I often wonder — why do I like flying so much? In the past week, I’ve been on five flights — stepping foot in JFK, Salt Lake City Airport, SFO, Sea-Tac and Dulles. This flight path included the not-very-enjoyable flight I blogged about last week and a red-eye from Seattle to D.C. However, despite being a little cranky from lack of sleep on the red-eye, I loved it. I think a large part of it for me, besides the fact that we are flying in fantastic machinery, is the take-off and landing. These are times, about 15-20 minutes, where I am unreachable and can’t be on my computer or BlackBerry, being lured towards work. I know some people may disagree or argue a spa can be more relaxing (don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t miss a spa session either!), but there is something about being in an airplane. I use the time to reflect on myself, take the time to focus on what lies ahead and just let my mind wander to a quiet state — a state unreachable in the hustle and bustle of New York City. When I read Jackie’s blog yesterday, it took me back to a flight in Alitalia’s Magnifica Class, from JFK. Just boarding was like stepping into Italy. Mid-flight, I reclined my chair, looked out the window and stared at the stars from 30,000 feet while floating over the ocean. A pretty remarkable flying experience in my book! I’d love to hear what you, fellow frequent flyers, love about flying! -Alex Young, vice president and associate publisher