Mimar

We usually fly British Air Seattle to Heathrow then on to our destination in Europe. And we have had no unpleasant experiences at Heathrow. Not there today, though. (Note: do not lock your bags; British immigration cuts off the locks.)

However, you're lengthening your flight time if you go via LAX, IAD, or JFK (which place I avoid). The non-stop flights from Seattle to Europe fly the polar route, so take less time. Toronto might work out too.

An open jaws flight via Amsterdam to Venice, home from Rome might work. (However, our luggage was lost the one time we did this routing. Are you checking bags?) I agree to starting in Venice, ending in Rome. You get a gentle introduction to Italy plus wandering around in a jet-lagged daze is appropriate sight-seeing in Venice.

Air travel offers no guarantees. Stuff happens.

august77

yes, i agree

flying through Europe should be a better option especially that i can check in my suitcase from Seattle.
will look into Lufthansa first.

thank you
s

cmstraf

I checked on expedia and there are 1 stop flights with
British Airways
KLM
Lufthansa

The computer routes you through Washington DC, but I called Lufthansa and they will route you through Frankfort for same price. more or less

cheapest British Air !289

Lufthansa 1450. KLM is also 14 something

Britsh Air has 1 hour 45 min layover. Id try to get a longer one if you have to change terminals.

I'm getting vicariously excited for you and jealous because you don't have to stop and care for in laws

Gardyloo

I indicated the one-stop options from SEA in the third post. Using Delta, you would switch to partners KLM or Air France at Amsterdam or Paris respectively, or to Alitalia if you took Delta's nonstop to London.

Delta's coach seats on the A330s they fly from Seattle are half an inch wider than those on either Lufthansa or BA. Legroom is similar, although on Delta you can "buy up" to a section of economy with more legroom whereas on BA you'd need to buy "premium economy" seats at much higher cost. Neither option exists with Lufthansa.

Flying BA, you would only go through security at Heathrow but stay in the same terminal (T5); on all other flights you'd clear immigration/passport control at your point of landing (AMS, CDG, FRA) as well as security, and customs when you get to Italy.

august77

Just booked as below. I believe there a 24hr cancellation then 300$ change fee. Anyone wants to comment? Thanks much



Flight: Seattle - Venice - Return

USD 1,607.71



Wed 13 May 15 - Thu 21 May 15

















Departure: Seattle - Venice






Wed 13 May 15

13:43 Seattle (Seattle Tacoma, Washington, USA)



Thu 14 May 15

08:30 Amsterdam (Schiphol, Netherlands)




Class: Economy
Flight number: KL 6032
Aircraft type: 333 | view seat map
Operated by: Delta Air Lines
The waiting time until the next flight is 3h05







Thu 14 May 15

11:35 Amsterdam (Schiphol, Netherlands)



Thu 14 May 15

13:15 Venice (Marco Polo, Italy)




Class: Economy
Flight number: KL 1653
Aircraft type: 73W | view seat map
Operated by: KLM







Total travel time

14h32







Return: Rome - Seattle






Thu 21 May 15

06:20 Rome (Fiumicino Airport, Italy)



Thu 21 May 15

08:50 Amsterdam (Schiphol, Netherlands)




Class: Economy
Flight number: KL 1596
Aircraft type: 73H | view seat map
Operated by: KLM
The waiting time until the next flight is 1h10







Thu 21 May 15

10:00 Amsterdam (Schiphol, Netherlands)



Thu 21 May 15

11:10 Seattle (Seattle Tacoma, Washington, USA)




Class: Economy
Flight number: KL 6033
Aircraft type: 333 | view seat map
Operated by: Delta Air Lines

greg

I am not sure if you care about earning Delta skymiles. I noticed you booked transatlantic Delta operated flights as KLM flight number. I think the way the program works in 2015 is that if your eticket number starts with 006... then you earn Delta miles even on KLM coded flights. The program is getting convoluted with all sorts of asterisks on terms, and I am still digesting how the program works in 2015.

august77

i am earning alaska airlines. i called KLM ad gave them my milage pla number but have not called alaska airlines yet.

cmstraf

Alaska airlines is cool --and as I wrote on other thread, I think KLM is an excellent airline, better than Delta itself if you are flying economy. (which we do when we pay, but try to save miles for "free" business.

greg

Regarding Alaska miles, since my daughter earns Alaska miles on Delta flights, when we fly together on Delta or KLM, I book in a way for her to earn Alaska miles and for me to earn Delta miles. Alaska has a site explaining how this works: http://www.alaskaair.com/content/mil...tners/klm.aspx

HappyTrvlr

This itinerary looks good. You're lucky to be able to get a non-stop to Europe and AMS is an easy airport especially compared to LHR. Good choice.

august77

thank you all

as for the tight time on the way back, i chose a front aisle seat from Rome to AMS hoping that helps.

as for airlines, it turns out that with KLM i will get some alaska mileage because of their requirements but only on 2 out of 4 of them. i just saw Alitalia has a comparable flight laying over CDG. is that any better than KLM ?


next step would be to figure out how to devide the days between venice and rome so i book my hotels accordingly. is it better to spend the saturday in venice or rome? and how about the sunday? I will deffinitely be in rome on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, returning Thursday morning.

Gardyloo

<i>i just saw Alitalia has a comparable flight laying over CDG. is that any better than KLM ? </i>

Alitalia, Delta, KLM and Air France are all member airlines in the Skyteam airline alliance. Frequently these airlines will "code-share," meaning one airline allows another to put its own flight number on a plane actually operated by the first. For example, you can see KLM flight numbers on Delta's flight between Seattle and Amsterdam, or an Air France number on Delta's flight between Seattle and Paris. In that case, Delta has given permission to KLM or AF to sell seats on Delta's plane, and to retain a portion of the fare. From the passenger's point of view, the actual flying experience makes no difference - it's a Delta plane, you check in at Delta, eat Delta food, etc.

From a frequent flyer point of view it can make a big difference. Alaska Airlines has partnerships with Delta, KLM and Air France (but not Alitalia) so you MAY earn miles on flights with DL, KL, or AF flight numbers, but the number of miles you earn might be different, depending on the "fare class" of your ticket. What might be a mileage-earning flight on a Delta ticket might not if the flight number is Air France's, and definitely not if it's Alitalia, even though it might be the <i>same plane.</i>

So in the case of an Alitalia flight through CDG, it might be an Alitalia plane, or it might be Air France's, but carrying an Alitalia flight number. Regardless, the flight from Amsterdam or Paris back to Seattle will be on a Delta plane, because neither KLM nor Air France fly to Seattle.

I know this is confusing, but it's worth studying a little once frequent flyer miles are on the table. Seattle to Italy and back is a long way, and it would be a shame to leave a bunch of miles sitting on the table.

cmstraf

I would go to 9 am Sunday mass at Catedrale San Marco in Venice...and then head on for Rome in the afternoon, either by plane or train. You can find prices and schedules for either on line.

Mass in Rome, center of Catholicism that it is, just does not beat the mosaics in San Marco.

I see Gardyloo's point but think you should stick with what you have.

cmstraf

There is a 7:50 am flight from Venice to Rome on Monday arriving at 9 am. That should get you to your hotel by 10-10;30.

Alternatively you could take the last flight out of Venice Sunday evening (about 7:30 pm I think)

The flight to Rome is $187.00

You have such a short time, IMO time is money and it is well-worth the money to fly and pay for taxis (one from Rome not expensive, Venice is and not quite as scenic. We do it anyhow to save hassle).

Either way, you don't lose a day which is really important, when you think of what you are doing.
Gaining 3/4 day on such a short trip is worth a lot.

There is probably an overnight train from Venice to Rome but again IMO--too short to sleep on, too long to take in the day.

Mimar

cmstraf, you found a water taxi to/from the Venice airport not scenic?

cmstraf

Thanks for catching that. To rephrase, I find the water taxi from the airport to Venice spectacular. Going from Venice to the airport I find not AS scenic as in the other direction, but it is still lovely and we always budget for water taxi both ways if we are flying in and out.

cmstraf

To OP:

Whereever you stay in Venice and Rome, you should be making your hotel reservations now, especially if you want a smaller hotel and/or a single room

august77

Dear cmstraf and others,

Thanks much for the above info.

I have made reservation in Venice for May 14-17 ( leaving Sudnay evening) and another hotel in Rome by the Spanish steps from 17-21.

At this, unless anyone has a strong suggestion to modify these days I am looking into booking my flight from Venice to Rome on the 17th.

Cheers,
Samira

Mimar

When does your flight leave Venice? And arrive in Rome?

I'm not sure you'll save enough time flying (vs. going by train) to make it worthwhile. Remember you have to get yourself to the Venice airport early and, upon arrival, get yourself into Rome from the airport. Train time is 3.5 hours, you leave and arrive at the city center, and you get to sightsee along the way.

cmstraf

Although I am a proponent of flying, Mimar has a point. For us, it is MUCH easier to fly from Genoa to Rome than to take the train. It may not be so from Venice.

I'd look at time tables and compare. What hotels did you end up choosing in Venice and Rome?