Connections and Vueling
 

Two questions:

(1) Is Vueling a hidden-fee trickster like Ryan Air or is a 29 Euro ticket price from Madrid to Barca still just 29 Euros (provided our luggage isn't overweight)?

(2) If I'm connecting home through JFK is there any chance I could make a 2 hour 15 minute connection through customs? I'm guessing no.

1) check luggage fees. if you book on Iberia, the same flight gives you one free bag, I believe, but booked on vueling you pay for a suitcase.price compare.

2) If you are travelling one world to JFK I just got the most WONDERFUL surprise on my trip last month.

I arrived on AA from Madrid. I had 1.5 hours to make my connection. I was greeted at the exit of the plane by two staff calling out several destinations that had connections under 2 hours.

We were given orange express connection passes plus our boarding passes.

We then went to a special express connection immigration line just for US.. then was accompanied while I waited for my case to come.. was accompanied to drop my case and upstairs to the domestic security through another "express connection butt in line thing".. so I was very pleased with this new express connection service in effect for the past few months.

Now.. why was I accompanied? I am 60, but maybe was looking like 80 when I got off the flight.. or they do this for everyone? NOT sure. Whatever the reason, it was Nice!

So.. if you are lucky.. and your flight is on time.. I do believe you will make it!

If you are coming in on Vueling is that One World?

With the time you have you MAY make it - or you may not.

If it's separate tickets and you miss the flight you have to buy a new ticket at the walk-up rate. Is that risk worth it? and waht if your plane is late?

(I have come back to JFK from europe at least 70 times. I have had it take from 45 minutes - very late at night - to almost 2 hours to deplane, get through immigration, pick up luggage and get out to the curb.)

vueling will be the domestic flight to madrid i am assuming.

I think these are two unrelated questions.

Madrid and Barcelona are connected by a high-speed train taking between 2 1/2 and 3 hours depending on number of stops. That is competitive with air travel considering time spent going to and from airports, security, luggage etc. Read about the train here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madrid-...peed_rail_line
Vueling is a respectable airline that tells you exactly what you will pay for each service provided -- although not in the initial advertised price. Many major lines function this way, not just the notorious Ryanair.
I ran a test where I chose nothing extra except one checked bag. Total was about 40 euro. It was my choice, hardly a hidden gouge.
Beware: Prices go up as seats on the flight are bought. They hardly ever get cheaper (not impossible, but not likely) so buy as soon as you can. And Vueling does allow advance seat selection, for a price. That fee is becoming more common too.

The questions are unrelated bc Vueling doesn't fly to NYC to my knowledge. We're considering open jaw from home to Madrid and Barca to home with the Madrid-Barcelona hop on Vueling because it's less than 1/3 the train price and even bag fees won't eat the difference. Barca to DFW via JFK would all be on one ticket. The express pass linca mentions is a pilot program at JFK and ORD for flights arriving late.

We'll be using Vueling from Barcelona to Paris and their website tells you all the fees, of which there are many. Fee to get reserved seat; fee per check bag, and you have to tell them # of bags ahead of time or fees get even higher. If you call them to 'register' bags it's more expensive (of course) than doing it online, and costs more from landline than from cell. Very high fee (20 or 30 euros) if your carry on bag exceeds their weight limit or dimensions. So you just need to read their FAQs on their website and write it all down!