This is part of a series from our recent travel to Europe in June/July 2026.
Every great trip begins with a story, and ours began before we even left the city.
We’d planned a 9 AM departure from the house; enough time to get to Louis Armstrong International without the usual pre-flight panic. Bags packed, coffee consumed, and we were on our way. We made it to the airport, almost ready to clear security, and were settling into that particular pre-travel headspace when Chris patted his pockets and went quiet for just a moment too long.
His wallet was back at the house.
What followed was one of those moments where you discover just how much goodwill you’ve built with your friends. A frantic call to Zach, a good friend who didn’t hesitate, and within a window of time that still makes me slightly anxious to think about, that wallet was reunited with its owner just in time to board. We owe Zach more than he knows. Or maybe exactly as much as he knows. Either way, we were on the plane, and the trip was officially underway.
Our first leg took us to Newark Liberty International, where we had about two and a half hours before the transatlantic flight. That turned out to be just enough time to make a decision that changed the entire character of the journey.
While browsing available options through United Airlines, we spotted an opportunity to upgrade to Polaris Business Class for the Berlin leg for a very modest amount. We looked at each other for approximately three seconds before confirming it. No regrets.
With that sorted, we made our way to the Polaris Lounge, grabbed a quick drink, something to eat, and a chance to breathe before a long overnight flight. It was exactly what we needed. Then we boarded.
And then we sat, due to bad weather.
When we joined the departure queue, we were the 31st plane in line scheduled to take off. Thirty-first. Watching plane after plane inch forward while sitting on the tarmac for an hour and a half was a surprisingly meditative experience. By the time we actually lifted off, we were ready to just be in the air.
The flight itself was everything you’d hope a business class overnight flight would be. The dinner service was really impressive. United’s Polaris product does not cut corners on the food and beverage side. I’d chosen the salmon as my main course, which was well-prepared, though noticeably over-salted. The accompanying side — a cabbage dish, something close to braised collard greens, which turned out to contain meat, which was a surprise for what I’d thought I’d selected as the pescatarian option. A small hiccup. The lemon tart that followed made up for it entirely.
After dinner, we reclined our seats into flat beds – one of the genuine joys of business class on a long haul – and we both managed to string together a few hours of sleep, in and out, which is about as good as it gets at 35,000 feet. Chris fared better. He always does.
We landed in Berlin a little later than scheduled, touching down around 8:15 in the morning on Wednesday, June 24. After clearing customs and immigration, which was incredibly smooth and efficient (as these things tend to go in Germany), we made our way into the city.
Did I mention that we had joined the European community at a time when their heat index was a little crazy? Well we did, and this contributed to the tiredness and the wrinkles (of the clothes), but we were very much ready to begin.
Berlin was waiting.
