This week, the real Olympic flag (not the fake Tom Cruise one from the ceremony) flew from Paris to Los Angeles, where the next Games will be held in 2028.
It was a flight worthy of champions, with a fascinating Instagram video from Nicky Kelvin, editor-in-chief of The boy with the pointsdemonstrating why.
He was given a seat on board and filmed the entire extraordinary experience, which began Monday with a farewell party at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport attended by medal-winning Team USA athletes and Olympic dignitaries.
Delta is the official airline of the Los Angeles Olympics, so the plane was a Delta Airbus A350, but this one was brand new.
In fact, it was the plane’s third trip. What’s more, it was “dressed for the occasion.” Nicky explains in the video.
This week, the real Olympic flag (not the fake Tom Cruise one used at the ceremony) was raised from Paris to Los Angeles, where the next Games will be held in 2028. Delta is the official airline of the Los Angeles Olympics, so the plane was a Delta Airbus A350 (above).
Nicky Kelvin from The Points Guy was offered a seat on board and filmed the entire extraordinary experience. He is pictured with fellow gold medallist rower Liam Corrigan.
On the outside, it featured the “LA28” logo, and inside, each seat had a headrest cover with the message “Au Revoir Paris, Hello Los Angeles.”
Nicky was in economy class, and the travel guru revealed that “each seat had an exclusive cap and pin for the Los Angeles Games.”
And with him in economy class was the real Olympic flag, hanging on a partition behind the last row.
After takeoff, Nicky enjoys a “lovely” lunch and gets the chance to mingle with some of the US athletes, including rowing gold medallist Liam Corrigan and Olympic diver Delaney Schnell, who appear in the video.
Nicky is then entered into a drawing for some “fancy prizes” and gets to enjoy some “fun touches,” including a bright yellow Delta-branded macaron.
Then there’s a “thrilling” moment when Nicky is shown “the actual box that the Olympic flag is in.”
Nicky sat in economy class (left). Each seat had a headrest cover with the message “Au Revoir Paris, Hello Los Angeles.”
Nicky enjoyed ‘fun touches’ like a bright yellow Delta-branded macaron during her flight.
The trip was only the plane’s third trip.
As seen in the video, it is a wooden box adorned with logos from previous Olympic Games, including Sydney 2000 and Rio 2016.
A “big welcome” awaited us in Los Angeles, says Nicky.
After saying “goodbye to the amazing crew,” Nicky “gets to watch the Olympic flag being lowered off the plane.”
Athletes on board then gather for a photo with the flag to welcome them to Los Angeles for the upcoming Games.
From that point on, Nicky says there’s “food, drinks and snacks galore” at a celebration at LAX airport.
Nicky takes a look at the official Olympic flag box, adorned with logos from previous Olympic Games including Sydney 2000 and Rio 2016.
With Nicky in economy class was the real Olympic flag, hanging on a dividing wall behind the last row.
He added: “It was an opportunity for the athletes to relax after Paris and look forward to the Los Angeles Games.
‘There are four years to go until the next Games and Los Angeles is already excited. And so are we.’
For more information from The Points Guy, visit thepointsguy.com/travel-to-the-uk.
The flag is lowered on the Delta A350 at LAX in preparation for the 2028 Los Angeles Games