sfo to europe
Nov 29th, 2015, 09:05 AM
#21
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 16,420
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
>>Pros:
No layover hassles.>Cons:
If you chose the direct flight and the flight is cancelled, they are allowed to put you on an alternative flight with layovers while they get to keep the premium you paid for the direct flight
No layover hassles.>Cons:
If you chose the direct flight and the flight is cancelled, they are allowed to put you on an alternative flight with layovers while they get to keep the premium you paid for the direct flight
Nov 29th, 2015, 09:58 AM
#22
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,038
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
For a first trip to Europe, I would hit Paris, London, Amsterdam, and Venice. IMO, Barcelona is not a major destination city, only a departure point for cruise people. Wherever you go, you will have a terrific time !
Nov 29th, 2015, 10:56 AM
#24
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,179
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I see the terms direct flight and nonstop flight used interchangeably. When booking flights all nonstop flights are direct; but not all direct flights are nonstop.
Direct, in reference to aircraft, only means that the flight number does not change. A direct flight from SFO to CDG could stop in ORD, ATL, JFK or any number of other airports.
This could be an important difference when you are booking airfares. If you want a nonstop flight, don´t book or ask for a direct flight.
Direct, in reference to aircraft, only means that the flight number does not change. A direct flight from SFO to CDG could stop in ORD, ATL, JFK or any number of other airports.
This could be an important difference when you are booking airfares. If you want a nonstop flight, don´t book or ask for a direct flight.
Nov 29th, 2015, 11:38 AM
#25
Hi Anne, 50mph winds in Yorkshire today, huddled round Maine Coon.>>
windy here but not like the rest of the country, and we had the rain yesterday. no sign of the 20" of snow the Mirror seemed to think was on its way, thank goodness.
sfc - sorry for the diversion.
windy here but not like the rest of the country, and we had the rain yesterday. no sign of the 20" of snow the Mirror seemed to think was on its way, thank goodness.
sfc - sorry for the diversion.
Nov 30th, 2015, 06:38 AM
#27
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,552
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
<the Mirror seemed to think was on its way>
Annhig - I'm not sure the Mirror is the place to go for accuracy
fayd - how wonderful to be thinking about your first trip to Europe. One of the options others have suggested is booking an open jaw tickets (into one city and out of another (for example Barcelona and Madrid, London and Paris, Amsterdam and Paris etc) I fly out of SFO all the time and one thing I think is worth noting is that if you do include London think about flying into London not out of it (in other words flight in tunnel/train out) I'm suggesting this because the passenger tax out of Heathrow can be quite expensive. Therefore it's often cheaper to fly into London and out of Paris rather than the reverse.
Personally I prefer to do my connections in Europe rather than fly via LA or elsewhere in the states. This means you get the bulk of the flight out of the way as soon as possibly. One key thing to consider is the configuration of the plane. If there are three of you flying together it would be ideal to fly on a plane that has banks of three seats. When you look at specific flights you can check the seating layouts on seatguru.com.
Also, you may start to look at flights to get you around Europe and think about taking one of the low cost carriers, Volare, Ryanair, Air Berlin, Easyjet etc. These flights work very well with a couple of cautions - check where the airports are -they say Barcelona but it isn't the main airport but one further out that may be a hassle to get to. Don't presume they are cheaper, with all the competition some of the major airlines have cheap deals too. Remember, you will pay extra for luggage too, book in advance as it's often more at the airport. While these flights can be good to take during your trip, never add cheap flights like this directly onto your trans- Atlantic itinerary. For example; I would never book a cheap flight into London on the same day I was planning to fly back to the states. If the first flight is late you have no recourse because the flights are not on the same ticket and therefore not protected. This may be obvious but it's worth mentioning just in case.
Lots of ideas about Europe (particularly London, Paris and Rome) on my blog
http://www.somuchmoretosee.com
Annhig - I'm not sure the Mirror is the place to go for accuracy
fayd - how wonderful to be thinking about your first trip to Europe. One of the options others have suggested is booking an open jaw tickets (into one city and out of another (for example Barcelona and Madrid, London and Paris, Amsterdam and Paris etc) I fly out of SFO all the time and one thing I think is worth noting is that if you do include London think about flying into London not out of it (in other words flight in tunnel/train out) I'm suggesting this because the passenger tax out of Heathrow can be quite expensive. Therefore it's often cheaper to fly into London and out of Paris rather than the reverse.
Personally I prefer to do my connections in Europe rather than fly via LA or elsewhere in the states. This means you get the bulk of the flight out of the way as soon as possibly. One key thing to consider is the configuration of the plane. If there are three of you flying together it would be ideal to fly on a plane that has banks of three seats. When you look at specific flights you can check the seating layouts on seatguru.com.
Also, you may start to look at flights to get you around Europe and think about taking one of the low cost carriers, Volare, Ryanair, Air Berlin, Easyjet etc. These flights work very well with a couple of cautions - check where the airports are -they say Barcelona but it isn't the main airport but one further out that may be a hassle to get to. Don't presume they are cheaper, with all the competition some of the major airlines have cheap deals too. Remember, you will pay extra for luggage too, book in advance as it's often more at the airport. While these flights can be good to take during your trip, never add cheap flights like this directly onto your trans- Atlantic itinerary. For example; I would never book a cheap flight into London on the same day I was planning to fly back to the states. If the first flight is late you have no recourse because the flights are not on the same ticket and therefore not protected. This may be obvious but it's worth mentioning just in case.
Lots of ideas about Europe (particularly London, Paris and Rome) on my blog
http://www.somuchmoretosee.com
Nov 30th, 2015, 09:31 AM
#28
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
cheap flights are great but friends who just came back from Europe on an Air France Venice via Paris said on the Venice to Paris flight the seats were so so small that at two hours it was about all they could take - veteran travelers used to putting up with a lot of hassles, etc. And of course the plane was packed.
And on the trans-Atlantic Air France flight they found that seats seemed smaller than before too and there were less toilets and more seats in their place - there was a perpetual line for WCs.
Cheap flights are often blindly recommended here but they are not a piece of cake, especially with airport security so so tight - overnight trains can often be used to do the same trajectories and you even save time over flying - daytime travel time that is and of course save on a night in a hotel - a $200-300 value it seems for many Fodorites - see if there is an overnight train or boat you could take instead of flying.
And on the trans-Atlantic Air France flight they found that seats seemed smaller than before too and there were less toilets and more seats in their place - there was a perpetual line for WCs.
Cheap flights are often blindly recommended here but they are not a piece of cake, especially with airport security so so tight - overnight trains can often be used to do the same trajectories and you even save time over flying - daytime travel time that is and of course save on a night in a hotel - a $200-300 value it seems for many Fodorites - see if there is an overnight train or boat you could take instead of flying.
Nov 30th, 2015, 09:41 AM
#29
<the Mirror seemed to think was on its way>
Annhig - I'm not sure the Mirror is the place to go for accuracy>>
nor me, WTB, but yet again, an irony flag was required. They were right about the winds though - they are chilly.
Annhig - I'm not sure the Mirror is the place to go for accuracy>>
nor me, WTB, but yet again, an irony flag was required. They were right about the winds though - they are chilly.
Nov 30th, 2015, 10:36 AM
#31
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,179
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
30 or 40 years ago, airlines broke even at 50% load factors or less. Now, break even load factors can reach 80% plus. Average load factors have increased dramatically and 90% load factors are no longer unusual, particularly with discount carriers.
Expect flights to be full and packed with passengers. The real fun begins when flights start to cancel for weather or other operational reasons. There is no longer capacity to makeup for canceled flights.
If there is ever a train option, I always take it.
Expect flights to be full and packed with passengers. The real fun begins when flights start to cancel for weather or other operational reasons. There is no longer capacity to makeup for canceled flights.
If there is ever a train option, I always take it.
Nov 30th, 2015, 11:35 AM
#32
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,141
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Agree totally with welltravelebrit. We usually fly Staralliance as I have been Premier or Premier Exec for many years. Am going agnostic as United frequent flier program no longer worth it for me. In any case we generally fly to LHR and spend some time in London, one of our favorite cities, than onto somewhere else usually by Easyjet, than return via open jaw somewhere else. Alternatively we fly with one stop usually via Frankfurt or Munich to elsewhere in Europe, Travel between destinations via train or plane, than return open jaw, often via Paris, another of our favorite cities. UA has some decent non stop flights back to SFO. You can of course use other airlines to do something similar.
We fly a fair amount of Easyjet and pay upfront for baggage and upgraded seats (which also allow you a little more carryon)and have found them to be fine at a reasonable price. Do sometimes fly European legacy airlines as often their costs are not much different than Easyjet. Easyjet does fly to a lot of places.
We fly a fair amount of Easyjet and pay upfront for baggage and upgraded seats (which also allow you a little more carryon)and have found them to be fine at a reasonable price. Do sometimes fly European legacy airlines as often their costs are not much different than Easyjet. Easyjet does fly to a lot of places.
Nov 30th, 2015, 11:47 AM
#33
count me in as another easy jet fan, though ryanair is now getting its act together [losing the one carry-on only obsession] and flybe is also good, though at a price. they all have slightly different routes so it's worth looking at all the options.
Nov 30th, 2015, 12:32 PM
#34
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 1,713
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Bruxelles/Paris -> Berlin with easyjet : 200 € roundtrip and sometimes less expensive.
Bxl -> Munich : Lufth only : 600 €...
both flights are less than 2 hours.
And Lufth is always on strike. (always).
You bet I like low cost...
But I'm like Sarastro, I take trains whenever possible.
Clearly up to 4 hours
Bxl -> Munich : Lufth only : 600 €...
both flights are less than 2 hours.
And Lufth is always on strike. (always).
You bet I like low cost...
But I'm like Sarastro, I take trains whenever possible.
Clearly up to 4 hours
