welch

We're trying to get as close as possible to our final destination with our United miles for our upcoming trip to Seville in mid April.
These are our options, so far.
We can use miles to get to Madrid and fly to Seville with a connection of 75 minutes- 1/2 the minimum connecting time for Lufthansa to Iberia. We would purchase the Iberia tickets.
This is most convenient but also most risky because of potentially missing the connection. I am going on the assumption I can check my luggage all the way through from San Francisco. The cost is about the same as taking the train from Madrid to Seville (not what I want to do).
We could also pay for tickets from Frankfurt to Malaga (as our miles only get us to Frankfurt and not Malaga on this routing) and take the train from Malaga to Seville. This is about the same price as flying all the way but certainly more labor intensive and our arrival in Seville is 4 hours later.
I can't come up with any other ideas or options but I'm certainly open to them.
Thanks for any help from those who are more experienced with this route than I.

danon

75 minutes a very short time.., I think you have to change terminals in Madrid ( Lufhansa lends at 1, Iberia is located at 4 - miles away); no way you can make it.
Is there a later connection? or
buy Estrella ( 60% off) ticket on Renfe, take a taxi to Atocha ( train station in Madrid) and relax.

danon

Vueling has several flights a day Madrid -Seville ( but via Barcelona) for about 90 euros.

lowcountrycarol

I would not plan on 75 minutes giving you enough time to make the Iberia flight. Even if you could check you luggage through which I am not so sure is possible, getting through immigration could take some time. If your flight is delayed a bit leaving the US you will not make it.

welch

Assuming I can't make it what is the next best situation?
Would it be preferable to take the train from Madrid or from Malaga given the cost and timing are virtually the same.
Or is there another city that might work?
Thanks again!

lowcountrycarol

Why do you prefer not to take the train to Seville? Is the timing bad? It seems quite complicated to fly on to Malaga then train to Seville.

danon

agree with PP

welch

It's 6 to 1.
I either fly from Frankfurt to Madrid or fly from Frankfurt to Malaga.
I haven't been to Madrid in many years but don't have particularly fond memories of it. The train connection there seems more complicated than the connection in Malaga as I understand you can take a train from the airport in Malaga that connects with the train to Seville avoiding taxis.
That said flying all the way is certainly easiest, if the connection works, but it sounds like it won't.
I keep thinking I'm missing some obvious alternative, another city I might fly into etc that would make this marginally less complicated.

lincasanova

All you need is a later flight from mad-sevilla. Seems this is not possible? Give yourself 3 hours+ and you should be alright. You will most likely need to collect luggage.Do not count on them sending it all the way through. You will also have to get your boarding pass in T4 at Iberia.

Can they get you to Brussels? Vueling or clickair fly from there, same as from amsterdam. Seems there must be an easier way with several options.

welch

Sounds like it would work to take a later flight but we would get in at 9 PM and it costs twice as much for this flight as the earlier flight, making the train more appealing.
I'm trying to avoid further connections, if possible, and have the nonstop flight confirmed into Frankfurt.
This is like a giant puzzle. We just figured out our one night in Cordoba was a Monday so I'm now thinking I might take the train there from Madrid or Malaga.
Sigh.

cruiseluv

I am not sure if Lufthansa would check your lugagge through with Iberia. They usually do not do it if the airlines are not partners. Too bad you can't take the later flight to Sevilla.

Could an option be to stay in Madrid one night and then the next day take the train?

Cowboy1968

I'd go to Madrid, and take the train to Sevilla.
If you cannot get all your air travel on "one ticket", the connecting airline has no obligation to take you to your final destination Sevilla if things don't work out as planned (late incoming flight in Madrid or Frankfurt).
Even if something happened re punctuality of your incoming flight, you'd already be very close to your final destination. It would be much easier to come up with instant "plan B" scenarios when stuck in Madrid than when stuck in Frankfurt or Brussels.

lincasanova

You must have complicated dates.. my brother uses his united points and they usually send him through zurich and on to Spain. Hope you can figure it out in a way you feel comfortable.

On separate tickets, train or plane, no one will cover a late arrival so give yourself plenty of time between transport.

welch

Thanks for all the suggestions.
Probably one complication is that we want true United flights so we can have economy plus seating.
I think we'll stick with Madrid and begin our trip in Cordoba for a night.
If this looks potentially complicated you should see the other end of the trip!