta 737 is not conducive to people with short arms like myself, just fyi.
But there was a seat back TV and an outlet so I could deal for the short flight.
I settled in, put something on the TV and enjoyed the sunset takeoff.
The blue ambiance was nice for my evening flight.
Beginning our descent into GSP:
Finally home!
Final Thoughts
This entire trip was exhausting, mostly due to the fact that it was my first week at a new job which is in itself exhausting, but also because I almost didn’t make it! All my life I have usually always booked the cheapest possible option (especially when I was a college student) but what I really should have done this time is book whatever would be the most likely to get me to my destination reliably, which I have come to find out is almost exclusively found on Delta (and maybe Southwest sometimes).
I tried to do my new company a favor by booking the cheapest option I could, but it ended up costing almost the same amount of money as if I would have booked Delta from the beginning, and I would have saved a lot of stress and potential disruption to my schedule! Not to mention, if the cheapest option ended up with a cancelled trip or a stranded employee that needed to book a last minute hotel or rental car…the price of the more expensive flight was worth it!
My new boss even said that he doesn’t ever book AA because of these types of issues! And the HR person who recruited me ended up telling me (after the fact) not to ever fly through DFW in the summer because all of the thunderstorms constantly wreck the flight schedules (because it’s AA’s hub…) and it’s impossible to travel! I’m glad my new company is supportive of my refusal to fly AA and choice to fly Delta for the next trip I will need to make out to Albuquerque!
Anyway, all of my flights on Delta were very comfortable, on time, and non-eventful (other than some choice seating arrangements…Dammit James!). It was actually kinda boring, which is just what we all like here 🙂
Until next time!
-Valerie