(I originally posted this under the Airlines/Airports section but after receiving no responses, I decided to post here and test my luck).

I am going backpacking in Europe for several months this late spring/early summer and I need some advice from some seasoned international flyers. I am flying from Columbia SC to London. The top two flights options I have found are:

United Airlines connecting in Dulles
-or-
USAirways connecting in Charlotte

The difference in layover times, ticket prices, etc., are all negligible. I would like to hear people's thoughts on dealing with customs at CLT vs IAD, airport friendliness, and thoughts on the two airlines. I'd like to make a decision soon as I have found some good prices. Any and all thoughts are welcome. Thanks in advance..

robertw,

I don't know that I'd call either airport especially friendly or unfriendly. Dulles has more international flights than Charlotte so time to process through passport/customs might be greater if you land at IAD along with bunch of overseas flights. Even so, things move relatively quickly.

I'd be tempted to fly out of Charlotte since it's closer home for you. Just seems like it would be easier to deal with things in the unfortunate event of a delay or cancellation.

If you're flying economy, I think both airlines are about the same.

Am I correct that US Air flys into Gatwick and United into Heathrow? If this is so, pick the airline that best meets your next destination. If it's London, it's a toss up. Otherwise one or the other is likely to have an advantage.

Also, if you haven't already, you might yield more responses if you post this on the Europe board.

Pick a flight that offers the Airbus 330 from Charlotte to London. It's a nice aircraft.

CLT will be much easier to clear customs and all of the London flights are on the 330, which is indeed a wonderful plane.

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I swear there is a poltergeist on the Fodors Forum site. I searched and searched for this thread to check for responses and couldn't find it. So, I reposted the question... as soon as I did that, my original post shows up at the top of the list! Crazy.

I guess I am leaning towards USAirways. I was hesitant to use them at first because a lot of people seem to have had bad experiences lately, but I think that is probably just a price of flying these days.

If anyone else has added insight, please let me know. I still have not bought a ticket.

This is a personal bias--I'm a bit of an airport junkie. I'd go for Dulles. Incidentally, it's on the National Register of Historic Places.

It's beautiful. Visually, it's superbly suited to its function. It's a great monument to flying and aviation. I can still remember approaching it by road, for the first time, some 30-odd years ago. Had its own interstate back then--the Dulles access road. Cluttered today, but...

Charlotte's a nice airport, and may be more convenient. I recognize that your needs and requirements are different. I digress--but I'd never miss a chance to go to, or through, Dulles.

Us Airways has flight to Gatwick from Charlotte. I am scheduled to fly it next year. I was booked on it last year, but US Airways managed to screw up the flights and I ended up in Philadelphia and a flight from there to Dublin.

I think the Charlotte Airport is fairly easy to manage. It is large, but well marked. Just make sure you have adequate time betwen flights at either place. The US Airways commuter airline is vile. Its lack of punctuality, cancelled flights, late flights, etc. caused me all kinds of grief last summer.

If you can, could not someone take you to Charlotte? I don't trust that US Air Express any longer for flights between Athens, Ga, and Charlotte. Once is an accident, twice is a coincidence, three times and the pactice is a (&(& habit.

Well, it is already habitual in my limited experience. They have nailed me coming and going more than that in 2 years.

Bear in mind that both coming and going, at Dulles, you will disembark at one of the remote terminals - and then have to get on what the airport authorities call "mobile lounges" and everyone else calls "cattle cars" in order to be shuttled to that pretty but functionally inadequate main terminal in order to claim baggage and go through customs (on your return). This must be factored into the time you're allowing for layovers.

I don't think there's anything quite that bad at Charlotte - but the one time I cleared customs at Charlotte was quite a few years ago, so I don't remember exactly how that airport works.

Charlotte is much easier to get in, out & through. I fly out of there (here actually) several times a month & rarely have any difficulty & the International part is even better because there are very few International flights.

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I think I have decided to use USAirways and connect in Charlotte. I've flown through CLT before, so I have a decent understanding of the layout whereas I've never flown through Dulles. I checked the IAD website and to be honest, it seems confusing to me. Those "mobile lounges" seem awfully proletarian in my opinion.

Dixon: I definitely know what you're saying about driving to Charlotte rather than taking an express flight. However, my parents--who are taking me to and picking me up from the airport--were pretty adamant about me flying out of Columbia. CAE is only 40 mins from our house versus a 4 hour round trip to CLT. So, looks like I'm going to have to take my chances and hope for the best with USAirways Express.

Thanks everyone. I'm going to post my experiences on my backpacking trip on this board so if you're interested, look for me. Cheers!