Urgent - Trying to make air reser. tonite...which airline would you choose?
 

American/Continental/United?

Any opinions? Thank you.

P.S. This is flying to Rome.

More than the specific carrier, I judge by - nonstop flights, length of layover if any, airports being used for transfer if any, time of day of flights, etc.

Even ability to get your seat assignments when you buy the ticket (some carriers if planes are full make you wait until the airport for seat assignments which drives me nuts and gives me an anxiety attack thinking I may get stuck in a middle seat).

Schedule and price would be deciding factors for me. If they are equal, I would go by equipment and not airline

767/777 over 757 equipment

Thanks Suze & J62--Just what I was looking for.

Another possibility is KLM Dutch.

Where are you flying from? Since you mention KLM, it means a connection in Amsterdam. AMS, Frankfurt, Munich, Heathrow are all ok if you must make a connection in Europe. Paris CDG has all sorts of horror stories about missing connections, so avoid Air France.

I agree w/ suze's criteria - in the order she listed them.

How about Italia?

Thanks, J62. I'll do that. We're flying from Des Moines.

Thanks, Bardo & Beck. Alitalia isn't coming up for us as one of the cheaper airlines.

Another question (which I'm going to ask on new thread, too): is 1.5 hours enough of a connection time from domestic to international flights? School recommends 3 hours. Thanks.

I prefer American for international flights unless I can travel with Austrian Airlines.

Depends on the airport (some are much smoother and more efficient than others) also if terminal transfers are required.

Myself I prefer the 3 hour rule. A flight can easily be 1/2 hour late by the time you actually deplane... now you're down to 1 hour to make your connection (for example). I'd much rather stretch my legs, have some food and beverage on the ground, take a shower, read a magazine, than go racing thru airports.

I would fly Continental.
767 is my favorite type of plane.

Traveling from Des Moines doesn't really make a non stop a possibility. I find that the European carriers seem to provide better service, and you start to feel like you are away when you leave as opposed to when you arrive. It builds into the excitement.

Thanks everyone, you've really helped. :)