Point Me to the Miles

DC for 4 Days: Pasco, WA (PSC) to Salt Lake City (SLC)

Introduction, PSC-SLC, SLC-DTW, DTW-DCA, Ritz Carlton Pentagon City Review, Exploring Washington, DC-Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4; DCA-ATL, ATL-MSP, MSP-PSC, Conclusion

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

PSC-SLC

Pasco, WA (PSC) – Salt Lake City (SLC)

Depart:  5:15 AM          Arrive: 7:53 AM, MTN Time [1 Hour, 38 Minutes]

Seat: 2D (Economy)

Despite the early hours, I awoke with no problem as I eagerly anticipated the trip, and knew that I had been upgraded on two of my three flights.  I showered then finished packing.

I worked hard at making everything fit inside a single duffle bag, as I would only be gone a few days.  I realized however, that if I bought anything on my trip (which I did) I might not have any room in my duffle bag when I returned, so I packed the Bertha suitcase instead to err on the side of caution.

I was dropped off at the quaint Pasco airport and checked-in only took a few minutes.  I could have waited in the First Class check-in line, but no one was there and only one or two others were waiting in the normal line so I took the less awkward of the two.

Within 5 minutes I had received my boarding pass, and was headed through security.  I don’t think there is a pat-down section at this particular airport, but I have never tried which probably makes me unique among most travel bloggers.  Given the choice between an X-ray scanner and a frisking, I will take the X-ray every time.  In my opinion, if I am groped every time I pass through security, that is when the terrorists have one.

I grabbed some coffee and a muffin as there would be no First Class cabin on this flight.  Soon after this, boarding was called, and I made my way onto the plane and to seat 2D.

Looking out on the PSC Airport

My usual modus operandi on planes is to sit down, buckle myself and allow my seatmates to do the same before trying to be social.  A gentleman about the same age as me he sat down in the aisle seat next then we started chatting for a little by.  He travels a fair amount for business and mentioned how he loves having status on Delta.  Naturally, I inquired about what level of Medallion he had made it.  I was appalled to find out that he travelled 49,000 miles last year the previous year, when Gold Medallion requires 50,000 miles.  Furthermore, Delta did not even consider bumping him up to Gold despite being so close to the threshold!

Aside from my seatmate’s agonizing tell of low-level elite airline status, the flight was uneventful, considering it is only an hour and a half.  I should also apologize here.  I was still in the early stages of being a points junkie when I took this trip back in May.  That said, I took some pictures but not very many.

Once we landed, I had only a 40 minute layover before my connection to Detroit departed—just enough time to grab a Granatos.

For non-Salt Lakers or anyone who doesn’t know, Granatos is a local authentic Italian-style deli that seems to have remained a hidden gem of the Salt Lake City Airport.  I discovered it earlier in the year when searching for new places to try in an airport I have found myself in all too often.  Anyway, while my flight to Detroit would have serve breakfast, I would need more than just “refreshments” to tide me over on my flight to Washington National.

Granatos Sandwich, Courtesy of UrbanSpoon

So I booked it from Concourse D to the Ground Level Food Court in Concourse B and back to Concourse C for my flight.  By the time I made it to the gate, boarding was being called and I got into First Class on a 757-200 immediately.

To be continued…

_ _ _