Flying to Europe

[Stradling]

Italy to be exact. Just starting the travel plans and looking for some advice from people that have booked their own travel. I have traveled a lot but the company always took care of it. So there is a newer class of flight called Premium Economy, it is about twice as much as regular economy but you do get more leg room and get on the plane earlier. Have any of you flown this, is it worth it? I am struggling paying four times as much to fly business class, which is what I really would rather do, but every dollar I spend on flying is a dollar I am not spending on other aspects of the trip. Any advice on when to purchase, how to purchase? Are there sure fire tricks that work. It is for a Honeymoon, so I will probably just splurge for business class, but just looking for some help with this one. I have looked at AAA, and it is ok, not the most user friendly site. I have looked directly at the airlines website. I have also gone through and looked at expedia and such. Any of you flown Alitalia Air? Thanks everyone.

[mp170.6]

If you care about specifics, Seatguru has a detailed comparison of Premium Economy by airline:  http://www.seatguru.com/charts/premium_economy.php

 

United upgraded me to EconomyPlus last year on a domestic flight and I wasn't that impressed.  Kept thinking I wouldn't pay extra for this. 

[Adam]

If you're looking to get a handy you're gonna have to spend more. 

[Homebrewer]

Bigger seats/more room between seats..those are a big plus on international flights, as are preferred boarding and easier customs.

Worth double IMO, especially since this is a special occasion. Arriving rested and ready to experience whatever you are traveling for, is everything in my book.

I have flown so much that sleep is my primary goal on airplanes, so drinks and meals matter very little to me. I start yawning the moment the turbines start spinning. NOT having people so close that I can smell their breath, and NOT having people climbing over me, are my idea of a nice flight. 

If your aircraft has a 2 seat row in it's configuration, and it costs twice as much as a 4 seat...it is worth that, and more... when you are 8-9 hours in the air. 

[vnrose]

I always try to fly PE to Europe although I'm 5'5" and petite.    It isn't a lot of extra room but enough that you don't feel like conjoined twins with a stranger.  Everything I read before going to Italy this fall steered me away from Alitalia as well although they were cheaper.  (Actually, Aeroflot was cheapest, but there was a 6 hour layover in Moscow en route to Rome--no thanks.)   I wound up flying BA LAX-LHR-FCO and it wasn't bad.  The last leg was standard class.

 

Business class is just so high--I think its better use of $$$ to go PE and save a couple of thousand for hotels etc.

[notherhalo]

if you are 6' or taller, its a matter of whether the chair in front of you is pressed against your knees or not.  To me, its an easy call for ~$100 but not worth it ~$500 more.  Id rather spend $500 more on a better airline where that doesnt happen in the first place.

 

Whats the cost of comfort?

Edited January 14, 2016 by notherhalo

[mrwicked]

i just did italy a couple months ago.

you will have a blast man.

first class / upgrades are totally worth it for international, especially on a honeymoon. do it on the way there, not as big of a deal on the way back.

if you tell them its your honeymoon at the gate you can totally schmooze them for an upgrade.

they are used to assholes, so if you are super nice they will bend over backwards for you.

 

main thing for regular class seats: avoid the rows immediately around emergency exit row, and the last row in the back.

those can't recline. check one of those air plane seat sites and it will tell you which seats suck and which don't.

i did a flight back from el salvador once hungover as a mutha and my seat couldn't recline.

its a nightmare on a long flight.

 

have you looked into using points?

i did my entire italy trip: sfo to venice, and rome to sfo on points transferred from amex to aeroplan.

Edited January 14, 2016 by mrwicked

[Spencer]

I booked tickets yesterday morning on Norwegian (thanks for the help cals), but I went in the opposite direction and booked as cheap as I can.

$820 round trip to Copenhagen, non-stop both ways, sitting in an exit row on the way there.

There's no food or alcohol included, and I'm not checking bags, but that's about half of what I expected to pay.

Now I have hundreds of extra dollars to spend on vacation essentials, like trashy euro sloots and techno dance parties.

[mrwicked]

has anyone checked out the new WOW airline?

it's run out of iceland, but they are doing crazy stuff like $199 SFO to iceland.

we might go bop around iceland and then from there its easy to move around europe or explore scandinavia.

I've always wanted to stay in the ice hotel in sweden.

[Homebrewer]

I don't know if they fly to Italy....but Virgin Atlantic is one helluva nice outfit.

Flew them to Australia a few years ago, can't say enough good things about them. 

[Homebrewer]

I've flown over Iceland numerous times and refueled there a couple times...and met some folks from there.

I really want to go spend some time there...

[Stradling]

I've been to Iceland, probably my least favorite trip I have ever been on. Just not a lot going on and it was expensive as hell. Now it might not be as expensive there these days ever since the country went bankrupt, but back then it was crazy expensive.

[notherhalo]

its still $10 a beer in iceland, $12 a hot dog... at least as of last year

[Tank]

its still $10 a beer in iceland, $12 a hot dog... at least as of last year

So Iceland is being run by Aramark?

[ELEVEN]

Fly cheap and use the extra cash for fun. Eurorail passes are a great way to see the continent.

[Stradling]

Went to a website called tripmasters.com and put in a Italy package and one of the airline options is Iberia Airlines, anyone know anything about them?

[Homebrewer]

Spain's National Airline I believe. Low cost.

No experience with them.

[Stradling]

Spain's National Airline I believe. Low cost.

No experience with them.

HB you have a lot of knowledge in this area. Do you have a website recommendation that might rate these types of things?

[notherhalo]

Went to a website called tripmasters.com and put in a Italy package and one of the airline options is Iberia Airlines, anyone know anything about them?

I fly Iberias regional flights and they suck

seats make AA flights feel like you are sitting on a king sized bed, want a cup of coffee?  how about a water?  go ahead and try to wiggle €1 out of your wallet in the houdini-esque space they give you

 

They just lost my luggage last month when I landed in Africa from London and didnt seem to care less about finding my stuff (3 weeks of clothes) across the entire org.  The US department didnt care, the local didnt care nor did the HQ.  Through a seemingly act of God I was able to get it at 3AM the day of my 7AM flight, from another airport 1hr away

 

I would expect them to be a bit more gracious on international flights, at least

Edited January 15, 2016 by notherhalo

[Stradling]

Thanks for all of the info nother. British Airways a lot better?

[GoodTimesGoneBad]

British airways to London was the best flight I've ever been on and I sat economy. Sit on the top deck of the Airbus, the seat rows only have 2 seats.

[notherhalo]

I like British Airways, a lot. Edit: For a somewhat lower tier airline* their economy seats are the most comfortable and spacious (granted its probably inches at best) and despite them being a British company, their food isnt bad at all. Most of all you get the British perks that contrast so sharply with Air Berlin; their stewardesses are friendly and will help you get buzzed by handing out multiple beers/scotches at once. I asked for 2 whiskeys on Air Berlin once, they said no and looked like they were writing my name down on a list or something......

The costs can be higher because Tiegel has lower airport fees than Heathrow, but it doesnt always trickle down to ticket prices

Edited January 15, 2016 by notherhalo

[red321]

We are flying to Barcelona in May, using our FFlyer miles on AA...pain in the butt arranging because we had to avoid London (any trip through London on FF miles has a huge tax...$300 per person, per trip...so $1200 on a round trip).

 

I did see the WOW deal and the wife did find some $99 fares. Keep in mind that is just the ticket...lots of add on fees...but you can probably get something reasonable. We were talking about Aurora Borealis and a quick trip this winter.

 

I did fly on Premium Economy/Thai Airlines when going to India years ago. We did the Premium Economy for the long leg and then regular economy for shorter flights. That worked out well.

 

Now, if you can get First Class on Singapore Airlines...that is the shit. Did that a few years ago when my Business Class trip from Auckland to Hong Kong to New Delhi was delayed by half a day...they ended up routing us through Singapore and I made them bump me to first class. Full Lazy Boy recliners...filet mignon...dom perignon...and models for stewardesses.

[red321]

Oh, and British Airways...flown them business class and regular economy...no issues whatsoever...really liked them. Plus they all have cool accents.

[arch stanton]

British Airways is good. British Midlands is like sitting in a torture rack.