Transatlantic Flights Home

[anricat]

We ran into the same problem this year with our point-to-point Med cruise. We sail out of Barcelona but disembark in Civitavecchia (Rome) and one way flights were astronomical. It used to be that way within the US, but nowadays, it's really not a big deal to book a one-way flight for the same price as half a round trip. But I found out that with transatlantic flights, this is not the case. So frustrating.

We ended up booking Norwegian Air which doesn't have this issue. Their flights are the same price one-way or round trip. I think Condor is also the same you might check into them as well. And I'm pretty sure Icelandic Air is similar. These airlines, however, don't often show up when you just do a search of all airlines on something like Expedia or Travelocity. Most of the budget types don't - you have to search directly on their website. Another thing that might help is if you're wiling to fly out of another city. We're actually flying direct into and out of London because that's where Norwegian flies direct from my city. Then we're taking a fairly inexpensive one way to Barcelona the next day. On the way home we're doing something similar. Yes, we have an overnight stay in London, but we'll do a little sightseeing and even with the hotel, it's STILL cheaper than most of the other air options. So don't discount flying out of another city if extending your trip is an option. Air within Europe is relatively cheap.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

We ran into the same problem this year with our point-to-point Med cruise. We sail out of Barcelona but disembark in Civitavecchia (Rome) and one way flights were astronomical. It used to be that way within the US, but nowadays, it's really not a big deal to book a one-way flight for the same price as half a round trip. But I found out that with transatlantic flights, this is not the case. So frustrating.

We ended up booking Norwegian Air which doesn't have this issue. Their flights are the same price one-way or round trip. I think Condor is also the same you might check into them as well. And I'm pretty sure Icelandic Air is similar.

We’ve done two WBTAs and are booked on the EBTA for both 2018 and 2019. For the two WBTAs, we flew from Chicago-ORD to Barcelona on Aer Lingus via Dublin. Fares were half the RT fares at the time we booked. For next month’s EBTA, we’re again using Aer Lingus, Barcelona to Chicago via Dublin. One way fares on the other major carriers were about 3X the Aer Lingus prices.

 

[SplashMom]

Thanks everyone...lots of great advice. We are flying into Halifax so sometimes the airlines are limited. I realize that it is too early but we had originally considered doing the transatlantic this year so I've been watching flights for several months now. The rates are remaining very high. I think I have a few options for when I start looking. Hopefully, something will work...thanks again!

 

[gilsan]

Thanks everyone...lots of great advice. We are flying into Halifax so sometimes the airlines are limited. I realize that it is too early but we had originally considered doing the transatlantic this year so I've been watching flights for several months now. The rates are remaining very high. I think I have a few options for when I start looking. Hopefully, something will work...thanks again!

As I mentioned before we have flown one-way to and from Halifax, and Halifax does have lots of choices. Last time we flew home from Barcelona it was with Condor. Barcelona to Frankfurt and Frankfurt to Halifax.

Now you also have WestJet flying direst from London and Paris to Halifax. You can fly Veuling to either one for very little money from Barcelona we have flown with them and thought the flight was great. You also have Iceland Air as another choice.

You could also fly from Barcelona to NYC or Boston and then fly home from there. You can get some excellent deals with Aeroplan points that way.

I honestly thing that flying one way to/from Europe from Halifax has almost as many choices as Toronto or Montreal.now if we get Norwegian Air flying out of Halifax that would be excellent.

 

[JennTheTurtle]

We found that those open jaw flights (or one ways) are often more costly than round trip flights. For our TransAtlantic cruises we let DCL book the flights, and the price was pretty good.

Another way around your dilemma would be to purchase 2 round trip flights (at $770 per person), one set of round trips to get you there (missing the second leg back) and the other set to come back (again not taking the second leg). That would price out to $1540 per person, cheaper than the $3990

You could also book what is called a Multi City Flight, where you fly into one city and fly out of another. Companies like Expedia offer this Multi City flight if you are using their website and not an app. Also some Travel Agents (not necessarily Disney specific agents) can help you book the multi city one way tickets.

One of the reasons One Way tickets are so expensive, is that you are going someplace and not coming back, so they only get 1 shot at your business. Another is the direction you are flying and current politics. The "safety" and "politics" right now are in fear that 0.001% of all travelers flying 1 way out of Europe are attempting to enter Northern America with the intent of harm. So if they make the flight SUPER expensive than the "bad guy" won't want to make the trip. Please do take a moment and see if you can get a Multi City flight. From your hometown to NYC, and then from Barcelona back to your Home Town. If might be a WHOLE lot cheaper than getting a one way ticket or two sets of round trippers.

 

[FigmentSpark]

How about thinking outside the box?

Take the Trans-Atlantic in May, buy a return ticket to come home that returns in October (or November?), then take the Western bound Trans-Atlantic home.

 

[SplashMom]

Haha...I'd love to do that! I have checked the multi-city and it was still almost $4000/person. Too much! The cruise leaves from Miami so when I try Halifax-Miami and then Barcelona-Halifax it is $4000. I'll keep checking closer to the dates. Some of the suggestions here will work I hope.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

How about thinking outside the box?

Take the Trans-Atlantic in May, buy a return ticket to come home that returns in October (or November?), then take the Western bound Trans-Atlantic home.

With the EBTA going to Barcelona in May and the WBTA starting from Dover in September (at least this year), booking round trip flights would still be complicated, flying Barcelona to the US after the EBTA and from the US to London for the WBTA. With a return ticket from Barcelona to the US in May and from the US back to Barcelona in September (when the WBTA has been sailing in recent years), you'd still need to get yourself from Barcelona to London to catch the WBTA out of Dover.

 

[rcchello]

I just checked fares using Kayak, Barcelona to Halifax one-way, and there are plenty of sub $600 fares to at least 6 months out. This works until you get beyond the dates that the low cost airlines provide fares. So, if you want to fly direct or book your tickets 11 months out the fare will be $3000 or more.

 

[ImprovGal]

How about thinking outside the box?

Take the Trans-Atlantic in May, buy a return ticket to come home that returns in October (or November?), then take the Western bound Trans-Atlantic home.

I did that in 2016.

 

[clten]

Haha...I'd love to do that! I have checked the multi-city and it was still almost $4000/person. Too much! The cruise leaves from Miami so when I try Halifax-Miami and then Barcelona-Halifax it is $4000. I'll keep checking closer to the dates. Some of the suggestions here will work I hope.

Multi-city fares only work when the gap between your two cities (in your case Miami and Barcelona) is shorter than your shortest flight (Halifax to Miami). Since it isn't, you aren't getting a real multi-city (technically an open jaw) fare, you are still getting two one-way fares. So you are better looking at each leg separately and trying to find the best fare available on each (using all the advice given)

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Exactly.
Just to let you know:
If you have the fight to Barcelona first, the airline not only could cancel the flight back. They will, definitely. No doubt. You can not do this.

Isn't the OP sailing back to North America? I thought that was her whole point, that one way flights cost more than round trips.

I would book it as a round trip for the transatlantic flight and just book with a different airline to get home from the US port city (PC, Miami, etc) post cruise.

 

[clten]

Isn't the OP sailing back to North America? I thought that was her whole point, that one way flights cost more than round trips.

I would book it as a round trip for the transatlantic flight and just book with a different airline to get home from the US port city (PC, Miami, etc) post cruise.

The OP indicated they were doing the TA in May 2019 -- that's Miami to Barcelona, so sailing to Europe and flying back to North America Yes, the problem is one way flights. The poster you quoted was indicating that you can not book the round trip ticket from her home city to Barcelona and then back and then only use the back half of a ticket. If you are booking a round trip ticket, intending to only use half of it, you have to make sure you are using the first part of the ticket. As soon as you are a no show, the remainder of your ticket is cancelled.

 

[lilsonicfan]

Bumping up. We are also on the EBTA in May 2019 and will be coming back from Barcelona in early June. I'm wondering for those who have done Europe/TA cruises in the past, when did you find your airfare? I sense I may be a touch early right now because some dates are still not released, but not sure whether I should obsessively check every day (not that i would do such a thing .... )

 

[TikiThunderPirates]

Bumping up. We are also on the EBTA in May 2019 and will be coming back from Barcelona in early June. I'm wondering for those who have done Europe/TA cruises in the past, when did you find your airfare? I sense I may be a touch early right now because some dates are still not released, but not sure whether I should obsessively check every day (not that i would do such a thing .... )

We just returned from the EBTA 2018 and we flew Norwegian Air. We booked our flight the 3rd week in January 2018, and the tickets were $300.00 from Barcelona to our home. We ended up upgrading to their Premium class. After seeing their regular economy. SO glad we did. It was still reasonably priced and we loved the extra room. The best part besides the seats was the easy check in and great lounge in Barcelona.

 

[Disneypeach]

For those that have used DCL for flights, did you get a choice of flights? A choice of airlines?

 

[Canadian Girl]

We did the western TA from Barcelona last Sept. AC had one way flights so we grabbed them. Later they went back to round trip only. WJ is great and they are now flying to Paris and the UK. Iceland Air also does one ways. With our first Eastern TA we flew from Copenhagen to London and took WJ home. Flights in Europe are pretty cheap.