How long a journey to visit Europe?
 

I just read a post about spending a weekend in Dijon, which made me laugh. I can spend a weekend in Seattle or in Nelson, B.C., Canada, but Dijon? With quite good connections from my home in Spokane, Washington, and only one stop in the U.S., I'll spend about 17 hours enroute getting to Dublin, with a change of planes in London.

I know that travelers from Australia/New Zealand or Japan come from greater distances to Europe, and Americans,Canadians, Mexicans from small towns oten have problems getting to an airline hub to connect with flights to Europe. But I'm wondering about others. How easy/difficult is it for you to fly to Europe?

We are in the SF Bay Area, so we can get non-stops from local airports to large cities in Europe. I could see going for a week, but I probably would not - merely an economic thing for me though. Flights to Europe, esspecially non-stop are expensive, so if I am going to spend a wad of cash on airfare, I would like to stay longer than a week. On the other hand, if it was a choice between going for a week at a time or not at all, I'd probably choose the week at a time option - LOL.

Peg

I live about 3 hours from O'Hare and will drive there to fly non-stop to some cities in Europe, rather than departing from either one of my two "local" commuter airports.

I've gone to Europe MANY times for just a week. I was a teacher for 33 years (I'm now retired) and spent many a spring break there. One week was short, yes, but I loved it just the same. I wouldn't trade any of those trips for any amount of money.

I drive 3 hours to O'Hare, arriving at least 2 hours before flying for about 9 hours to, say, Frankfurt. So I put in about 14 hours travel time. It's worth every minute.

I just went to Bangkok for a week "on the ground" and spent nearly 24 hours travel time. Again, worth it!!

Carol

It takes two flights, so about 12-13 hours, not counting airport time. Worth it to me for a week, but certainly not for a weekend, which is what you had written. "A weekend in Dijon" Was it posted by a European?

My DD and I have reservations for our second trip to Paris together, for one week. We are working around $ and her time constrictions.

For me, it is awhile until my DH will be ready to go to Italy. So a quick jaunt to Paris with my second favorite travel partner is a no brainer!

Peg, the post with the article about a weekend in Dijon talks about an article of the Daily Telegraph from London so it's talking about travelling from Europe not from the States :) It would be absurd , I think !

We live outside Houston so have the option of flying non stop from IAH or flying to DFW for overseas flights.

I know some people spend a week or less in Europe because that's all they have, but it never made sense to me to go for less than 2 weeks.

This fall, I'm planning a 3-4 week trip since my husband is retiring in a couple of months. Even then, it's hard to fit everything in!!

Pegontheroad, I'm in a similar circumstance to you. We just got back from one week in Rome--we left Victoria BC on a 6:30 am flight and arrived in Rome around 2 pm the next day (about 23 hours later). It WAS worth it but I'm desperately trying to convince my husband to take 2 or even 3 weeks next year to make the grueling flights a little more worthwhile.

after visiting Victoria last year, we were wondering how people in the west ever make it to Europe for a short trip ( we live on the East coast, one flight does it)
On the other hand , when we had a chance to go to Australia ( longer than a week, though) we jumped at it ; 20 hours on the plain plus transfers was worth it!

There are people here who fly to Europe for the weekend in order to bump themselves up a notch in their frequent flyer program.

Yes, very true! Nothing wrong with that!

I wouldn't be able to go to the States for less than a week , I will probably faint in my plane seat turning back :)

We fly from Seattle. With the polar route, it takes about 9 hours to London. With 8 hours time difference. There are also non-stop flights with slightly longer flight time to Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and now Paris from Seattle.