Many on-line booking sites are specific to the area where you reside. For instance, there is an expedia (US) site, but there would also be an expedia (Europe) site and probably an expedia (Asia) site. Since many things, including prices, vary with the area, this makes sense. But it also makes it somewhat difficult to book a flight, as here, from an airport outside your resident country to anywhere. On Continental, for example, if I, from the US, try to book a flight from one European airport to another, I get a message the Continental or its partners serve that route, but not on-line, and they give me a number to call to have an employee make the booking.

It is also often advantageous to talk to a real person when you are trying to upgrade a flight, as they have a lot of information that is not on their web-site.

So my suggestion to the original poster is to call customer service at the airline you want to get upgraded on, explain the particulars of your itinerary, and ask them to work something out for you. It is always advantageous to book such flights with the airline you like, as they know how to get your luggage where they will be getting you, and how long a connection can be. That way, if the first flight is delayed and you don't make the connection, they will arrange another connection at their expense.

I don't think you have to worry about the safety of an airline. You are going between well served points, and no airline would want to link to an unsafe or unreliable airline (that would be bad for their own business). Flying into the bush in Alaska is another matter; you are on your own there.

Clevelandbrown, the problem is we DON'T know where she's flying.

I think Jolie decided to hit and run!!

Airawards.com

Good for biz class agents

Airbrokers.com also

Kayak.com

Cheapoair.com

Turkish best airline best values for that route usuallly

Why are some folks condeming the poster because she wants to use a travel agent. I use a travel agent to book international fares because if I accidentally make an error with my booking I don't want to be responsible for not reading all the fine print.

Not "condeming" anyone, just the reasons given for wanting to use a TA don't really make sense to me. Those are all things you can find out yourself or by picking up the phone to the airlines.

"<i>Why are some folks condeming the poster</i>"

No one condemned joliefleur. We just asked why she thinks she needs a TA, where this hub is, and other suggestions/questions.

She apparently got upset and left the bldg . . .

Most international airlines belong to an alliance. Alliance = group of international airlines that allow same ticketing. That means the OP can fly 1 airline out of US (if applicable), get to Europe and then fly another airline on the same ticket. It's very simple just by calling the originating airline for reservation. Nothing really hard about it.

I'm still waiting to hear where the "hub" is.....