Kate_W

Oh - and one more thing. You can sometimes get deals on Business Class tickets, on BA and other airlines. Flexible business class fares typically are called "J" class fares, but there are a limited number of "C" class fares available. C class is in the same cabin as J class (ie business class), but there are restrictions on the ticket and there are a limited number available. You can also buy tickets from consolidators (a kind of travel agent). You can start to work with a travel agent to spot such a fare, but you might have to be a bit flexible about dates, airlines etc. And you probably won't be able to book one a long time in advance. If you're lucky though, you might be able to get a C class fare for about $2500-3000. (I think WT+ is a better deal for leisure travel - but if you want to splurge ...)

suze

Sorry, I've just have to say as a fellow Seattle-ite (and especially as a recommendation for a 1st time flyer) I can't imagine a bargain big enough that would be worth going to San Fran or B.C. to start off a 2 week trip to Europe. No way jose.

Patty

<I had thought about flying into Paris and out of London since it's more important to me to have a nonstop on the way home than on the way there. It would also save me the back and forth trip across the Channel. Since I could transfer to Paris from either SFO or LAX, which are both easy trips from Seattle, I may just do that.>

I'm not sure I understand what you're trying to do here. In order to have a nonstop on the return, your only choice of carrier is BA. If you're talking about flying down to LAX or SFO to connect to Paris, this would be on Air France or United. Once you start mixing carriers across the Atlantic, your ticket becomes very expensive as you are essentially buying 2 one ways. You can have an open jaw itinerary (flying into one city and out of another) with little additional cost but not on the nonstop flights you want. For example, you could fly AA into Paris and out of London for about the same price as roundtrip Paris or London, but you would have to connect in New York or Chicago both directions.

There are deals on business class fares from time to time. Discounted west coast to Europe flights are in the $2000-$2500 range. Usually these fares have a 50 day advance purchase requirement and 7 night minimum stay which shouldn't be a problem for most leisure travelers. However, I don't know if this applies to the BA Seattle-London flights as there is no direct competition on this route.

Your next best option is BA World Traveler Plus (their premium economy product). You will have about 6 additional inches of legroom compared to regular economy and a slightly wider seat. The price is usually $500 more than the lowest economy. It's a good compromise between economy and business. I haven't flown BA's premium economy product but have flown Virgin's and was very pleased. My husband who is 5'11" found it a comfortable ride for 9-10 hours. You can price April 2005 fares on BA's website to get an idea of the fare difference between economy, premium economy, and business.

Kostroma

Okay. I did a little research at lunchtime and ordered a London brochure that has an excellent map of central London. I already have London brochures, but the maps in them are not very good. Over the weekend, I'm going to study the awesome 2-D map of Paris that I got out of the Conde Nast magazine. Hopefully, I will be less confused by Monday.

P_M: I'll take a look at the BA site over the weekend. I didn't get a chance today. One of the downsides of being at work is that they expect you to do so.

StCirq: I had thought of staying in Normandy for a couple of days. Once I get London and Paris figured out, I'll look into that option.

SuzieC: Thanks for the tip.

KatieW and suze: Looks like my options for going to another airport are nixed. See Patty's comment.

Patty: Thanks. I am new to this flying thing, so I have to learn.

I'm sorry if my thoughts are less than complete. I'm trying to rush out the door for my bus home.

Thanks guys. Keep 'em coming.

Kate_W

Your options of going to another airport are not nixed. I wouldn't recommend going to Vancouver, SFO or LAX solely for a quick connection. I only suggested Vancouver and SFO if you were interested in spending a little time (at least overnight) in these cities as part of your holiday. A few years ago, I was flying home from London to Vancouver to visit family. I discovered that, for the price of a direct BA flight from London to Vancouver, I could fly to San Francisco on Virgin, stay overnight in a hotel and then fly up the coast on Alaska Airlines. Since I don't get to visit SFO that often, I saw this as a bonus, not a disadvantage. As long as you want to spend a little time in a stopover city - and you can get a good deal (in comparison with a flight from Seattle), it's worth considering.

Oh - and United flies direct (but not non-stop) to London from Seattle. You might want to find out if you have to get off the plane during the stop, or whether you get to stay in your seat.

ira

Hi Kos,

>I have no idea of where to stay in Paris, as most of my time there will involve trips out of the city.<

No, no, no, no .....A thousand times no.

Plan on staying in Paris for the full week.

Even if you are not interested in the Louvre, D'Orsay, Cluny, Marmottan and other museums, there is still too much to see and do to reduce Paris to a mere 3 days.

Have you looked at the mini-guide to Paris at www.fodors.com?

ira

Hi Kos,

I posted before reading why you are planning your visit as you are.

I urge you to either visit Paris or pursue your historical interest, but not both.

Kostroma

I went to British Airways website and if I decide to use them, I think that Premier Economy will be the way to go. It's a heck of alot cheaper than Business Class and I'm not concerned with perks, just legroom.

I studied London and Paris maps over the weekend and also Metro and Tube maps. I see what people are saying about the exact locale of a hotel not being a huge issue with the abundance of Tube/Metro stops. I'm going to research some specific hotels and then do a search. I'll ask questions if I don't find answers that way.

Kate_W: I haven't decided exactly what I'm going to do. I have 16+ months or so to make up my mind, so nothing's set in stone. The only thing that I know for sure is that I'd like to fly into Paris and out of London. Whatever carrier offers me the simplest trip and the best deal will be the one that I ultimately go with.

ira: After doing some research, I've decided that I'll probably put off Normandy for another time. There's plenty of history to be found in Paris after all.

mohun

We live in Seattle and have visited London twice in the last three years. My wife's and my vacatiuon schedules are such that we have to travel in "high season" (June-July) so there are few if any bargains in flight fares; hence, for us middle income folks, we've traveled by coach and I can't comment on that aspect of your plans.

The first trip, in 2001, was a one-stop on Canada Air to Toronto and on to Paris, where we spent a week with a decent hotel in the Marais at about $165 USD. We were about three streets from the nearest Metro station and , as others have said, it is quite easy to travel all over Paris by underground. We then took the Channel Tunnel train from Paris to London,l a 3-hour trip, center city to center city. We then stayed for a week in a flat in South Kensington/Knightsbridge, which was relatively handy by tube to anywhere in London.

This summer we flew directly to London on BA (in coach, of course). Although I'd heard that that 6 pm flight was a cattle-car experience, it was non-stop and not at all unpleasant. The food (and the movies on the individual seat back) was much better than I had anticipated. I would probably take BA again EXCEPT that we got no frequent flyer miles (BA considers coach economy seats at $1020/person RT not eligible.
Again, in London, we styaed a week in a flat with washing/drying facilities (Those trips to the laundromat use up a lot of valuable travel time, unless you see that as an opportunity to meet the locals). While we did not have the benefit of a breakfast included with a hotel room, we were able to enjoy our own breakfast at "our own" breakfast table: good English marmalade and the London Times. We also stayed in a couple of evenings and assembled pretty decent dinners from groceries purchased just about three streets away. This time the flat was in Mayfair, near the Green Park tube station and Berkley Square. That station is on the Picadilly line which is a principal one and very well located for trips all over the city.

We enjoyed both flats (the first had a resident cat--in the laundry area/office, the second had the washing/drying facilities in the flat itself). The cost this July was $211USD/night and we'd definitely stay there again both for the convenience and what, for London, is a decent price.

If you need any expansion on these answers, please re-post. In any event, have a great trip. Be judicious in what you choose to see; it'll be a challenge in the time you have. There are still London sights we may go back for, when we next can afford it.

tomc

I watch London fares all the time through my Travelocity fare watcher and I am like you, I like direct flights out of Seattle. I know BA, SAS, and KLM/NW all go over the pole to London, Copenhagen, and Amsterdam respecivievly. I don't know of the Business class option. For London it sounds like you want to be close in to the West End or at least accessable to it. Russell Square and Kensington are good if you can't get in Covent Gardern or Victoria Station. Try VisitLondonOffers.com for hotel deals. In Paris we like to stay at a squeeky clean little place next to Rue Clare (Eiffel Tower area) called the Hotel Muguet HotelMuguet.com. That hotel is close to the Ecole Militaire Metro stop. Anywhare that you have access to the Metro in Paris or the tube in London you will have easy quick access to the things you want to see and do. For hotels look at Eurocheapohotels.com for down to earth recommendations in both cities. Have a good trip.