Any preferences? Probably flying economy. United? U.S.Airways?

Thanks. This is for DD.

Since you cannot fly non-stop from SFO to Venice your best bet will be to do a one-stop flight with a change at a European hub. I recommend Lufthansa via Frankfurt or Munich. United and LH are partners, so you United to FRA or MUC, then LH to VCE would be fine too.

If you want to fly a US airline then Delta. It has one of only two nonstops from JFK to Venice. I much prefer Delta international over USAirways international (the only other airline with a nonstop to Venice, but from Philadelphia rather than JFK).

But almost any European-based carrier will offer superior service, though probably not superior comfort in economy class. If she can fly Lufthansa via Munich, that would be the best of all possible worlds, but flights to Munich are usually more than those to Frankfurt, which is a larger airline subject to more difficult connections.

My second choice would probably be Swiss through Zurich.

But I'm hesitant to recommend flights with more than one connection. Look at your nonstops from SFO to Europe and see what your options are. I think you will have many options on both US and foreign carriers.

I've done all of the above; advantage of SFO-JFK is that the transfer is the US and perhaps slightly easier to deal with; this has been on Delta but in Business.

I like Lufthansa SFO-Frankfurt as well -- if she is able to sleep on the plane then after dealing with immigration etc. before transferring to the Venice flight. (Right now I am shifting focus to United miles so that would determine in part.)

Either way I hope she is going to join the mileage program as that is a nice addition to the miles bank!

Now that I think of it, I think I saw that Delta has another nonstop from Atlanta to Venice, so that might be an alternative to JFK.

I'm no expert, but I'd try to get on a European carrier (not a US one).

Thank you all! I failed to mention Mileage Plus....I believe she will be using miles, so Delta - although a nice idea - is not an option.

OK She can use this and take it from here!

If using UA miles then Lufthansa or Swiss may be the best bet.

If using the miles do what you need to do to take the Lufthansa operated flight not the United. Service, food, etc 110% better than UA even though they are partners.

Lufthansa has a direct flight from SFO to Munich, arriving around 5 pm. She can either change plans and fly on to Venice that evening, or head in to Munich for the night and continue to Venice the following day.

Great! Let's hope she can book Lufthansa!! Thanks

Does Lufthansa have an Economy Premium program?