repete

Actually, the fastest is through LHR on BA, where you have a 70-minute connection.

You fly to SEA on Alaska, have 85 minutes to transfer (plenty of time) to LHR, where you've got the tighter, but do-able connect because I'm pretty sure it's all Terminal 4.

Problem is, however, it's pricier. BA is an Alaska mileage partner.

suze

I live in Seattle. I have always liked the British Air flight that leaves at 6pm and arrives late morning next day at Heathrow (then on to Geneva, etc.). I'm assuming your Amsterdam/Paris would be similar.

Disagreeing with two different posts above: I do NOT like to go thru JFK or any stop still in the U.S. and I prefer the overnight flight to spending an extra day in transit.

I have never had to go thru customs at the first airport/ point of entry as incorrectly stated above. Checked luggage doesn't even come into your possession, but goes directly on to the destination airport - then you go thru customs there.

Gardyloo

Although I will usually do a lot to avoid LHR, in this case I would gladly fork over an extra $150-$200 per person and ride BA from SEA to LHR, but in World Traveler Plus, BA's "premium coach" product. Bigger seats with lots more legroom, same okay food, seatback entertainment instead of one-screen-fits-all, and streets ahead in comfort compared to NW's antique DC-10s. If you wait to summer the DC-10s will probably be replaced by new A330s on the SEA run, but in the meantime the extra couple hundred bucks would be money well spend IMO. IF the connection to CDG is via T4, then fine.

suze

Gardyloo- tiny clarification. I have had the personal seatback video screen even in lowest price coach seats on BA flights (in 2004 & 2002 Sea/London).

repete

gardyloo,
i'm with you on LHR. it's a pit. with no terminal change, it's not too bad.

flanneruk

Robert is, I'm afraid, flat wrong.

You go through neither Immigration nor Customs at your first port of entry into the EU.

You go through immigation at your first arrival airport in the Schengen area if you're connecting to another Schengen country (12 of the EU's 25 countries aren't in Schengen, and several Schengen countries aren't in the EU). So in this case, you do go through immigration in Holland. That can take time at peak hours, though it's almost impossible for the walk from non-Schengen gates, through immigration, and on to a Schengen gate, to take more than 45 mins even at the busiest time.

Baggage is almost always collected at the ultimate destination point, where it's theoretically subject to Customs, but examinations are rare. The only exceptions to this are if your baggage isn't booked through (for example if you're transferring to a charter or low-cost), or in one or two airports (like Gatwick) if your connection is within the same country.

But even this is unusual. Even if you're connecting at Heathrow to Edinburgh, or at CDG to Nice, your bags don't go through Customs till the final destination.

Gardyloo

Suze, I meant the one-screen setup on NW. I know BA has personal IFE in coach.

hopingtotravel

Thanks guys for all the suggestions. The posters on Fodors are the best! Actually I've flown BA to London twice--when going to England. I think the last time I checked their website they were quite a bit more and their was an airport change in England, but will look again. I stayed up late checking websites. I could take AK Air to San Francisco and get a non-refundable 'best fare' around $500+ on Air France. My trip is April so waiting for NW to have newer planes won't work. In June Lufthansa flies charters Anchorage to Frankfurt, but my husband won't drive in summer traffic. Plus the room prices escalate. Unfortunately it's almost 11 hours SF to CDG. Yuk.