Flights to and from Italy. . . Am I crazy
 

I am trying to find a flight to and from Italy for 6 people using skymiles for next July. So far all I can come up with is the following:

Leave CAE 12:45 Arrive ATL 1:53 (delta)
Leave ATL 5:45 Arrive Amsterdam 8:25 (delta)
Leave Amsterdam 10:20 Arrive FCO 12:40 (KML)

For the return I have:

Leave Florence 6:50 Arrive Paris 8:55 (Air France)
Leave Paris 11:00 Arrive JFK 1:30 (Delta)
Leave JFK 3:50 Arrive ATL 6:24 (Delta)
Leave ATL 8:03 Arrive CAE 9:03 (delta)

Am I crazy trying to make all these connections and are they allowing enough time in between flights. I am most concerned with Paris and Amsterdam and the change of airlines with my luggage.

So what do you think? Have any of you done this or would you not even consider it?

Amsterdam Schiphol is a very easy airport to get through and a lot would depend on whether or not your luggage is checked all the way through. I would think 2 hours is enough time there to make a connection.

You may very well NEED all that time at JFK since you will have to claim your luggage, go through Customs/Immigration then drop off the luggage and THEN go through Security again.

As an old Columbian, I think you are all right. Schiphol is very good and you have a 2 hour layovr. should make it.

Coming home, you've got 2:20 but then, who cares? You and "it" will get there sooner or later.
I know you realize this but it is just a little "tax" you pay for not having to live in Atl, Lga, or charlotte!

As another Columbia, SC native I know it impossible to get any straight through flight to Europe out of CAE. This all looks very doable and I have done it myself, in one variation or another, and it works. It is a long day but most of it is spent sitting so not so bad once you get your luggage checked. Try to carry on as little as possible. I have been through all of these airports and your schedule looks to have left plenty of time between flights. I would go for it. Have a great trip jd

Orbitz is showing plenty of one-stop flights from CAE to Newark and then direct to FCO. Helluva lot less travel time.

Well, when you try to use miles in peak travel season, you just have to do what you have to do.

Long travel days, but all your connections are very comfortable.

I like Continental but I hate going through EWR especially if I could have done it another way for "free."

Hi once,

You do have good connections.

Let us know how it turned out.

((I))

Connection times look comfortable. 6 FF tickets are hard to do - Go for it!

Thanks for all the responses. I have flown from CAE to ATL to FCO many times and am familar with those airports. We are not familar with Amsterdam and Paris and were not sure if 2 hours was enough time.

I have booked all 6 seats and will now start planning what we are going to do while we are there.

Thanks again for all your help.

I agree that all of your connections look comfortable. You can also have Delta waitlist you on the nonstop ATL-FCO (DL70) on the outbound and 2 of the nonstop CDG-ATL flights (DL21 & DL51) on the return. No idea if 6 seats will clear, but if they do, there's no charge for reissuing award tickets when a waitlisted flight clears.

And keep an eye on your itinerary on delta.com for any schedule changes between now and next July (very likely). If a schedule change negatively affects your itinerary, you can ask for reaccomodation on better flights. Those flights do not have to have Skysaver availability as they're capable of opening up additional award inventory on Delta operated flights in that situation.

Patty, What a great idea to try the waitlist idea. I will do that today. It can't hurt to try.

Thanks