The airports on long haul are still pretty interesting, Canarsie approach into JFK springs to mind, or the LDA into Haneda, or into Saporro on a clear day they just clear you to self position downwind to make a visual circuit to land, I'm on the jumbo and can hand fly as much or as little as I like, so not sure where that hand-flying comment comes from. Agree with the rest of your points though, after years of being jet lagged in hotels I'm very much looking forward to being home to my own bed each night.