Help with getting a flight to India?
 

I want to visit my friend in Kerala India but I have no idea what city Iam supposed to fly to from the JFK airport in NYC. I want to see him during winter break in December 2007 my dates are flexible for that month. Can someone please help? Also what Asian airline has the best service? I know that Asian airlines are the best to fly on. Thanks!

Katrice,the closest international airport for Kerala(its a state) is teh capital city, Trivandrum(or Thiruvananthapuram IATA:TRY) and here's the airline info you need (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trivand...tional_Airport)

Now for a personal opinion(I am an NYC resident) you will have way more options if you travel to Mumbai(IATA: BOM). And while you would hear that Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific or Asiana have the best services, from NYC they are a detour. So I prefer the british airlines(BA and Virigin) and Lufthansa have fantastic connections to India, and ofcourse NYC-London is a busy route, so even if you miss connections, there is a ready next flight. Yeah from Mumbai, you travel domestic, numerous options, to the smallest towns in Kerala.

Oh yes, Trivandrum has good connections with the gulf, so Qatar Airways and Emirates, from NYC are recommended as well.

For tickets, they are numerous agents, but if you book early, orbitz and travelocity give good bargains.

Dec is rush time, so book in advance, maybe July/Aug is a good time. The best return prices would be around $900 all inclusive, the worst $1800. yeah, www.makemytrip.com specializes in US India deals.

Hope that helped!

Depends on where in Kerala you want to be. Where does your friend live? There's also an international airport (COK) near Kochi. You can fly from JFK via Mumbai, or various places in the Middle East - Kuwait, Dubai, etc. See amadeus.net for airlines.

If you fly to Mumbai there is a direct flight on Jet Airways from Mumbai to Cochin. Allow 1 1/2 hrs to get from the airport to "Fort Cochin" if you decide to go there. The whole area is pretty big and travel is slow.

You may find this site for airline and airport ratings helpful.
http://www.airlinequality.com/

Check with your friend for nearest airport for them.
You have twice daily non-stops from NYC to Dubai with Emirates, they have about twice daily onward flights from Dubai you can connect if going to Thirananthapuram ( airport code is actualy TRV )

The Emirates would be good as non stop to Dubai and then onwards so no need to go thru Mumbai or elsewhere.
At the 'moment' they have a very good connection on certain days, which leaves JFK 2300 non stop arriving 2035 next evening ( local time ) and then leaving 1 hr 20 mins later arriving TRV at 0315 ( 3 hrs 50 mins Dubai to TRV )

If you are going to Kochi ( previously Cochin ) IF that was of any use they also have good connections certain days like just 1 hr 30 mins in Dubai and then onwards to Kochi ( 3 hrs 45 from Dubai )

www.emirates.com

Etihad is expanding rapidly and they already have a non stop JFK to Abu Dhabi daily and they plan to fly to both of those starting sometime 2007, though not as yet. It all depends on exactly where your friend lives as to nearest / best airport.