MileValue is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
Note: Some of the offers mentioned below may have changed or are no longer be available. You can view current offers here.
2015 was a great year of travel for me, and hopefully for you too.
The year started in a hot tub in Chilean Patagonia, admiring a lake and snow-capped mountain in the twilight. (That far south, it isn’t pitch black at midnight.)
The year will end, for me, in about an hour sitting in Business Class in a Thai Dreamliner on the ground in Nagoya, Japan.
COUNTRIES VISITED (19)
In chronological order:
- Chile (3 days)
- Argentina (5 months)
- United States (7 weeks)
- Panama (6 hours)
- Cuba (6 days)
- Colombia (2 weeks)
- Spain (1 month)
- Finland (1 week)
- Estonia (1 week)
- Latvia (1 week)
- Lithuania (1 week)
- Serbia (1 month)
- Romania (3 weeks)
- Greece (1 day)
- Croatia (2 days)
- Switzerland (3 days)
- United Arab Emirates (2 days)
- Peru (1 day)
- Japan (5 days)
Twelve of these countries were new. My total is now 67 (counting England, Wales, Macau, Hong Kong, and China separately):
PREMIUM AIRLINE CABINS FLOWN (6)
In chronological order (with links to trip reports):
- United First
- Emirates First twice
- Avianca Business twice
- American Airlines Business
- United BusinessFirst
My favorite flights were definitely the two in Emirates First Class on the A380, which I wish had been twice as long. All the other flights, I enjoyed getting some rest, but I was ready to get off at the end.
MILES FLOWN (73,348)
- 73,348 miles flown over 39 segments
- If I had flown all these as paid flights on one airline like United or Delta, I wouldn’t even have the highest mid-tier status!
- Longest flight: Dubai to Houston in Emirates First Class on an A380 (8,168 miles)
- Shortest flight: Honolulu to Kahului, Maui (100 miles)
- Favorite flight: Dubai to Houston in Emirates First Class on an A380. 15 hours wasn’t long enough
- Least favorite flight: Buenos Aires to Atlanta in Delta economy wins because it was my longest economy flight, but I even got some sleep on that one

FAVORITE MOMENTS OF TRAVEL
- Winning the Tokyo Metro Underground Mysteries Game
- Golfing on Christmas Day in 80 degree weather
- Exploring otherworldly landscapes like the Cerro de Siete Colores near Salta and Jujuy, Argentina
- Attending an Argentina/Brazil World Cup Qualifying Game with my dad
- Shooting a crossbow at Trakai Castle in Lithuania
- Going to the mid-Summer bonfire on an island near Helsinki
- Hiking 36 km in one day in Madrid
- Spelunking in Cuba
- Watching sunset on Ka’anapali Beach on Maui
- Hiking on a glaciar near El Calafate, Argentina
- Finishing a four day trek in Torres del Paine National Park, Chile
- Meeting new friends along the way
- Visiting family
What were your travel stats for 2015? More importantly, what were your best travel memories from this year?
See also:
Just getting started in the world of points and miles? The Chase Sapphire Preferred is the best card for you to start with.
With a bonus of 60,000 points after $4,000 spend in the first 3 months, 5x points on travel booked through the Chase Travel℠ and 3x points on restaurants, streaming services, and online groceries (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs), this card truly cannot be beat for getting started!
Editorial Disclaimer: The editorial content is not provided or commissioned by the credit card issuers. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of the credit card issuers, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuers.
The comments section below is not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all questions are answered.
Does 6 hours in Panama really count as visiting a country?
Does 6 hours in Panama really count as visiting a country?
Jane
Does to me I’ve been planing and spending countless hours on a CHEAP trip to see it for 25 years . I would love to see that for his cost which would’ve been enough for me . I however did send a nice older couple from FL to San Diego by that .
Yes I had money for them but not for me I’ve have to think about it awhile longer to spend it .
CHEAP jeff
I think so. In six months I couldn’t see an entire country, so I count it as long as I leave the airport and do something. I had an awesome trip to the Panama Canal that I detailed here: https://milevalu.wpengine.com/how-to-go-to-the-panama-canal-on-a-layover-at-panama-tocumen-airport/
Favorite travel memory of 2015: visiting Maui for the first time! I loved it so much, so I’m heading back in February!
Favorite travel memory of 2015: visiting Maui for the first time! I loved it so much, so I’m heading back in February!
Great time to Go !!! Loved the road to Hanna trip on cruise last Jan and my Kona BEACH Cave this Jan for $50 per nite . Hope the Sharks are biting and the coffee hot .
Cheers
[…] 2015 in the books, and my rundown of last year’s travel here, I thought I’d share my upcoming travel […]
[…] 2015 in the books, and my rundown of last year’s travel here, I thought I’d share my upcoming travel […]
Quite a busy year you had there. I also went to Cuba this year so that was fun 🙂 Hmmm…. The most memorable moments were probably learning to make sushi in Japan and going to the top of Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa. Happy New Year!
Quite a busy year you had there. I also went to Cuba this year so that was fun 🙂 Hmmm…. The most memorable moments were probably learning to make sushi in Japan and going to the top of Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa. Happy New Year!
Are you making sushi back at home?
El Calafate, Peru? Sounds interesting…
El Calafate, Peru? Sounds interesting…
Congratulations on another terrific year with this blog! Always enjoy reading your articles.
Thanks!
Last time I visited, El Calafate was in Argentina… 😉 You may want to fix that…
[…] 2015 Year in Review […]