Other airlines other than Virgin

[Jakejosh4]

We are not going until march 2016 but know that we are not going to be able to afford Virgin as their prices are getting silly. Having looked at other flight options Air France, United and Jet Blue are coming up as 1 stop flights at ok prices has anyone flown with these airlines? Had a bad experience a few years ago with American Airlines so not keen on using them. Any other airlines anyone can recommend thanks

 

[amacspad]

We have booked with Thomas Cook who were quite a bit cheaper than virgin, they fly direct to orlando now and I only had to pay the deposit too!

Debs x

 

[Feebarn]

We rarely get direct flights and battle with where is best to go through all the time. I hate hate hate coming back from the US to Heathrow/Gatwick. Its a bloody nightmare when you have been up all night then you have a 3 or 4 hour wait for your connecting flight. So... I try hard to get flights that suit that come directly into a Scottish airport.

Having said that, we have connected in just about everyway you could imagine. I don't mind Continental/United. I've never been impressed with BA or AA. I've never really enjoyed KLM. Lufthansa was alright, surprisingly so was Air France/Delta. Delta used to do flights right in to Scotland. Miss those Loved Air Canada and Virgin do do things well. We are flying Aer Lingus (three weeks yesterday) this will be our second time this route. I like it, because you do the immigration part in Dublin and THAT is a big boon on arriving in Orlando. They keep the connections tight on the way home so no huge wait to get your flight home to Scotland.

Its not an easy choice, but for me its all part of the planning fun! Negotiating with the OH what he'll put up with versus what I'll put up with. Checking what the seating lay out is, what onboard exprience is like. Then looking at the price and working out the best way to get the best price! Love it! Should have been a travel agent

 

[Elise79]

You have BA & Virgin as the only scheduled airlines that fly direct.

You the have charters such as Thompson & Thomas Cook that also fly direct but you are more restricted with duration.

Then you have all the American airlines to look at if you will go indirect: American, US Airways, United and Delta are the main ones.

You mentioned JetBlue - they don't do Transatlantic flights however I wish they did

 

[Kath2003]

Going direct is really limiting because you have a choice of 2 scheduled airlines (VA or BA) plus a couple of chartered ones. That basically means they can charge whatever they want.

The airlines are pretty much all the same. We have had good experiences and poor experiences - it's the luck of the draw on the day. The advantage of flying indirect via a US city (or some other cities such as Dublin or a number of large Canadian airports) is that you clear immigration at your first stop. This essentially "reduces" your waiting time to very little.

For example, if you had a direct flight from London to Orlando, that would take you 8 hours 45 minutes. You would then have to clear immigration and customs which you should allow at least 60-90 minutes for. Let's say it's 75 minutes - which takes your total travel time to 10 hours.

If, however, you had an indirect flight from London to Orlando, with a good connection time of 2 hours in a US airport, that would take you 12 hours 30 minutes. However, because you clear immigration and customs at your first stop, you just walk out of the airport in Orlando. This means it's only 2.5 hours more travelling than direct - and usually around half the cost.

Of course, this doesn't work on the way back...!

BUT, you can also save time by reducing travel time to and from your UK departure airport. For example, for us, it saves 1 hour travel in each direction to fly from LHR compared with LGW. This then means the "extra" time spent connecting is "saved" when travelling to/from this UK airport - so our 2.5 hours of extra travelling outbound is actually only 1.5 hours extra.

A bit long but basically - do consider indirect, it's not horrendous (even with AA)!

Worth noting that there are some alliances:

BA, AA, US Airways, Iberia etc. - One World
VA sometimes codeshare with Delta - though not technically in the Star Team (yet)
Delta, KLM, Air France etc. - Star Team
United, Lufthansa, Air Canada etc - Star Alliance

So even if you book with one airline, it's worth checking who your flight is actually with.

 

[Woodview]

Try going from UK to Dublin with Aer Lingus & then

Aer Lingus Non stop to Orlando ( MCO )

A few min walk from arriving in Dublin from Uk, & arrive in departure area for Duty Free goods & a short trip to USA Customs & Immigration point

No luggage ( Hold ) as You should have checked it All the way through to MCO.

You Identify your luggage on Screen at Immigration in Dublin.

Simple & friendly trip.& in your Pre booked seats ( Free )

There were many UK persons on our flight last Saturday.

Flight details & booking can only be done within 330 days of departure time

Flights From Dublin are usually on Tuesdays , Thursdays & Saturdays

AND Depart Dublin between 1pm& 2pm

Depart Orlando at about 8pm. arriving in Dublin at about 9am

 

[scoobydooby]

I know there can be long waits at Orlando, but I have to say as someone who actually always flys direct so always has to wait in the queue, I have never waited more than 40 minutes and would say 30 is more average. I travel mainly although not only in August summer holidays. I think the whole waiting thing gets overstated on these boards, especially now some people can use self service. When I went in May and used this I was in and out of there in 10 minutes. Very, very much quicker however you work it out than travelling indirect. I'm just posting to add a different perspective and some balance here because like I said, I think the whole immigration line issue is just a a likely to be good as bad but for some reason that is rarely stayed on the UK forums.

 

[mgsquared]

We're trying Aer Lingus this year as the price was outstanding. We do have a stopover in Dublin but we get to do US immigration while we wait and then land as domestic. So that's pretty cool!

 

[flortlebap]

I know there can be long waits at Orlando, but I have to say as someone who actually always flys direct so always has to wait in the queue, I have never waited more than 40 minutes and would say 30 is more average. I travel mainly although not only in August summer holidays. I think the whole waiting thing gets overstated on these boards, especially now some people can use self service. When I went in May and used this I was in and out of there in 10 minutes. Very, very much quicker however you work it out than travelling indirect. I'm just posting to add a different perspective and some balance here because like I said, I think the whole immigration line issue is just a a likely to be good as bad but for some reason that is rarely stayed on the UK forums.

Maybe you've just been lucky with your flight times? We've had some awful waits at immigration - 90 mins a few years back!

Imagine if you're at the back of the queue when both the London and Manchester 747s hit (last year they landed almost simultaneously as Man was delayed) - that's up to 700 people hitting the queue at the same time

Hoping self service will help though although me and DH purposely pick the seats nearest the exit and then practically run to immigration lol.

 

[Elise79]

Maybe you've just been lucky with your flight times? We've had some awful waits at immigration - 90 mins a few years back!

Imagine if you're at the back of the queue when both the London and Manchester 747s hit (last year they landed almost simultaneously as Man was delayed) - that's up to 700 people hitting the queue at the same time

Hoping self service will help though although me and DH purposely pick the seats nearest the exit and then practically run to immigration lol.

On average I don't think its that bad - we have done MCO immigration a lot and even this year when we got held on the tarmac it wasn't that bad. We were on BA 777 and the Lufthansa flight pulled in right behind us as a storm had closed the gates. The immigration officers had cleared both flights while we were still waiting for our cases and that was under 40 minutes

I will fly indirect via NYC for instance as I can leave here in the evening and arrive at MCO lunchtime the following day rather than doing an overnight at LGW.

Last time I check AL they were really expensive - more expensive than flying direct and the flight landed later.

 

[scoobydooby]

Maybe you've just been lucky with your flight times? We've had some awful waits at immigration - 90 mins a few years back! Imagine if you're at the back of the queue when both the London and Manchester 747s hit (last year they landed almost simultaneously as Man was delayed) - that's up to 700 people hitting the queue at the same time Hoping self service will help though although me and DH purposely pick the seats nearest the exit and then practically run to immigration lol.

Maybe I have. My point is, as an average, everyone doesn't wait a very long time every time, and that is the tone of many of the posts. I am just saying that's not wholly accurate. No doubt my prize will be to get a two hour wait next time....!

 

[Kath2003]

My point was merely that indirect isn't as horrendous as many people seem to think, and can save a considerable sum of money if you're willing to add a few hours travel time.

We travel in the school holidays so it's obviously exaggerated, but next year we are adding 9 hours to our total flight time (both ways) by flying indirect. Even ignoring the time saved by immigration and travelling from a more convenient UK airport, we are saving £100 per person per hour in doing so compared to flying direct. (If you count an hour saved for immigration and 2 hours saved by travelling to a more convenient airport, it's around £130 per person per hour of extra travelling time). For us, it's worth it. That said, we are easy going, kid free, no special requirements - so it's an easy compromise. I know that's not always the case.

I'd pay more to fly direct, even with the less convenient UK airport. But that "premium" for me is around £200. When it's close to a grand, I'm not even registering it...

 

[pickers1982]

My point was merely that indirect isn't as horrendous as many people seem to think, and can save a considerable sum of money if you're willing to add a few hours travel time. We travel in the school holidays so it's obviously exaggerated, but next year we are adding 9 hours to our total flight time (both ways) by flying indirect. Even ignoring the time saved by immigration and travelling from a more convenient UK airport, we are saving £100 per person per hour in doing so compared to flying direct. (If you count an hour saved for immigration and 2 hours saved by travelling to a more convenient airport, it's around £130 per person per hour of extra travelling time). For us, it's worth it. That said, we are easy going, kid free, no special requirements - so it's an easy compromise. I know that's not always the case. I'd pay more to fly direct, even with the less convenient UK airport. But that "premium" for me is around £200. When it's close to a grand, I'm not even registering it...

We have to connect once we arrive back in the uk. People often forget how expensive waiting around in an airport, eating, drinking etc really is. It can quite often knock out a huge amount of your savings

 

[Kath2003]

We have to connect once we arrive back in the uk. People often forget how expensive waiting around in an airport, eating, drinking etc really is. It can quite often knock out a huge amount of your savings

I think that's primarily a UK/EU airport thing. We have never spent more than $20 for the two of us on food and drink whilst connecting in the US and Canada. Earlier this year I spent £4 in Toronto and got a (made to order) baguette, a donut and a coffee. That very same morning I had spent £4 in Heathrow on a small pot of lukewarm porridge...(and no drink!)

As I said, our savings are amplified by travelling in school holidays. Even booking ourselves into a lounge wouldn't take much off the £100 per person per hour we save. That said, I would never connect through somewhere like CDG Paris, where they require you to remortgage should you want to invest in a small sandwich.

 

[Minniesgal]

I know there can be long waits at Orlando, but I have to say as someone who actually always flys direct so always has to wait in the queue, I have never waited more than 40 minutes and would say 30 is more average. I travel mainly although not only in August summer holidays. I think the whole waiting thing gets overstated on these boards, especially now some people can use self service. When I went in May and used this I was in and out of there in 10 minutes. Very, very much quicker however you work it out than travelling indirect. I'm just posting to add a different perspective and some balance here because like I said, I think the whole immigration line issue is just a a likely to be good as bad but for some reason that is rarely stayed on the UK forums.

You have been very lucky we waited 3 hours in 2012 and over an hour in 2013.

 

[Elise79]

As I said, our savings are amplified by travelling in school holidays. Even booking ourselves into a lounge wouldn't take much off the £100 per person per hour we save. That said, I would never connect through somewhere like CDG Paris, where they require you to remortgage should you want to invest in a small sandwich.

I know the point you are making is serious Kath but his line made me

Seriously, you have a very valid point - we had breakfast at JFK. Drinks and snacks for 3 of us was under $30 - I can't remember exactly but I know it didn't break the bank

 

[Kath2003]

I know the point you are making is serious Kath but his line made me

Seriously, you have a very valid point - we had breakfast at JFK. Drinks and snacks for 3 of us was under $30 - I can't remember exactly but I know it didn't break the bank

We know time is money as much as anyone. We both work long hours and a holiday is a big deal for us. We're not about to be "wasting" time unnecessarily - but just cannot justify the cost of flying direct. The cost of one person's direct flight is more than the cost of BOTH of our indirect flights.

I look at it as - we can go twice. (Interestingly that's not how DH looks at it...)

We try to see the good in it. We don't have to eat airplane food because we're never on board for more than around 6-7 hours. We get to have a walk, a proper meal, a decent coffee, a bit of fresh air. We've even done overnight connections (turns out airlines will offer you some fantastic hotel rates to do this!) where we've had a good 8 hours of sleep and a nice evening meal before arriving in Orlando the following morning jet-lag free. We stroll out of the airport and onto the bus within 20 minutes of touching the ground in Orlando. Plus, we have sampled the airports of the Eastern USA - and who wouldn't want that joy?

 

[scoobydooby]

I think an hour is to be expected on a flight with several hundred people on if you're not off first! I may well have been lucky. I tend to pre book seats near an exit. That helps.

 

[Button]

We go annually and find the immigration line tolerable and that's with a kiddo (now 4) thank you trunki!! Whilst they are quicker at getting the cases off at mco than lgw (torture) I can't bare getting through and waiting for that belt to start chucking out cases. Flip side I'd hate to be in immigration and watch someone else walk out with my case by mistake. My ideal scenario would be indirect there and direct back or maybe a private plane. Imagine that ££££££

 

[mgsquared]

We know time is money as much as anyone. We both work long hours and a holiday is a big deal for us. We're not about to be "wasting" time unnecessarily - but just cannot justify the cost of flying direct. The cost of one person's direct flight is more than the cost of BOTH of our indirect flights.

I look at it as - we can go twice. (Interestingly that's not how DH looks at it...)

We try to see the good in it. We don't have to eat airplane food because we're never on board for more than around 6-7 hours. We get to have a walk, a proper meal, a decent coffee, a bit of fresh air. We've even done overnight connections (turns out airlines will offer you some fantastic hotel rates to do this!) where we've had a good 8 hours of sleep and a nice evening meal before arriving in Orlando the following morning jet-lag free. We stroll out of the airport and onto the bus within 20 minutes of touching the ground in Orlando. Plus, we have sampled the airports of the Eastern USA - and who wouldn't want that joy?

My DH never sees it like that either sadly!

How do you get the airline hotel rates? I often see flights like this but the stopover is in warsaw or riva... Could you please share your tricks?