Help with flight to BCN

[mickeyluv]

Does anyone have any helpful information as to how I can find a good price on a flight to Barcelona? We're in eastern NC and normally fly out of Raleigh/Durham International (RDU). We normally fly SW but they don't fly internationally so we would have to fly somewhere else such as New York or some other place and then fly to BCN from there. Any help would be greatly appreciated!! TIA

 

[backyardponder]

I'd probably start at the Iberia web site (www.iberia.com). I think they serve Miami, O'Hare, and the New York area.

You could also go to a search engine, like Orbitz, www.orbitz.com.

 

[mblsj]

US Air has a direct flight from Philadelphia I think. I know they are big in Charlotte so you might be able to connect from there.

Delta also flies direct to BCN from ATL, and also from JFK I believe.

You might also try a search engine like KAYAK which will allow you to do a multi-city search. Sometimes fares are better with connections through Heathrow, or then maybe Paris on the way back etc. More trouble with connections, but the fare savings can be worth it.

Happy hunting!

 

[bavaria]

There is a thread on the Budget Board. I'll see if I can find it.

Expect a 'good' round trip fare from America to Europe to be $1,000. In low season you may find less, but that is an average price point.

Flying to/from major gateways can help, but consider travel time and cost. On the BB thread many advocate flying to LHR and taking the train or a connecting flight. I am in London very often and I DON'T recommend that route - I suggest FRA or AMS for connections or even ZRH if required. Airlines flying into those cities from America often have good deals. Or connect on Icelandair - I think that eliza61 ended up doing that for her Paris flight.

LHR has some of the highest airport taxes in the world, and getting from that airport to another for a low cost carrier, or taking the train into London and then the Eurostar and then connections isn't always more cost effective. Even a terminal change can be overwhelming to someone who isn't used to the airport and/or long haul international travel.

And then consider TIME - I personally hate connecting in FRA, even as an EU passport holder. But driving can take 3-6 hours, so that isn't very efficient either. If you are not used to connections, or international travel, it may be worth your time and personal stress to pay a few hundred dollars more and avoid those kinds of transfers. I have flown SWISS a lot more lately on my long haul flights so that I can connect in the smaller ZRH rather than FRA. It sometimes costs a little more, but it is worth it not to have stress and crowds.

A very budget minded person on the Community Board flew into FRA, cleared immigration, collected bags, cleared customs, boarded a bus for a 110km ride to another airport, checked in and flew a superbudget low cost carrier on to Venice. To me that is just crazy talk, but to a young, adventurous, low budget, confident traveller that may be doable (and it similar to what I did a few decades ago when I considered COST more important than VALUE)

 

[bavaria]

This thread is about France, but has some general advice

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2374554

IF you were considering a little holiday at the start/end of the trip I would even consider flying into Paris if you can get a decent non-stop, taking the idTGV for 29 Euros to Toulouse, explore for a bit in the area such as the amazing Carcassonne, and then take the train to Barcelona. (I don't suggest driving one way across borders - I don't suggest driving in France at all without prior knowledge - but one way rentals in Europe are extremely expensive, over top of the high rental rates and average $8-10/gallon petrol) All of that would in my book however merit an extra week - that is something I sometimes do for my holiday in fact.

Then again, if you have extra time just spending a few days in Barcelona is more than worthwhile.

If you do look at train options, go directly to the local website. American rail sites add a markup of 30-100% or more onto some tickets. And all of the above assumes the cities, not the board games or planets!

 

[mickeyluv]

bavaria- thanks for all the info. We are not seasoned or even frequent flyers not to mention international travelers!! So I would definitely want the easiest less stressful route that's for sure. I'm not experienced at all in finding flights and this is really turning out to be somewhat of a challenge. I really am starting to think that maybe this trip might have to be scratched as I have no idea what I'm doing as far as travel internationally. Thanks, I really appreciate your advice!

 

[bavaria]

Honestly, DON'T think about scratching - everyone needs to have a first time, right?

Once you have more specific questions we can answer them. People here PM me all the time about international travel.

Post a few and we can help. I'll post some info later about what may be different, but not too much IS different!

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Different websites come up with surprisingly different air fares when flying internationally. Three that I used last year for our trip to a cruise out of BCN were:

www.kayak.com
www.vayama.com
www.opodo.com

The first two link up with many of the other airfare websites and thus run the fares for you from multiple sites at the same time. My recollection is that Vayama did the best.

Remember to CLEAR YOUR COOKIES before using the websites and then before reusing them later because otherwise it may just give you the same results it did previously even though you wanted to do a fresh search.

BobK/Orlando

 

[uva185]

Do NOT even think about canceling your trip just because you have never fown internationally before!! Even the most seasoned flyers were first time flyers at some point.

Personally I would fly a non-US airline and connect in Europe, but perhaps in your case a US connection would be better!!

There is no real "trick" to getting cheap airfare. I might have missed this (reading on a Blackberry) but do you have set dates? The fall is typically much cheaper and I have been successful getting transatlantic flights for cheap in the off season. I'm heading to Madrid for a long weekend in 2 weeks for $460 with taxes with an upgrade to Business!!!

Post some more details of your trip (dates, # of people going, budget) and I'll see what I can find.

Read up on these boards and www.flyertalk.com and you should be quite prepared for your first international trip!!

 

[mickeyluv]

Honestly, DON'T think about scratching - everyone needs to have a first time, right?

Once you have more specific questions we can answer them. People here PM me all the time about international travel.

Post a few and we can help. I'll post some info later about what may be different, but not too much IS different!

Different websites come up with surprisingly different air fares when flying internationally. Three that I used last year for our trip to a cruise out of BCN were:

www.kayak.com
www.vayama.com
www.opodo.com

The first two link up with many of the other airfare websites and thus run the fares for you from multiple sites at the same time. My recollection is that Vayama did the best.

Remember to CLEAR YOUR COOKIES before using the websites and then before reusing them later because otherwise it may just give you the same results it did previously even though you wanted to do a fresh search.

BobK/Orlando

Do NOT even think about canceling your trip just because you have never fown internationally before!! Even the most seasoned flyers were first time flyers at some point.

Personally I would fly a non-US airline and connect in Europe, but perhaps in your case a US connection would be better!!

There is no real "trick" to getting cheap airfare. I might have missed this (reading on a Blackberry) but do you have set dates? The fall is typically much cheaper and I have been successful getting transatlantic flights for cheap in the off season. I'm heading to Madrid for a long weekend in 2 weeks for $460 with taxes with an upgrade to Business!!!

Post some more details of your trip (dates, # of people going, budget) and I'll see what I can find.

Read up on these boards and www.flyertalk.com and you should be quite prepared for your first international trip!!

I just want to thank all of you for your advice and help!! Here are our details:

Sailing dates: 5/26/2010 - 6/5/2010
Number of people going: 2 Adults, 1 Child (age 12)
Budget: of course the obvious answer to this would be the least amount possible but if I had to put a $ figure I would probably say no more than $2000 for the three of us RT. (Is this reasonable? I have no idea)
Departure Airport: We normally fly out of RDU (Raleigh/Durham International Airport) We have a credit with SW (long story but our daughter came down with H1N1 and couldn't fly last year) so I was thinking we might could use that to maybe fly out of RDU to either LGA, Philadelphia, Boston. I've been told that flights out of these cities fly to BCN.

Thanks so much for your help....all of you!!!

 

[drew64]

Trsut me on this - DO NOT use Southwest as the first leg of your international trip!

Southwest has no interline agremeents with other airlines meaning:

They will not check your bags thru to BCN nor give you connecting boarding passes. You would need to retrieve your bags from baggage claim, then go back to the check in counter for the airline you are flying to BCN, recheck your bags, get boarding passes, and go back through security.

The lack of interline agreements also means if flights are delayed or cancelled, Southwest has no obligation to get you to BCN at all - you are on your own.

Southwest may be fine for cheap, domestic trips, but please don't use them to begin an international trip.

Try looking at:

US Air via Philly
Continental via Newark
DL via JFK

These will only give you one connection and then a nonstop flight to BCN. You will check in, recieve all your boading passes through to BCN, your bags will be checked through to BCN, and you can proceed directly from one gate to another with no need to go back through security at the connecting airport.

If you fly in a day before sailing, try Hotel Jazz or Hotel Continental for a really reasonable, convenient hotel in BCN.

If you are going from airport directly to ship, a taxi is around 30-35EUR - skip the cruise shuttle and grab the taxi - about a 40 minute ride.



Enjoy!

 

[bavaria]

Right now Lufthansa has flights from CLT - Munich - Barcelona from $917++ during the peak summer season. That is a very good fare. I am not a fan of LH long haul economy, but I do think that the route is very viable, and no, I am not biased. Here is why....

If you fly CLT - Dulles - Europe for instance, on the way back you will need to clear US Immigration in Dulles, reclaim your bags, and drop them again for your flight home. Connecting in Europe means that you only clear Immigration when you land at your final destination at home, and don't have to play the wait wait wait run run run game.

MUC is also a far better airport for connections than FRA or AMS or LHR. It is a more compact terminal area, well laid out, easy to navigate, but also is a major destination with a huge central area with shopping, two grocery stores, medical services, office building, restaurants, etc.

The flight times from CLT are ideal because they leave afternoon and arrive morning; if you plan to sleep the entire flight you will minimize jet lag. Then plan at least 1,5 - 2 hours as the connecting time in MUC, or even more if you want to take a break between flights.

With a longer layover, you could even book a dayroom at the Kempinski Hotel right next to the terminal, and shower and relax, then get a nice meal or do some shopping etc before your next flight. MUC is very 'foreigner friendly' in that it is all signaged in English and most Germans below a certain age speak English quite well. Plus you have a wide variety of shops and services; if you are missing America already you could have coffee at Starbucks or eat at McDonalds (all hail the king is dead! no more Burger King!) or if you are more adventurous you could eat at the German semifast food chain Nordsee or my favourite Turkish place.

Since you are in NC, USAirways may be a carrier that you will use again in future, so flying a member of Star Alliance such as LH (or even US Airways) might be worthwhile. You will earn a lot of miles on this flight, and will be able to build towards a future 'free' flight quite quickly.

 

[pr surfer]

AA would be the option I pick.

RDU-JFK-BCN/BCN-JFK-RDU. One stop, same airline the whole way.

 

[bavaria]

From a first time flyer perspective that route does mean less fuss at the pre or post part of the flights, so I agree there.

My only concerns would be JFK is somewhat prone to delays, the alliance earning potential, and the lack of ability to stock up on the good chocolate along the way!

It does price out more than my LH option, but transport from OP's home to CLT would nibble into that a little

1098.00 USD
Additional Taxes and Fees per Person 84.50 USD
Total Price 1182.50 USD

 

[Tozzie]

Just a note, you might want to connect through a different airport than JFK, they are closing one of the Runways for a few months (march-June) for construction and there might be more delays than usual for JFK for the time you are traveling.

 

[mickeyluv]

Just wanted you all to know that I REALLY appreciate all of this information and all the time you have put into helping me!!! I'm not ignoring any of these posts. I am saving all of them and looking into them. I have an terrible headache right now and am going to lie down for about an hour to see if I can get rid of it and then come back and do some more research!!! I can't thank you enough!!!

 

[drew64]

Current airfares for those dates with all taxes are:

From RDU

Continental via EWR $1212

US Air via PHL $1553

DL via ATL $1573

DL via JFK $1350

AA via JFK $2648

LH from CLT via MUC is $1244

 

[mickeyluv]

Thanks drew64. What website did you go to find this out? Did you go to the specific airlines websites? I went on the LH website and found $2366 for CLT (Charlotte, NC) to MUC to BCN but CLT is about 5 hours away from our home so I'm thinking RDU would be better probably as far as time goes. The trip to BCN wouldn't be that bad but traveling from Charlotte back home for the flight back would be horrible because I would imagine that by that time we would be ready to get home!!

Current airfares for those dates with all taxes are:

From RDU

Continental via EWR $1212

US Air via PHL $1553

DL via ATL $1573

DL via JFK $1350

AA via JFK $2648

LH from CLT via MUC is $1244

 

[bavaria]

My vote still goes to LH via MUC based on the info Tozzie and drew posted. (although I did get a different fare for the AA flight on the AA.com website - OP, try that and see what you get)

LH often has some great specials too in 'shoulder' season although late May is moving into peak season.

Edited: didn't see that OP posted that they are 5 hours from CLT! I have been to NC many times and usually fly into/out of CLT and haven't driven 5 hours to my various destinations, but it is one of those wide states, isn't it?

 

[drew64]

I am a corporate travele manager so can access the airlines GDS systems directly to price. I pricedd direcltl in the system as an agent would.

On websites, when you are pricing for multiple people it will give you the lowest fare that has the needed number of seats remaining.

That is why sometimes a lower fare will show for a party of 1 but not a party of 3.

Currently, I think the best option is Continental via EWR.

Easy connections in terminal C, avoids JFK which is always a nightmare, 757 with individual movies/music/games screens in all economy seats.

You can accumulate the miles Continental or any of the Star partners - US, US, LH, etc.

If you do go with LH, Bavaria is right - much, much easier to connecttn MUC than FRA..