Welcome to the Parking Spot DFW North. I have been using The Parking Spot pretty regularly for a year now. I’ve used Houston and DFW South once each. I’ve been here at DFW North every other time. I switched to them after a 45 minute wait for another company’s shuttle. The Parking Spot typically has more shuttles than the other offsite parking options.

My plan was to be parked by 6am to be at the airport by 6:30 for my 8:30 flight. When I pulled up to The Parking Spot North the lady said “We’re not able to provide you with adequate service today.” What? “It’s going to be at least 30 minutes for a shuttle,” she said. 

We went back and forth for a few minutes. I got the impression she was trying to get me to turn around and park somewhere else so she didn’t have to deal with me. The bottom line is I have already paid. She said she can’t refund me. I’m parking here.

 

Normally a shuttle will pick you up and drop you off at your parking spot. I walked all the way to the front of the lot so I would be in position if I end up ordering an Uber or Lyft. Now she tells me 7 minutes for a shuttle. Uber or Lyft would’ve cost me $20. You can get that down to $16.50 if you are willing to wait 15 minutes. I am not.

It’s a bit chilly out here. I wasn’t planning on standing outside this morning so I’m not dressed for it. 

Finally a shuttle is coming.

I am the only person on the shuttle. The other people must have left. It’s good for me because that means we don’t have to stop at any other terminals before I get dropped off. It’s unfortunate for them because they probably either paid more for an Uber or Lyft to the airport or to park at the airport itself.

I guess it was close to a half hour wait. I parked at 5:57 and the shuttle pulled up at 6:20.

I got dropped off at 6:35 which is only 5 minutes behind schedule. I’m sure that was helped by not having to pick up or drop off any other passengers because the others were all scared off.

One nice thing about American is having check-in right by security. When I fly Spirit out of DFW, I have to walk probably a quarter mile to the counter then back for security. I could make that easier next time if I can remember to tell my shuttle driver to drop me off at the other end of the terminal. They always drop me off near security by default and you have to walk past all of the American counters before you get to Spirit. Then you have to walk all the way back to go through security.

Check-in was easy today.

I made it through security at 6:52. They had to rerun my bin otherwise I would’ve been done a few minutes earlier.

There were seriously long lines at all of the food and drink places down by security. I walked about 10 gates past mine to get away from the insanity.

They have Cafe Verona which is what I keep at home for Starbucks coffee. It’s tough to find at the actual Starbucks coffee shops. I guess they don’t sell as much dark roast.

$4.01 for the Venti Cafe Verona. I think that’s a pretty decent price at the airport. I want to say it would run me $3 or $3.50 in a regular Starbucks.

My plane is at the gate.

Look at the size of that feedbag!

 

 

It’s not a long walk to my seat. I’m by the window.

Don’t look the coach passengers in the eyes.

They have a little place to put a book or something under the armrest. 

We were offered a pre-flight beverage. I already had coffee and I don’t want to have to use the airplane bathroom so I’m good. 

This guy walks in and tells the flight attendant “I’m the best first class passenger you’ll ever see! I’m in 24D if one of these guys gets to uppity for you.”

The guy behind me came from Brazil. He said he flew all night.

I hope those aren’t my bags!

We were about 10 minutes late pulling out. Hopefully there’s no runway traffic.

I like my Spirit exit row aisle seats. But I’m flying first class on American today. When I fly Spirit to New York I’m going to be in one of their big front seats which are similar to first class seats.

We hit traffic.

 

 

Wifi was about $20 for the flight but I couldn’t get anything to work. I wasn’t even able to get to the page where you would buy the internet package. Fortunately I downloaded two audio books to my phone.

They brought hot towels.

I pre-ordered the omelet breakfast.

That biscuit was actually pretty good. Way better than any biscuits I’ve had on a ship.

 

The guy next to me slept the first hour. Then he ate breakfast well after everyone else had.

You can halfway fold the tray table up and use it for a device

 

There is plenty of space in these seats and the extra big arm rest.

The headrest is adjustable.

Somewhere over Colorado.

I need to work on doing the leg crossing thing like my neighbor. Men who do that look much more relaxed than I do. It just seems like you’d crush the jewels.

 

We are approaching Seattle.

The American Airlines app is already telling me about the arrival gate and baggage claim.

 

That’s where my ship will be.

That is NCL Encore at the downtown port.

 

T-Mobile Park (Seattle Mariners) and Lumen Field (Seattle Seahawks).

 

 

Baggage claim 13 it is.

They must be playing all Seattle music here. I was in the bathroom and Black Hole Sun was on. I’m at the baggage claim and Hunger Strike is on. It’s all Chris Cornell, all the time in here.

I am taking the light rail to Westlake Center which is just a couple blocks from my hotel.

I’m following all of the Link signs.

The line straight ahead is for kiosks. I ended up using a bank of kiosks to the right which had no line.

It’s nice that you can express pick a ticket to Westlake. That helped me as a first time user of this system. Later on when I’m coming back the other way I’ll use the choose a destination option when I go to the stadiums.

 

 

You just have to take the escalator up from the ticket area to where the trains are. Nobody is checking tickets. I’m assuming they do random checks with heavy fines if you get caught stealing a ride.

 

 

This is not ideal when you have a backpack and two suitcases.

 

The Spheres.

I took the long route to the Warwick. I took 6th avenue. If I could do it again I would take 5th avenue. It was a longer walk than I thought it would be with two suitcases.

I made it to the hotel and got checked in. Full coverage on this next time in my Warwick Seattle review.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Seattle