Planning Airline travel
Dec 8th, 2018, 06:17 PM
#1
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Planning Airline travel
We will be taking a cruise from Stockholm, Sweden (round trip) starting on June 30 and ending on July 7, 2019. I am presently searching airlines for business class reservations. It seems the best time to leave the US will be June 26, which is fine. What airlines do some of you have experience with for a trip like this? What airports are the best and the least expensive? Not opposed to a day or two of land travel (traiin, etc.) between June 27-30).
Dec 9th, 2018, 06:06 AM
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<<...What airports are the best and the least expensive?...>>
Since you didn't tell us where you are flying from it's impossible to answer your question. Stockholm's Arlanda Airport (Airport code ARN) is Sweden's largest International airport and will have the most flights in/out of that country so that's probably the one you'll want to use on that end. As for the "best" airport" in the US - well that's a big country with lots of contenders for "best". You really should check out available schedules and fares for the major airlines that service YOUR particular route. If at all possible try to book non-stop flights from your nearest international gateway airport. If non-stop flights are not available from your home airport try to book an itinerary with the least amount of connecting flights (the more connections you have the more opportunity there is for something to go wrong), preferably on the same or partner airlines so as to minimize the stress of changing planes, etc. Allow adequate time between connecting flights especially if the connection is in a foreign country where you might have to deal with Passport Control and Security Measures - better to have a longer connection time that has you waiting in an airport for an extra hour or two rather than miss your connecting flight because you didn't allow enough time to get between planes. Don't always think the lowest fare is best - you have to weigh cost with ease and convenience of travel. A "cheaper" fare might mean much longer travel time and multiple connections vs. a somewhat more costly non-stop flight. You have to set your priorities.
Since you didn't tell us where you are flying from it's impossible to answer your question. Stockholm's Arlanda Airport (Airport code ARN) is Sweden's largest International airport and will have the most flights in/out of that country so that's probably the one you'll want to use on that end. As for the "best" airport" in the US - well that's a big country with lots of contenders for "best". You really should check out available schedules and fares for the major airlines that service YOUR particular route. If at all possible try to book non-stop flights from your nearest international gateway airport. If non-stop flights are not available from your home airport try to book an itinerary with the least amount of connecting flights (the more connections you have the more opportunity there is for something to go wrong), preferably on the same or partner airlines so as to minimize the stress of changing planes, etc. Allow adequate time between connecting flights especially if the connection is in a foreign country where you might have to deal with Passport Control and Security Measures - better to have a longer connection time that has you waiting in an airport for an extra hour or two rather than miss your connecting flight because you didn't allow enough time to get between planes. Don't always think the lowest fare is best - you have to weigh cost with ease and convenience of travel. A "cheaper" fare might mean much longer travel time and multiple connections vs. a somewhat more costly non-stop flight. You have to set your priorities.
Dec 9th, 2018, 07:25 AM
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Many thanks. The airports closest to me are Charlotte and Atlanta. I have found flights from each of them, but the strange thing is that our Greenville Spartanburg has the same international flight (would have to fly to CLT, ATL or PHL) for $2000 less. I guess they are trying to fill seats from GSP! There would be a long layover in PHL so I guess we could take a tour! Then would fly to London and then on to ARN. I always hear of people finding great flights through smaller airports but always think that would involve lots of local travel in a foreign country to get tot he final destination. Maybe not!
Dec 9th, 2018, 08:40 AM
#4
I guess everyone IS different. But for me if Sweden was where I wanted to get to... no way would I book a long layover enough to take a tour in Philadelphia! 
Since you're on the east coast I can't believe there isn't something better than 3-4 plane changes and layovers on that route??
Since you're on the east coast I can't believe there isn't something better than 3-4 plane changes and layovers on that route??
